Olathe board hears detailed report on early‑childhood services, screenings and Head Start data

The Olathe Public Schools board on Tuesday heard a multi-part presentation on the district—s early‑childhood services, including Parents as Teachers home visits, early childhood special education screenings and the district—s Head Start program.

District early‑childhood leader Dr. Hawkins told the board the programs serve children from prenatal stages through age 5, and introduced program coordinators who described screenings, home visits and family supports. "Parents are a child's first and best teacher," Parents as Teachers coordinator Angie Mendez said, summarizing the program's mission.

The programs matter because early intervention and family supports can identify developmental, hearing and vision needs before children enter kindergarten and connect families with community resources, presenters said. The Kansas State performance plan for special education requires timely transitions from infant/toddler services and least‑restrictive‑environment reporting; the district reported it was meeting those indicators.

District staff gave specifics: Parents as Teachers reported serving more than 290 families and more than 360 children last year, completing about 2,400 home visits (roughly 1,000 of those with fathers) and running more than 100 social/group activities. The program conducted more than 320 developmental screenings and made over 50 referrals for further evaluation, presenters said. Angie Mendez described the program—s approach: monthly home visits focusing on parent‑child interaction, development, family well‑being and community resource connections.

Early childhood special education coordinator Sarah Spurlock described classroom placements and screening operations. The district operates 14 classrooms in two early childhood centers and 23 classrooms in 18 elementary schools; it also runs monthly preschool screening clinics that last year scheduled 226 appointments. Spurlock said the district received 340 referrals from birth‑to‑3 partners last school year and that the district met Kansas—s transition and outcomes indicators.

Head Start director Kim Sill said Olathe—s Head Start program is federally funded and has been part of the district for 60 years. She said Head Start served a funded enrollment of 180 students and served families across Johnson County districts that do not operate their own Head Start programs. Sill gave demographic and health data from the previous program year: 49% of families reported English as a primary language, 29% Spanish and an increase in Berber‑speaking families; 69% of children were dual‑language learners. Health metrics she reported included 95% of enrolled children up to date on immunizations by year end, 88% up to date on well‑child visits, and that 19% of children were diagnosed with a chronic health condition. Sill said 70% of children were a healthy weight and 30% were overweight or obese, and noted the program is identifying health goals tied to nutrition and fitness.

Speakers emphasized family supports beyond classroom instruction. Mendez and Sill both described screening for parental depression and making referrals when families need crisis or community assistance; they said they coordinate with Impact Olathe and other community partners. Parent Stephanie, who identified herself as a program participant, told the board the programs had helped her family connect with services and support child development.

Board members praised the programs and said the presentations reflected state‑level conversations about early childhood. Several board members told staff they appreciated the screening and referral work and asked that data collection and reporting continue.

Staff indicated the programs will continue their monthly preschool clinics, home visits and participation in Impact Olathe, and that the district will present fall checkpoints of early‑childhood assessment data to the board later in the year.