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Thursday, November 12, 2026

Olathe wraps first school boundary meetings; board votes on disposing of closing buildings

Plus, I-35 lanes at Santa Fe could start this winter, and Olathe East needs a new football coach.

The Daily Olathe team2 stories14 sources5 min read

SchoolsTop story

Olathe wraps its first boundary meetings for six closing schools, and the board votes Thursday on buildings

Olathe's boundary process runs from November meetings to a January vote

  1. Nov. 9Scarborough and Heritage elementary families meet with the district.
  2. Nov. 10Black Bob and Tomahawk elementary families meet with the district.
  3. Nov. 11Walnut Grove Elementary and Indian Trail Middle families meet with the district.
  4. DecemberDistrict administration brings a boundary proposal to the Board of Education.
  5. JanuaryA board vote on boundaries is anticipated.

Source: KSHB 41 Kansas City

If you have a child at one of the six schools set to close, the first round of boundary meetings is done. The district wrapped up Wednesday night at Walnut Grove Elementary and Indian Trail Middle School, after Monday and Tuesday meetings for the other four schools' families.

The school board also will vote Thursday to part ways with seven closing school buildings, according to Olathe representatives.

  • Closing: Indian Trail Middle and five elementary schools
  • Heritage Elementary: building stays under district ownership
  • Next: six larger-scale boundary meetings for families

The board has seven closing buildings to decide on Thursday

7
closing school buildings the board will vote to dispose of
5
of them are from recent closures
2
are from the 2026 bond measure approved in March

Source: Olathe Reporter

Schools

Olathe families can pick a preferred boundary map, and some parents are petitioning the state

If you have a child at one of the closing schools, you can weigh in, though it's not a vote. At Tuesday's meeting, the district presented three options and asked parents to fill out a survey on where their kids should go next year. Each closing school gets the same survey.

  • Survey: families name their preferred boundary map
  • Missed a meeting? You can still submit your preference
  • Feedback isn't a formal vote; the board receives it
  • Final boundaries: recommended by district administration

Some parents want an outside look. Gera Netcher, co-founder of , said the group is gathering signatures for a petition to the Kansas Board of Education under . It needs 5% of Olathe district residents to sign to trigger a review.

5%of Olathe district residents must sign the petition to trigger a state review

is gathering signatures for a Kansas Board of Education review of the closures.

Source: FOX4KC.com

Five of the six closing schools are in southeast Olathe, KSHB 41 reported as the first boundary meetings got under way. Black Bob parents told reporters they're worried about transportation and safety for walkers, and about whether the remaining schools can absorb the students.

Five of the six closing schools are in southeast Olathe

5 of 6

  • in southeast Olathe
  • 1 not in southeast Olathe

Source: KSHB 41 Kansas City

View as table
CountShare
in southeast Olathe583%
not in southeast Olathe117%

Asked

Tap an answer to see how Olathe answered.

Asked

How do you plan to share your thoughts on Olathe's school boundary options?

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News Notes

I-35

Construction on the highway portion of the I-35 and Santa Fe interchange project could begin as soon as this winter, with the Kansas Department of Transportation set to add auxiliary lanes between Santa Fe and 119th Street in late 2026 or early 2027. The Olathe City Council voted 7-0 on Nov. 3 to approve $567,375 in additional engineering work. Johnson County Post

$200 millionroughly, the city's estimated cost of the I-35 and Santa Fe project

The city estimates the project will wrap up in summer 2030.

Source: Johnson County Post

Boundary meetings

Olathe Public Schools presented two to three potential concepts for each of the six closing schools, according to several parents who attended. KMBC reported that television cameras weren't allowed inside, and the meetings were sent to impacted families directly rather than listed on the district website. KMBC

Olathe East

Olathe East High School is searching for its next head football coach after Courtney Porter stepped down Tuesday. Porter coached the Hawks for seven seasons and resigned after an 0-9 season and a 49-28 playoff loss to Gardner-Edgerton. Olathe Reporter

Golf app

An Olathe man has launched Sim2Course, a golf app with advanced GPS tracking and course simulations for $20 a year. Founder Jeff Rosebaugh told The Olathe Reporter similar technology from large companies can cost hundreds of dollars in that time. Olathe Reporter

Blue Valley

Blue Valley elementary and middle school students won't be allowed to use e-scooters or e-bikes on or near district property beginning Jan. 1. The district showed traffic camera video of dozens of middle schoolers riding near 159th Street and Metcalf Avenue at its Nov. 9 board meeting. KCTV reported concerns about speeding on sidewalks, riding on elementary school playgrounds and collisions involving vehicles. KSHB 41 Kansas CityJohnson County PostKCTV

The Buy

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Every Thursday, lululemon adds new markdowns to its We Made Too Much section. Read: Deals, on deals, on deals. This week, we’re eyeing $30+ off this cozy funnel-neck half-zip and major savings on these buttery-soft joggers in colors like Walnut Crunch, Lotus Lavender, and Willow Leaf.

Home

Tackling a fall project? You already know you’ll find the tools, storage, outdoor essentials, and supplies you need at The Home Depot — but have you browsed Black Friday savings? Check out The Home Depot’s current deals and see what you can cross off your project list.

Content marked with an * is advertising.

Asked

Tap an answer to see how Olathe answered.

Asked

Do your kids ride e-bikes or e-scooters to school?

Be the first to answer.

Today’s puzzles

A new puzzle in each one every morning, played right here.

All 39 games

Quoted

A house divided against itself cannot stand.

