We had an outstanding first week of school last week, and we are looking forward to an even better first full week! We are continuing with start-up activities this week, including MacBook deployment and picture day today.

As we get into the rhythm of the school year, I will be consistently communicating updates on our building goals related to achievement, engagement, and culture. Measurable data points related to these concepts include graduation rate, students on pace to graduate, students involved in an activity, students with an MVA, and most importantly attendance rate.

We have a goal of reducing the percentage of students who are chronically absent. A student is considered chronically absent if they miss 10% or more of school during the year. We need students to be in class so we can help them achieve their goals. There are two posters below my message that indicate the importance of school attendance. Please work with your student and the school to make attendance a priority this year!

Thank you so much for your time. Please do not hesitate to reach out to the office if you have any questions or concerns. Let's have a great week and Go Bison!!!

Every high school student will be issued a MacBook at the beginning of the school year. The MacBook is a powerful learning tool, but for high school students, it automatically incurs a major responsibility to take care of the device, and to appropriately use the device in all situations. Pertinent details regarding MacBooks can be found below:

1. MacBook deployment dates was August 15th for 9th grade and August 21st for 10-12th grade.
2. All students and parents are required to complete the Skyward online verification. If student and parent online verification has not been completed by their deployment date, it could potentially jeopardize your student receiving their MacBook until the online verification process has been completed by both student and parent.
3. All students will “login” to all of their school accounts at school.
4. Expectations of care for the MacBook
• Case will stay on the MacBook at all times
• No food of drink by the MacBook
• Do not shut the MacBook top with anything in between the screen and the keyboard. (Papers w/staples and paperclips will damage the screen bevel)
5. MacBooks should be charged to 100% at home each evening. (Leave the charger at home)
6. Replacement/damage costs for MacBooks are as follows:

1. 1st damaged device: $100.00

2. 2nd damaged device: $150.00

3. 3rd and subsequent device damage: Actual cost of repair/replacement.

4. Accessories and parts that do not carry a warranty are charged at actual replacement cost.

1. A damaged/lost/stolen charger incurs a $58.00 fee.

1. Charging block- $39.00 fee
2. Charging cord- $19.00 fee

5. Stolen device: Proof of theft, such as a filed police report, must be provided to prevent being charged the replacement cost of the device. A damaged device fee may still be incurred. If proof of theft cannot be supplied, the student will incur the full replacement cost of the device.

6. Lost device: A lost device will incur the replacement cost of the device.

How can we manage our student’s MacBook at home?

As is the case with any device, proper device monitoring is a must. Although you do not have administrative rights on the device to install additional monitoring software, there are some best-practices that we recommend you adopt as a parent:

1. Apple has integrated iCloud and family sharing permissions through use of the “Screen Time” functionality built into your Apple ID and “family sharing.” This additional layer of control and security is recommended for all families interested in additional controls beyond the district’s Lightspeed content filter. A simple internet search for “Screen Time for Apple” will give you more information.
2. Remind your student that the device is property of The Shawnee Mission School District. Anything that is searched or done on the device is subject to The Shawnee Mission School District Acceptable Use Policy: IIBF.
3. Create a common and visible spot at home for schoolwork and MacBook usage at home (not in the student’s room). Do not allow students to have their MacBooks unattended for long periods of time.
4. Monitor iMessage and any chat usage on the MacBook. Always monitor all social media accounts that your students have.
5. Do not allow your student to take his/her MacBook into their room at night. Create a common space for devices to be charged each night.
6. Do not leave backpack and MacBook in vehicles at night. This poses a threat of theft. The MacBook may also become damaged due to extreme temperatures of heat and cold.
7. Keep track of the device’s wear and tear throughout the year. Ensure that your student is taking proper care of the device. If the device needs cleaned, please report this to Mr. Jamison.
8. Please visit the district IT student support page for more information.

What does my student do if they have a technical problem with their MacBook?

