News and Articles
JoCoEducation bids farewell
Last Modified: May 27, 2011
JoCoEducation.org is no longer an active website. However, you can find information the public K-12 school districts on their websites, and about Johnson County Community College on its website.
High school artists are Shooting Stars
Last Modified: Mar 25, 2011
Visual, performing and literary artists from Johnson County schools have been nominated for Shooting Stars scholarships by the Arts Council of Johnson County.
Blue Valley teacher is master of her craft
Last Modified: Feb 23, 2011
Nancy Pence, who teaches social studies at Blue Valley North High School in Overland Park, is one of seven Kansas teachers to be honored by Emporia State University as a 2011 Master Teacher. The honor recognizes teachers who have served the profession long and well and who typify the qualities of earnest and conscientious teachers.
Johnson County public high schools produce 62 National Merit finalists
Last Modified: Feb 17, 2011
More than five dozen high school seniors from Johnson County public high schools have been named National Merit finalists. The students are among 15,000 finalists who will be considered for National Merit scholarships to be offered this spring.
Two JCCC students named to All-Kansas Academic Team
Last Modified: Feb 11, 2011
Two JCCC students are among 51 top community college scholars from Kansas who will be honored Feb. 17 in Topeka for their academic accomplishments. Maxwell Matite and Emily Menez are also nominees for the 2010 All-USA Academic Team, sponsored by USA Today, Phi Theta Kappa and the American Association of Community Colleges.
Johnson County public school seniors named Presidential Scholar candidates
Last Modified: Feb 04, 2011
Of the 50 Kansas high school seniors who were named candidates for the U.S. Presidential Scholars program, 19 attend Johnson County public schools. Candidates are chosen for the initial round of the scholarship competition based on ACT and SAT scores, with about 20 women and 20 men from each state asked to continue in the competition that culminates with one female and one male Presidential Scholar named from each state.
Six Johnson County teachers win Kansas Horizon award
Last Modified: Jan 25, 2011
Six young Johnson County public school teachers have learned that they're among the best educators in Kansas. They received the Horizon Award from the Kansas Department of Education.
JCCC students, faculty travel abroad to help others
Last Modified: Jan 12, 2011
A chance meeting between a Johnson County Community College professor and two women who were transforming a Mexican village 15 years ago has turned into a service learning project that transforms lives here and abroad.
Trigg is finalist for national superintendent award
Last Modified: Jan 07, 2011
Blue Valley School District superintendent Tom Trigg is one of four finalists for National Superintendent of the Year award.
Shawnee Mission School Board's Metsker resigns
Last Modified: Jan 05, 2011
Susan Metsker, who has represented the Shawnee Mission North attendance area on the district's board of education for 20 years, is resigning.
Shawnee Mission chief proposes closing five schools
Last Modified: Sep 14, 2010
Citing a need to save money and use buildings more efficiently, Shawnee Mission Superintendent Gene Johnson has proposed shuttering three elementary and two middle schools over the next two years. Under the proposal, Don Bonjour Elementary in Lenexa, Shawanoe Elementary in Shawnee, Antioch Middle in Overland Park and Mission Valley Middle in Prairie Village would close at the end of the current school year. Dorothy Moody Elementary in Overland Park would close at the end of the 2011-2012 school year. Johnson’s plan, unveiled at the Shawnee Mission School District school board meeting on Monday, Sept. 13, also included boundary changes, some of which would shift students to new elementary schools and others which would assign elementary schools to new middle school or high school attendance areas.
Former Florida governor calls for tougher standards, enhanced technology, accountability in school reform
Last Modified: Sep 02, 2010
Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush wants every schoolchild in America to get a year’s worth of knowledge in a year’s time. How to do that? Adopt tougher learning standards nationwide, embrace technology and hold schools accountable, he said in an appearance at Johnson County Community College on Sept. 2.
Olathe teachers honored for science excellence
Last Modified: Jun 15, 2010
An Olathe School District high school teacher is one of 103 across the nation to win the 2009 Presidential Award for Excellence in Science Teaching, and a middle school teacher is one of three Kansas finalists for the 2010 award.
Five Johnson County high schools make Newsweek list
Last Modified: Jun 14, 2010
Five Johnson County public high schools are among the 1,600 or so pegged by Newsweek magazine as the nation's best.
