The West Weekly

8800 W. 85th Street

Overland Park, Kansas 66212

http://smwest.smsd.org/

Phone: (913) 993-7800

Fax: (913) 993-8099

Report an Absence: (913) 993-7845

Main Office – 993-7800

Student Services Office – 993-7830

Attendance Hotline – 993-7845 Please call this number to report an absence

Spanish Interpreter – 993-7840

Oficina Principal – 993-7800

Oficina de Los Consejeros – 993-7830

Línea de Asistencia 24 horas al día – 993-7845 Por favor,

Intérprete de español – 993-7840

You can leave a message at anytime. Staff listens to messages and processes them in the order that they are received, so it is suggested to allow at least 30 minutes of time before you need your student released. Students need to stay in their class until the pass is delivered to them.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Asistencia

Gracias por llamar a la línea directa de asistencia al 993-7845 para informar una ausencia.

Puede dejar un mensaje en cualquier momento. El personal escucha los mensajes y los procesa en el orden en que se reciben, por lo que se sugiere llamar con anticipación y permitir al menos con 30 minutos para que su estudiante pueda salir. Los estudiantes deben permanecer en su clase hasta que se les entregue el pase.

Below you will find an image of our Bell Schedule.

-Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays 7:40am-2:40pm school day.

-Thursdays are Late Start Thursdays 8:40-2:40 school day. (BEGINNING ON AUG. 20th)

Busses run normally on late start days - there is no change in the pick up times on late start days.

Students will arrive to school and will be directed to go to the bridge, the gym or the cafeteria until the 8:30 bell rings. All students will then be released to their 2nd block classes that will begin at 8:40am.

July 23 - SM West Offices Open ( Hours are 7:00am-3:30pm)

Aug. 6 - BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT - See more details below

Aug 12 - First Day -- Freshmen ONLY (Upperclassmen in Band, Cheer and LINK crew will also be in attendance)

Aug. 13 - ALL Students report for School

Aug. 17 - All period day

Aug. 20 - LATE STARTS begin - Students should be IN CLASS at 8:40am.

Aug. 20 and Aug. 21 - School ID Picture Days and Senior Portrait Pictures

Aug. 24 - Meet the Coach Night - All student athletes in Fall, Winter and Spring Sports should attend

Sept. 7 - NO SCHOOL LABOR DAY

Sept. 8 - PTSA Meeting 6:30 pm - SM West Library

Sept. 18 - NO SCHOOL for students - Teacher Professional Development Day

Oct. 1 - Homecoming Parade 1:30pm

Oct. 2 - Homecoming Game

Oct. 3 - Homecoming Dance

Oct. 9 - NO SCHOOL for students - Teacher Work Day (End of 1st Qtr)

Oct. 14 - Evening Conferences

Oct. 16 - NO SCHOOL for students - Conferences

Our SM West calendar is linked in the smswest.smsd.org website under "Calendar."

Dear SMW Families:

We are so excited to kick-off the 2026-2027 school year with our back-to-school night on Thursday August 6th. This event has components intended for all students in grades 9-12, and we are excited to partner with Westside Family Church to be able to provide a meal for you and your family while you are here with us and learning about all of the opportunities available to your student this year.

Here are the key details:

Viking Voyage - 5:00 PM to 5:45 PM - Auditorium

• This portion of the evening is intended for all freshman and new student families.

• You will meet the administration and student services teams and learn about the fundamentals of attending school at SMW.

College Credit Options - 5:00 PM to 5:45 PM - Cafeteria

• This portion of the evening is intended for any student in grades 10-12 who is taking a college-credit eligible course and their family members.

• You will also learn about the various college credit opportunities offered at SM West.

Open House - 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM - Whole Building

• Students and families will be able to grab dinner in the cafeteria.

• Teachers will be available at their classrooms to meet students and provide a basic overview of what to expect in class this semester. Please plan to log into Skyward and take a picture of your schedule. Families will be able to use their phone during Back to School since it is not instructional learning time.

• If you need help signing up for Bound (athletics) or Parent Square (our district communication tool), we will have staff on-site to help you.

• You can bring immunizations, medication, etc. to our nurses.

• We will have information available about our new bus company - Zum.

