4935 Belinder Ave

Westwood, KS 66205

Kathy Keith, Principal

Email: kathykeith@smsd.org

Website: Westwoodview.smsd.org

Phone: (913) 993-5800

X Westwood View 512 @WVpythons
Instagram @wvpythons

Vision

Instilling in students critical thinking skills and respect for core values of loyalty, perseverance and compassion.

Monthly Character Trait

Building Community

We would like to welcome all of our new and returning families to another start of the school year! The Python News will be emailed to all families monthly and will contain important information for WV families.

We believe in creating an open avenue for communication between school and home. The Python News is only one of these avenues. We also have a twitter account and a school website that will be updated throughout the school year. Please access these sites to keep in touch with all of the news and events taking place at Westwood View.

School Hours: 8:10am -3:10pm

• 8/9 Access to Skyward - Log in to see your student's teacher assignment.
• 8/12 Ice Cream Social 4:30-6:00pm
• 8/13 Classes Begin, gr. 1-6 (Early Dismissal 12:30)
• 8/13 & 8/14 Kindergarten Conferences
• 8/15 Kindergarten Begins (Full Day)
• 8/22 Curriculum Night (1st-3rd 5:00-6:00pm) (4-5th 6:00-7:00pm)
• 8/27 Curriculum Night (6th 5:00pm)

2024-2025 District Calendar

20204-2025 WV Building Calendar

ABCD Schedule

Below is a list of resources for families, with helpful information as students and families get ready for a successful start to the year.

• Complete the Online Verification Forms in your Skyward Family Access (all SMSD families)

• Complete the 'Consent for Disclosure' in Online Verification Forms in your Skyward Family Access to possibly waive/reduce district fees.

• Pay student fees

• Seek technology help

• Learn about transportation services

• Read about athletic passes for students, parents and senior adults

• Get information on before-and after-school care programs offered by Johnson County Parks and Recreation and YMCA

• Sign Up For Text Alerts

We are so excited for our first day with Kindergarten Pythons on Thursday, August 15th. Our doors open at 8:00am and class starts at 8:10am. Kindergarten parents are invited to walk their students to class until teacher assignments are made on Monday, August 12th. Monday will be the last day to walk your Kindergarten student to their classroom. We will have a Boo-Hoo Breakfast for parents off the library patio so please feel free to join us from 8:00am-8:30am. It’s a great day to be a Python!

1. Missed Lessons = Falling Behind: Even one day can mean missing critical instructions and activities, making it harder for your child to catch up.

2. Impact on Future Success: Consistent attendance is a strong predictor of academic achievement and future opportunities.

3. Building Resilience: Regular attendance teaches your child the value of perseverance and responsibility—essential skills for success in life.

4. Stronger Friendships: Daily presence helps your child develop and sustain friendships, which are crucial for emotional and social development.

5. Healthy Routine: Attending school every day establishes a stable routine, promoting better mental and physical health.
   
   

Our school goal is less than 5% of our students will be categorized by the state as chronically absent. Chronically absent is defined as a student that has missed more than 10% of the school year. Last year we started with 8.8% of our python students missing more than 10% of the school year. In May, we were able to lower that number to 4.9%. Research supports that students attending school on a regular basis are more successful. Please help us by getting your student to school daily.

Principal Kathy Keith

Secretary Jodi Mcatee

Support Staff John Sheahan

Nurse JoAnn Blevins

Social Worker Stevi Lorson

Intervention Support Annie Campbell & Amy Frick

Instructional Coach Lori Heinze

Educational Aide Suzanne Shelton

Building Sub Jan Lyons

Kindergarten

Sarah DeBlase

Emily Hoffman

1st Grade

Susannah Cone

Emma Vogt

2nd Grade

Anna Frame

Jessica Jankowski

Rachel Pruett

3rd Grade

Caroline Cherry

Angie Hutton

Jana Winkelbauer

4th Grade

Emily Fox

Zoey Olson

5th Grade

Paige Adams

Amanda Jessee

Emma Reicherter

6th Grade

Michelle Hartel

Jill Kading

Specials

PE Corey Roscetti

Art Paige Crosswhite

Music Matt Mirsch

Library Annie Campbell & Erin Dickins

Special Education

Resource Teacher Cindy Waeckerle

Para Susan Minto

Speech Teacher Kelsey Kohn

School Psych Rachel Beytien

OT Teacher Tracey Bredford

Parents are welcome to eat lunch with their student starting August 27th until May 9th. If you are bringing outside food, you may only include your student due to allergies and keeping our students safe. Please see the WV Cafe Procedures below before visiting for lunch.

Food Service will continue to offer healthy and appealing options for all students next school year. The meal prices are below.

Elementary $2.85

Reduced $0.40

Adult Visitor $4.30

Families will be able to complete a child nutrition meal benefit application to see if they qualify for free or reduced-priced meals. The information and link regarding the meal benefit application will be a part of the parent online verification process as well as be available on the Food Service web page after July 1st. Food Service encourages families to apply as soon as the application is available in July so any meal benefits families qualify for will be processed by the start of the school year.