The majority of student computer issues we see can be solved with a simple device restart. (Click on the Apple (top left) > “Restart”) Students who are unable to resolve their problem can submit a help-desk ticket using the orange life-saver on the MacBook dock, or by accessing the IT Support Website.

• Dropoff/Pickup-

• Busses in East lot by stadium, FH, weight room side.

• Car riders in the front circle drive. Please help us keep an open lane for passing through to exit. Unlike elementary and middle schools that pack cars in tight and dismiss through the use of traffic directors, we ask that you stay alert and move along to assist with getting everyone safely out of the building and off campus right after school.

• Parking for students is in either the East or West lot, but not in the circle drive.

• Entry Procedures/Security-

• In the morning, the building will have select doors unlocked for students to enter the building.

• At 7:40am we move into “restricted access” where all exterior doors will be locked for entry and all students will need to enter through the main doors in the circle drive.

• Throughout the day, up until 2:40pm, we remain in restricted access and entry will need to be through the main doors.

• This includes visitors whether coming to pick up a student or attend a meeting- please use circle drive main doors.

• Opening exterior doors/propping doors-

• To help us best follow these safety guidelines we need all students to understand- No propped doors or opening doors for others. This is for safety. Please reiterate this at home for your students, even if we know the student, we will not open the doors for them and they need to go around to the main doors to keep our building secure.

Attendance Procedures and Expectations at Shawnee Mission North-

• School Day hours- Between the hours of 7:40am and 2:40pm students are expected to follow their class schedules in Skyward. Any time a student is in the hallways during designated class time they MUST have an appropriate pass and approval from an SMN staff member.

• Arrival-

• Mornings are busy. Please plan to have your student here with enough time to be in the classroom and be prepared when the beginning bell rings at 7:40am.

• The cafeteria serves breakfast until 7:30am. Please make timing arrangements so students can get breakfast and be in the classroom at 7:40am.

• If a student arrives at school 10 minutes or more after the bell, they need to stop by the attendance office so we can record their presence and email a pass for admittance to class. Show this pass to the classroom teacher.

• Throughout the day

• Lunch is in the middle of the day- 3 different times and will be dismissed from class with teacher direction.

• Outside lunch is a privilege that we reserve for upperclassmen. Those who do not have the proper forms approved by administration should NOT leave campus during lunch. Violation of this policy can result in disciplinary action.

• We ask that students returning from appointments or CAA/CTC enjoy their food purchased off site before returning to the school.

• If a parent/guardian needs to drop off an item for a student, items may be brought to the main office (reception desk).

• Food delivery services create a disruption to the learning environment and pose a potential security concern. A variety of doors have been utilized and most delivery service providers have been unfamiliar faces which are difficult to verify.
  
  

• We will not accept meals delivered by paid delivery services during the school day for students. These deliveries will be refused.

• Leaving Early

• We are committed to learning bell to bell. This is not just for individual class times throughout the day, but also at the end of the day. Please try to schedule appointments outside the school day and keep your students here up until 2:40.

• Dismissal

• For safety purposes: Unless connected to an activity, athletic, or event, students will be asked to leave campus by 3:15 p.m.

• Reporting Absences/Requesting Early Release-

• A parent or guardian can call the Attendance Hotline (913 993-6945) anytime day or night to report an absence, early release, tardy etc.

• Our attendance office requests at least 30 minutes notice for an early release due to class locations and communication availability.

• The Attendance Office has gone paperless. We no longer use paper passes to be admitted late to class or to leave early. We email passes to the student and the student then shows it to their teacher. We want to keep calls into the classroom to a minimum. If your student is expecting to leave early, please have them monitor their email.

Celebrate your senior's graduation with a Senior Ad in the 2024 yearbook.

The first deadline is Sept. 15

There are three due dates for ads, with prices increasing after each deadline.

After the first deadline on Sept. 16, the prices increase.

You will purchase your Senior Ad online.

