Trailblazer Family Newsletter

BA Families,

The SMSD transfer window is the period of time when a student can apply to transfer from their home school (determined by place of residence) to a different school.

If your transfer request has been initiated by a change of address, please contact our school office for instructions on how to apply for a transfer.

If you are requesting a transfer for other reasons, you must go through the annual transfer window. The In-District transfer window opens February 1, 2025 and closes on February 28, 2025. This transfer window will apply to the 2025-2026 school year.

For more information, please visit https://www.smsd.org/families/transfer-procedures

I hope you have a wonderful holiday season & break! We look forward to your child returning to school on Monday, January 6.

Mr. Horne

DECEMBER

20- Early Release, 12:30 Dismissal K-6 (no school for PreK)

Dec 23-Jan 3- No School, Winter Break

JANUARY

1- PreK & Kindergarten Enrollment Opens on Skyward

6- Classes Resume

16- 6th Grade Trailridge Wildcat Night, 6:00-8:00 pm

20- Martin Luther King Jr. Day, No School

21- Professional Learning, No School

FEBRUARY

1-28: SMSD Transfer Window, see Principal's Message above for more info

6- District Night Event for Parent Conferences PreK-6

7- Parent Conferences, No School

17- Presidents' Day, No School

18- Professional Learning, No School

MARCH

14- Teacher Workday, No School

17-21- Spring Break

APRIL

17- PreK & Kindergarten Kickoff, 6:00-7:30 pm

21- Professional Learning, No School

MAY

22- Last Day for PreK

23- Last Day for Grades K-6, Early Release- 12:30 Dismissal

Running Club, 7:50-8:05 am in the Gym

• Mon/Wed- Grades K-3
• Thurs/Fri- Grades 4-6
• No Club on Tuesdays

Choir

• Tuesdays, 7:00-7:50 am in Room 227

• Grades 4-6

• Parent Permission Slip Required

Good News Club

• Mondays, 3:10-4:00 pm in Rm 219
• Grades K-6
• Pre-Registration Required
• Meets every Monday that school is in session

Math Club

• Some Wednesdays, 3:10-4:00 pm in Rm 224
• Grades 4-6
• Parent Permission Slip Required
• Meets twice a month

Student Council

• Some Thursdays, 7:30-8:10 am
• Grades 4-6

Chess Club

• Thursdays, 3:10-4:00 pm
• Grades 4-5
• Parent Permission Slip Required
• Limited spots available

Congratulations to our 2nd Quarter Trailblazers of the Quarter! These students were selected by their teacher for exemplifying the Trailblazer Way: Being Safe, Respectful and Responsible.

PreK- Sailor C

KBU- Boyd C

KPE- Calin J

KSH- Audrey D

1HA- Maeve S

1MA- Knox W

1RE- Omar G

2JO- Louise G

2ST- Emilia W

2WE- Lyric S

3MC- Arte P

3WE- Ruby H

4FA- Elon W

4GU- Clara M

5LO- Maryam P

5MA- Zahra P

5ME- Karla G

6WI- Anshdeep S

6ZI- Sarneet L

Mrs. Langton- Maddox V

One student from each grade level was recognized for most iXL skills completed in their grade level during second quarter!

Lincoln, KSH

Silvey, 1MA

Sloan, 2ST

Delilah, 3WE

Jaiden, 4GU

Karla, 5ME

Jade, 6WI

Classroom Spelling Bee winners from grades 3-6 competed in the School Spelling Bee on December 13.

Congratulations to Phoenix Cooper, 6WI, and Keaton McCoy, 5MA, who placed 1st and 2nd in the Broken Arrow Spelling Bee!

Phoenix will represent Broken Arrow at the Johnson County Spelling Bee in February.

Hello Future Wildcats!

We are excited to host you and your family for our annual Wildcat Welcome on January 16th, 2025, from 6:00-8:00 PM at Trailridge Middle School. Come Travel Through Trailridge on an epic and exciting journey. This celebration of our school will allow your students to explore everything Trailridge has to offer and collect passport stamps on their travels. Through engaging activities future students will learn about the classes they will take, clubs that we offer, athletic teams that they will be able to participate in and much more!

All future Trailridge community members are welcome! Mark your calendars and see you then! If you have any questions, please contact the Trailridge Office at 913-993-1000.

Know of a family with a child who is Pre-K or Kindergarten age? Help us spread the word! Share this message and let them know SMSD is ready to help their little learners start strong.