— Jesus, Mark 3:25

Things to Do

Things to Do

Olathe, KS

Thursday, Nov. 12

See every Olathe eventFeature your event

Jobs

Jobs

Submit your Job listing

Do you know just the role for our readers? Share it on our Jobs board.

Real Estate

Real Estate

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The Buy

Around the Block

Around the Block

Powered by Nextdoor

Neighbors

I see these same posts regarding the dangerous scary coyotes, over and over.

“I have lived on 151st for 35 years. I too, live by the wooded area by the path. There used to be deer, fox, eagles, owls as well as coyotes. Now, we have pushed wildlife out of their natural habitation for so long, we hardly see any wildlife here. I'm a huge nature lover. Many times I sit outside to observe whatever…”

— A neighbor, Lackman Parkhill

233 likes · 41 comments

View post

The Wrap

Coffee fans in Johnson County have a new bean origin to chat about. Qamaria, a Yemeni coffee company that got its start in Michigan, has filed plans for a Leawood storefront at the Market Square shopping center, near Price Chopper. Its beans come from Yemen, thought historically to be a birthplace of coffee as a beverage. Bean there, brewed that.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Olathe families see boundary maps as petition nears 8,000

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Every source in this edition14 links · 8 outlets
  1. The Weather Channelweather.com
  2. KSHB 41 Kansas Citykshb.com
  3. Olathe Reporterolathereporter.com
  4. Olathe Reporterolathereporter.com
  5. FOX4KC.comfox4kc.com
  6. KSHB 41 Kansas Citykshb.com
  7. Johnson County Postjohnsoncountypost.com
  8. KMBCkmbc.com
  9. Olathe Reporterolathereporter.com
  10. Olathe Reporterolathereporter.com
  11. KSHB 41 Kansas Citykshb.com
  12. Johnson County Postjohnsoncountypost.com
  13. KCTVkctv5.com
  14. Olathe events calendardailyolathe.com

Past issues

  1. Fri., Nov. 13Children's Mercy is back in network for UnitedHealthcare ACA plans
  2. Wed., Nov. 11Olathe families see boundary maps as petition nears 8,000
  3. Tues., Nov. 10Your Tuesday in Olathe: news notes, a schools poll and weekend plans
  4. Mon., Nov. 9Kansas City area logs a record 37 tornadoes in 2026
  5. Sun., Nov. 8Olathe North edges Lawrence 10-6 in the regional playoff round
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Daily Olatheto me · Thurs., Nov. 126:00 a.m.

Olathe wraps first school boundary meetings; board votes on disposing of closing buildings

Plus, I-35 lanes at Santa Fe could start this winter, and Olathe East needs a new football coach.

The TLDR

  1. Olathe's first boundary meetings for six closing schools are done
  2. The school board votes Thursday on seven closing buildings
  3. Families can pick a boundary map; a state petition is underway
Read this edition

More stories this week

From Daily Olathe’s other editions

All the news
HealthChildren's Mercy will be back in network for UnitedHealthcare ACA plans on Jan. 1If your family buys insurance on the ACA Marketplace, here's good news: Children's Mercy will be in network with UnitedHealthcare ACA Marketplace plans beginning Jan. 1, 2027. In late October, the hospital said no marketplace plan would cover it after Medica decided to exit the market in Johnson and Wyandotte counties in Kansas and five Missouri counties.Friday’s editionRead Johnson CountyLeawood and Blue Valley are tightening the rules for e-bikes and e-scootersIf you have a kid who rides an e-bike or e-scooter, the rules are changing fast. Leawood's council voted unanimously on Nov. 2 to cap speeds at 15 mph on sidewalks and trails starting Dec. 15, and children under 16 can't operate Class 3 e-bikes.Friday’s editionRead Olathe SchoolsOlathe families are seeing boundary maps as six schools get ready to closeIf your child attends one of the six Olathe schools set to close, boundary meetings are underway. Heritage and Scarborough families saw proposed maps Monday night. Walnut Grove families see theirs Wednesday at 5 p.m., according to Olathe Families United co-founder Gera Netcher.Wednesday’s editionRead

Around Olathe

From KAKE, Kansas City Star and 3 more newsrooms, gathered by 6AM News, 6AM City’s local news service.

More local news

  1. KAKE3 hours ago

    Friday Football Blitz: Sectional Round Scores, Recap

    The semifinals have arrived. Friday's action wrapped up the sectional round of the Kansas High School Playoffs, and we are down to 36 teams still alive with a shot at

  2. Kansas City Star3 hours ago

    Here are the high school football playoff scores from this week’s games around KC

    See this week’s Kansas City high school football playoff scores, including Missouri district championships and Kansas sectionals from Friday, Nov. 13 across the metro.

  3. KCTV6 hours ago

    Olathe parents turn in petition asking state to review school closures

    Organizers said they turned in more than 7,800 signatures. They needed 6,115.

  4. FOX4KC.com7 hours ago

    Edgerton City Council puts data center vote on ballot

    Edgerton voters will now get a say on the proposed data center off 196th Street.

  5. WIBW8 hours ago

    4 decades of service: Shawnee Co. Commissioner Bill Riphahn reflects

    Shawnee Co. Commissioner Bill Riphahn made a final visit to the Red Couch before he retires from public service.

  6. FOX4KC.com8 hours ago

    La La Land Cafe coming to Leawood’s French Corner development

    A popular Los Angeles-based coffee shop known for its bright yellow branding and mission of spreading kindness is planning to open a location in Leawood.