• For every teacher a student visits on their schedule, they will earn a raffle ticket.

• Raffle tickets can be entered for any number of prizes including but not limited to a reserved parking space for a junior / senior student, four free tickets to PROM, a free SM West yearbook for this year, two Homecoming Dance tickets, SMW swag, free concessions at a fall sporting event, admission for your family to a fall sporting event, a senior picture package for a graduating senior, a popcorn party for your student’s seminar class, and so much more!

If you have questions about our back to school night events, please call the building at (913) 993-7800, and we will do our best to guide you.

We are excited to open the year with our students and our families - see you on August 6th!

The message from SMSD referenced the importance for all students and families to complete the yearly ONLINE VERIFICATION.

2026–2027 Back-to-School Forms: Action Required

Quick Summary

What: Mandatory online verification and health forms must be completed for the 2026–2027 school year.

Why: This process makes sure schools have current information regarding student enrollment, family contacts, health and wellness, emergency contacts, etc.

How: Log in to Skyward via www.smsd.org. Either guardian in Family 1 can fill out the Online Enrollment Verification forms. Guardians in Family 2 can view the information.

Additional Step: For families who may qualify, fill out the meal benefit application during verification to qualify for free or reduced meals and waived school/transportation fees.

Help: School offices have reopened. If you have questions please contact your school office. Click here for a listing of schools with links for contact information.

Dear Shawnee Mission School District Families,

We hope you are enjoying your summer! As we prepare for the 2026–2027 school year, it is time to complete your required Online Enrollment Verification Forms. Please complete these forms as soon as possible so your student's materials are not delayed at the start of the year.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Go to the Portal: Visit www.smsd.org and click Skyward in the top navigation bar to log in.
   • Note: Either guardian designated in "Family 1" in Skyward has editing rights to complete these forms.
2. Locate the Forms: Under the Home tab, click on "2026-2027 RETURNING Student Annual Online Verification."
3. Complete the Packet: Follow the prompts to review and electronically sign the required documents and please “Submit” the forms to the district in the last step. This includes permission forms, health history, and medication permissions.

Need a Skyward Account? If you do not have a Family Access account, please contact your child’s school office.

Meal Benefits & Fee Waivers:

Families are strongly encouraged to complete the Child Nutrition Program Meal Benefit Application during the online verification process.

• Why apply? Approved families receive free or reduced-price school meals, and may also qualify for waived or discounted instructional resource fees, transportation fees, and Pre-Kindergarten enrollment.
• How to Apply: The application can be accessed via Skyward or online at School Cafe, where you can create an account if you do not already have one).
• Directly Certified Families: If you receive state assistance, your eligibility notification was recently emailed to you. Please still complete the Consent for Disclosure form on our website so the district has permission to automatically waive your school and transportation fees.

Important Meal Benefits Step: Consent for Disclosure and Eligibility:

Why Complete this form? All families, including those directly certified, are encouraged to complete the Consent for Disclosure found on the SMSD Nutrition Services Free and Reduced web page. Completing the Consent for Disclosure permits SMSD Nutrition Services to share a child’s eligibility status information with the programs that families designate on the consent form.

How to Complete this Step: If a family is directly certified for meal benefits due to state assistance, an email notification of eligibility was sent recently to the email address associated with the parent/guardian in the Skyward system. Notifications are also saved in School Cafe under eligibility benefits for parents to access as needed. If you receive state assistance and have not received a notification of eligibility, contact the SMSD Nutrition Services office before completing a meal program application.

Questions & Support:

General Form Questions: Contact your child's school office. Click here for a listing of schools with links for contact information.

-Meal Application Questions: Contact Student Nutrition Services at 913-993-9710 or email studentnutrition@smsd.org.
Click here for helpful information from the Student Nutrition Services Office.

Thank you for your prompt attention to these essential steps. We look forward to welcoming your students back for the 2026–2027 school year!

Breve Resumen

De que se trata: Se deben completar los formularios obligatorios de verificación en línea y de salud para el curso 2026–2027.

Por qué: Este proceso asegura que las escuelas dispongan de información actualizada sobre matrícula de estudiantes, contactos familiares, salud y bienestar, contactos de emergencia, etc.

