North News August 26, 2024
Where Tradition began, Excellence continues.
Shawnee Mission North High School
Office Hours 7AM - 3:30PM
913-993-6900
Attendance Hotline (24 hours)
913-993-6945
Website: https://smnorth.smsd.org/
Location: 7401 Johnson Drive, Overland Park, KS, USA
Phone: 913-993-6900
Twitter: @SM_NORTH_HS
Instructions in Spanish
Calendar
September
02 - No School
03 - No School
18 - Homecoming Parade 5:30PM
18 - Block Party following Parade
21 - Homecoming Dance 7:00PM - 10:PM, Field House
25 - Photo Retake Day
Message from Principal David Ewers
North Community,
What a great first full week of school! Our students are off to a great start and we are so grateful for the efforts families have made to make this a great school year so far! Fall activities are off and running, and we begin our first competitions this week.
We have another full week this week before the Labor Day holiday. Next week we are off on Monday for the holiday, and also Tuesday for Staff Professional Development. Please keep encouraging your student to engage and get involved in our school. Let’s have a great week and Go Bison!
Building Mission, Commitments, and Goals
Our building mission, commitments, and goals are at the forefront of all that we do in our building. As we get further into the school year, we will provide updates on our data on our goals.
Late Start Thursdays
We had a great first late start Thursday! Late start Thursdays will continue until May 15, 2025, unless otherwise stated from our district.
Kansas Teacher of the Year Nominations
Nominations are now open for the Shawnee Mission Teacher of the Year! Please review the attachment below for information on how to nominate one of our outstanding teachers for this prestigious honor!
Nominate a Teacher of the Year 2024
Staff Member of the Week
Staff Member of the Week: Alexcia Grover
Mrs. Grover is so great to our students, and works hard to create an inviting classroom environment. Plus…she is the SMN nominee for the Horizon Award for 2024-2025!
Student of the Week
Student of the Week: Yordin Aguilar Monterroso
Our Student of the Week is Yordin Aguilar Monterroso. Yordin helped new students set up their computers and has been a huge help getting flags hung up in the language hallway.
2024-2025 School Fee Info
- Please use the online fee payment portal. Go to www.smsd.org, hover over the "Families " tab, and click the link entitled "Pay Fees Online".
- Add lunch money online using “Optional Fees”. Create an account or use the Guest option with the student’s ID number and last name.
- If you are interested in applying for free or reduced lunch, please use this link.
- Fees are needed for teachers to buy supplies for classes and to cover other expenses for the school year.
- The following fees are required: instructional resource fee (classroom materials), participation fee (admission home games/theatre/activity buses, etc.), ID card and course fees.
- Optional: Yearbooks are $50 until January 10, 2025 and then they go up to $65. Parking permits are available for 10th graders and up throughout the year and prorated by quarter. Literary Magazine is done by our creative writing club. Class dues and pep club are also optional but help with school parades and other activities.
- If you need to pay by check, please mail or bring your check with your student’s ID number in the memo to SM North, Attn: Bookkeeper, 7401 Johnson Dr., Overland Park, KS 66202.
- If you qualify for free or reduced lunch, email a copy of your food service benefits letter to shellelewis@smsd.org. Free lunch students receive a $105 fee waiver & reduced receive $52.50.
- For payment plans and questions, please call 913-993-6910 or email shellelewis@smsd.org. Unpaid fees may be sent to collections, so please make payment arrangements.
Shelle Lewis
SMN Bookkeeper
913-993-6910
Attendance
Attendance/Arrival/Dismissal
- School starts at 7:40am. Please consider having your student to the building by 7:30 to ensure they are in their first class of the day on time. Busses will drop off in the East lot while car riders need to arrive in the circle drive and get out only on the curb.
- Lunch is between 11:00 and 1:00. The only students allowed to leave campus for lunch are seniors with prior approval.
- 2:40pm is when the final bell rings. Busses will depart at 2:47pm from the East Lot. Car Riders can be picked up in the Circle Drive. 3:00pm is when students need to be settled into activities or off campus.
- Shawnee Mission North is in restricted access between 7:40 and 2:40. Anyone entering the building between these times must come through the main doors (#1) from the circle drive.
- To excuse a student between 7:40 and 2:40, please call 913-993-6945 and leave a message. Please allow 30 minutes after you call for your student to be released, and you must call prior to 2:00pm on the same day to ensure the office has time to process your request.
