NORTH NEWS September 14, 2020

Website: https://smnorth.smsd.org/
Location: 7401 Johnson Drive, Overland Park, KS, USA
Phone: 913-993-6900
Twitter: @SM_NORTH_HS

We would like to thank all of the students and parents for their hard work during the first week of school. All-in-all it was a very successful week. While it may have looked different, relationships were definitely being formed and the foundations for learning were being built!

As we move into week #2, we have included a daily calendar for the remainder of September. Please use this to help organize your day/week.

Although students are learning remotely at this time, we still need to know if your student is ill or has a doctor’s appointment so we can excuse their absence. Students who do not show up to an online course/period without reason will be considered unexcused absent and you will be notified. An accumulation of unexcused absences can result in a student becoming truant.

You can call the school's attendance HOTLINE - open 24 hours - at 913-993-6945 or you can email the attendance clerks: Mindy O'Connell and Lou Baker. Please do not email teachers with attendance information because they will be instructing.

If you ordered and paid for a yearbook, we will have a drive through distribution TONIGHT from 4PM to 8PM. In order to keep the line moving efficiently, you will need to write your name and ID number on a plain white piece of paper and be prepared to show your sign to staff at your designated station. Staff will check to see if you are on the paid list and deliver your yearbook.

Overview of the station locations:

• Station 1 (NEAR BAND ROOM): CURRENT YEAR FRESHMAN - 9th Grade can pick up Hocker Grove Yearbooks
• Station 2 (AUDITORIUM DOORS): CURRENT YEAR SOPHOMORES - 10th Grade
• Station 3 (FRONT DOORS): CURRENT YEAR JUNIORS - 11th Grade
• Station 4 (CAFETERIA): CURRENT YEAR SENIORS - 12th Grade
• Station 5 (NEAR FLAG POLE): GRADUATES OF 2020

It appears that all students are now successfully working in Canvas. By all accounts, things are running smoothly between the teachers and students. If you would now like to become an “observer” of your student in his/her Canvas courses please follow the directions below.

Canvas Parent Directions:

1. Download the Canvas Parent App from the App or Google Play store.

1. Follow the Canvas instructional guide here to setup your observer account.
2. To find your student’s “Pairing Code”
1. In the student’s Canvas account have your student click on “Account” (Top Left)
2. Click on “Settings” > then click on “Pair with Observer” (Right side)
3. Enter this “Pairing code” when prompted in your Canvas Parent App.

i. Note that each parent needs a different code, therefore repeating this process to generate a different code

ii. If more than one student, you will be prompted to “add student” on the app. Repeat the process to generate their observer code.

• The Online fee payment portal is now open and we appreciate your patience as student schedules should now be finalized. Go to www.smsd.org, hover over the "Families " tab, and click the link entitled "Pay Fees Online" The site can also be found at this link. https://www.smsd.org/families/pay-fees

• Remote students – please do not pay for parking or the $3 science fee for biology, chemistry, forensic science, environmental ed, or physical science. We are working to delete these fees and make adjustments to accounts where this fee was paid.

• Required fees include: textbook ($80), ID card ($5), Participation fee ($45) Individual course fees – supplies will be provided to students for art, foods, etc. classes and future distribution information will coming from instructors concerning pick-up dates

• Optional fees - parking, literary magazine, yearbook, pep club, class dues - a student does not want or need will automatically be deleted from the student's account if it is unpaid at the end of first quarter. The online system will allow parents the option to not pay these fees.

• If you need to pay by check, You will need to go to the pay fees online portal to find out your students fees. Please Make your check payable to SM North, Mail your check with your students ID number listed to SM North, attn: Bookkeeper, 7401 Johnson Dr., Overland Park, KS 66204

• All payment plans and KanCare can be completed over the phone or email. Kancare has been applied to many accounts already, so please check fees in Skyward to see if the textbook & ID card fees have been waived. Please contact our bookkeeper, Shelle Lewis for help with this. Shellelewis@smsd.org or 913-993-6910.

• Past Due Fees - 2019-20 fees were due June 1, 2020. Please pay these NOW to avoid being sent to collections.

One thing is for certain with 2021, you will want to celebrate your senior's graduation with a Senior Ad in the 2021 Indian. The first deadline is Oct. 2. There are three due dates for ads, with prices increasing after each deadline. After the first deadline on Oct. 2, the prices increase. The best way to purchase a Senior Ad this year is online. To pay with a credit card and/or submit all your photos go to www.yearbookforever.com. Choose SM North. You can upload all of your photos and pay here. Thanks so much for supporting the Indian yearbook. We look forward to designing your senior’s ad. If you have any questions, please contact yearbook advisor Becky Tate at 913-993-7012 or at notate@smsd.org .

