Looking to the future, Olathe Public Schools partnered with DLR Group to create a centralized campus that empowers students to engage in authentic, hands-on learning alongside industry professionals. DLR Group’s design transforms a vacant call center into a dynamic hub for career and technical education that blurs the line between school and workplace. By locating the new Olathe Public Schools Innovation Campus directly on the I-35 corridor, the district strengthens partnerships and streamlines access to real-world career pathways, while fostering autonomy, collaboration, and inclusion for all learners. The campus supports specialized programs including Culinary Arts, Health Science, Animal Science, Avionics and Electronics Technology (in partnership with Garmin), and adult transition services. A commercial kitchen, student-run restaurant, and public-facing coffee shop support culinary training, while new construction and electronics labs offer flexible environments for project-based learning. The new facility also houses special education programs for adults aged 18–21, the district’s mental health services, and professional development spaces. Common areas and conferencing rooms are designed to support job fairs, interviews, and direct engagement with industry partners.

The OPSIC adapts and reuses nearly 200,000 SF of existing building to house the district’s career and technical education programs with an additional 60,000 SF for the new Operations Service Center. Flexible lab environments support a broad spectrum of programs consolidated and streamlined from multiple different high schools within the district, while shared commons, conferencing spaces, and a student-run restaurant and coffee shop invite public interaction and industry partnership. The new Operation Service Center addition creates a living lab where students in the construction pathway contribute directly to the district’s facilities. Within each space, learners are empowered to take ownership of their environment, work collaboratively, and connect classroom experiences to real-world opportunities

Design: DLR Group
Contractor: McCown Gordon
Photography: Michael Robinson