Safety at Shawnee Mission North
- For everyone’s safety, drivers need to follow the car loop guidelines for drop off and pick up at SMN. Picture of SMN Circle Drive
- The red curb should be the only place cars stop to unload/load students.
- The middle lane should be continually moving at no more than 5mph with cell phones put away.
- The farthest lane from the building is reserved for visitor parking and SMN staff members. If you park during drop off or pickup, please make sure your student crosses at the center crosswalk to get to and from the building.
- On August 14th and August 15th, SMN completed safety drills in the areas of: Fire, Severe Weather, Lockdown, and Evacuation. Students and staff did an excellent job with these drills! While we don’t like thinking about challenging situations like these, we will be best prepared if we have thought and practiced through them if we have practiced ahead of time.
- The two most important safety rules at SMN are that we do NOT open exterior doors for anyone, and we do NOT prop open doors at school for any reason.
SMN Booster Club/PTSA
BE A VOLUNTEER!
The SMN All-Activities Booster Club needs volunteers to assist with spirit wear sales at upcoming events - no experience necessary! Multiple shifts are available for each event. Click on the corresponding link to learn more and sign-up!
Fall Sports Kick-Off - Friday, August 30 - 4:15pm-7:45pm at Stadium Ticket Booth
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090E4EAFA62FABF58-50684318-2024#/
SMN All-Activities Booster Club
Spirit Wear Pop-Up Shop
Stock up on your favorite Bison gear... t-shirts, sweatshirts, joggers, ball caps, beanies, cups & more!
Stop by and see us in the Cafeteria during lunch on
Thursday, August 29 and Friday, August 30
Our online store is ALWAYS OPEN!
Shop ahead of time at our online store and we can have your order
waiting for you to pick up!!
Click on the link or use the QR code below to start shopping!
PTSA/Booster Club
A. PTSA- PTSA is an organization that supports all students at SMN. They provide a college scholarship opportunity for a graduating senior, along with multiple community events throughout the school year. They also provide opportunities for students to serve our community and earn BROC (Bison Reaching Out to the Community) points. Please see the link in the newsletter to join PTSA.
B. Booster Club- Each year the SMN All-Activities Booster Club supports students by funding grant requests from coaches and club sponsors for expenses that are not funded by the school district. From basketball to drama…robotics to swimming…NJROTC to volleyball…the All-Activities Booster Club provides the financial BOOST student groups need to succeed! As a member, we ask that you to help with our Booster Club sponsored activities as your schedule allows – Spirit Wear Sales, Trivia Night, North Relays Concessions, our Annual Golf Tournament, and more!
Join PTSA and the Booster Club
The Parent/Teacher/Student Association (PTSA) and the All-School Booster Club are great ways for parents and guardians to get involved with our school!
Join PTSA by clicking on this link!
Join Booster Club by clicking on link below!
All proceeds raised by both organizations directly benefit SMN students!
College Now
Applications are underway for students interested in taking College Now through JCCC. Please have your student apply to JCCC to earn college credit through JCCC. Check the JCCC website for more information or reach out to Britt Sherer – BrittSherer@smsd.org for more information or help. The deadline to apply to JCCC is September 20th!
New Information
Come on down to Johnny's Tavern at 13131 Shawnee Mission Parkway August 28th for dinner and help our SM N Football Booster Club! 20% of funds will be provided back to our club for our team.
Just mention you are with SMN Football Bison :)
📢 🏈 Calling all Bison Fans! 🏈 📢
Get ready to kick off the season in style! ONE WEEK from today, on Friday, August 30th, SMN Brickhouse is hosting a thrilling season opener Jamboree for our Bison Football Teams!
🔥 Face-off against Fierce Rivals: Witness epic matchups as we take on Bishop Miege, Blue Valley North West, and Olathe West!
🍔 Tailgate Feast: The Football Booster Club has your pre-game cravings covered with a delicious tailgating dinner featuring walking taco kits, refreshing drinks, and delectable Nothing Bundt Cakes!
🍪 Sweet Treats Galore: Indulge in a selection of homemade goodies baked with love by one of our talented Senior moms!
🛍️ Bison Swag Station: Gear up for the games with a fantastic array of Bison merchandise, including cowbells, bows, shirts, calendars, jewelry, blankets, rally towels, and even Bison tattoos! Show your team spirit loud and proud!
