Office Hours 7 AM - 3:30 PM

913.993.7200

Attendance

Attendance Hotline 913.993.7245 (All Day)

Attendance Office 913.993.7242 (Partial Day)

Email: lisagruman@smsd.org

Dear Northwest Community,

As we welcome the month of November, we realize how quickly the remaining weeks of our semester will fly by! Attendance will be important for students as there are many learning opportunities within each school day. We totally understand if students are ill, they need time to recover. If students are just needing a day away from school, that often causes more stress with the make-up work upon their return. We are here to support our students and families, so please reach out as needs arise.

IPS Updates - We are excited to begin our work in Course Planning for our students' Individual Plans of Study.

• Thursday, 11/14, during our advisory period, students grades 10 and 11 will begin drafting their 4-year course planner on a Google Sheet.
• Thursday, 11/21 during advisory period, students grade 9 will begin drafting their 4-year course planner on a Google Sheet.
• December - students will transfer those courses into their Xello account.
• We encourage parents to talk with their students about their three saved careers in Xello. Students should have selected three or more careers of interest to them (see the picture in this section).
• Parents have access to their student's Xello account. You should have received an email message in mid-October with that login information. Please reach out to your child's counselor if you have questions.

This year we have grouped sophomore and junior students in seminars by their interest pathways. This will allow teachers to discuss elective options that may fit in their 4-year course plan. Students are not required to take those courses, rather it is a starting point for a conversation. For example, if a student is interested in Business, the seminar teacher would help them review different courses we offer in that area including Investing, Marketing Principles, Accounting, Banking and Finance, Entrepreneurship, Digital Design, and so forth. Here is a link to the guide with our high school course offerings: https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1706632600/smsdorg/ukhzi3gcoh2zwcelzqfl/HighSchoolProgramPlanningGuide2024-2025.pdf. We also have an enrollment link on our website that houses much of this information as well. All of the this preparatory work will help students as they select class for enrollment in January and February.

We are hosting a School Tour of NW for families currently in a parochial or private school on Tuesday, November 12th at 8 am. Please share this information if you have interested neighbors or friends.

This week on our Everyday Orange podcast we will talk with our Library Media Specialist, IB Coordinator, and a student and coach from our Unified Bowling Team! And we wish our football team all the best in their next play-off game - Let's Go Cougars!!

Have a great weekend!

All the best,

Lisa Gruman

November 11 - November 15, 2024 - Coin Drive, Students' 5th hour

November 11, 2024 - NHS Inductions

November 12, 2024 - Parochial School Tour

November 14, 2024 - NW Area Choral Festival - 7 pm - NW Auditorium

November 16, 2024 - Fall Blood Drive

November 16, 2024 - MSFD Dance

November 21, 2024 - NW Area Orchestra Festival - 7pm - SMNW Gym

November 25 - November 29, 2024 - No School, Thanksgiving Break

This option is for reporting all day absences and late arrivals only.

When requesting an early dismissal please call 913-993-7242 or email jamieprosser@smsd.org

Zach Cash A-D zacharycash@smsd.org

Barb Legate E-J barbaralegate@smsd.org

Katie Cole K-Pe katherinecole@smsd.org

Jessica Andrade Pf-R (ELL) jessicaandrade@smsd.org

Jordan Landis S-U jordanlandis@smsd.org

Erica Jablonski V-Z (RWL) ericajablonski@smsd.org

Do you know someone that attends a private or parochial school that is interested in discovering the vibrant community and exceptional educational opportunities at Northwest High School? Our upcoming info session offers a unique chance to tour our school, meet dedicated faculty, and learn about our enriching programs. Whether their considering enrollmening or just curious about what we offer, this is the perfect opportunity to see firsthand why our school is a great choice for students.

Date: Tuesday, November 12th, 2024
Time: 8:00am - 9:00am
Location: Shawnee Mission Northwest High School

Please see the SMNW STUDENT SERVICES WEBSITE for more information on the following Real World Learning events!

The International Baccalaureate (IB) program at Shawnee Mission Northwest is a fantastic way to help them prepare! With a focus on critical thinking, problem-solving, and real-world skills, the IB program equips students with tools that will benefit them far beyond high school. Plus, they can earn college credit, helping them meet the Market Value Asset requirement for graduation.

We invite all freshman and sophomore families to an informational meeting on Thursday, November 7, at 6:30 PM in the Shawnee Mission Northwest Library. This is a great opportunity to learn how the IB program works, which courses your student should take to stay on track, and how the program can open doors to honors programs and scholarship opportunities.

