Olathe North families,

Welcome to the ONHS Admin Corner: Notes From the Desk of Mr. Herman.

Parent-Teacher conferences are right around the corner. We will host virtual meetings Feb 10th & 11th from 3:30pm-8:00pm or on Feb.13th 8:00am-4:00pm. Teachers will be sending invites for parents to sign up to meet virtually. We will also host in-person arena style conferences on February 12th from 4:30-8:30, These conferences are first come first serve. Remember, if you need an ASL interpreter to please reach out to Kathy Stanley at kjstanley@olatheschools.org .

Olathe North will be hosting a Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl Spirit Week. Remind your students to dress up for:

Mahomes Monday (Chiefs Jersey/Swag Day)

Travis and Taylor Tuesday (Dress to impress)

Dreaming for a win Wednesday (PJ Day)

Red Thursday (Chief's Swag)

No School: Red Friday

2nd Quarter Attendance, Behavior and Grade Challenge data has been pulled. The Olathe Administration will be celebrating with each class during transition of A/I. We will also be drawing for the large prizes during the pep assembly on February 26th. Students that meet the challenge will have an opportunity to select two prizes to have their name entered in.

A Principal's Rant!!! It is that time of year when we send the concern letters for attendance, behavior and grades. I am proud to say that we are seeing a reduction in the amount of letters that we need to send. I still challenge parents to read through the letters and reach out to your alpha administrator or your alpha counselor on how we can help your student succeed in these three areas. Coming to school, doing what you are asked to do, and putting effort into your academics is not hard to do. How can we work together to ensure success for all Olathe North students?

We have a lot of events that occur during the school year, please make sure that you are always checking https://www.sunflowerleague.org/g5-bin/client.cgi?G5genie=403 Sunflowerleague.org to see the building live calendar. I will also try to get many of the events on important date information below.

Jason Herman, Principal

Olathe North High School

Hello Olathe North Community,

We need your help to make prom a memorable event this year! At Olathe North, we take great pride in our tradition of creating a fun and beautiful prom experience. The Junior Class Leadership team plays a key role in organizing this event by fundraising throughout the year, primarily through working at home football concession stands. Unfortunately, due to the limited number of home football games this year, our fundraising efforts have been impacted, and we are in need of additional support.

All junior and senior parents, please check your emails for additional information about the fundraiser we are conducting to raise money for prom. In order to make this event a success, we are asking our juniors and seniors to gather at least 20 email addresses for the fundraiser.

If you don’t have a junior or senior but still wish to contribute, you can make a donation directly at this link: Prom Fund Donation.

If you have any questions or need further information, feel free to reach out to me at rbrockon@olatheschools.org.

We truly appreciate your support and any help you can provide.

Thank you so much,
Raschel Brock
Junior Class Sponsor

The week of February 10th we will be hosting Parent Teacher Conferences. In the next couple weeks, you should be hearing from your students’ teachers with an opportunity to sign up to either meet them in person, on a zoom, or a phone call, or an email. Staff will be given options to be available Monday evening 3:30-8:30; Tuesday evening 3:30-8:30; or Thursday 8:00am-8:30pm. All staff will be available in person Wednesday night 4:30-8:30 at Olathe North High School for arena style conferences. Please see the school schedule for the week listed below.

February 10: Monday: 7 hour day
February 11: Tuesday: 7 hour day
February 12: Wednesday: 1/2 day 8:00am-11:15am
February 13: Thursday: No School

February 14: Friday: No School

The Olathe Chamber of Commerce is looking for high school students that need volunteer opportunities. The QR code on the flyer or the link below will take you to the volunteer opportunities. If you need community service hours, this is a great way to get it. Sign up today.

https://runsignup.com/Race/Volunteer/KS/Olathe/GarminOlatheMarathon

Did yo miss the Olathe North FASFA night???? There are more opportunities coming at JCCC. See the dates below.

