One of the best parts of being #OneShawneeMission is getting to celebrate the many accomplishments of our students and staff. Here is a look at some recent highlights:
National Merit The Shawnee Mission School District is proud to recognize seniors announced in the 2023 National Merit Scholarship Program!
The National Merit Program has named 16 Shawnee Mission seniors as semifinalists in the 2023 National Merit Scholarship Program. These students took the 2021 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT), which served as the initial screen of program entrants. The 16,000 semifinalists named in 2023 represent less than 1 percent of United States high school seniors. Click here to see a list of the SMSD honorees.
Horizon Nominees The Shawnee Mission School District has recognized two novice educators for their outstanding work in the classroom. Jordyn Burke, a kindergarten teacher at Corinth Elementary and Emma Weil, an English Language Arts teacher at Trailridge, are district nominees for the state Horizon Award. Later this year, regional selection committees will select 32 Kansas teachers to be recognized with the Horizon Award.
Schools of Excellence The national PTA recognized the Broken Arrow Elementary PTA, the Mill Creek Elementary PTA, and the Shawnee Mission East High School Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA) as National PTA Schools of Excellence for 2021-2023. This is an honor for schools who demonstrate a commitment to supporting and recognizing partnerships between PTAs and schools.
Shawnee Mission All Stars In September, the Board of Education recognized two Shawnee Mission School District educators as All Stars. The newest honorees are:
Wraye Royle, a seventh grade math teacher at Indian Hills Middle School.
Click here to see a video about Royle.
Amy Sachse, a third grade teacher at Corinth Elementary School.
Click here to see a video about Sachse.
Shawnee Mission All Star awards are presented to staff members who go above and beyond to ensure all students achieve their personal best. Click here for the form to nominate a Shawnee Mission School District team member to be considered for the Shawnee Mission All Star recognition.
Coach With Character J.J. Wannamaker, Shawnee Mission South cross country and track and field coach, was honored as a Blue KC Coach with Character.
The honor recognizes individuals who demonstrate leadership on and off the field and make our community a better place to live, work, and play.
Wannamaker was selected for his dedication to coaching. A teacher and coach for 25 years, this year marks Wannamaker’s 15th as the head coach of the SM South track and field team, and his 13th year as the head coach of the Raiders cross country program. In that span, the South cross-country teams and track and field teams have excelled, yielding numerous state champions, medalists, and school records. Beyond the achievements and accolades, Wannamaker expressed that coaching is about much more than the wins and the losses. He has a passion for sharing the knowledge and expertise gathered from his former teachers and coaches with current student-athletes participating in the SM South running programs.
KC Current Honoree A Shawnee Mission educator received a surprise recognition during a recent KC Current game.
Zulma Pérez-Estrella, biotechnology and medical science instructor for the Shawnee Mission School District, was celebrated and presented with a check at Children’s Mercy Park.
The Kansas City Current and the 15 and the Mahomies Foundation have been fulfilling wish lists for educators throughout Kansas City who have been nominated by the Latinx Education Collaborative. The collaborative works to retain and increase the representation of Latinx education professionals in K-12 education. Prior to the recognition, the Latinx Education Collaborative asked educators to develop a wishlist for their classroom. During the recognition, Pérez-Estrella was presented with classroom supplies and a check for $1,500, which will be used to support her students.
Apply Kansas Honorees Shawnee Mission South and Shawnee Mission West high schools were named 2022 All Stars as part of the APPLY Kansas campaign. These awards, presented for the first time this year, were announced at a summer Kansas Board of Regents meeting. The APPLY Kansas Campaign is a statewide program sponsored by the Kansas Board of Regents designed to increase students’ post-secondary planning. To participate, schools sponsor a college application event in October and hold two additional events in the same school year. Those events include a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Completion event to encourage and support families in completing the FAFSA financial aid application, and a College Signing Day event to celebrate all of the different paths seniors choose to pursue after graduation.
School Nurse of the Year Mary Alice Kelly, school nurse at Shawnee Mission North High School, was named Kansas School Nurse of the Year. The Kansas School Nurses Organization presented Kelly the honor at the 2022 Kansas School Nurse Conference this summer. She is a kind, compassionate, and skilled nurse, noted Paula Bunde, Shawnee Mission coordinator of health services.
Shawnee Mission School District is the third largest school district in Kansas. The district serves students in Pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade in 34 elementary schools, five middle schools, five high schools, and several educational centers. It has been consistently ranked among the finest school districts nationwide for its high student performance. The district’s objective is that each student will have a personalized learning plan that will prepare them for college and careers, with the interpersonal skills they need for life success. The district serves a diverse student population from 14 cities within northeast Johnson County, Kansas, which is 10 miles from downtown Kansas City, Missouri. For more information, visit www.smsd.org.
There are multiple ways you can stay up-to-date on all of the news highlighting students and staff members in the Shawnee Mission School District throughout this school year. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, or watch for stories posted under “recent news” on www.smsd.org.
