Next week will bring the final day of school for students in the 2022-2023 school year.
This year, we have focused on how together, We Are One Shawnee Mission.
The district is made up of five feeder patterns, and our more than 26,000 students come from 14 different municipalities. Even though we come from different experiences and places, with the entire community’s support, we come together as one Shawnee Mission to lead our students to success.
We have a lot to celebrate as One Shawnee Mission this year. Here are just a few highlights:
- Shawnee Mission students continue to gain Real World Learning experiences that prepare them for college and career. At Shawnee Mission South, students partnered with the City of Overland Park to find solutions to the ongoing challenges of hiring lifeguards. Click here to see a video of their project. A group of Engineering Signature Program students developed prototypes for NASA astronauts as part of the NASA HUNCH program. Click here to see a video. Two students were selected as finalists in the program and were invited to share their work with NASA engineers in Houston. A group of Shawnee Mission East sophomores also worked on client-connected projects this year to help find solutions to address challenges in their community. Real World Learning in Shawnee Mission is part of the district’s strategic plan. The district is working along with nearly 35 school districts in the region in partnership with the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation to better prepare students for learning and work.
- As a result of the $264 million bond referendum approved by the community in 2021, many students are learning in new and improved spaces. Elementary school rebuilds represented some of the biggest projects completed. Westwood View and John Diemer Elementary Schools opened the doors to newly rebuilt facilities this year. Pawnee students are getting ready to begin school in their new building this fall. Construction on a newly rebuilt Rushton Elementary is underway and planning is in the works for a Tomahawk Elementary School rebuild. Shawnee Mission Northwest students have a new commons area, and Shawnee Mission East students have a new large classroom/collaborative space. Westridge Middle School has two new collaboration spaces and an outdoor classroom. These are just a few examples. For more information about bond-related projects, click here.
- In partnership with NEA Shawnee Mission and the Shawnee Mission Education Foundation, the Shawnee Mission School District presented a second year of Read Across SMSD. This district-wide initiative celebrates books and honors the strategic plan belief that a community’s strength is derived from its diversity. Each month, a new theme was introduced to inspire readers of all ages. This year, the Shawnee Mission Education Foundation provided access to Read Across SMSD books for every student in the SMSD. Click here to watch related videos.
- Shawnee Mission innovators gathered this spring for the 61st annual Research and Development Forum. This district-wide event brought the community together for a Student Showcase, featuring student work in science, technology, engineering, art, and math. A group of nine finalists presented their solutions in a Next Great Idea competition, with a chance to win prize money to advance their idea. Click here to watch the competition. Click here to learn more about awards presented to SMSD students at the R&D Forum. The Shawnee Mission School District is grateful to the Regnier family members for their ongoing support of the forum.
- Shawnee Mission educators represent the best among the best, and several were recognized this spring with state honors. The Kansas State Department of Education named Michelle Tapko, a sixth-grade teacher at Roesland Elementary, a region III finalist in the Kansas Teacher of the Year program. Sarah Starforth, a special education teacher at Arrowhead, was named a semifinalist. The Kansas Principals Association named Todd Dain, principal at Shawnee Mission South, as the 2023 Secondary Principal of the Year. Click here to see a video of the announcement.
- In the fall of 2022, the Shawnee Mission Education Foundation announced the launch of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in Shawnee Mission. Families in the community, with children ages birth to 5 years old within the boundaries of the SMSD, can receive one free-age appropriate book each month. Since the launch, more than 4,000 kids have signed up to receive books. For more information about Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library and how individuals can help click here. The Foundation also announced $2.7 billion in scholarship offers for Shawnee Mission juniors and seniors through the Scholarship Shawnee Mission program. This opportunity matches high school students with college scholarship offers before they have even applied.
This week, nearly 2,000 seniors graduated from Shawnee Mission high schools. Next week, students and teachers will hold final celebrations as they celebrate their last day of school.
We invite our entire community to join us in congratulating Shawnee Mission School District students and staff for all they have accomplished this year. We are One Shawnee Mission!
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, Instagram, and YouTube, or watch for stories posted under “recent news” on www.smsd.org.