Thursday, February 13th: JCCC FAFSA Completion Night #1 (6:00 – 8:00 PM, Johnson County Community College) – Sign up HERE

Wednesday, March 5th: JCCC FAFSA Completion Night #2 (5:00 – 7:00 PM, Johnson County Community College) – Sign up HERE

Please note that ALL of these events are FAFSA Completion events, which means you should only have to sign up for ONE! If you cannot attend any of these events but would still like help, please contact Mr. Van Winkle at lvanwinkle@olatheschools.org!

When you have completed your FAFSA, please email lvanwinkle@olatheschools.org to let Mr. Van Winkle know, if you have not already, so that he can update his records!

Logan Van Winkle

lvanwinkle@olatheschools.org

College Adviser | K-State College Advising Corps

Student Government Day is an opportunity for Olathe students to shadow different jobs/departments within the Olathe government to learn more about what the government does. This year, Student Government Day will be held on February 7 from 8:00-12:00 at the Olathe Downtown Library. 21st Century Students are able to gain eHours for participating Student Government Day. Flyer attached below with all the information and a QR code.

Thank you and please reach out to one of the city contacts with any questions,

emruback@olatheks.org (Assistant to the Mayor)
emsetter@olatheks.org (Teen Council co-chair)
cmsmoot@olatheks.org (Teen Council co-chair)

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/R2X1RLL12YCM?ref_=wl_share

We are currently taking applications for the Olathe North in-person session of driver's education. Students attending North or students who reside in the North attendance area but are participating in a 21st Century Academy at another school are eligible. (Please make a note in the Comments section if this applies to you.) In-person classes will be held Feb. 24th -March 6th (Monday-Thursday) from 5-8p.m. at Olathe North High School. Attendance at all classes is mandatory. Students will drive Monday through Friday after school and possibly some weekend times. Drive instructors will schedule drives with the student. Drives will begin March 10th. Students will be picked up and dropped off at Olathe North. Drives will be with a certified instructor and two students in the car.

Historically, the program has had a very high application rate. A learner’s permit is not required but will be a consideration. Students must be 14.5 years old by the first class. Driving experience with a parent/guardian is highly recommended prior to the start of class.

The cost is $375 payable by credit card, cash or check and due at registration prior to the first day of class. Successful completion of the course plus additional driving experience will enable students to obtain a Kansas driver’s license or restricted license (depending on their age and length of time they have held a permit). Please go to https://www.olatheschools.org/Page/2484 to register and more information.

Actualmente estamos aceptando solicitudes para la sesión presencial de educación vial de la escuela secundaria Olathe North. Los estudiantes que asisten a North o los estudiantes que residen en el área de asistencia de North, pero están participando en una Academia del Siglo 21 en otra escuela son elegibles. (Por favor haga una nota en la sección de Comentarios si esto se aplica a usted.) Las clases en persona se llevarán a cabo del 24 de febrero al 6 de marzo (lunes a jueves) de 5-8p.m. en Olathe North High School. La asistencia a todas las clases es obligatoria. Los estudiantes conducirán de lunes a viernes después de la escuela y posiblemente algunos fines de semana. Los instructores de manejo programarán los viajes con el estudiante. Las clases empezaran el 10 de marzo. Los estudiantes serán recogidos y dejados en Olathe North. Los viajes serán con un instructor certificado y dos estudiantes en el carro.

Históricamente, el programa ha tenido una tasa de aplicación muy alta. Un permiso de conducir de aprendiz no es requerido pero será una consideración. Los estudiantes deben tener 14 años y medio para la primera clase. Experiencia de conducir con un padre / tutor es muy recomendable antes del inicio de clases.

El costo es de $ 375 a pagar con tarjeta de crédito, efectivo o cheque y debido a la inscripción antes del primer día de clase. La finalización con éxito del curso más la experiencia de conducir adicional permitirá a los estudiantes a obtener una licencia de conducir de Kansas o licencia restringida (dependiendo de su edad y el tiempo que han tenido un permiso). Por favor vaya a https://www.olatheschools.org/Page/2484 para registrarse y obtener más información.