As we navigate our remote learning circumstances which are new to all of us, please partner with us in protecting and maintaining the confidentiality of all students. With students being at home, there may be a necessary level of incidental and/or intentional parent check-in with teachers. However, parents are highly advised to NOT become involved in your student’s online classes. If you have a question for the teacher, please use the appropriate means to communicate with the teacher at a different time. Interacting with the teacher directly during their WebEx session is not deemed appropriate in order to maintain student confidentiality (Federal law).

Families interested in bus transportation for their students should visit https://www.smsd.org/families/transportation.

The food service department is pleased to announce that we will be offering FREE meals to all SMSD students regardless if they are learning remote, hybrid or in person. This includes breakfast and lunch meals. We encourage families to continue to apply for free and reduced meals in the event the funding is no longer available by clicking here. Qualifying may allow for other support through the district so it is important to continue to apply for free and reduced meals.

• Meals will be available for pick up at all 47 SMSD schools.
• Pick up is on Fridays from 7:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.
• No advance ordering is needed. (The online digital ordering system has been disabled.)
• Available only for students enrolled in SMSD.
• May pick up meals for all of your students at your most convenient location.
• At pick up, the student(s) SMSD ID number(s) will need to be presented. Please have this ready in advance. (Student ID may be found in Skyward.)
• Pick up at SMN will be in the front circle drive outside the Cafeteria doors, door #48

Please contact the Food Service office with questions at (913)993-9710 or foodservices@smsd.org. The school breakfast & lunch menus, digital pre-order information and other nutrition information are available on the district’s website at https://www.smsd.org/about/departments/food-service.

9/4/20

Good Day Athletes and Parents,

As you are aware, the SMSD Board of Education voted last week (Wednesday night) resume in-person athletics and activities. I’m hopeful your athlete has been in contact with their coach.

We will have several protocols in place to keep our athletes as safe as possible:

• Coaches will be screening athletes for symptoms before each practice (QR codes)
• Coaches and athletes will be following the 13 Protective Measures outlined by the school district, in the attached document.
• Coaches and Athletes in all sports will be following the KSHSAA Return to Activity General Considerations found here:
• Coaches and Athletes will also be following the KSHSAA Sport Specific Return to Activity Considerations found here:

I realize there is a lot of information there to digest, so here are a couple vital points of emphasis:

• Students should not attend practice if they are feeling ill, or experiencing any of the symptoms of COVID-19.
• Students must bring a mask to practice. They will be required to wear during any part of practice in which they’re not involved in any intense, aerobic activity. We are advising they not wear the mask when involved in an intense, aerobic activity, but they are free to do so, if they wish.
• Students must bring their own water bottle to practice. I would advise bringing two bottles, or one large jug, so they don’t have to refill during practice. Athletes will not be allowed to share water bottles.
• While still in remote learning, the locker rooms will not be accessible to athletes. Students will need to arrive to practice in their gear, and leave practice in their gear. It is also important that practice gear is washed on a daily basis, and athletes are not wearing clothes still dirty from the previous day’s practice.

If you have any questions &/or need clarifications please don’t hesitate to reach out. See the SMSD spectator guidelines below.

We will be hosting competition this week; check out Sunflowerleague.org for current schedules.

Thanks.

Annette Gonzales, AD

Football - Andy Walter

Boys Soccer - Jaime Velez Acosta

Cross Country - Aaron Davidson

Volleyball - Crystal Foss

Girls Golf - Walter Mansfield

Girls Tennis - Jon Durham

Gymnastics - Sarah Gregg

• Spotify- Start Up Helper Issues: If you have the Spotify app installed on your computer you may be getting an error pop-up preventing students from using their device? Here is are the directions to fix it. Fixing Start up Helper

• Student Support Tech Link: Lastly, if you have not already, please have your student check out the Black SMSD Icon in the dock next to the life preserve (Hep Desk) icon. This Student Technology Support link will direct you to helpful information and be a reference when troubleshooting your MacBook during remote instruction. Student Tech Support Reference

• Please contact the front office for support 913-993-6900

Due to the late start of many K-12 schools, JCCC is extending the enrollment deadline for College Now and Quick Step Plus courses to October 16. Enrollment guides for College Now and Quick Step Plus can be downloaded below. Please be sure to complete all steps in the enrollment process. If a student obtains a placement waiver, student will still need to log in to MyJCCC, register for the course, and pay tuition. More information can be found by clicking here.

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