[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6396140,"mediaKeyId","2097507-4a784586d7adff9db8bc49532291a5a4","parentId",2097507,"title","Public commenter raises concerns about audits, PowerSchool breach, classroom supplies and administrative priorities","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",5011000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2097507-4a784586d7adff9db8bc49532291a5a4&start=5011&end=5011","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2097507-4a784586d7adff9db8bc49532291a5a4/thumbnail_5011000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6396140/Kansas/Public-commenter-raises-concerns-about-audits-PowerSchool-breach-classroom-supplies-and-administrative-priorities","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6396140-607769471129d639c1b30798aa164888/orig.mp4?Expires=1776232751&Signature=XN0QxrtJHMN2sAr8LhzRcmKBMQF-JEQ2JP6Ooi3Qa2YWM1EvvlsVvjsHFIuxjohXjxWYt1fFk~OLMJKk1gE0t4Sp1eb2TBe19bxttmI7wYeV~Df6KfdI~wPL5riGpvE35NTK6OBfKgjvBOfaWEigWmp4FEwuRW~nl~8nZIxCdnirGTH-DlVq9ORwrbFgfYtaRYyvWapKydDEcNfw-~NeHGBRwHwAWouXDml3G8yosZOaWPtYzatCyM51FpBwEAg61cSoDnHHOotiWY1GzGli57pbEtvQ2Sf1rJfw-49e~4DKkWQ0kmeDizsDfmTZUpzJVMJ0-M4yQnwIDQOqUPIm5Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Olathe School District","date","2025-01-09T19:21:24Z","article","During the public‑comment portion of the meeting, speaker Patty Lanter urged the board to address trust and transparency concerns, citing audit limitations, a national PowerSchool data breach and what she described as imbalanced district spending priorities.

Lanter told the board that financial audits designed to identify accounting errors do not necessarily uncover waste or ethical concerns and urged the district to undertake analysis aimed at finding waste rather than relying solely on audits. She said, \"We cannot place trust in an audit of last month that is designed to find accounting errors, not ethical dilemmas and violations.\" Lanter also raised concerns about district spending priorities and supply access for classroom teachers, saying teachers lack petty cash and needed supplies for lab and cooking classes.

On data privacy, Lanter said she was aware of a recent, nationwide PowerSchool compromise affecting students and teachers and asked the district to reconsider contracting decisions: \"They admit they were compromised in an attack with student and teachers personal data including social security numbers and medical info stolen,\" she said, and asked whether the district needed more platforms or should better protect existing systems.

Lanter also queried how the bell‑time change has affected specific academic courses, including first‑period chemistry and calculus, and said she had been told seniors \"will not reap the benefit of the schedule change,\" a remark she said warranted further explanation.

Board response and context

The board acknowledged the comments and moved to the next agenda item; no formal response or action on the points raised was recorded in the meeting minutes. Board members will have the opportunity to consider follow‑up questions or requests for information in subsequent meetings or through staff.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","January 2025 Olathe Public Schools Board of Education Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","A speaker during public comment urged scrutiny of district audits, said PowerSchool had a recent national breach affecting student and staff data, criticized supply allocations and administrative pay decisions, and asked the board to prioritize classroom needs and transparency.","taxTitle","Olathe, School Boards, Kansas","taxId",13091,"location","Kansas","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_46":81,"_48":82,"_50":83,"_52":84,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":85,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":86,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6396144,"After 13‑inch storm district crews cleared 153 acres of lots and 49 miles of sidewalks, operations director says",346,4617000,4963000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2097507-4a784586d7adff9db8bc49532291a5a4&start=4617&end=4963","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2097507-4a784586d7adff9db8bc49532291a5a4/thumbnail_4617000.jpg","/articles/6396144/Kansas/After-13inch-storm-district-crews-cleared-153-acres-of-lots-and-49-miles-of-sidewalks-operations-director-says","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6396144-5271ec2e5d1c4c9b8c9f61b6f04a7adc/orig.mp4?Expires=1776232751&Signature=bzCfh3M9zZle0UUzysT2~QP5JGLHre4Pn~mHLvHWyEl1tU-ipuUNGMiY4thKFOcVDxzABZ-d1ZRnkk2yx1sSM1DjuMRGKJRfw-24lt5A01tQ00B1vZ3H8K2EP2gp7Xu2gzti3Rv-O8FZpjVAQFwmwD53XdtaNSaODb09pMsj3KaxKX0XVkh6Jn8DMHKtyuKrVGd0rqMpXrOSIh-uWgU49Rh5dcAh30LLVIq1pM5o6Cle56ycBSxEhb84AuFY6Wv5U8xmbeGxnF~LdqzQvTjtNDSk~MCtEp2umYREVcFmxynTrsMrhS7IzfqWTP4Ha7SsmzghNMD7Bqj2L5wR-4vDhw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Olathe Public Schools operations staff told the board they mobilized large crews after a weekend snowstorm that dumped an average of 10–13 inches across the district, clearing parking lots, drive lanes and sidewalks so school buildings could open.

