OLATHE ~ The Olathe Public Schools Board of Education passed a resolution at a special board meeting authorizing legal counsel to initiate litigation and file suit against JUUL, a manufacturer, distributor and seller of electronic cigarettes and vaping products.
Olathe Public Schools leadership understands the threat to student health and is taking action against the epidemic. The top priority of the Olathe Public Schools is the safety and well-being of its students and staff. Electronic cigarettes and vaping devices pose a significant threat to student health with misleading advertisements targeted toward middle and high school students. It is the district’s responsibility to protect its students.
“As a Board of Education, we have a duty to do what’s right for students, the community and our future generations,” said Olathe Public Schools Board President Shannon Wickliffe. “Vaping is an epidemic and, as community leaders, we’re taking the lead to protect our students and future leaders. The hidden dangers of vaping are triggering a health crisis and we’re taking action.”
“Our role as a public school district is to provide our students with the best educational environment to help them learn and grow. To protect our students is paramount,” Olathe Public Schools Superintendent John Allison said. “Middle and high school students, we believe, have been targeted by e-cigarette and vaping manufacturers with false and misleading advertising. Vaping has caused a significant disruption in our buildings. As smart as our students are, they don’t understand the long-term ramifications of vaping and the amount of addictive chemicals they are dealing with. It’s our role to protect our students today and in the future.”
This litigation does not require the Olathe School District to allocate financial resources.

CONTACT: Cody Kennedy
Communications
913-780-7044
ckennedy@olatheschools.org

The Olathe North Physical Education Department has recently created a 6 hole Frisbee/Disc Golf Course.  We are requesting from the Olathe North community donations of any disc golf accessorizes.  We need discs.  We are looking to create enough sets for our PE classes to use the Disc Golf Course.  If you have an Frisbee Golf discs laying around we will take them.  

October College Rep Visits
All occur during eagle ½ time
**Unless otherwise noted
Front office small conference room
 
October 1 – Johnson County Community College  11:30 – 12:30
October 2 – Emporia State University  11:00 – 12:00
October 3 – Pittsburg State University  11:45 – 12:45
October 4 – William Woods University  11:30 – 12:30
October 7 – Kansas City, KS Community College  11:30 – 12:30
October 8 – Colby College  11:30 – 12:30
October 9 – University of NE - Lincoln  11:00 to 12:00
October 10 – Drake University  11:45 to 12:45
October 14 – University of Central Missouri  11:30 to 12:30
October 15 – Washburn University  11:30 to 12:30
October 21 – University of Tennessee - Knoxville   11:30 – 12:30
October 21 – University of Arizona  12:00 to 12:30 **In Ms. Taylor’s Office
October 22 – University of Minnesota - Twin Cities  11:30 – 12:30
October 23 – Stephens College   11:00 – 12:00
October 23 – Fontbonne University 11:30 – 12:00 **In Ms. Taylor’s Office
October 24 – Washington University - St. Louis  11:45 to 12:45
October 25 – Donnelly College  11:30 to 12:30
October 28 – Missouri University of Science and Tech  11:30 – 12:30
October 29 – University of Arkansas  11:30 to 12:30
October 30 – MidAmerica Nazarene University  11:00 – 12:00
October 31 – William Jewell College (MO)  11:45 – 12:45
See Mrs. McQuay in the Front Office to sign up!!!!
​

Olathe North Families,
It was brought to my attention that I did not get the Signs of Suicide information out to our families before the implementation.  Students did an amazing job and I wanted to share the detailed information from this program.  
The adolescent years are marked by a roller-coaster ride of emotions and these years can be difficult for students and their parents. During these years, it is hard to know what is normal adolescent turmoil and what behaviors might be something more serious. 
To proactively address these issues, the Olathe Public Schools is offering suicide prevention training and awareness as part of the SOS Signs of Suicide® Prevention Program. The program encourages students to seek help if they are concerned about themselves or a friend. The SOS Program is a youth suicide prevention program that has demonstrated an improvement in students’ knowledge and adaptive attitudes about suicide risk and depression, as well as a reduction in actual suicide attempts. Listed on Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices, the SOS Program has shown a reduction in self-reported suicide attempts by 40-64% in randomized control studies (Aseltine et al., 2007; Schilling et al., 2016).
Our goals in participating in this program are straightforward:

• To explain that suicide is a preventable tragedy that often occurs as a result of untreated depression or other mental disorders
• To provide students training in how to identify potential suicide risk in themselves or a friend
• To impress upon youth that they can help themselves or a friend by taking the simple step of talking to a trusted adult about their concerns
• To teach students who they can turn to at school for help, if they need it

 
Each Olathe high school will be implementing the SOS training on a different day.  On those days (listed below), all students will receive about an hour of suicide prevention training, using SOS curricular materials.  At the end of the training, students will be provided with a brief self-screener (see attached for sample).  Before the training ends, students will be asked to fill out an exit slip which will ask whether or not they would like to speak with somebody further.  Any student who would like to speak with a qualified mental health professional will be followed up with.  On the days of the training, school counselors, social workers, school psychologists, and qualified mental health professionals from the community will be on hand to speak with students about themselves or a friend. 
 
