North News August 12, 2024

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

August

13 - Classes begin for Freshman

14 - Classes begin for Sophomore, Junior, and Seniors

14 - Picture Day

15 - SMN North Area Athletes Physicals - Check in Field House 6:00PM-8:00PM

19 - Join us for the first SMN ALL-Activities Booster Club meeting of the 2024-25 school year on Monday, Aug 19 at 6:30 PM in the Learning Commons

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

North Community,

We are excited to welcome the Class of 2028 to the Brickhouse tomorrow morning, and the remainder of the student body on Wednesday! Our staff has been working hard the past few days preparing for the upcoming school year, and we can’t wait to see our students.

I wanted to personally thank everyone that made it to North Basics Night and/or Back to School Night. I heard positive feedback on the new format of the evening, but we will continue to look for ways to improve the evening in the future. I have included information from the parent orientation in a separate link within this newsletter.

Let’s have a great start to an amazing year SMN! Go Bison!

• 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!

https://shawnee-mission-north-booster-club.square.site/

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!

Mr. Ewers

Welcome

Introduce PTSA and Booster Club presidents and location- Times Square

Goals/WIGS/Importance of School

Building Mission, Commitments, and Goals

State emphasizing Chronic Absenteeism so SMN is focusing on attendance

Correlation between attendance and Achievement (80% of Bison Students not passing 3 or more classes in 2023-2024 were also chronically absent

Correlation of Achievement and Graduation on time (23.5 Credits necessary to graduate; 7 credits can be potentially earned each school year).

Correlation of engagement and culture (student involvement)

PTSA/Booster Club

Ms. Gonzales

Importance of participation in athletics and activities

A. Students who participate in activity programs tend to have higher grade-point averages, better attendance records, lower dropout rates and fewer discipline problems than students generally.

B. Mental / Emotional Well being: students learn self-discipline, build self-confidence & develop a competitive mindset.

C. Activities foster success later in life - activities are a solid predictor of later success in college, a career and in being a citizen.

Why should you encourage your student to participate in athletics and extracurricular activities

Several larger-scale studies have reported academic benefits associated with participating in extracurricular activities.

A. Participants had significantly higher GPAs and significantly and lower absenteeism than did non-participants.

B. Overall, female students had higher GPAs than did male students; both female and male participants had higher GPAs than did non-participant comparison groups.

C. Students who participated in extracurricular activities had the highest GPAs, followed by athletes as a sub-group. *Proud to acknowledge that 470 Bison student-athletes had an average GPA of 3.24 in the 2023-2024 school year.

Why should your student participate at Shawnee Mission North

A. Outstanding coaching staff - care about “kids”; want what’s best for your student

B. Play / participate for something bigger than themselves; collaborate with their peers; set & reach goals

C. Friendship, Fun and Competition

Dr. Brogdon

A. Drop Off:

Busses- East side between 7:15 and 7:30

Car Riders- front car loop: see graphic →

Student Drivers- may park in East or West lots

B. School starts at 7:40am, we encourage students to be in the building by 7:30

C. Restricted Access from 7:40-2:40: must use front entrance (door #1)

D. 3 lunches between 11:00 & 1:00

Only seniors with prior approval can leave the building

E. Final bell at 2:40pm

F. Pick Up

Busses- East side; busses leave at 2:47pm (know bus number!)

Car Riders- front car loop

G. After School: with a school-sponsored group or teacher by 3:00 or exit the building

H. Excusing students between 7:40 and 2:40

Call the attendance hotline- 913-993-6945

Please give at least 30 minute notice for early dismissal

No calls will be taken after 2:00pm

Mr. Jamison

A. Technology/MacBooks-

B. Please inspect your student’s device upon receiving the MacBook next week.

1. Report any visible damage to Mr. Jamison

C. 350+ Bevel Damage processed last year alone

2. Encourage student to not put anything in between the screen and keyboard when closing the device

D. Damage Fee to Repair Device (High School Career)

3. 1st Incident -$100

4. 2nd Incident- $150

5. 3rd Incident and beyond- $300 or cost of repair

6. Missing/lost/stolen Charger- $58

E. On-Line Verification via Skyward- Parent

7. Please complete as soon as possible to ensure your student does not lose MacBook privileges.

8. If you have Password issues- Use “Forgot My Password” to a working email address.

9. “Most” Passwords are- parentfirstname.parentlastname ie. barry.bison

Mr. Durham

A. Graduation Requirements-

23.5 units of credit in grades 9-12 will be required for graduation. Please see Board Policy IHF for details. The high school graduation requirements are designed to be completed in eight semesters. A candidate for graduation from this school district must have been in attendance in the district during the last semester of his or her senior year. A unit of credit represents the equivalent of a year’s work with a passing grade. A full-year course receives one unit of

credit per period.