Cómo: Inicie sesión en Skyward a través de www.smsd.org. Cualquiera de los tutores de la Familia 1 puede llenar los formularios de Verificación de Inscripción en Línea. Los tutores de la Familia 2 pueden ver la información.

Paso adicional: Para las familias que califiquen, llene la solicitud de beneficio de comida durante la verificación para optar a comidas gratuitas o con descuento y exención de tasas escolares/de transporte.

Ayuda: Las oficinas de la escuela han abierto. Si tienes preguntas, por favor comuníquese con la oficina de su escuela. Haga clic aquí para ver la lista de escuelas con enlaces a información de contacto.

Estimadas familias del distrito escolar de Shawnee Mission,

¡Esperamos que esté disfrutando de su verano! Mientras nos preparamos para el año escolar 2026–2027, es momento de completar los Formularios de Verificación de Matrícula en Línea que requieren. Por favor, complete estos formularios lo antes posible para que los materiales de su estudiante no se retrasen al inicio del año.

Instrucciones paso a paso:

1. Ve al portal: Visite www.smsd.org y haz clic en Skyward en la barra de navegación superior para iniciar sesión.
   • Nota: Cualquiera de los tutores designados en "Familia 1" en Skyward tiene derechos de edición para completar estos formularios.
2. Localizar los formularios: En la barra de Inicio, haga clic en "Verificación Anual en Línea de Estudiantes QUE REGRESAN 2026-2027."
3. Completar el paquete: Siga las instrucciones para revisar y firmar electrónicamente los documentos requeridos y, por favor, "Envíe" los formularios al distrito en el último paso. Esto incluye formularios de permiso, historial médico y permisos para medicación.

¿Necesita una cuenta Skyward? Si no tiene una cuenta de Family Access, por favor contacte con la oficina de la escuela de su hijo.

Beneficios de comidas y exenciones de tasas:

Se recomienda a las familias completar la Solicitud de Beneficio de Comida del Programa de Nutrición Infantil durante el proceso de verificación en línea.

• ¿Por qué solicitar? Las familias aprobadas reciben comidas escolares gratuitas o a precio reducido, y también pueden optar a tarifas sin pagos de recursos de instrucción o con descuento, tarifas de transporte y matrícula en Pre-Kindergarten.
• Cómo solicitar: La solicitud se puede acceder a través de Skyward o en línea en School Cafe, donde puede crear una cuenta si aún no tiene una).
• Familias Certificadas Directamente: Si recibe ayuda estatal, su notificación de elegibilidad fue enviada recientemente por correo electrónico. Por favor, complete el formulario de Consentimiento para Compartir en nuestra página web para que el distrito tenga permiso automáticamente para no cobrar sus pagos escolares y de transporte.​​​​​​​

Paso importante de los beneficios de las comidas: Consentimiento para la compartir y elegibilidad:

¿Por qué completar este formulario? Se anima a todas las familias, incluidas aquellas certificadas directamente, a completar el Consentimiento para la Compartir que se encuentra en la página web de Servicios de Nutrición Gratuitos y Reducidos de SMSD. Completar el Consentimiento para Compartir que permite a SMSD Nutrition Services compartir información sobre el estado de elegibilidad de un niño con los programas que las familias designan en el formulario de consentimiento.

Cómo completar este paso: Si una familia está certificada directamente para los beneficios de comida debido a la ayuda estatal, recientemente se envió una notificación por correo electrónico de elegibilidad a la dirección asociada con el padre o tutor en el sistema Skyward. Las notificaciones también se guardan en School Cafe bajo los beneficios de elegibilidad para que los padres puedan acceder según lo necesiten. Si recibe ayuda estatal y no ha recibido una notificación de elegibilidad, comuníquese con la oficina de Servicios de Nutrición de SMSD antes de completar la solicitud del programa de comidas.

Preguntas y apoyo:

Preguntas generales sobre formularios: Comuníquese con la oficina de la escuela de su hijo. Haga clic aquí para ver la lista de escuelas con enlaces a información de contacto.

-Preguntas sobre la solicitud de comidas: Comuníquese con los Servicios de Nutrición Estudiantil al 913-993-9710 o envíe un correo electrónico a studentnutrition@smsd.org.
Haga clic aquí para obtener información útil de la Oficina de Servicios de Nutrición Estudiantil.