(Blue) Stars for great work onstage and off
Last Modified: Jun 01, 2010
Four students and two productions from Johnson County's public high schools earned Blue Star Awards from Starlight Theatre in an awards ceremony Thursday, May 27.
Editor's Notebook: New leaders, honors in schools around Johnson County
Last Modified: May 18, 2010
Students are winning awards, new leaders are being chosen for the coming school year, and districts are bidding farewell to retirees. All here in the editor's notebook.
Johnson County high school students garner Blue Star nominations
Last Modified: May 14, 2010
Musical productions from Johnson County public high schools earned 41 nominations in Starlight Theatre's 2010 Blue Star Award program that recognizes outstanding high school musical theatre programs in the Kansas City metropolitan area. In addition, four Johnson County students are among those competing for $2,500 Rising Star scholarships.
Johnson County high school students are SkillsUSA winners
Last Modified: Apr 28, 2010
A total of 13 Johnson County high school students earned gold medals and a trip to national competition in the SkillsUSA Kansas championships held April 14 - 16.
A Mongolian experience in Johnson County
Last Modified: Apr 20, 2010
It's one thing to see a photo of the Mongolian tent known variably as a yert, a yurt or a gir. It's quite another to see one go up, bolt by bolt and pole by pole, on the lawn in front of the General Education Building at Johnson County Community College in Overland Park, Kan.
Editor's Notebook: It's scholarship and award season
Last Modified: Apr 16, 2010
Johnson County schools are winning awards. Students are winning scholarships.
Editor's Notebook: School news from around the county
Last Modified: Feb 01, 2010
Johnson County students are racking up awards, choosing mascots and packing care kits.
Well, aren't they smart?
Last Modified: Jan 27, 2010
Well over half of the Kansas candidates to be one of the state's two 2010 Presidential Scholars hail from Johnson County's public schools. Eventually, one male and one female scholar will be chosen from the 42 Kansans who are candidates for this honor, one of the most prestigious bestowed on high school seniors. Of the 42, 25 attend Johnson County public schools.
Johnson County schools send almost 200 musicians to Wichita
Last Modified: Jan 25, 2010
Nearly one-third of the student musicians chosen for All-State performance groups in Kansas hail from Johnson County public schools. Here's a list of the county's top musicians who are headed to Wichita Feb. 25-27.
Seven Johnson County teachers are Horizon Award winners
Last Modified: Jan 20, 2010
Seven beginning teachers from Johnson County, Kan., schools were notified this week that they were among the best young teachers in Kansas. They are winners of the Kansas Horizon Award from the state's department of education.
Editor's Notebook
Last Modified: Jan 08, 2010
This week's news from schools around Johnson County, Kan.
Check out the new logo for JoCoEducation
Last Modified: Dec 10, 2009
JoCoEducation.org has a new logo, designed, naturally, by one of the talented students who attend Johnson County schools.
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Olathe's All on the state of the district: More students, higher scores, less money
Last Modified: Dec 10, 2009
Olathe School District Superintendent Pat All sounded familiar themes in what is likely to be her final state of the district address Oct. 29. Students are notching ever-higher test scores and enrollment continues to grow. The financial picture is grim. And community support, such as that shown at the Olathe Public Schools Foundation annual breakfast where she was the keynote speaker, is more important than ever.
Olathe superintendent announces retirement
Last Modified: Oct 02, 2009
Patricia All, superintendent of the Olathe, Kan., School District since 2005, announced Oct. 1 that she plans to retire at the end of the 2009-10 school year.
Math Monday: New agreement could put more math (and science) teachers in the classroom
Last Modified: Sep 28, 2009
Kansas math and science teachers are turning gray. And those who aren’t gray don’t always stay in the classroom long enough for their hair to turn gray. That’s why a new one-of-a-kind partnership between the University of Kansas and Johnson County Community College is so appealing: If all goes according to plan, the effort could add 80 new math and science teachers to Kansas classrooms each year.
Past, present, future: State of Shawnee Mission is fine
Last Modified: Sep 24, 2009
Shawnee Mission patrons and supporters got a glimpse of the past, present and future in Superintendent Gene Johnson’s state of the district address at the Shawnee Mission Education Foundation’s annual fall breakfast Thursday morning. More than 600 people attended the event held at the Overland Park Convention Center.