Travis Palanges (presenting as the operations spokesperson) said crews pretreated lots and sidewalks, waited for city plows to make initial passes, then used district and contracted equipment to clear campus areas. \"We started on Monday around noon… it took us about 2 hours to dig us out over the operation service center to be able to get our snow plows out,\" Palanges said.

Key response figures

Palanges told the board the district used roughly 200 tons of salt and plowed about 6,700,000 square feet of parking lots and drive lanes — approximately 153 acres, comparable to about 116 football fields. The district deployed about 24 trucks for plowing and later mobilized more than 240 custodial staff to clear entrances and primary sidewalks.

The custodial and operations teams prioritized primary walkways and fire‑exit areas before working secondary sidewalks; the district said it has roughly 49 miles of sidewalks to maintain. Palanges said the district coordinated with on‑call contractors, including Houston Contracting, and asked those contractors to assist at some middle and high‑school sites and at the transportation center.

Why the board heard it

Board members thanked operations, custodial and transportation staff for having school open after the storm. The staff presentation was informational; no action was required at the meeting.

Ending

Operations staff said they will continue to monitor conditions, address secondary sidewalks and ready sites for additional weather events. Board members requested no further formal motion.","Olathe operations staff described the district’s response to a major snow event: 24 trucks, roughly 200 tons of salt, 6.7 million square feet plowed (about 153 acres) and more than 240 custodial staff clearing entryways and sidewalks to reopen schools.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_46":93,"_48":94,"_50":95,"_52":96,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":97,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":98,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6396148,"Board hires Little Government Relations as Topeka liaison; firm warns of accelerated 2025 session and new legislative budget approach",968,3627000,4595000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2097507-4a784586d7adff9db8bc49532291a5a4&start=3627&end=4595","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2097507-4a784586d7adff9db8bc49532291a5a4/thumbnail_3627000.jpg","/articles/6396148/Kansas/Board-hires-Little-Government-Relations-as-Topeka-liaison-firm-warns-of-accelerated-2025-session-and-new-legislative-budget-approach","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6396148-c024cbe08a67b5e7a6276554bad6ae19/orig.mp4?Expires=1776232751&Signature=SVwnICX20qnZ0wjjO~R8HLa-ww27GkpT0wgXKEpqajxdZpkTq1UaCr6Pg1Ncc-JVgIKnXXiJC2Z7wITjkE8gChCWDyK~N4lgnJHdBP~jv4~cbBfrZG0hoamBUH7mtp2N0hpW7GQAkhCJRxFrsMvdstFDwMuo~z4bmA37-JtTOUR~FXZnMj2Px8qkZBv3di~CdWKkMSl5H-LsyL1fKOvAo37pjHNm-cMx58mhUqUUYIGwXgWREgcqC3kPP1KEbLkqe1ZexASt3AnRZ5q5fLOYaIyUlHNhplgt-8dzaUtvJOWyQskx5V3159gzg5ecB9bb~f9dmhWUPcVo0WDNOk4ilA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Olathe Board of Education introduced Stuart Little and Mallory Lutz of Little Government Relations as the district’s legislative liaison in Topeka and heard a preview of the 2025 Kansas legislative session, including an expedited schedule and changes to the budget process that could reshape school funding discussions.