To pay with a credit card and/or submit all your photos go to www.yearbookforever.com. Choose SM North. You can upload all of your photos and pay here.

After you send your Senior Ad in, you will receive a proof via email by Feb. 9. Not all will be done by then, but a majority will be. If you haven't seen yours by then, please call 913-993-7012 or email notate@smsd.org and check on the ad..

Thanks so much for supporting the Brickhouse yearbook. We look forward to designing your senior’s ad.

If you have any questions, please contact yearbook advisor Becky Tate at 913-993-7012 or at notate@smsd.org .

Please check out the Class of 2024 webpage: https://smnorth.smsd.org/students/graduation

Parents and Guardians,

Bus Services/Transportation

Food Service- Free/Reduced Lunch Application

Pay Fees/Add School Lunch Money

Bus procedures

- Students that ride the bus will be dropped off on the east side of the building and will enter through the entrance closest to the weight room facility.

- At the end of the day, students that ride the bus will find their bus on the east side.

- Bus departure begins at 2:47, so it is very important for students to find their bus as quickly as possible at the end of the school day.

- Cars will not be able to get into or leave the school parking lot from 2:40-2:47 so we can ensure a safe departure of our busses.

Drop-off/Pick-up procedures

- Students who get rides to school in the morning can be dropped off at either the main entrance or on the east side of the building.

- At the end of the day, students need to be picked up near the main entrance of the school. Please avoid picking up students on the east side so we can ensure a safe bus departure at the end of the day.

Students who drive their own car

- Students can park in any available spot in the east or west parking lot. Students are prohibited from parking in the front circle.

- Students need to make sure they have a parking pass in order to park on school grounds.

• Visit smsd.org.

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

• Under “Home” you will see “2023-2024 Student Annual Online Verification.

• If you have trouble accessing your Family Skyward account, please contact the computer clerk, Karen Facklam, at 913- 993-6909 or karenfacklam@smsd.org.

• • The online fee payment portal is now available for school fees. Go to www.smsd.org, hover over the "Families " tab, and click the link entitled "Pay Fees Online".
  • If you are interested in applying for free or reduced lunch, please use this link.
  • The following fees are required: instructional resource Fee, participation fee, ID card and course fees.
  • Optional fees are: parking, class dues, literary magazine, yearbook, pep club. Unpaid optional fees will be swept from your account after 1Q.
  • If you need to pay by check, please mail 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 waiver & reduced receive $52.50.
  • For payment plans and questions, please call 913-993-6910 or email shellelewis@smsd.org.

  
  

This school year (2023-2024) the Shawnee Mission School District is once again utilizing the Panorama Social-Emotional Learning survey to assess student’s perseverance, grit, determination, school culture and student-teacher relationships. The Panorama Social-Emotional survey takes approximately 30 to 45 minutes to complete and will be administered during the first semester. The first survey window is scheduled for October 16 through November 10, 2023. Parents/Guardians must consent for their student(s) to participate in the Panorama survey; this would have been done during the 23-24 registration process. Survey data will be reviewed at the district and classroom level to determine areas of strength, as well as areas where more instruction and/or support is needed. Once survey results are returned, parents/guardians are welcome to see and discuss the results with their students’ teachers, social workers, and counselors. Sample survey questions can be found here and here.

We encourage you to visit the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) website to learn more about how Social Emotional Learning benefits your child and their environment. All data is maintained by SMSD and will remain confidential. Please visit this site for more information about the Panorama SEL survey.

• 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 this link!

• All proceeds raised by both organizations directly benefit SMN students!

Join us for the first SMN All-Activities Booster Club meeting of the 2023-24 school year on Monday, Aug 21 at 6:30pm in the Learning Commons

Earn $$$ for your favorite group at North by attending Booster Club meetings. We offer Attendance Grants to any SMN club, group or team that sends a student, parent or sponsor/coach to our meetings. If your team or group has someone attend at least 4 Booster Club meetings a year, we will give your group a $100 grant - attend 6 meetings and receive a $200 grant!

