Fall is here and we are rapidly approaching the end of the first quarter! Please assist us in helping your student succeed by emphasizing attendance and achievement at home. Thank you for your support and Go Bison!

Attendance Matters

As a district, one of our targeted goals this year is to decrease student chronic absenteeism. Did you know that the state of Kansas defines "chronic" absenteeism as any attendance rate under 90%? In other words, if you miss more than approximately 9 school days in a semester (regardless of whether or not the absence is excused), you are considered chronically absent. Please make arrangements - as best as possible - to avoid extended student absences when school is in session. Check out the following link for more information.

Parking at the Filling Station

Please refrain from using the parking lot at the Filling Station as you pick up your student at the end of the day. That lot is reserved for their patrons.

Schedule for the next three weeks

Week of Oct 2 –6 (Homecoming Week)

Monday – 1, 3, 5, 7

Tuesday – 2, Seminar (Homecoming assembly), 4, 6

Wednesday – 1, 3, 5, 7

Thursday – Late Start, 2, 4, 6

Friday- Assembly T Day schedule (Homecoming Parade begins at 1:00 p.m.)

Week of Oct 9 – 13 (Oct 12 – Professional Learning – No School, Oct 13 – Teacher Workday – No School)

Monday – 1, 3, 5, 7

Tuesday – 2, Seminar, 4, 6

Wednesday – T Day with shortened blocks (early release at 1:10 p.m.)

Thursday- Professional Learning (No school)

Friday- Teacher Workday (No School)

Week of Oct 16 – 20 (Oct 20 – Parent Conferences – No School)

Monday – 1, 3, 5, 7

Tuesday – 2, Seminar, 4, 6

Wednesday – 1, 3, 5, 7 (Evening Conferences – 5:00 to 8:00 pm)

Thursday – Late Start, 2, 4, 6

Friday- No School (Parent Conferences)

October 11, 2023- National Testing Day

• Seniors- 12th-grade students will have the opportunity to explore post-secondary options on this day in lieu of attending school. Parents, please use the following link to excuse your student Senior Exploration Day 2023
• Juniors- 11th-grade students will have a couple of options outlined below.
• Students not taking the PSAT or ACT will have normal classes with a shorted schedule for the 1:10pm early dismissal.
• Sophomores- all 10th-grade students will have normal classes with a shortened schedule for the 1:10 early dismissal.
• Freshmen- all 9th-grade students will have normal classes with a shortened schedule for the 1:10 dismissal.

SMN Football Club is hosting a tailgating homecoming party and we need your help!

On 10/6th from 4:30 to 7:30 we will have the Legacy Patio set-up for you to grab some dinner before you head into the game.

Hotdogs, Chili with the fixings, chips, baked goods and drinks all up for grabs!

Three judges will be ready to try each chili and whoever wins the "best bite", will win a special prize. ( More details to come )

Anyway, please help out if you can by signing up here:

https://signupgenius.com/#!/showSignUp/20F0D4FA8A82DAAFA7-44504277-homecoming

Reach out to Amber at chairperson@smnorthfootballclub.org with any questions.

Jostens has set up a display for class rings in the entrance Monday, September 25. Ring packets and information will be available for students to pick up.

Orders will be placed online (ring sizers will be in the packet), and orders will be due Thursday October 5th at midnight.

Greetings from Nurse Kelly:

We’ve been busy updating students’ vaccination records in our office.

October 23th is the exclusion date for those students who are not compliant.

Quite a few 9th graders are missing the required Hepatitis A vaccine.

We are still playing catch up with our 11th graders and their meningococcal vaccine compliance.

We will continue to work with our families to help them with this.

If you need assistance, please contact us at 913-993-6907 or 913-993-6916.

Important dates approaching at SMN:

September 26 & 27, our community Lions Club members will be assisting us with vision screenings for all 10th graders whose parents opted in for this screening event. Results will be sent home with your student IF they do not pass the screenings.

Thank you for your attention to this important announcement from the nurse’s office at SMN!

ALL GRADES WILL HAVE PICTURE RETAKES ON SEPTEMBER 27 in the auditorium.

Grades 9 to 11-

If never photographed-no charge

If purchased and the package is returned-no charge

Rolland Studios will not print a package at no charge if the original package is NOT returned.

If never purchased-$3.00 charge

The studio has moved to all online ordering. They can take cash or check for the $3.00 underclass retake fee.