During a presentation to the board, Stuart Little said the 2025 session will move quickly and called attention to a new approach in which the legislature will produce a baseline legislative budget and then consider additions to that base. \"We're probably going to cut a month off the legislative session...everything will go very quickly,\" Little said, describing a compressed timeline for moving policy and budget items through each chamber.

Little and Mallory Lutz outlined several K‑12 topics the district will track: a multi‑year K‑12 funding task force that could reshape the state funding formula, special‑education funding and related parental‑movement provisions, the nonpublic scholarship program and charter/authorization questions, and items tied to parental participation, curriculum materials and suspension/expulsion policy. Little noted that committee chairs changed and that several new committee chairs now represent the Kansas City metro and Johnson County area, a factor he said the district should consider in outreach.

Board process and community outreach

Board member Miss Steele (introduced the presentation) said the board’s legislative committee vetted the contract and recommended Little Government Relations because of the firm’s experience and balance. Board member Miss Reagan said she looks forward to working with the firm and emphasized the board’s role in helping the district’s families understand Topeka decisions and how those votes affect the Olathe attendance area.

Why this matters

Little advised the board to expect rapid floor deadlines (roughly three to four weeks per chamber for most bills) and to be prepared for political dynamics including a legislature with a strong majority party. He warned that the shift to a legislative baseline budget could reframe how additions to the governor’s budget are discussed in Topeka.

Next steps

Little Government Relations offered to return with ongoing updates during the session and to work with district leadership and the board to keep the community informed. Board members asked how task force hearings will be broadcast and discussed stakeholder outreach during the session. No board action beyond the informational briefing was recorded at the meeting.","The board’s legislative committee introduced Stuart Little and Mallory Lutz of Little Government Relations. The firm briefed the board on an accelerated legislative calendar, a shift toward a legislative baseline budget and multiple K‑12 funding policy items to watch, and board members said they will work to keep families informed.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_46":105,"_48":106,"_50":107,"_52":108,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":109,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":110,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6396153,"Later bell schedule tied to fewer tardies, improved bus service and fewer transport incidents, Olathe principals say",1786,639000,2425000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2097507-4a784586d7adff9db8bc49532291a5a4&start=639&end=2425","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2097507-4a784586d7adff9db8bc49532291a5a4/thumbnail_639000.jpg","/articles/6396153/Kansas/Later-bell-schedule-tied-to-fewer-tardies-improved-bus-service-and-fewer-transport-incidents-Olathe-principals-say","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6396153-c1c39811e51d96d7dea77e3a87dcab11/orig.mp4?Expires=1776232751&Signature=BH54M8wfYwHhNHaz0EXbJPofakgCiClz0q2yMA3MMWMqR4-n-uAuNAvRvwwQ52JbRDYwLHreWnu8UmiMscEg98WEo2WGBH~2oZWA4cFdhsmiu9n-0Q4qWy6vRTHTgfDHhAKAuwu1WNewI2QmPEPfaDfHwVBhRVnInlNEsv7znz3~k2i5YHSKkuafe1Mf~J34IIm~YC0XgTnh4GA7uIz0ENL9ITor0TjfK4vgFb6PbTnONaGGBphSPQvuirHr8n4bnlcKEB31WLKysjRBjn5ePyg15eenZ2EtM9QGJDcglm7KlO4sScoDzeY2UaO5l5BC9AXImhlZ7A9-4m0iiVNDPg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Later start times and a three-tier bell schedule implemented this school year have reduced tardiness and eased transportation pressures across Olathe Public Schools, principals and district transportation staff told the Board of Education during an informational presentation.

