Trail Talk Newsletter
Santa Fe Trail PTA
Special Back to School Edition: August 2023
SFT is a special community powered by the parent/guardian/community/teacher/staff involvement and collaboration. We want our students to have the best year and hope you will continue to be involved!
Trail Talk is a monthly newsletter published by the SFT PTA. By following along, you can receive important notifications, dates, principal updates, volunteer opportunities, how to stay connected and get involved!
Volunteer Opportunities Now Live!
We Need You!
SFT PTA events only happen because of your amazing support and willingness to volunteer your time and talents. Sign up for current volunteer opportunities here:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0C4BA4AA2DA1F85-ptavolunteer
PTA Meetings Open to All
There are four PTA general meetings per year open to all. They take place in the SFT Library, and a Webex link is also provided. Please mark your calendar, your attendance is appreciated and valued. We are all in this together for our teachers and students. Did you know that Principal Leiker attends and gives a report at each PTA meeting?
- September 13, 2023
- November 15, 2023
- February 21, 2024
- April 10, 2024
2023-2024 Officers
President: Jenni Miller sftptapresident@gmail.comFirst Vice President: Emily Beecher
Second Vice President: Shae Paradise
Third Vice President: Kristin Horst
Secretary: Morgen Govidan
Treasurer: Tammy McMahon
PTA Partnership Dues: Join Today
Use the QR Code to Join
For $5.00 per year, you can be a PTA partner. What does your $5.00 do? Your $5.00 allows the SFT PTA to continue to be in good standing with the state of Kansas and the Shawnee Mission Area Council PTA. By remaining in good standing, we can fundraise throughout the year, receive support from the district and deliver wonderful teacher/staff and student support.Welcome New SFT Staff!
Please welcome these new staff members to our SFT family!
- Kindergarten – Kelly Fritz
- Nurse - Kelly Clark
- Educational Aide (new position) - Elizabeth Houze
Meet Kelly Fritz
Hello! My name is Kelly Fritz, and I am the new Kindergarten teacher here at Santa Fe Trail. This is my 16th year teaching. I taught for 10 years at Emerson Elementary and 5 years at Roesland Elementary. I have taught kindergarten 15 years and first grade for 1 year. I have been married to my husband for 15 years. We have twins 11-year-old, Caroline and Carson, who are in their last year of elementary school. If I am not here teaching, I am probably in my car taking them to their many after school activities. I am very excited to be here and want to thank everyone for making me feel so welcomed!Meet Kelly Clark
Hello, my name is Kelly Clark, and I am the new nurse here at SFT. I have been an RN for 35 years. I started my career at Children’s Mercy Hospital as an Infectious Disease Nurse. I have spent the last 19 years as an RN at Blue Springs School District. I have three children. Gabrielle is 27 and lives in Naperville, Illinois with her husband and is a Nurse Practitioner. Zachary is 26, recently engaged and getting married in spring of 2024. He has his masters in Cellular and Molecular Biology and works in the medical research lab at KU Medical Center. Allyson is 23 and in her last year of Radiology Tech school. She has been dating her boyfriend for 6 years and I am hopeful for an engagement soon. When not working I enjoy cooking, hanging out and on the lake, and spending time with family and friends. I am excited to join the STF family and look forward to a great year and getting to know everyone.
Why Cook Wednesday is Back! Aug. 30
Culver's in Mission Wednesday, August 30
- 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
- Drive-thru, take out and patio seating encouraged!
- 6005 Metcalf Ave. Mission, KS
Ms. Leiker's Letter
School Hours
- Office Opens 7:30 a.m.
- Breakfast Service Begins 7:50 a.m.
- First Bell (Halls Open) 7:50 a.m.
- Class Time (Grs. K-6) 8:10 a.m.-3:10 p.m. Pre-K (8:00-10:55 a.m.) or (12:25-3:10 p.m.)
- Office Closes 4:00 p.m.