Gracias por su pronta atención a estos pasos esenciales. ¡Esperamos dar la bienvenida de nuevo a nuestros alumnos para el año escolar 2026–2027!

ara el año escolar 2026–2027!

All families should make plans to pay fees at the beginning of the year.

Most of the SM West families choose to pay fees online. We thank you for your timely completion of this task. You may use the link below to access the site to make an online payment.

EFUNDS LINK

Those wanting to make in person payments with our bookkeeper, Cristina Seyler, may come to SM West during business hours or you may call her for phone payments at 913-994-7810.

We will also be able to take payments in the evening during our Back to School Night on Aug. 6th beginning at 5pm.

Timely payment of fees as well as the development of payment plans allows for our instructors to have available funds to purchase materials necessary for the beginning of the school year.

If your family has applied for the USDA Meal Benefit Program and received confirmation of benefits, please either email our bookkeeper a copy of the approval letter or make sure to choose "Yes" for the Consent for Disclosure when completing the form. (This program also assists with some of the school fees and even bus service).

Below are links to fee information as well as images.

Fees (English Version)

Fees (Spanish Version)

We thank you again for making this a priority.

Student lockers are not automatically assigned and are not required. Many students use team lockers, band lockers, or carry all items in their backpacks.

If your student would like a locker assigned, please have them complete this google form. A staff member will assign them a locker and then the student should see that in their Skyward account.

Locker Request Form

The Shawnee Mission School District is excited to announce the rollout of a new communication platform that will be used across the district. ParentSquare will be replacing School Messenger/Skylert as the district’s emergency and mass notification platform.

Training began this July for specified staff members. Prior to school starting, families and staff members will start to see more information via email about launching their use of ParentSquare.

Families and staff watch for messaging about the adoption of ParentSquare and your next steps during the week of August 3. This will be an important way for families and staff to receive emergency messaging as well as important announcements from the district and schools.

Through a phased implementation, ParentSquare will provide a more streamlined communication experience for staff and families.

Please continue to look for more information and resources in the coming weeks!

SMSD Communications website

SMSD Families, and Staff,

We are writing to share an important update about a new Kansas law affecting all students statewide. House Bill 2299, signed by Governor Laura Kelly earlier this year, requires every Kansas public school district to prohibit student use of personal electronic communication devices during the school day. This is often described as a "bell-to-bell" standard or policy.

On Monday, July 20, 2026, Shawnee Mission Board of Education approved changes to Board Policy JCDC legally required of all Kansas school districts and accredited nonpublic schools. Click here to read Board Policy JCDC.

What the law requires:

Kansas law prohibits students from using or accessing personal electronic communication devices — including, but not limited to, personal cell phones, tablets, computers, watches, wireless headphones or earbuds, text messaging devices, or personal digital assistants — during the school day. A personal electronic communication device is not owned or issued to students by the school district.

The law further requires that all personal electronic communication devices be turned off and securely stored away from the student's person in an inaccessible location during the school day. "School day" is defined as the time from the start of school until dismissal, including recess, lunch, and passing periods.

What this means for SMSD students and families:

1. Students are prohibited from using or accessing personal electronic communication devices during the school day, except as permitted by Board Policy JCDC; and

2. Students must store personal electronic communication devices in an inaccessible location during the school day — such as at home, in the student's vehicle, or in a school-issued locker or assigned cubby.

If school staff observe a student using or accessing a personal device in violation of Policy JCDC, the student will be subject to disciplinary action as outlined in the discipline matrix. Click here to view the discipline matrix. The legislation does provide limited exceptions for students whose device use is required as part of an Individualized Education Program (IEP), 504 Plan, or documented medical necessity approved by a licensed physician. Please reach out to your child's school office with any questions regarding allowable exceptions.

We understand this represents an adjustment for students and families, but it is important to note that these changes are being implemented to follow state law. We appreciate your partnership in helping students adjust to this new expectation. Updated handbook language reflecting Policy JCDC is available on this page.

The Activities office has been working with our secondary schools to roll out our new athletic management software, Bound, for the 2026-2027 school year. We have posted more information on our district website here.

