January 14th Newsletter
January 14, 2025
Briarwood Families,
Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a wonderful winter break and stayed safe and warm during the historic winter storm. It was awesome to welcome students back on Thursday, and the staff and I are looking forward to an amazing second semester full of learning and fun! I hope the weather will cooperate soon, and we can get back in our school routine. One of my goals this school year is to keep that day one of school excitement going all school year by being ridiculously positive! Our students deserve us all to be ridiculously positive as we work together to help them learn, grow, and reach their full potential. As we kick off the second semester of the school year, we will review our B.A.R.K (Be Safe, Act Responsibly, Respect Self and Others, Kindness to All) expectations as we put a focus on being kind and making good choices. Please review the school calendar and important school news below.
Inclement Weather Procedures Update Plan C
As of December 5, 2024, the Shawnee Mission School District has updated its inclement weather plans to include Plan C- which is a 2-hour delay option. This new option aligns us with our neighboring districts in Johnson County and will facilitate common decision-making with regard to inclement weather. Please review the district’s inclement weather procedures on this website: https://www.smsd.org/families/weather. Below is how Plan C would impact our day at Briarwood.
- Overall, this will be very similar to a regular school day except our day will begin at 10:10.
- Students arriving between 9:50-10:00 will meet in the gym and be dismissed at 10:00 to walk to their classroom.
- Students arriving between 10:00-10:10 will go directly to their classroom.
- Please do not drop students off before 9:50 since we do not have staff to supervise.
- Lunch time will remain the same.
- Specials are on the same ABCD rotation schedule but will be shortened to 30 minutes.
- Students will have one 15-minute recess.
- JCPRD program begins at 9:00
- Dismissal will remain the same.
If conditions make it necessary for SMSD to close schools, the district will implement one of three plans: A, B, or C.
Inclement Weather Announcements
If plan A, B, or C is announced, this information will be shared broadly.
Staff and families can receive direct emails, texts, and voice messages.
Families can sign up to receive alerts in the manner that works best for them.
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
January Celebrations and Recognitions
Around The World Recipes
Try these Chinese New Year recipes
Commonly known as the Spring Festival in China, Lunar New Year is a fifteen-day celebration marked by many traditions. In China, Korea, Vietnam, and many more enclaves across the globe, the holiday is a time for togetherness, when family and friends gather to feast and exchange well wishes for the coming year. Whether you’re celebrating with family or on your own, give these recipes a try!
January Themes
- Perseverance
- Be Strong
January Descriptions and Skills
- Pushing yourself through challenges and obstacles
- Focusing
- Organizing
- Goal setting
Any questions please contact Briarwood's Social Worker Cassie Horn via email at casiehorn@smsd.org
