February 5th Newsletter
February 5, 2025
Class Placement Input
We will soon begin the process of class placement for next school year. Please note if you wish to give input, we have moved to an online form. The deadline for input is Friday, March 7.
See link below for more information.
https://forms.gle/wzxArVoSbTkxxb4t5
Pre-K and Kindergarten 2025-2026 Enrollment Now Open
Please help spread the word that Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten enrollment is now open. To learn more about our Pre-K and Kindergarten programs and to enroll, click the link below.
https://www.smsd.org/families/enrollment/pre-kandkindergartenenrollment
Those without technology access are encouraged to contact their area home school for Kindergarten. Pre-K families are encouraged to contact the Early Childhood office. Everyone in the district is encouraged to share this information with any families who have 4 or 5 year-olds. To enroll in Kindergarten, your student must be 5 years old by August 31, 2025. Briarwood does not offer a Pre-K program. Contact the Early Childhood office for information on where it is offered in the district.
Kindergarten Kick Off
Kindergarten Kick-Off at Briarwood will be on Thursday, April 10th. Please click the link below to sign up for a session at 5:30, 6:15, or 7:00.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0A4EACA92FA2F5C34-54617094-briarwood
SMSD R&D Forum: Calling for Briarwood Student Participation!
The 63rd Annual Shawnee Mission School District Research and Development Forum is coming this April and there are three ways students, educators, and family members can get ready now. The R&D Forum is a districtwide celebration of student innovation and achievement- featuring a Student Showcase open house and The Next Great Idea pitch competition.
1. Save the dates! The Student Showcase, featuring student projects from across the district, will be held April 22-24, 2025. The Next Great Idea Pitch Competition will be held the morning of April 26, with an awards ceremony in the afternoon.
2. Brainstorm The Next Great Idea!! Students are encouraged to think of a new product or solution to a problem they can “pitch” to a panel of judges this spring. There is a chance to win prize money to make the idea a reality. Initial Applications are due March 7, 2025.
3. Select Showcase Projects Students, teachers, and families are encouraged to think of projects for students to enter in the Student Showcase. Every student in Shawnee Mission is invited to share experiments, inventions, and project displays at the R&D Forum.
This event is a great change for our whole community to see the innovation and creativity of our students. If you have a project that you are unsure of where it fits as as an entry, please visit this site.
3rd through 6th Grade: Parent Reports from Panorama Surveys
Students whose parents/guardians provided consent during the registration process recently completed the Fall Panorama Social-Emotional Learning survey. This survey measures student’s perception of skills in the areas of grit, growth mindset, and self-management. Starting this month, parents/guardians will have the ability to access their student’s results in Skyward by following these steps:
- Log into Family Access in Skyward
- Choose your student(s)
- Choose “Grade Cards and Academic Awards”
- Choose Panorama Fall 2024
Thank you again for your ongoing support of our school, staff and students. For more information about the Panorama Social Emotional Learning Survey, including a look at all of the questions asked at each grade level, please visit this site.
Valentine Classroom Parties
I am excited to share that we will have our Valentine’s parties on Friday, February 14th at 2:30. Only designated room parents will be allowed to attend so we do not have overcrowding in the classrooms and we can check in all room parents in a timely manner beginning at 2:15. Students are allowed to pass out valentines on that day but we encourage them to be candy free because of food allergies. If the valentines contain candy they will not be allowed to be consumed at school. I have informed teachers to send them home so parents can decide if their child can have the candy.
Briarwood Spelling Bee
Congratulations to Jiya Bhavsar who was the winner of the Briarwood Spelling Bee for the third consecutive school year! I also want to congratulate Brooke Edmonds who was the runner up and the 14 students from grades 3-6 who competed in the bee. They are all amazing spellers and should be proud of their effort. Jiya will go on to compete in the Johnson County Spelling Bee on February 8th at Mill Valley High School.
SMSD PTA Reflections Award Winners
The Shawnee Mission Board of Education recognized student honorees from the SMAC PTA Reflections Program before the January 13th meeting.
Students from Pre-K to grade 12 created original works based on this year’s theme, “Accepting Imperfection…”, in categories like Dance, Film, Literature, Music, Photography, and Visual Arts.
Reflections, a National PTA program, celebrates student creativity and boosts confidence in the arts.
Congratulations to Briarwood’s Award of Excellence winners!
🎬 Raegan Saysoff – Film Production
🎼 Jiya Bhavsar – Music Composition
When you join the Briarwood PTA, you're not committing your time to volunteer or attend meetings. You’re providing a one-time donation for PTA-organized activities and programs for our students, and you’re gaining access to the school directory (hello, playdates!) while allowing us to communicate directly with you about upcoming events and initiatives. If volunteering is your thing, we’d absolutely love to have you!
Questions? Contact Karen Moore: karen.jeanne.moore@gmail.com
February Celebrations and Recognitions
Great Reads
Around The World Recipes
33 Innovative Recipes to Honor Black History Month
Since 2017, Black food bloggers and content creators have come together in collaboration with Food52 to celebrate the joyous occasion of Black History Month by contributing recipes to the Black History Month Virtual Potluck each year.
February Themes
- Honesty
- Be Well
February Descriptions and Skills
- Being truthful in what you say and do
- Positive self talk
- Emotional regulation
- Stress management
Any questions please contact Briarwood's Social Worker Cassie Horn via email at casiehorn@smsd.org