For more information, contact Amy Walker, IB Coordinator at Shawnee Mission Northwest, at nwwalker@smsd.org. We look forward to seeing you there!

test for juniors is now open! The ACT test will be given at NW on Tuesday, February 25th. Please complete the link below to sign up! This test is a reportable official ACT test and is open to any junior at NW. There is no fee for the exam and students can share this score with potential colleges and scholarships.

Register by completing the Google form below. Deadline is Friday December 6th!

https://forms.gle/BL3KQ4H3wn8563bm7

Visit the PTSA website for the November PTSA Newsletter!

PIES PIES PIES!

Did you know that SMNW's annual pie sale has THREE reasons to buy!!

First, each year we send every NW teacher and staff member home with a pie for Thanksgiving. It's one of their favorite staff appreciation events of the year! Second, you can order pies for your own family's Thanksgiving meal! Third, all pie sale - both on staff appreciation pies AND personal pies - supports After Prom 2025! Ordering is quick and easy through the PTSA website.

ALL-SPORT PASSES NOW AVAILABLE FOR 24-25 SMNW ATHLETICS

All Sports Passes are now available for purchase! All ticket sales including the All Sports Pass are available digitally through GoFan!

All Sports Passes are ONLY available in the digital format. You will have access to your All Sports Pass through the GoFan platform throughout the entire school year. There are two types of individual sports passes:

(1) Individual Sports Pass–Adult: Admits one adult with the cost being $75

(2) Individual Sports Pass–Student: Admits one person, who is not a SMNW student (with valid ID) to get into games. Please remember that all individuals grades K-12 are considered students. Cost is $50

The Shawnee Mission Northwest All Sports Pass allows you to pre-purchase your admission to Shawnee Mission Northwest regular season home regular season athletic events. This convenient option can allow for quicker access by eliminating the need for cash at the entrance gates. The All Sports Passes are not valid for KSHSAA post-season events and regular season tournaments hosted by Shawnee Mission Northwest High School.

In summary, two different passes available:

Individual Pass–Adults are $75.00

Individual Pass–Students are – $50

See below to order your individual passes today. For questions contact the SMNW Athletic Office at 913-993-7400 or email angelogiacalone@smsd.org

SMNW All Sport Pass

Keep up with all the schedule information and other pertinent areas to “keep you in the know.” If questions regarding athletics/activities you can reach out by emailing Mr. Giacalone, angelogiacalone@smsd.org, or Mrs. Alvey, victoriaalvey@smsd.org or you can reach out by phone at 913-993-7400.

Subscribe to Shawnee Mission Northwest’s national award-winning student-run newspaper, the Northwest Passage! A $20 year-long subscription will get you an issue delivered directly to your house every month and will help cover the cost of printing and operations of the publication. The newspaper, which has been publishing for 54 years, covers all things Northwest, from sports to the arts to classes and everything in between. The paper is routinely a NSPA Pacemaker Winner, naming it one of the top 15 student newspapers in the country.

To subscribe, sign up with this Google Form: https://forms.gle/L4DESESc5b5sLdx26

For any questions about this, please email adviser Chris Heady at christopherheady@smsd.org.

Senior Parents: Senior ads are open for purchase right now. We will close them off early in the second semester. Here is the link to purchase and upload photos and text for us to design:

https://yearbookforever.com/school-store/LaBX1JdcUsjybDQKQlVUKd7B

Your SMNW student may be missing KS state required immunizations. These may include any Meningitis ACWY for Juniors 16 years or older (this is a 2-dose shot and the first should have been received in 7th grade) or they may be missing other state required immunizations. If this is the case please see the attachment for an upcoming immunization clinic at the health department.

Thank you, Nurse Wendy Woods

Please provide proof of vaccination to the nurse aid or I. You can email this to myself at wendywoods@smsd.org or the nurse aid Brenda Renteria at brendarenteria@smsd.org.

Please turn any athletic papers to the athletic secretary in the main office.

I would also like to introduce our new health office nurse aid Brenda Renteria; she will be helping with vaccinations, paperwork and everyday office needs.

Feel free to email or call with any questions or concerns about your student’s health or vaccine needs! You can reach me, Wendy Woods (nurse) at 913-993-7216 or Brenda Renteria (nurse aid) at 913-993-7606.

Thank you,
Wendy Woods, RN, BSN, MSN

NW Nurse

• https://www.smsd.org/about/departments/health-services/illness

• https://www.smsd.org/about/departments/health-services/medication

• https://www.smsd.org/about/departments/health-services/immunizations-physicals