Elementary Essentials
April 21, 2023
SCIENCE
NASA Ames Exploration Encounter
Want to wrap up your school year with a fun and educational activity? Join a FREE virtual field trip brought to you by the NASA Ames Research Center. The NASA Ames Exploration Encounter (AEE) is currently looking for a few select schools to access this FREE, fun, and hands-on opportunity before sessions end on June 16, 2023.
Facilitated by a NASA STEM Education Specialist, AEE is a free, one-hour interactive program for classes of 1st through 6th grade students to experience science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in action. This may be joined virtually at their Mountain View, California, location for a two-hour program.
Registration is now OPEN. View this website for session schedules and registration information.
SOCIAL STUDIES
Did you know Olathe residents could visit their local McDonalds for a cheeseburger and fries when it opened in 1970? Afterward, you might head to the South Twin Drive-In to catch a movie, which was located near 123rd Street. If you headed north on Mur-Len and saw the truck stop, you would have had to turn around and head back. You went too far!
3rd Grade Teachers: Please take a few moments to provide feedback about the City of Olathe field trip here.3rd Grade Field Trip Feedback
Check out the newsletter for information about our need for helping to creating updated Celebrate Freedom Week lessons and MORE!
MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
Youth Mental Health First Aid
Johnson County Mental Health has received a grant from SAMSHA worth $125,000/year for 4 years. This grant provides Youth Mental Health First Aid training (see flyer) for Olathe Public Schools Educators, Olathe Police Officers, and Olathe Firefighters. This training will provide participants with the skills to appropriately and safely respond and help students who may be experiencing a mental health crisis. In addition, the funds provide for student training in Mental Health First Aid and in the future, OPS will be asked to identify a school where student training can occur.
The first round of trainings for educators will begin this Summer. Educators will be able to choose to take the training for District Professional Development points for salary movement or re-licensure, or can elect to receive a stipend of $124, which is paid from the grant. New educators are especially encouraged to take this training. Staff already trained in mental health (school counselors, psychs, social workers, etc) will NOT take this training due to its basic nature.
See the attached flyer for more details.