Music, movement give glimpse of Mexican culture
Last Modified: Sep 23, 2009
El toro and el gato danced. Children stomped and clapped. Musicians played drums hewn from trees. No question about it: Music and movement was the centerpiece of the assembly presented by the Sones de México Ensemble Tuesday afternoon at Ray Marsh Elementary School in Shawnee. But doses of Mexican history and Spanish language were subtly woven into the production, as well.
Expo offers peek at quick start careers
Last Modified: Sep 22, 2009
Some students showed up at Monday night’s Career and Technical Expo in Overland Park with a clear idea of what their future holds. Others had lots of ideas, but weren’t sure how to translate them into a career. And that was the point of the event, sponsored by Johnson County Community College and a consortium of 11 school districts in Johnson, Douglas and Miami counties: Give students and parents a look at careers that don’t require a four-year degree to start earning a paycheck. They could check out opportunities offered by 90 different career and technical programs, from accounting to respiratory care.
Festival gives students taste of another culture
Last Modified: Sep 19, 2009
Preston Callow came to his first Greater Kansas City Japan Festival for extra credit when he was a sophomore studying Japanese at Olathe East High School. But it's more than extra credit that has drawn Callow, now 18 and a freshman at Johnson County Community College, back every year since. "I discovered there's more to Japan than I realized," Callow said.
Twelve schools, one district in Johnson County miss the AYP mark
Last Modified: Sep 09, 2009
A dozen Johnson County schools and one district didn't make the grade under the mandates of the federal No Child Left Behind law, according to a report released Wednesday, Sept. 9, to the Kansas State Board of Education. In general, the problem wasn't overall performance by students who took the state's math and reading tests last spring. Rather it was the federal law's requirement that smaller groups of students - those with disabilities, or who are learning English, or who qualify for free or reduced lunch, or who fall into one of six ethnic categories - must also meet the state-established target. In each case, district leaders already have plans in place to address the shortfall, ranging from before and after school learning opportunities to focused use of federal and state funds to support and encouragement for students to take and succeed in advanced courses.
Johnson County districts take varied approach to presidential address
Last Modified: Sep 04, 2009
Johnson County's school districts are taking a varied approach to President Obama's address to America's students on Sept. 8. Only Blue Valley is providing all of its students the opportunity to see the speech either live or on tape-delay as it fits into classroom schedules. Blue Valley parents who do not want their child to view the address are able to opt out of the event, said assistant superintendent Mike Slagle. Other districts are leaving it up to individual teachers and principals to make the call although, as in Blue Valley, parents will be notified and allowed to opt their child out of the address if it is offered.
Blue Valley Education Foundation draws 1,200 to community breakfast
Last Modified: Aug 28, 2009
KU Basketball coach Bill Self was the guest speaker at the Blue Valley Education Foundation community breakfast Friday morning. His message to the crowd? Keep doing what you're doing because you're changing lives.
Educators use knowledge to battle H1N1
Last Modified: Aug 25, 2009
Wash your hands. Cover your cough. Stay home if you’re sick. That’s the message Johnson County educators are sending to parents, students and teachers as concerns grow about the H1N1 virus. It’s not new or ground-breaking advice. But for now, prevention and planning are the focus of efforts to deal with the virus should it hit local classrooms.
Math matters on Math Mondays
Last Modified: Aug 24, 2009
Maybe it was the word problems, with trains leaving stations at all hours of the day and night, headed straight toward each other on the same track. Maybe it started earlier, with math worksheets and problems that required borrowing and carrying. Whatever the reason, math doesn’t always get the respect it deserves. That’s why we’re focusing on math on Mondays at jocoeducation.org.
Three reasons Johnson County teachers were cheering last week
Last Modified: Aug 20, 2009
Johnson County educators gathered in auditoriums and gymnasiums the week of Aug. 10 to be inspired at convocations – kick-off-the-school-year gatherings that are part pep rally, part family reunion and part talent showcase.
Welcome to JoCoEducation
Last Modified: Jul 22, 2009
What’s JoCoEducation all about? Johnson County, Kansas, is known for the quality of its public schools. But there’s a gap between what you want to know about the schools, and the outlets where that news can be found. This is your one-stop online shop for news about your district (and the one next door), about Johnson County Community College, and about topics of interest that affect all of our schools.