District and building leaders summarized early results and remaining challenges from the schedule change, telling the board that elementary, middle and high schools have all seen benefits including improved attendance, more morning planning time for teachers and steadier bus service.

The principals’ reports: why the change mattered

Scott Appel, principal at Pioneer Trail Middle School, said tardiness dropped substantially after the later start. \"On average, we're only seeing about 10 tardy students per day in our building,\" Appel said, adding that last year the building saw \"25 to 35 kids tardy every single day.\" Appel credited the consistent bus assignments and the unified middle‑school bell across all 10 middle schools for that improvement.

At the elementary level, district staff reported that changing the instructional day from roughly 8:00–3:40 to a later start (doors opening later, certified contracts shifted to begin at 8:15) gave teachers a larger morning window for preparation and helped special‑education staff coordinate supports. District staff also noted a reduction of about 20 instructional minutes per day at the elementary level — roughly 100 minutes per week — and said buildings have worked to maximize the remaining instructional time.

High school leaders said the later start allowed reinstatement of previously cut bus routes and improved student access to school. \"The 7:40 start has been phenomenal at the high school level,\" said Jay O'Czech, a high‑school principal, adding that reintroduced routes reduced chronic absenteeism by giving students a reliable ride.

Transportation and operations numbers

District transportation staff reported that DS Bus Lines — one of the district contractors — increased drivers from 129 last year to 148 this year, while the total number of DS routes remained about the same (143 to 142). The district described a three‑tier routing system with 20 single routes, 74 double routes and 48 triple routes. The district also said it used about 200 tons of salt in a recent snow event (see separate report) and has added targeted safety measures and lighting for before‑school activities at high school sites.

The district has implemented a Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) program on buses with early results the district described as \"phenomenal\": general‑education bus behavior incidents fell by 46% in the August–October comparison and special‑education bus incidents fell by 11% during the same period. The district said the PBIS work was planned and executed with transportation partners and Olivia Malone, the district’s director of transportation.

Remaining challenges and tradeoffs

Principals and staff acknowledged tradeoffs. At elementary schools the shorter instructional day translates into about 3,400 fewer minutes per academic year; some teachers and programs (for example, instrumental music and classes with lab/changes for PE) have felt the reduction more than others. At middle and high schools, later dismissal times have shifted when extracurricular events and practices end, creating scheduling strains for some staff and families.

The board and building leaders said they have tried to mitigate those strains by shifting some meetings to morning hours, adding before‑school academic offerings (for example, Math Wings at an elementary site) and by coordinating club/advisory time at the high school level so students can access activities during the school day.

Why this matters: equity, attendance and operations

Board members framed the schedule change as an operational solution to chronic absenteeism and transportation gaps. Principals said the later start benefited students who previously depended on older siblings or unreliable routes to get to school and made bus driver assignments more consistent for students who ride daily.

What the board asked for

Board members asked for continued updates and for data on academics and attendance as the district completes the school year. Several members thanked principals, general administration and transportation partners for the planning and implementation work.

Ending

District leaders said they will continue monitoring instructional outcomes, extracurricular scheduling and transportation performance and will report back to the board. No formal action was requested or taken on the bell schedule at the meeting.","Principals and district staff told the Olathe Public Schools Board that this year’s shift to later start times reduced student tardiness, increased planning time for teachers and improved bus reliability; district transportation reported more drivers and lower behavior incidents after a PBIS rollout.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Public commenter raises concerns about audits, PowerSchool breach, classroom supplies and administrative priorities

After 13‑inch storm district crews cleared 153 acres of lots and 49 miles of sidewalks, operations director says

Board hires Little Government Relations as Topeka liaison; firm warns of accelerated 2025 session and new legislative budget approach

Later bell schedule tied to fewer tardies, improved bus service and fewer transport incidents, Olathe principals say