🗓️ Mark Your Calendars: Friday, August 30th
⏰ Time: Gates open at 5:00 PM
📍 Location: SMN Brickhouse
📣 Let's Go Bison! Bring your family, friends, and Bison pride to cheer on our teams as they kick off an unforgettable season!
Bison and Family,
Welcome back to the 2024-2025 School Year! As we get started, SMN Journalism would like to share an important message with all of you! Did you know that SMN Journalism has social media accounts? Our Facebook and Instagram accounts are great avenues for parents and students to connect, find information about SMN and find great photos!
Seeing these photos is also a great way to save memories, these four years go by fast!
Check out our accounts linked below or scan the QR code! Go Bison! We wish everyone luck this year and hope everyone enjoys all they can from our accounts!
Instagram Account: @smnjournalism https://www.instagram.com/smnjournalism/
Facebook Account: @Smnjournalism https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556805605266
Bingo Night at Chicken N Pickle!
SMN Bison join us for a fun-filled evening of bingo, raffle prizes, delicious food, and drinks. It's a great opportunity to connect with friends and family while supporting our football booster club.
When: Sunday, October 6th at 3 PM Where: Chicken N Pickle Cost: $10 per person (includes bingo)
100% of proceeds (minus the cost of food) will go directly to our football booster club.
Raffle Prize Giveaways!
Thank you to Chicken N Pickle for generously donating their venue for this event!
Questions? Contact Karina Alvarado for more information!
Get your ticket here:
https://www.smnfootballboosterclub.org/footballbisonstore/p/bingofundraiser
Cash for Classrooms
Click Picture to nominate a SM North Classrooms
News from Student Services
Dear Families, We are so grateful you are a part of the school community this year. One of the aims at our school is to equip young people for all the realities of today’s world. With that in mind, we have partnered with CharacterStrong - an organization that provides training for educators and social & emotional learning curriculum for students. Their work in grades 6-12 focus on 3 main outcomes: increasing a sense of belonging for all students, improving skills that support student well-being, and deepening student engagement in their academics, in their school, and in their community.
Here’s what the data tells us:
- • A sense of belonging in school is one of the most important conditions for learning and a fundamental support for social and emotional well-being. Nearly ⅓ of all students report a weak sense of belonging in their schools. Roughly half of 6th - 12th grade students say they don’t enjoy coming to school most of the time.
- • Mental health challenges for teens have been increasing and 7 out of 10 teens in the U.S. (between 13 and 17 years old) have named anxiety or depression as a major problem among their peers.
- • Student engagement drives learning and supports school success.
This curriculum was created to support school communities as they engage in the work of preparing young people to thrive in the 21st century. The research supports the effectiveness of social & emotional learning in schools to increase student’s academic success and college & career readiness. The lessons focus on developing skills and mindsets around building positive habits, understanding our emotions, and increasing empathy for people and communities who have lived different lives than us. The curriculum helps students think about things they want to improve in their school, their relationships, and their world and then provides tools for them to work individually and in teams to close the gaps they’ve identified.
One of the key parts of nearly every lesson is the “CharacterDare” for Middle School students and the “To Be List” for High School students. These are invitations near the end of most lessons to put the content that they are learning into action in the real world. If you ever want to play an active role in the CharacterStrong curricula, simply ask your student about the most recent CharacterDare or To Be List challenge. Maybe they’ll invite you to try one yourself!
To learn more about CharacterStrong, check out characterstrong.com to discover other resources for students and families.
Looking forward to a great year!
Previously released information, but still important to know
Staff Member of the Week
Bison Athletics and Activities
Fall Sports
Fall Sports
If you have students inquiring about Fall Sports programs please have them contact the sport-specific coach:
Varsity Football Coach: Andy Walter
Email: andrewwalter@smsd.org
Varsity Soccer Coach: Jaime Velez
Email: jaimevelezacosta@smsd.org
Varsity Coach Girls and Boys Tennis Coach: Scott Mcdonald
Email: ScottMcdonald@smsd.org
Girls Gymnastics Coach: Sarah Hink sarahhink@smsd.org
Assistant Coach: Janice Baker, Bergen Cooper & Brooklyn Beck (@ SMNW)
Varsity Girls and Boys Golf Coach: Walter Mansfield
Email: waltermansfield@smsd.org
Varsity Girls Volleyball Coach: Taszia Roseberry
Email: tasziaroseberry@gmail.com
Unified Bowling (begins in mid-September) - Robyn Barreca
Email: Robynbarreca@smsd.org