Kraig Taylor

Assistant Principal Olathe East High School

Director of Olathe Public Schools Drivers Education

14545 West 127th Street

Olathe, Kansas 66062

(913) 780-7120

Last Saturday, Band and orchestra students traveled to Salina, KS to audition for the Kansas Music Educators Association All State Ensembles. This year, five Olathe North Band students were selected for the KMEA 56A Band:

Savannah Dunkley (Fr.), Flute

Angel Samano (Sr., 2 yr member), Clarinet

Owen Dunkley (Jr.), Bass Clarinet (1st Chair)

Ellie Okediji (Soph., 2 yr member), French Horn

Gavin Winsor (Jr.), Euphonium

They’ll perform with the best high school musicians in the state at the end of February at the annual KMEA In-service Workshop in Wichita, KS.

The College Now enrollment opens Monday, January 20th and closes Friday, Feb 14th. This is a hard deadline. Your student should already have an active JCCC student account, but in case he/she did not take a class for credit in the Fall semester, the first step would be to complete a JCCC application. Please visit the ON College Now website for complete information, including links to everything you need: https://www.olatheschools.org/Page/8747

Other things to note:

1. If you are looking for financial assistance, your student MUST apply for both the JCCC Grant and ALL Fund. Links to both can be found on the ON College Now website (scroll all the way to the bottom)
2. If your student is enrolled in AP Lit and wants to take Comp II through JCCC but did NOT take Comp I, he/she will need to upload proof that they scored a 3 or higher on the AP Lang exam last May. Directions for that are also on the ON College Now website referenced above.

Please reach out to Ms. Etherton with any questions!

Olathe North Families,

We wanted you to be aware that our school is expanding our supply of Naloxone (commonly known as NARCAN), a medication that can rapidly reverse an opioid overdose and can be safely and easily administered to individuals of all ages. In addition to our nurse’s office, NARCAN will now be stocked next to the AED defibrillator at our school and at our district athletic complexes.

Most opioid overdoses are accidental and can happen anywhere. As you may know, the Drug Enforcement Agency has warned that colorful pills have entered the counterfeit drug market, with the intent of making the pills look like candy. Our school district wants to be prepared for any emergency situation. Emergencies do not always happen during the school day, so having NARCAN near the AED defibrillator would allow for access to this lifesaving medication at any time. Our top priority is and always will be the safety of our students and staff.

Various school staff members have been trained on how to recognize the signs and symptoms of opioid intoxication and how to deliver NARCAN quickly and effectively. If emergency medication, such as NARCAN or Epinephrine is administered, we will call 911 and our district emergency management system will be activated. However, it can be lifesaving if an individual is experiencing an opioid overdose.

While we hope to never use NARCAN, we believe having it available and more accessible in our building is a good addition to the list of lifesaving medications we already carry in case of an emergency.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Jason Herman,

Olathe North Principal

Tis the season for respiratory and gastrointestinal viruses! We always see a rise in Influenza and other respiratory viruses at this time of year, and an increase in stomach bugs like Norovirus. These illness typically peak between January-March and then slow down after Spring break. Parents please feel free to reference the Health Website where you can find information about when to keep your students home due to illness. I have also included a respiratory guidance sheet and a link to Norovirus: About Norovirus (CDC) if you find this helpful.

ACT Testing Information

Who should take the ACT?

Any student planning on attending a 4-year university.

Many schools have waived the ACT for the class of 2025 however, it is still required for many scholarships at universities. For example: K-State has a smaller scholarship for GPA only and larger scholarships that need both GPA and ACT scores; KU just has GPA only scholarships. Schools are still deciding for future years. Please check with individual schools.

When should I start taking the ACT?

We recommend starting by the end of Sophomore year.

The June test is a great test to get started in the process. However, for the 2024-2025 school year, Sophomores might want to delay taking the test until their Junior year-see below for more information.

Most students will take the ACT 3 times. We also recommend being finished by the end of the summer before Senior year in taking the test. The ACT is offered in June, July, September, October, December, and April each year.

How is the ACT test changing?

