Olathe families gathered this week to protest Olathe Public Schools’ (OPS) recommendation to close Black Bob Elementary and move its dual Spanish‑English immersion program to Arbor Creek Elementary, 2.3 miles away. Parents say the proposed move would disrupt daily routines, increase travel time, and threaten the supportive community that has formed around the program.
Parents voice concerns
Seven‑year‑old Gavin Lyon, a first‑grader in the immersion program, described the school as “homey” and praised the friendships he has built with classmates who speak Spanish. His mother, Jess Lyon, a speech‑pathology practitioner, worries that a 24‑minute drive to Arbor Creek – in the opposite direction of her husband’s workplace at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City – would strain the family’s schedule.
“For my husband to drop him off and get back to Children’s Mercy, it’s a 25‑minute drive down there, then 40 minutes back up,” Lyon explained. “For me, I’m looking at 25 minutes to the school and then another 20‑30 minutes to wherever else I need to go.”
District rationale
OPS spokesperson Erin Schulte said the recommendation stems from declining enrollment, rising home prices, and budget pressures caused by underfunding. The district plans to keep the immersion program in the southern part of Olathe but in a newer, larger building. Schulte emphasized that the move would not reduce or phase out the program, and that current staff would remain with it if the board approves the recommendation.
“We recognize that moving a specialized program can have an impact on the families who participate, particularly those who have built their routines around Black Bob,” Schulte wrote. “Our intent is to relocate the existing program, not reduce or phase it out.”
Community response
Since the recommendation was released on Sept. 3, a petition on Change.org has gathered 682 signatures – nearly double Black Bob’s enrollment of about 360 students, according to Niche. Families have also launched a website, saveblackbob.com, to share information and organize support.
Parents such as Alyse Sykes, who already transports her children to the immersion program from outside Black Bob’s boundaries, expressed a desire to keep the school open. “The community being built here at Black Bob is just really special,” Sykes said. “On top of the dual language immersion program, I think it’s a really supportive community.”
Potential alternatives
Jess Lyon asked the district to explore additional options, including fundraising to address maintenance costs and greater transparency about the school’s financial trajectory. “Can we raise funds to help with this? Can we look at other options to keep Black Bob open?” she asked.
Schulte noted that the district will monitor enrollment after the move and consider additional recruitment or program promotion to ensure long‑term sustainability. Students already in the program would not need to reapply, and staff would be retained.
Next steps
The Olathe Board of Education is scheduled to vote on the recommendation later this month. Parents hope the board will weigh the petition, transportation challenges, and the value of the close‑knit community before making a final decision.
Original reporting: Johnson County Post (Overland Park) — read the source article.