B. Fees- https://www.smsd.org/families/pay-fees

1. The SMN Bookkeeper is Shelle Lewis-Campbell.

a. shellelewis@smsd.org

b. 913-993-6910

B. Vaccinations-

Please make sure that your vaccines are up to date before we return to school.

If you are not sure, please contact your physician or the Johnson County Health Dept. at 913-826-1200 to schedule an appointment to get the required vaccines to enroll in school. This will prevent missing school due to the first exclusion date

1. The SMN Nurse is MaryAlice Kelly.

a. maryalicekelly@smsd.org

b. 913-993-6916

1. Freshmen First Day is 8/13. If your 9th grade student will be absent, please call the attendance office- 913-993-6945.
2. All students are expected to be at school on 8/14 and attendance will be taken. If your student will be absent, please call the attendance office- 913-993-6945.

1. 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.
2. Lunch is between 11:00 and 1:00. The only students allowed to leave campus for lunch are seniors with prior approval.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.

1. Safety is a very important topic at SMN. Students will learn about our safety protocols and expectations, along with practicing fire, severe weather, lockdown, and evacuation drills in the first week of school.
2. 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.

Happy back to school time families of SMN!

This is a friendly reminder that some of your students need vaccinations prior to the start of the school year.

There was an email sent in May if your student is in need.

Please check you emails received and/or check with your student’s physician about obtaining those vaccines as soon as possible!

Feel free to send me an email and I will check on our student’s vaccination status! My email is maryalicekelly@smsd.org

Also, for those student athletes who haven’t gotten their sports physicals we are having a Sport Physicals clinic at SMN. The date is August 15th from 6-8 pm. Be sure to bring your sports physical form with the parent sheets completed. It will go faster if you do! We will be in the Fieldhouse.

One more thing…. I will be back in my office August 7th. Feel free to call with any questions or concerns about your student’s health or vaccines!

You can reach me by phone at 913-993-6916!

See you all soon!
I’m so excited to see our students back in the Brick House!

Nurse Kelly

• 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

shellelewis@smsd.org

913-993-6910

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

ady?!

This is how we always kick off our season - with our players competing against one another for a fun game!

Date: 8/24/24
Player Arrival: 7 AM
Scrimmage: 8-10 AM

After the scrimmage, get ready for our family BBQ! We'll be serving hotdogs, chips, watermelon, water, and donated treats from Corner Bakery and Kolache Factory!

Donation: To help stock the Jersey Room for ALL of our players & managers, we need a donation from each family:

Freshmen + Sophomores: Case of Gatorade or sports drinks

Juniors + Seniors: Case of snack or protein bars

This creates our "Snack Shack" for the season, giving everyone a little boost when needed!

Questions? Reach out to our amazing committee leader Ginny Wheat at secretary@smnfootballboosterclub.org

Let's kick off the season right!

#SMNFootball #Family #ScrimmageBBQ

Please have your students take some time before the first day of school to clean out their backpacks from the summer. All items in a student’s backpack should be to support academic success and promote safety for all students and staff at Shawnee Mission North. We also recommend weekly clean outs as the school year progresses.

Two good rules to go by regarding backpacks and items at school.

1) If you can’t carry it onto an airplane, it also more than likely can’t come to school.

2) When in doubt…leave it out!

Can you believe it? Our first meeting of the season is this week! We're buzzing with excitement and can't wait to see all your smiling faces.

🗓️ Mark your calendars: Wednesday, August 14th 🕕 6:00 PM SHARP

What's on the agenda? 🤔

Budget breakdown: Let's talk numbers!

Exciting events & fundraisers: Get ready for a season packed with fun!

Communication is key: Discover how to stay in the loop.

Fueling our team: Game day meals & tailgating feasts.

Lend a hand: Volunteer opportunities for everyone.

Show your spirit: Check out the latest gear.

Season passes & MORE! 🎫

Whether you're a seasoned pro or brand new, this meeting is for YOU! Come with questions, ideas, and your team spirit.

Let's kick off this season together! 🏈 #GameOn #TeamSpirit

Click Picture to nominate a SM North Classrooms

In this message:

• Reminder to fill out Online Verification Forms
• Steps to fill out forms
• Child Nutrition Program Meal Benefit Application

Dear Shawnee Mission School District Families,

We hope you are enjoying your summer!