As we move towards the roll out, here are a few resources to assist our families:

• Creating a Family in the App

• How to Add a Child to a 2nd Family

• How to Upload a Physical (Specifically, Page 4 of the physical needs to be uploaded.)

All Athletes must be registered in BOUND first and foremost. Any student athlete waiting to play a sport, MUST have a physical on file (within Bound) before they can participate in the 1st day of practice/tryouts. If a student athlete does not have a physical on file, they will not be allowed to participate.

Below is a link to the SMSD website on information on Bound and how to register.

https://www.smsd.org/about/departments/athletics-student-activities/bound-athletic-management

SM West is excited to introduce a new member our our administration team:

Bryce McElroy - Athletic Director

Bryce joins the Shawnee Mission West Viking family after serving as an Assistant Principal at Blue Valley West for 1 year. Prior to that Bryce spent 13 years at Shawnee Mission South as a Business teacher and DECA sponsor. Bryce also served as the Head Baseball Coach and assisted with numerous other athletic activities. Bryce received his undergraduate degree at Kansas State University, where he earned a bachelor's degree in Secondary Education and the obtained his master's degree in educational leadership at Baker University.

Bryce is dedicated to fostering a safe, structured and supportive school environment that promotes student achievement. He is committed to developing a culture of excellence, sportsmanship, and academic success through collaboration and clear communication of goals.

All student athletes and families should plan to attend the mandatory "Meet the Coach" event on Aug. 24th, 6pm. in the Auditorium.

Our SM West PTSA is an active supporter of our educators, students and families.

Please take a moment to view the PTSA flier below. West encourages students to become members as well. Each year, PTSA provides a scholarship opportunity to our seniors. Students must be members to apply.

Your fees help provide for support for senior scholarships, classroom grants, family speaker series, nurse pantry donations and so much more!

The Zum application is available for download, however it is not for registering. Please use the link below to register. All families who wish to use the bus service must register each school year.

• Shawnee Mission School District offers free bus transportation to students living 2.5 miles or more from their school of residency. Registration is required.

• Students living less than 2.5 miles from their school of residency may pay to ride the bus in areas with established routes.

• All 5 SMSD high schools offer paid busing to students living between 1.5 & 2.49 miles from their school of residency.

• All 5 SMSD middle schools offer paid busing to students living between 1 & 2.49 miles from their school of residency.

• Out of our 34 elementary schools 18 offer busing in designated areas. The following 16 schools do not offer general education busing:

• Bluejacket-Flint / Briarwood / Brookwood / Comanche / East Antioch / Highlands / Mill Creek / Nieman / Overland Park / Pawnee / Prairie / Rosehill / Santa Fe Trail / Shawanoe / Westwood View / Tomahawk

• Students who qualify for Direct Certification or Child Nutrition Meal Benefits may register to ride the bus at no cost in areas where busing currently exist. Visit School Cafe to complete an application for free or reduced meals starting July 1st. Parents must complete a Consent for Disclosure Form for Student Nutrition Services to share meal benefit Status with Transportation.

• Zum Customer Service contact information: 1-855-ride Zum (1-855- 743-3986) / SMSDsupport@ridezum.com

REGISTER HERE FOR BUSING

Zum has created a QR link to use if you are having difficulty registering or have other questions. Use the QR code below and a representative will be able to assist you.

Beginning of the year supplies:

Recommended:

Pencil/Pen and Spiral for the first day of class.

Year:

Some organization system - 3 ring binder, or folders , or accordion folder.

Each teacher will recommend other supplies like highlighters, dry erase, calculator, etc.

West staff is very proud of our students and their hard work and efforts during 2nd semester of last school year.. Please take a moment to view the attached lists below to view our 3.0 honor roll list, our Principal’s honor roll list (4.0 and above) and our All A’s honor roll list.

Principal’s Honor Roll

All A Honor Roll

3.0 Honor Roll

Follow Student Services on Facebook, Instagram and/or X for up to date events regarding your student’s career and college planning, social emotional learning opportunities, college/military recruiters coming to West, plus so much more!

Schedules may be accessed and viewed on Skyward.

If a student would like to discuss a schedule change, the MUST complete the google form on Canvas - please do not call or email counselors with requests. Form must be complete before Monday, August 10th.

Class Schedule Request