The 2023-2024 school year has been a time to shine.
The final day for students in grades K-11 will be May 29, 2024. Throughout the year, both students and staff have given the district many points of pride, shining for the entire community to see. Here are a few shining moments that deserve more time in the spotlight:
- The U.S. Department of Education recognized Roesland Elementary School as a Blue Ribbon School.
- Superintendent Dr. Michelle Hubbard was named State Superintendent of the Year.
- Shawnee Mission educators continue to be the best among the best. The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) recognized Amber Pagan, a Nieman Elementary Pre-Kindergarten teacher, as a finalist in the Kansas Teacher of the Year program. KSDE also honored Annie Hasan, Shawnee Mission South Arabic teacher, who represented Shawnee Mission at the secondary (middle and high school) level.
- Shawnee Mission celebrated two KSDE Horizon Award winners. Brennan Mills, an English Language Arts teacher at Indian Woods Middle School and Liz Palmer, a second-grade teacher at Rosehill Elementary, were honored for their outstanding work as first-year teachers.
- The Shawnee Mission School District launched a new podcast called Shawnee Mission Mic’d Up. Each episode was hosted by Superintendent Dr. Michelle Hubbard and Director of Secondary Human Resources Dr. Jeremy Higgins, and shined a light on the students and staff that make us ONE Shawnee Mission. Listeners can click here to hear any episode, download, or subscribe. Preparations are in the works for season 2!
- The Shawnee Mission School District proudly opened a new Pawnee Elementary School building at the start of the school year, part of the $264 million bond referendum approved by voters in 2021. In the spring, the district broke ground on a new Tomahawk Elementary School. As construction continues, Indian Hills will gain an addition, which will include a large classroom space, smaller collaborative spaces, and several small offices. SM West will undergo an expansion with a second-story addition on the North side of the building.
- This spring, Shawnee Mission students and more than 80 mentors from around Kansas City gathered for a breakfast event at the home of the Kansas City Current Soccer team to celebrate Women in Leadership. Shawnee Mission West presented this popular breakfast event for three years. This year, the Women in Leadership program expanded to all Shawnee Mission high schools.
- The Shawnee Mission School District continued its partnership with NEA-Shawnee Mission and the Shawnee Mission Education Foundation to present Read Across SMSD to all students. The district wide initiative celebrates books and honors the strategic plan belief that a community’s strength is derived from its diversity. Each month, Shawnee Mission explores a new theme to inspire readers of all ages. The Shawnee Mission Education Foundation provides access to Read Across SMSD books for every student in Shawnee Mission. Click here to watch Read Across SMSD videos.
- The Shawnee Mission School District kicked off an inaugural middle school season for both boys and girls this spring. In the fall of 2024, middle school sports offerings will expand to include eighth grade football.
- This spring, Shawnee Mission shined a spotlight on student achievement, innovation, and creativity at the Research and Development Forum. Community members were able to see projects in the areas of science, technology, engineering, arts, and career and technical education at the Student Showcase. A group of nine finalists also presented their ideas for solving a problem to a panel of judges in this year’s Next Great Idea competition. Shawnee Mission thanks the Regnier Family for their support of the Forum over many years. Click here to learn more and to watch highlights from the Shawnee Mission R&D Forum.
Please join the Shawnee Mission School District in congratulating the more than 1,700 graduates of the Class of 2024. We also invite the community to celebrate all Shawnee Mission students and staff members on the many ways they shined during the 2024-2024 school year. It was most definitely A Time to Shine!
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.
