Olathe school district superintendent is retiring. Here’s who will replace him
John Allison, superintendent of the Olathe school district, will retire at the end of this school year, he announced Thursday night. And the district has already named his successor.
The school board appointed Brent Yeager, assistant superintendent for learning services, to replace him starting in July.
He’s the second Johnson County superintendent to announce his retirement in as many months. In December, Shawnee Mission Superintendent Mike Fulton announced that he also plans to retire in July. The district has yet to name a replacement.
Allison, who led the Olathe district since 2017 as part of his 34-year career in education, said his decision to retire was a personal one.
“It is now time to focus on my family. My wife and I are planning to move back to Dallas, a place where we lived for a number of years and always hoped to one day return,” Allison said in a letter to the community.
“I have had the great honor of working with Brent the past four years and I have truly been impressed with his leadership, his vision and most importantly, his love for education and the children of Olathe. I could not be more supportive of this decision. Dr. Yeager is a fantastic choice to lead the Olathe Public Schools into the future.”
Before coming to Olathe, Allison had been superintendent of Wichita Public Schools from 2009-17.
Yeager has 20 years of experience both in the classroom and in administrative positions. He has led the district’s school improvement process, efforts to develop and revise curriculum and resources, plus establish a diversity and engagement department. He has a background in ethnic studies, according to a news release, and has made it a goal to hire a diverse staff.
“I am thrilled to be named the next superintendent for the Olathe Public Schools,” Yeager said. “I believe in our strategic plan and appreciate the foundation that has been established under Mr. Allison’s leadership.”
This story was originally published January 15, 2021 at 11:45 AM with the headline "Olathe school district superintendent is retiring. Here’s who will replace him."