Students will now have the option to take the test online. However, Olathe schools are continuing with the paper and pencil test only. If a student is interested in the online option, they will need to go to ACT’s website to look for testing locations that offer online testing.

Starting with the September 2025 test, the Science portion will be optional for all paper and pencil tests just like how the writing portion is currently optional. It is too soon to tell how colleges will handle this change. It will be important to check with each school of interest to see if they are going to require the science test or not. The test will also go from 3 hours to 2.

For current Seniors: you will be required to have the Science test

For current Juniors: you will need to continue to take the Science test-very few of you will still be taking it in September of Senior year when the changes start.

For current Sophomores: If you take the test starting in June you will have Science. Starting in September of your Junior year Science will be optional. It might be to your advantage to wait until Fall of Junior year if you feel that Science will not be helpful to you.

For current Freshmen: Starting at end of Sophomore year means that your ACT test will not have Science.

What is Test Information Release?

For an additional $32 students can get an electronic copy of the test booklet and their answers about a month after they take the test. This is a great learning tool to see areas where you need to make improvements. The test information release is offered this year for September, December and February 2025 (this is all that is currently published).

Most students will take the ACT 3 times. We also recommend being finished by the end of the summer before Senior year in taking the test. The ACT is offered in June, July, September, October, December, and April each year.

What should you do to get ready for the test?

Practice! Research has shown the more you look at the test and prepare the better you will do. We also recommend taking a prep test.

How does a student register for the ACT?

Students will need to register for the ACT at www.actstudent.org. They will need to set up an account to register and pay for an exam. Students on free/reduced lunches can talk to their counselor and use an ACT waiver for 2 free exams. This account will be where students will check their testing location and confirm their registration.

ACT Prep Class Opportunities for Spring 2025

• ON ACT free prep during Advisory-Academic Intervention This class is offered on Thursdays: Jan 16th, Jan 30th, and Feb 20th You must attend all sessions and for the complete hour (9:55-10:55). Sign-ups are available now and dates are subject to change.

• ACT Prep with Power Prep Inc. on Wednesday, May 28th from 8:30-12:55 pm. Class will be discounted for all North students. http://actprep.info/olathenorth

Remember: prep and practice = confidence and a better score

The Olathe North Student Services Newsletter is now available: https://secure.smore.com/n/1c0jk2.

Please reach out to your counselor with any questions.

Rachel Gunderson (A-D, SER, CBR, KSD): rmgunderson@olatheschools.org
Nicole Etherton (E-Li): nmetherton@olatheschools.org
Tammie Milke (Lo-Ri): tmilkeon@olatheschools.org
Carrie Parazin (Ro-Z): cnparazin@olatheschools.org
Samanta Landa (ELL, AVID Students): silanda@olatheschools.org

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El Boletín de Servicios para Estudiantes de Olathe North ya está disponible: https://secure.smore.com/n/1c0jk2.

Por favor, póngase en contacto con su consejero con cualquier pregunta.

Rachel Gunderson (A-D, SER, CBR, KSD): rmgunderson@olatheschools.org
Nicole Etherton (E-Li): nmetherton@olatheschools.org
Tammie Milke (Lo-Ri): tmilkeon@olatheschools.org
Carrie Parazin (Ro-Z): cnparazin@olatheschools.org
Samanta Landa (Estudiantes ELL, AVID): silanda@olatheschools.org

Siga estos pasos para traducir el boletín: En la parte superior derecha presione Translate-Abra la pestaña y elija Spanish.

El boletín se traducirá automáticamente. Llame si tiene preguntas o necesita ayuda.

Senior Parents and Students, This has been a request that we have heard. Thank you to Senior Class Sponsor Andrea Cronin for putting this document together. This is a living breathing document and there could be changes throughout the year. I only placed page one in the picture below. There is a PDF that you can download below the first page.

Join the Olathe North Parents Facebook Group!

This is a page for parents to post a quick general question that another parent or administrator can answer. Parents who know Olathe North are happy to help answer questions. We also have Mr. Herman along with a couple of other administrators who often answer questions.

Here is the link to join: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/NBKGAanJiHUearHv/