Blue Valley

Residents dig deep to save Stanley Nature Park

First the small knot of residents printed pamphlets and circulated a petition to try to save Stanley Nature Park. And then they took their fight to another level.

Summer basketball team attracts the best of the best

The team is coached by LJ Goolsby, a former basketball player in the 1990s who played first for Ole Miss, then Wichita State before knee injuries sidelined him. His team has become quite a pipeline for area players to earn college scholarships at many Division I and Division II schools. He said that approximately 95 percent of his summer players wind up playing college ball somewhere.

De Soto

The science behind history fuels teacher’s passion

His students — ranging from tiny seventh-graders to 6-foot seniors — crowd around the numerous high-tech digging tables in his classroom. Pouring their hands through synthetic soil, they are always delighted to uncover a hidden treasure underneath, whether it is an ancient African bead or a 200-year-old arrowhead.

Apparent food poisoning slows return of De Soto High band

For two years, members of the De Soto High School band saved money for a spring break in New York City. Chances are they'll remember the trip a lot longer than that.

Gardner Edgerton

State recognizes excellence in area schools

Ask a Johnson County real estate agent to name one of the biggest selling points here and you're likely to hear a simple answer: Schools. Expect those sleek pamphlets to get a little fatter soon.

Would you eat this school lunch? We did -- and it was good

When Mary Wolarik entered the Sunrise Point Elementary School cafeteria to critique its school lunch, she brought more to the table than her expertise as a dietitian. She brought her experience as a parent.

Olathe

Increase in school funding gains momentum in Kansas Legislature

Chances for increasing school funding are gaining momentum in the Kansas Legislature with a plan that would add almost $80 million for schools this year.

Fifth high school proposed in Olathe

Olathe school district staff on Monday presented a preliminary plan to build a fifth high school, at a cost of up to $125 million, in the northeast part of the district. The new high school was one of several options presented to the school board in a special study session.

Shawnee Mission

Kindergarten funding under fire in Brownback's school plan

Not everything is going Johnson County's way with Gov. Sam Brownback's new plan for funding schools.

Young man from Overland Park is fatally shot in Dallas

An Overland Park man who was a Shawnee Mission North High School graduate was shot and killed Sunday night in Dallas.

Spring Hill

Small district, big ambitions

The red carpet experience when walking into the school district’s only high school for prom shows Spring Hill’s desire to provide big-time opportunities while maintaining its small-time appeal. Nearly a tenth the size of the Olathe School District, Spring Hill is a district that works to keep “small-town values” while providing “world-class results.”