Here is a link to the grades 9 to 11 retakes. https://bit.ly/SMNRETAKE

There is a flyer attached for grades 9 to 11 and the QR code for Seniors.

Senior Retakes are $10.00

There is a calendar for Seniors to sign up. The online Senior appointment system will have students pay online

Here is the link to the Senior Appointment calendar.

https://bit.ly/SMNSR22

• 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".
• Fees are needed for teachers to buy supplies for classes and to cover other expenses for the 2023-24 school year.
• 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.

September is Suicide Prevention Month and a time to raise awareness and discuss this highly stigmatized topic. In addition to shifting public perception and stigma, this month is also used to spread hope to people affected by suicide. Our goal as a district is to ensure students, staff and families have access to the resources they need to discuss suicide prevention and to seek help.

• If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, call or text 988 immediately.

• If you are uncomfortable talking on the phone, you can chat the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988lifeline.org.

• You can also text NAMI to 741-741 to be connected to a free, trained crisis counselor on the Crisis Text Line.

Other links for Suicide Prevention Month:

• https://www.counseling.org/knowledge-center/mental-health-resources/suicide-prevention-month

• https://988lifeline.org/promote-national-suicide-prevention-month/

• https://www.sprc.org/resources-programs/suicide-prevention-month-ideas-action

• https://afsp.org/national-suicide-prevention-week

• https://jasonfoundation.com/get-involved/suicide-prevention-month/

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? Since our organization began, 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, memberships, an Annual Trivia Night & Annual Golf Tournament.

At the September meeting of the SMN All-Activities Booster Club, we were pleased to award grants to the following groups -

SMN Boys Basketball was awarded $2500.00 to be used towards the purchase of new travel suits and travel bags

SMN XC and Track was awarded $1500.00 to be used towards the purchase of a new team tent.

SMN Pep Club was awarded $445.00 to be used towards the purchase of a banner.

Volunteers Needed!!

Help sell spirit wear at the next HOME Football game - it's a great way to meet other SMN Parents & Students! Shifts run from 5:30-7:15pm and 7:15-9:00pm.

Home Football Game - Spirit Wear Sales – FRIDAY, OCTOBER 6

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090E4EAFA62FABF58-help6

Purchase SMN Spirit Wear and Booster Club Memberships at our online store (click on the link or use the QR code below) We have tons of NEW gear in stock!!

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

• 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!

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

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

Homecoming Dance is happening October 7th in the Field House, 7-10pm. The theme is Midsummer Night’s Dream. Tickets will be on sale next week. Out of guest forms are available in the front office. They are due October 4th.

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

• AP Registration is OPEN!
• All students must be registered on College Board and need to join their AP Course Classroom. (Teachers have the join codes!)
• Once joined – make sure to click “Yes” on taking the exam.
• Next – head to TotalRegistration.net/AP/172000 to pay for the exam!
• If you already have a College Board/Total Registration Account, no need to create a new account! Use your old one!
• AP Testing Registration Deadline November, 3rd 10:00 pm.
• Cost $105
• If you register AFTER the deadline, there is a $40 registration fee.
• If you cancel your exam AFTER the deadline, there is a $40 fee...so you will get back $65.
• You can apply for a Free/Reduced fee for AP Testing...make sure you click the link in Total Registration to apply! (Please make sure your Home Economic Survey is complete on Skyward as that is how reduced fees are authorized.)
• AP Exam Dates

Ready to sign up for the AP Exam? Click the link below!

TotalRegistration.net/AP/172000

If you have any questions, please email BrittSherer@smsd.org

Students interested in finding an internship or job shadow or want more information on college are encouraged to attend the fall College & Career Expo.

When: Friday, September 29th

Where: Center for Academic Achievement (CAA), 8200 W 71st St. OP, KS

Two Sessions Available: Bus Transportation Required Due to Parking

Session 1: 9:00 - 10:30 (bus leaves @ 9:00 am)

Session 2: 10:10 - 11:30 am (bus leaves 10:10am)

SIGN UP HERE! Must be logged into your school account to sign up!

Recommended:

• Business casual (RWL counselors can help if need be)
• Paper resume to hand out to businesses. (Not required)

Companies will be ready to do some prescreening interviews.

Transportation provided. Lunch will NOT be provided.

Reach out to BrittSherer@smsd.org for more information!

Freddys: Click here for more information

Montessori Asst. teacher