It is time to prepare for the next school year. Back-to-School forms for the 2024-2025 school year (Online Verification Forms) are now online, and need to be reviewed and signed with an electronic signature. The procedure is streamlined for your convenience.

Steps to fill out forms:

• Visit smsd.org
• In the top navigation bar, click on “Skyward” and log in to your account.

If you do not have a Family Access account, you may contact your child’s school office starting on July 24, 2024 to inquire about setting up account access. The guardian designated as Family 1 for a student within the Skyward system has the editing rights to complete the forms.

• Under “Home” you will see “2024-2025 RETURNING Student Annual Online Verification.”

There will be directions that walk you through the entire process.

The process includes permission forms, a health history review, and a medication permission form. For middle and high school students, there is also an athletic packet. Please complete verification forms as soon as possible. It is a mandatory step necessary for student materials checkout. Students cannot be assigned a computer/device until forms are complete.

2024-2025 - Child Nutrition Program Meal Benefit Application

Families are encouraged to complete an application for meal benefits – free or reduced priced meals – as part of Online Verification. The link to the Child Nutrition Program Meal Benefit Application is available on Skyward or the online application is on School Cafe. Families do need to create a School Cafe account if they do not already have one - additional information is located on the SMSD Food Service Free and Reduced web page. Contact the Food Service office by calling 913-993-9710 or emailing foodservice@smsd.org for questions on the meal benefit application.

Potential Benefits of Filling out the Application

Families whose meal benefit application is approved for meal benefits can receive a breakfast and lunch at the free or reduced price – depending on their qualifying benefit.

Families who complete an application and qualify also generate additional state funds for our schools.

Families who qualify for child nutrition meal benefits may also receive additional benefits such as free/reduced instructional resource fees, transportation fees, and Pre-Kindergarten enrollment.

Consent for Disclosure and Eligibility

Families are encouraged to complete a Consent for Disclosure form which gives SMSD Food Service permission to share a child’s eligibility status information with the programs families designate on the consent form. This form can be found on the SMSD Food Service Free and Reduced web page.

For families who are receiving certain types of state assistance, a meal benefit application may not be necessary. If a family is directly certified for meal benefits due to state assistance, an email notification of eligibility was sent recently to the email in Skyward. Notifications are also saved in School Cafe under eligibility benefits for parents to access as needed. If you receive state assistance and have not received a notification of eligibility, contact the SMSD Food Service office before completing a meal program application.

All families, including those who are directly certified are encouraged to complete a Consent for Disclosure found on the SMSD Food Service Free and Reduced web page. Completing the Consent for Disclosure gives SMSD Food Service permission to share a child’s eligibility status information with the programs families designate on the consent form.

If you have any questions, please contact your school office. School offices open on Wednesday, July 24, 2024.

Thank you for your quick attention to this important step of the enrollment process. We look forward to welcoming your student(s) to the 2024-2025 school year!

Hope Lutheran School in Shawnee, KS, is seeking PART-TIME AFTER-SCHOOL WORKERS FOR THE 2024-2025 SCHOOL YEAR who will Create a fun, energetic environment that encourages student growth, each other, and learning. Work collaboratively with colleagues to maintain a caring AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM. The hours are 3:30 - 5:30 pm. Must be 16 years+ and love working with children ages 5 - 13. If you're interested, contact Mrs. Jankowski, principal, at jankowski@hopelutheran.org.

Thanks,

Meghan Adams

Hope Lutheran School

Administrative Assistant

6308 Quivira Rd.

Shawnee, KS 66216

(913) 631-6940

Mon 2024-08-12 7:37 AM

Hi Can Pat McLaughlin get a XXL Brickhouse shirt sine her will be here on Freshman day too ? Thanks- Lesley

SM North does not have a formal school supply list. Students are advised to wait and see the needs of each class first. Teachers with specific requirements will notify the students during the first week of attendance and allow time to purchase supplies.

North Basics- English

North Basics- Spanish

Post Secondary Planning- English

Post Secondary Planning- Spanish

We would like to provide the opportunity for families and students to nominate a staff member for Staff Member of the Week. Please use this form to nominate someone and we will try to honor as many nominations as we can!

Are you interested in working at the Brickhouse? SMN has a number of para-educator positions. If you are interested, please apply online at www.smsd.org or contact Mr. Dustin Jamison for more information. 913-993-6900.

If you are interested in food services positions in the SMSD, please see the image below.

See you next year!