Click here to learn more about Pre-Kindergarten in the Shawnee Mission School District

Click here to learn more about Kindergarten

How to Enroll

Online enrollment for Pre-K and Kindergarten opens at 8 a.m. on January 1, 2025. Click here for enrollment links, which will go live on January 1.

Please note that the enrollment application must be completed on a desktop or laptop computer or a tablet. It will not work on your mobile phone. If you do not have access to one of these devices, please make an appointment to enroll in person. For Kindergarten enrollment, please contact your area school. If you are unsure what school your child will attend, please use School Finder.

For Pre-K enrollment, please visit https://www.smsd.org/academics/early-childhood/pre-kindergarten or contact the Early Childhood department at 913-993-6441.

This online enrollment:

• Allows families to complete the enrollment application for Pre-Kindergarten or Kindergarten
• Provides for early enrollment, helping to ensure a student’s placement within the Pre-K program, which has a limited number of slots. Kindergarten has an unlimited number of slots. (Note: All necessary documentation must be submitted before enrollment is finalized.)
• Allows the district to begin planning a welcome for our incoming early learners to our schools

About Starting Pre-K in the SMSD

To be able to enroll for Pre-Kindergarten, children must be four years old on or before Aug. 31, 2025 (but not Kindergarten eligible). Click here to read more about enrollment requirements.

Pre-Kindergarten is a half-day program in Shawnee Mission. Fee and no-fee options will be offered in the 2025-2026 school year. Sessions are held from 8:10–10:55 a.m. and 12:25-3:10 p.m.

Wraparound care options are available at some sites through Johnson County Park and Recreation and YMCA. For more information regarding site locations and programming, enrollment steps, and availability:

Johnson County Park and Recreation link

YMCA link

About Starting Kindergarten in the SMSD

A child must be five years old on or before Aug. 31, 2025, to enroll in Kindergarten, by state law.

SMSD offers free, full-day Kindergarten for every student. The elementary school day takes place from 8:10 a.m. to 3:10 p.m.

Kindergarten Kickoff events will be held in every SMSD elementary school in the spring of 2025. Individual schools will share information about exact times and event formats with incoming families and on individual school websites. At these events, students and families are able to spend time in the school and learn more about the Kindergarten experience. Information regarding Jump Start, a summer program for incoming kindergarten students will also be shared.

Our school communities look forward to welcoming future Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten students and we look forward to working with families in support of each child’s success!

Debate camp is held at SME but open to all SMSD 5th-8th graders.

• Clothing for SMSD students & families: https://www.smac-pta.org/clothing-exchange
• Homelessness Resources
• Health Partnership Clinic
• Resource Request Form

The My Volunteer Pal (MVP) program is the volunteer program for all Shawnee Mission Schools. The program connects adult volunteers with students ages Pre-Kindergarten to age 18. All activities take place on school grounds during school hours with the exception of field trips.

If you would like to volunteer on a field trip with your child's class you must be MVP trained prior to the Field Trip.

• On-site training will take place at Broken Arrow following the PTA Meeting on Monday, September 16 at 6pm in the Cafeteria.
• Click here for other MVP Training dates/times.

Volunteer Pals are utilized for a variety of in-school activities including:

• Classroom or school volunteering
• Sharing career interests or special talents with students
• Tutoring
• Chaperones for Shawnee Mission School District approved field trips

Please visit this link for more info on how to become a MVP.

Click HERE for monthly updates and health information from Nurse Kay.

MENUS:

The school meals menus are on https://www.schoolcafe.com/SHAWNEEMISSION. To log on, select View menus (as a guest). School Café also show allergen and nutritional information.

MEAL BENEFITS:

Did you know filling out the Free or Reduced Lunch Application helps with more than meals? Applying and qualifying can benefit families and students with reduced fees, transportation, broadband, and other discounts.

Families are encouraged to complete an application for meal benefits- free or reduced priced meals as part of the Online Verification. The link to the Child Nutrition Program Meal Benefit Application is available on Skyward or the online application is on School Cafe. Contact the Food Service Office by calling 913-993-9710 for questions on the meal benefit application.

LUNCH MONEY:

Need to add breakfast or lunch money to your student's account? Bring cash or check to the office - be sure to write your students name & class code on the envelope. Payment by card can be made online or by calling the Food Service Office at 913-993-9710.