Three Olathe parents run for school board, eager to continue their work
.jpeg "Heatherstone Elementary, above, is among Olathe’s 51 schools. Three Olathe parents are running for the school board in November.")
All the candidates in the Olathe school board race have children in the Olathe school district and want to help lead and make decisions for kids across the city.
This November, three seats on the Olathe Public Schools Board of Education will be on the general election ballot. One of the initial candidates dropped out, though his name will still be included for that race.
The Olathe Public Schools Board of Education is made up of seven members, representing three districts. There is one at-large position.
Johnson County’s website lists all candidates running for election this year, and voters can see sample ballots on the Kansas Secretary of State’s website.
Find more coverage of Johnson County politics on KansasCity.com, or sign up for a free newsletter with news for the county.
School District Member 3
Julie Steele (incumbent)
A mom of four, Julie Steele is the current vice president of the Olathe school board. Elected in 2021, Steele attended Olathe schools growing up and is a graduate of Olathe North. She also taught early childhood special education in the district.
Steele is the current Region Vice President on the Kansas Association of School Boards and an advisory board member with the Boys and Girls Club.
She and her husband, Tim, own an audiology practice where she serves as director of operations.
According to Steele’s website, now that three of their four children are out of high school, she’s “passionate about contributing to the growth and success of the schools and students in Olathe by serving on the Olathe School Board.”
Steele’s campaign website can be found here.
Scott M. Enge
When contacted by The Star, Scott Enge said he had dropped out of the race. His name will still appear on the ballot, but he said he’s no longer running for the seat.
School District Member 5
Robert Kuhn (incumbent)
Elected to the school board in 2021, Kuhn has lived in Olathe since 2013. The district’s website said he and his wife, Erica, have four children, three of whom currently attend Olathe schools.
Kuhn is the production manager for Mad City Windows and Bath in Olathe.
In Facebook posts in January, Olathe Public Schools spotlighted school board members, including Kuhn. In that post, when talking about his decision to join the board, he said he wanted to be a “true representative of the average person.”
“I have a regular job and work hard for what I have,” Kuhn was quoted as saying. “I wanted to have a say in our children’s education.”
School District Member 6
Rebecca “Becky” Johann (incumbent)
Johann and her husband, Morgan, have two children attending Olathe Public Schools. Johann and her family have lived in Lenexa since 2012.
She is a supporter of the Olathe Public Schools Foundation and a sustaining member of the Women’s Giving Circle. Johann works as a nurse leader at The University of Kansas Health System in Olathe. And she’s a member of American College of Healthcare Executives.
According to a Olathe Public Schools Facebook post spotlighting her in January, “service is at the heart of everything Johann does. Whether it’s in her role as a nurse or as a board member for Olathe Public Schools, she’s driven by a deep passion for helping others.”
“I truly enjoy caring for people,” she shared in the district’s Facebook post.
This story was originally published October 18, 2025 at 6:00 AM.