Did you know… Each year the SMN All-Activities Booster Club supports student clubs, groups, and teams by funding grant requests from coaches and club sponsors for expenses that are not funded by the school district? Over the past 15 years, we have given over $250,000 in grants to student organizations & teams at North! We raise funds for our grants through our spirit wear sales, our Annual Trivia Night & Annual Golf Tournament.

Get your 2023-24 Booster Club Membership and purchase SMN Spirit Wear at our online store - we have lots of NEW Bison gear in stock!! Click on the link below or use the QR code to start shopping!

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

• The Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHSAA) is the governing body for a variety of student activities in the state of Kansas. Their website is www.kshsaa.org

• All forms that need to be completed for participation in a KSHSAA-sanctioned event at SMN can be found here.

• Please encourage your student to get involved in school activities and/or athletics! We have something for everyone at SMN!

• Please review our Student Handbook with your student

• Notify your student’s alpha administrator if you have any questions or concerns.

• Student last names A-G: Contact Dustin Jamison

• Student last names H-N: Contact Jon Durham

• Student last names O-Z: Contact Laura Brogdon

• Some of your students are in need of State of Kansas Required Immunizations.

• All who need them have been sent emails with a reminder of which immunization your student needs.

• Feel free to contact Nurse Kelly at 913-993-6916 or email at maryalicekelly@smsd.org

• Review DS Bus Company information and/or sign up for transportation service by clicking this link.

• Please note that eligibility for free bus transportation can be dictated by your home address.

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

College Now enrollment through Johnson County Community College is now open. College Now is the concurrent enrollment (or dual credit) program at Johnson County Community College. High school students who participate in the College Now program take high school courses that also bear college credit. According to the National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships (NACEP), concurrent enrollment students gain exposure to the academic challenges of college while in their supportive high school environment.

If your student is interested in earning college credit through JCCC, please have your student apply to JCCC where they can earn college credit while attending SM North for the following classes.

AP Chemistry

AP Calc AB

AP Calc BC

AP Literature

AP Government

AP Stats

Spanish 4

AP Bio

AP Environmental Science

For more information, please visit https://www.jccc.edu/admissions/early-college/high-school-concurrent-enrollment/or contact Britt Sherer – BrittSherer@smsd.org

Enrollment deadline is September 15th, so enroll today!

Freddys: Click here for more information

Fall sports tryouts have concluded and the teams are gearing up for the fall season. This week, the girls golf team tee’s up the season with a meet, today at Smiley’s. Most teams will begin competition the following week (August 28).

Please note SM North follows KSHSAA RECOMMENDED ACTIVITY MODIFICATION POLICY Based on Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) Each school should have a policy in place for appropriate activity modification during periods of excessive heat and humidity. The KSHSAA recommended policy is provided below. Activity modification decisions should be based on the wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) which is the most reliable indicator in determining the overall risk of heat illness during athletic participation in periods of elevated heat and humidity. WBGT is a measure of air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, sun angle, and cloud cover. SMSD athletic trainers and district athletic directors communicate daily about the WGBT and course of action for the day. With anticipation of temperatures in the 100s the week of August 21-25, a number of teams have decided to practice in the early morning.

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. An All sports Pass admits one individual.

The Shawnee Mission North Bison All Sports Pass allows you to pre-purchase your admission to Shawnee Mission North regular season home athletic events. This convenient option can save you money and 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 North High School &/or specific to Sunflower League events.

There are two different passes available:

(1) Individual Sports Pass: Admits one person with the cost being $70

(2) Family Sports Pass: Admits up to four people, no more than two adults - $170

To purchase an All Sports Pass please visit: Go Fan

Fall Sports kick-off - we’re hopeful you will join us on Friday, Aug. 25 as we host intrasquad scrimmages to prepare for the upcoming fall season. The Booster club will be selling spirit wear by legacy patio from 4:30 - 7:00pm.