As part of this community’s commitment to Building Tomorrow Together, the Shawnee Mission School District’s state-of-the-art early childhood education center continues to take shape and remains on track for an August 2027 opening.
Recently, the SMSD community celebrated the significant construction progress that has been made on the building, with a kid-friendly beam signing.
The ceremony allowed community members, teachers, district leaders, and construction partners to sign the beam before it was placed on the building. Several early childhood students also joined the ceremony leaving their mark with colorfully painted handprints.
For some, it was the first time to see the facility in progress, including early childhood special education teacher Sarah Patterson.
“Early education is the foundation for a child’s academic and personal success,” Patterson shared. “If we are able to lay the foundation or the brick work in a student’s educational journey, we are giving them skills so they are ready to learn in Kindergarten. Having a building that is specifically designed with the needs of young children in mind helps us lay the foundation in the best way we can.”
This facility represents the first-ever early facility in Shawnee Mission intentionally built to serve early learners, noted Judd Remmers, director of facilities. The center will serve students ages 3 and 4 in special education and general education classrooms, all designed for hands-on learning and discovery. It will also serve as a hub for Pre-Kindergarten families, the Shawnee Mission Parents as Teachers program, audiology services, and parent/guardian conferences.
“We’re really grateful and thankful to be able to provide the setting for our early learners,” Remmers shared.
Patterson described how exciting it was to see the designs that have been on paper become a reality. She noted, for example, that windows are built lower to the ground so smaller children can see the outdoors.
“Being able to design the building around them so they can fully access their environment and participate in their day at school is one of my favorite things,” she added.
This project is made possible through the remaining bond authorization approved by Shawnee Mission voters in 2021 and through the district’s responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars.
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.
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