Message from the Superintendent
September 2022
Olathe families,
We are officially one month into the 2022-23 school year and we have so many wonderful things happening in our Olathe schools! I have had the opportunity to visit almost all of our buildings over the past month and I continue to be amazed by the incredible learning experiences happening for our students. I have also loved to see our Olathe community engaged in our schools, as they have the opportunity to see first-hand what I have the honor and privilege to see each day when I tour our buildings - amazing Olathe staff preparing students for their future.
As you'll recall from my Back-to-School video in August, one of our main priorities as a district this year is to engage our community in our buildings. Many of our schools have already taken advantage of this opportunity and we are excited to continue this community engagement with a new opportunity to interact with myself and our Board of Education at Community Conversations starting later this month. You can read more about it in the newsletter below.
I would encourage you to continue to look for ways to get involved in your child's school throughout the year, whether that is through volunteer opportunities or special events offered by your school. We have amazing things happening throughout our district each and every day - join us as we celebrate those moments and prepare students for #OPSforTheirFuture!
Sincerely,
Dr. Brent Yeager
Community Conversations with Olathe's Superintendent and Board of Education
Olathe families, community members, students and staff are invited to join the superintendent and members of the Board of Education for Community Conversations starting in September.
These informal events are designed to encourage two-way dialogue between the Board of Education and community members about the topics that are top-of-mind in the district. There is no set agenda, but rather, participants will have an opportunity to engage in conversation regarding a variety of topics.
All community conversations will be held in the Olathe Instructional Resource Center (14090 S. Black Bob Rd). Four Community Conversations are planned for the 2022-23 school year, including both morning and evening sessions to help accommodate a variety of schedules:
- Sept. 27, 2022 from 9-10:30 a.m.
- Nov. 17, 2022 from 5-6:30 p.m.
- Feb. 21, 2023 from 9-10:30 a.m.
- April 24, 2023 from 5-6:30 p.m.
Those planning to attend are asked to RSVP in advance. If you intend to join the Tuesday, Sept. 27 Community Conversation, please submit an RSVP at this link by Friday, Sept. 23.
Stay Up-to-Date on Bond 2022 Progress
Work on Bond 2022 projects is officially underway! Olathe staff and community members are invited to stay up-to-date on the latest Bond 2022 progress on the district's website, www.olatheschools.org/Bond2022. Here you will find project status updates, progress photos and more. Check out the latest update from August with details on high school field turf replacement, Santa Fe Trail Middle construction, traffic circulation improvement at Olathe South and Indian Trail Middle, and upgrades to district safety.
District Introduces New Academic Assessment Tool
The Olathe Public Schools has shifted to a new streamlined assessment system called FastBridge beginning in the 2022-23 school year. FastBridge is replacing several separate assessment and screening systems previously used (NWEA MAP for both math and reading as well as AMIRA for screening at-risk readers). This past spring, seven buildings throughout the district were early implementors of FastBridge. Parents, students, and staff reported positive experiences with administration of the test and interpretation of results.
The shift to FastBridge allows educators to meet state required assessment and screening on one platform, and in all cases reduces the amount of time students are assessing. The academic data gathered is very similar to that of NWEA MAP, containing both a percentile and a scaled score much like that of the RIT score that parents may be used to in their student’s reports. The information gained from FastBridge directly informs the district’s Multi-Tiered System of Support for reading and math allowing educators to proactively meet the needs of students.
We Need Your Help! Apply to Work in Olathe Public Schools
In addition, the district is hiring for a variety of substitute positions, including substitute paras, substitute teachers and substitute nurses. Visit our job openings website to learn more about all open positions or attend the Substitute Job Fair on Sept. 21 from 9 a.m.-Noon at the Olathe Education Center (14160 S. Black Bob Rd.).