Youth suicide is now the second leading cause of death amongst our teenagers.  Through the use of the SOS Signs of Suicide Program, we seek to provide our students and the community with the knowledge and resources to help themselves and others.
 
If you have any concerns or additional questions, please contact an Olathe North administrator or counselor.  To learn more about SOS, please go to https://mentalhealthscreening.org/programs/youth
 
SOS Training Days:
Olathe East—September 9                                                       Olathe North—September 23
Olathe Northwest—November 24                                           Olathe South—September 16
Olathe West—October 21
                                                           
Sincerely, Jason Herman

ood morning!  I am needing your help.  We have MANY students that have not signed up for the October 16 National Testing Day.  Each year I have students tell me that they were not aware of the testing day and had no idea that there were choices at each grade level.  This year we are working even harder to advertise and have even sent out multiple emails to students/parents  ( and announcements, and Weebly, and the ONHS website, and posters, and you name it).  We still have only about 500 students that have actually signed up.  We are especially low in enrollment of juniors/seniors taking the ASVAB (for students interested in the military, this is a great opportunity).   
 
All students were sent an email about 1.5 weeks ago with a link to sign up.  PLEASE take some time to lead students to their email to sign up and maybe even have a discussion about the day.  I am especially concerned about 9-11 students not knowing about the PSAT and our 11-12 students not knowing about the ASVAB.  Those that do not sign up will simply be placed in the PreACT 8/9 (9th), ACT Practice (10th,11th), and community service/college-career visit (12th). 
 
Have a student that doesn’t have the email?  Have them scan or type in the link below to access the Google Form for signup.
 
Thanks to all for your help,
TarH2O
 
UPCOMING DATES:
National Testing Day on October 16 (1/2 day am)
Parent-Teacher Conferences on October 16 (in the evening) and on October 17 (all day)
 
 
LINK TO GOOGLE FORM FOR STUDENT TESTING SIGNUP if they don’t have the email:
https://forms.gle/9mVQX5vHyF2KJhLX6

 

​If you have a junior/senior that is interested in the military or is planning on vocational training after/during high school, the ASVAB test might be for them.  The ASVAB is offered as an option (along with PSAT, ACT Practice, preACT 8/9) at Olathe North on October 16 during on National Testing Day.  Sign-ups are happening NOW.  Check student email for the link to sign up or see Mr. Tarwater in room 217 (or jtarwateron@olatheschools.org).
 
More Information about the ASVAB below.
 
Did you know that Olathe North participates in a National Testing Day where students in grades 9-11 are offered opportunities to take the Pre-ACT 9, the PSAT, and a practice ACT test?  Seniors often see this as an opportunity to do community service or to go on a college or career visit.  But did you know that Olathe North brings in the military that day as well to give the ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery) test to juniors and seniors that sign up?
 
The ASVAB test is an often overlooked test and many students that might be interested don’t even realize that it is available as an option.  Although it is a test given by the military, it doesn’t mean that you are committed to military service.  It does provide students with a perspective of opportunities that that military has to offer, but it also provides students with some vocational perspective.  Read more below if you think that this might be beneficial to you.
 
ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery)
From: https://www.military.com/join-armed-forces/asvab
5 Great Reasons to Take the ASVABMilitary.com | Marco O'Brien
The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) could be one of the most important tests you ever take. This test is given to many juniors and seniors at high schools all across the country. What I have found is some people don’t take the test seriously. There are several reasons to do your best and try to get the highest score possible.
1. Your ASVAB score is good for two years – for ALL branches of the military. Even if you aren’t interested in joining the military when you take the test, a lot can change in two years, so why not do your best.
2. This is your best chance to obtain a high-test score. With Math and English fresh in your mind there is no better time to give it your all and see how smart you really are.
Math for instance gets harder and harder to recall the less you do it, so test while it is still fresh on your mind.
3. Your scores are not only used to determine which service you are qualified to join, but also which jobs within that service you are qualified to do. The higher you score the more career options you have. In addition, your score can directly affect your eligibility for bonuses and money for school.
4. Some find the “Student” version of the ASVAB easier. If you have to retake the ASVAB you will be given a different version. You may find the other three ASVAB versions tougher than the one you didn’t take seriously.
5. The “Student” ASVAB is a great career assessment tool that can help you identify which career areas best suit you. Because this is an aptitude test it doesn’t just tell you what you are currently good at, it will also tell you what you may be good at learning. You may know nothing about electronics but your scores may say you have the ability to learn electronics.
I know it may seem like a waste of time to take the ASVAB because you currently have no desire to join the military. Remember the ASVAB does not obligate you to anything. It is just a test used by the military to determine if you are qualified to join and what area or areas you would excel in. You might as well do your best a lot can change in the next two years and even if you never join, think how much fun it would be to score higher than all of your friends! If your high school doesn’t offer the test, contact a local recruiter and he or she can set you up to take it.
Practice, Practice , Practice… If you plan to take the ASVAB, check out the Military.com ASVAB Practice Tests, they can help ensure you score your best.

If you have a 9-11th grade student that might want to take the PSAT on October 16, sign ups have started and will end soon!  Read more below.
 
 
CONTACT TAMMIE MILKE (tmilkeon@olatheschools.org) IN THE ONHS COUNSELING OFFICE IF YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PSAT. 
  
On October 16, Olathe North 9th-11th and some 12th grade students will be participating in our district’s October Testing Day.  You are receiving this email because students have options of what test they will be taking.    One option for 9th-11th, the PSAT, requires that a student signs up and pays in advance to participate (similar to an ACT test) – the other options are free and you will hear more about those later.  YOUR STUDENT MAY HAVE ALREADY SIGNED UP FOR THE PSAT, but if not, sign-up for the October 16 PSAT ASAP online using the instructions attached at a cost of $18.    It will be offered this year to ONHS 9th-11th graders.  Only 11th graders taking the PSAT have the opportunity to be recognized as a National Merit Scholar. Other grade levels are considered practice.  Tests are limited - Students should sign up quickly!
 
If you need more information about the PSAT, read below or contact the office by email or at ONHS at 913-780-7140 and ask to speak with the counselor, Tammie Milke (tmilkeon@olatheschools.org).  If a student is encountering difficulties, they can visit the counseling office during Halftime for assistance as well. 
 
See below for more Information about the day and the PSAT:
 
Students that choose NOT to take the PSAT will be either taking a Practice ACT (10/11th graders) or the Pre-ACT 8/9 (9th graders) or the ASVAB (an option for 11th and 12th graders) – all provided at no cost to the student.  More information will be provided to students about these tests in mid-September.
 
The PSAT measures abilities that are important at various academic levels. Freshmen, sophomores, and juniors should consider taking the test for the following reasons:
 

1. The PSAT/SAT has been redesigned recently and will ask students to apply multi-layered understanding of content areas that focus on college and career readiness.

 
The SAT redesign is grounded on eight key changes and seven of which will impact the PSAT:

•  Relevant words in context
• Command of evidence
• Essay analyzing a source (no essay on PSAT)
• Focus on math that matters most
• Problems grounded in real-world contexts
• Analysis in science and in history/social studies
• Founding documents and great global conversation
• No penalty for wrong answers

 
 
2.   The PSAT can be a helpful tool in guiding conversations between parents, students and educators.
 
3. It will be a “trial run” for the SAT.  Your PSAT can be used to estimate your probable performance on the SAT. 
 
4. If you are a junior, you have an opportunity to enter one of the scholarship competitions administered by the National Merit Scholarship Program.
 
5.  While sophomore and freshmen are not eligible to compete in the National Merit Scholarship Programs until they are juniors, the information can be used to guide and select academic coursework that will better prepare you for college and the PSAT (NMSQT)/SAT.
 
6. Khan Academy, partnering with College Board, has released interactive practice programs to support students to familiarize themselves with the redesigned exam. The customized test preparation offers skill-based videos to support the redesigned key changes for students who take the PSAT/NMSQT in October. 
For additional information regarding the eight key changes to the SAT, to view sample questions, Khan Academy test preparation availability, and sign up for updates, parents and students are encouraged to visit the College Board site at www.deliveringopportunity.org. A sample PSAT exam is available at https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/psat-nmsqt-psat-10/practice
 
 
 
CONTACT TAMMIE MILKE (tmilkeon@olatheschools.org) IN THE ONHS COUNSELING OFFICE IF YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PSAT. 
 
Contact Jim Tarwater (jtarwateron@olatheschools.org) if you have questions about other options.