Families are encouraged to check their student’s current food service account balance on School Café - https://www.schoolcafe.com/SHAWNEEMISSION. Payments to a student’s food service account can be done by check or cash at the school, credit card online through eFunds ($3 fee) or by calling the Food Service office (no fee). Student account balances (positive or negative) do roll over to the next year – even if the student switches schools within the district.

• Complete an application for free or reduced cost meals

USE OF CELL PHONES/PERSONAL ELECTRONIC DEVICES SMSD is committed to providing highly effective and consistent learning spaces across the district. During instructional time, the personal use of cell phones and other electronic devices that are not district-issued is prohibited unless explicitly directed by school staff. Cell phones and other personal electronic devices are to be turned off and put away during the day in order to respect the educational environment of the classroom. Medical exemptions may be applied. Initial violations will fall under the Discipline Matrix as a Level 1 offense. Subsequent violations will result in progressive disciplinary action.

If you need to contact your student during the school day, you can call the office @ 993-5800 and we will make sure your student gets the information.

If your student forgets something during the school day and needs that item, the classroom teacher will notify you. We strive to teach our students to be responsible and independent. Many items that students forget are not needed, we can provide or make due.

• We ask that items not be dropped off during the school day unless you are notified and asked to do so by the classroom teacher.

Parents must be on our MVP list in order to volunteer. MVP training is approved for three years before you have to renew your training. There are many trainings throughout the year. Ms. Lorson is our MVP coordinator, feel free to call her with any questions at 993-5856. See the information below for more details.

My Volunteer Pal (MVP) program is the volunteer program for all Shawnee Mission Schools. MVP connects adult volunteers with students ages Pre-Kindergarten to age 18. Volunteer Pals choose from a range of in-school activities, including:

• Mentoring
• Serving as a lunch buddy
• Classroom or school volunteer
• Sharing special talents or career interests
• Tutoring
• Being a friend who listens
• Chat ‘n Chew
• School field trips

Volunteers enjoy flexible schedules, and all activities take place on school grounds during school hours, with the exception of field trips. If there are additional questions concerning the MVP program, please call Ms. Lorson at 913-993-5856.

MVP Resources

Canvas is a learning management system that allows SMSD teachers, parents, and students to access and manage learning in a digital environment. It allows educators to create and present online learning materials and assess student learning, and students to engage in courses and receive feedback about their learning progression.

If your child is absent, this will give them access to assignments needed. It will also provide you with communication from your classroom teacher. Please establish access to your student's Canvas Account to keep up to date on events.

Canvas Access

⇒Get to Know Skyward Family Access [video] CLICK HERE

⇒Download the Skyward Family Access mobile app: CLICK HERE for instructions.

⇒Steps for translating Family Access to another language CLICK HERE
⇒Pasos para traducir a Acceso de Familia a Español HAGA CLIQ AQUI

Skyward web access allows parents, guardians and students to access all things Skyward through our online portal. This is a secure access, available using a web browser or through our mobile app.

In Family Access, parents and guardians can:
» keep track of your student's attendance, grades and assignments, and schedule.
» view messages and updates posted by your student's teacher or principal.
» update your student's emergency information.
» use Skylert to choose which alerts you would like to receive from the district and how you want to receive them.
» pay fees online.
» enroll new students into SMSD.

In Student Access, students can
» view homework assignments.
» view messages and updates posted by your teacher or principal.

All students are required to pay a $60.00 Instructional Resource Fee. Please see below for information on how to pay this fee and what the fee covers. We ask that you pay your fee by September 15th. You may contact Ms. Lorson, our WV Social Worker if you need support for this fee.

Pay Online

Shawnee Mission partners with eFunds for Schools to collect online payments for school fees and meals. Families have the option to pay by credit card, debit card or have funds electronically withdrawn from their checking account.

E-FUNDS - PAY ONLINE

E-FUNDS INSTRUCTIONS

The Shawnee Mission School District, like all other school districts in Kansas, maintains a dedicated fund, with all money in that fund used to purchase instructional resources and textbooks. For many years, parents of elementary and secondary students were charged a fee for instructional resources. In 2015-16, this fee was eliminated for elementary students, and reduced for secondary students.

With more instructional resources moving on-line, it was anticipated that the costs of instructional materials would decline, and that less money would be needed in the textbook revolving fund budget line. Unfortunately, that has not turned out to be the case, and for the past several years, this line has run a deficit, which has had to be covered out of general operating funds.

To compound this challenge, the district has acted over the last several years to update instructional materials in several areas, spending millions of dollars each year. This has necessarily increased the deficit in the instructional materials line item.

To remedy this situation, in 2022-23 the Board of Education reinstituted a $60 instructional resource materials fee at the elementary level and $100 instructional resource materials fee at the secondary level.

Families who qualify for free/reduced lunch can apply to have these fees reduced or waived through their school office. fee schedule, as approved by the Board of Education, lists required fees, school meal prices, and optional fees. High school and middle school course fees can be found in the program planning guides.

2024-25 FEE SCHEDULE

Parents and guardians: Each year you must go to Family Access to complete the Annual Online Verification for each of your students. Through this process you will update student and family information, become familiar with and consent to important SMSD policies, and make any necessary changes to your students' health information.

Click here to find instructions to complete these forms.