Contact SFT
- Santa Fe Trail Office: 913-993-5000
- Nurse Clark: 913-993-5002
- Attendance Line: 913-993-5088 (available 24/7)
Online Verification in Skyward
This is a reminder to login to Skyward Family Access and complete the online verification forms as soon as possible. The online verification forms are located on the left side of the screen on the tab that reads "2023-2024 Returning Student Annual Online Verification" in green. These must be complete to issue iPads to students.
Traffic Pattern and Flow: Safety is our #1 Priority at SFT
- Pull all the way through the front drive to keep traffic flowing on and off of 71st Street.
- Beginning at 7:50 AM, staff members are on duty to assist students out of cars.
- Follow the directions of the cross guard in the circle drive.
- Refrain from leaving your car unattended in the front drive.
- If you must park, use the parking lot and then our adults will cross you and your family safely at the crosswalk.
- All students must use the passenger side of the car to get out of the vehicle.
- For safety reasons, students should not get out of vehicles on the grassy areas north of the canopy. The grass is slippery when dry and even more dangerous when wet or icy.
- Observe the signs on 71st in terms of allowance for legal turns/no parking.
- Keep lower southern parking lot drive lanes open so busses can get through and traveling staff members can exit the lot to get to other buildings.
Classroom Celebrations
- SMSD has moved to a “no birthday treats” guideline.
- Teachers will continue to recognize and celebrate children on their special day.
- Three classroom parties are organized by room parents during the year.
SFT Shoe Drive Aug. 31
Nall Avenue Baptist Church has been a great partner to SFT's Community Cares initiatives. They currently have a goal to collect 2,250 pairs of gently used shoes. They are working with a (non-profit Funds2Orgs) that will pick up the shoes provide funding per pound which will go back into purchasing new shoes for SFT students in need.
Drop off will take place the evening of August 31 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the parking lot. Address: 6701 Nall Avenue.
Your donation will help prevent shoes going to landfills and support developing nations like Ghana, Haiti and Cambodia by providing inventory to start micro-businesses that will create sustainable income for their families.
SFT Staff Appreciation
Everyday Appreciation
- SFT Snack Cart, bring items for staff and teachers to the office.
- Nurse Needs: Band-Aids are always needed!
Save the Date: 2023 SFT Fun Run Oct. 6
One Shawnee Mission
No matter who you are in our community – educator, staff, family member, or community member, you play such an important role in supporting the success of our students. All year we will celebrate that We are One Shawnee Mission and It’s A Time to Shine! Follow along with the district for important updates and resources.
Shawnee Mission Teacher of the Year Nominations
It's time for nominations. We encourage students, teachers, parents, and community members to nominate deserving teachers in Shawnee Mission School District. We know we have the best at SFT! The deadline to submit is September 7, 2023.
To be eligible to be the SMSD Teacher of the Year, teachers must meet the following criteria:
- Completed at least 3 years in SMSD.
- Completed at least 5 years in the profession.
- Currently serve as a teacher (i.e., must have a roster of students).
- That’s it!
Please use the link below to nominate a deserving SFT teacher for SMSD Teacher of the Year!
New Shawnee Mission Mic'd Up Podcast
The Shawne Mission School District has a new podcast, Shawnee Mission Mic’d Up, which is available for download today! Find out fun "behind-the-scenes" facts, such as the thousands of pallets of milk delivered each week to our students.
The first episode highlights the behind-the-scenes work that takes place to get everyone ready for a new year of school. New episodes will be released every other Thursday. Follow us on the podcasting platform of your choice so you don’t miss a minute!
This new podcast is hosted by Superintendent Dr. Michelle Hubbard and Dr. Jeremy Higgins, director of secondary human resources. It will explore a variety of district topics and give listeners a chance to hear from the people who make us One Shawnee Mission.
SFT Calendar
2023
August 30 --> WCW Culver's 5-8 p.m.
September 13 --> General PTA Meeting SFT Library 6:00 p.m.
October 6 --> Fun Run!
November 15 --> General PTA Meeting SFT Library 6:00 p.m.
2024
February 21 --> General PTA Meeting SFT Library 6:00 p.m.
April 10 --> General PTA Meeting SFT Library 6:00 p.m.