| Shawnee Mission West High School | |
|
the Viking Voice
8800 West 85th Street, Overland Park, KS 66212
Phone (913) 993-7800 |
|
Volume 15, Issue 2
| September 2, 2010 |
|
Viking Class
t-Shirts Orders due Sept 3rdDelivered to students in late September. Black Shirt With Gold/White Lettering and Viking Head on front; Class Year on back
|
PTSA Teacher Grants
Deadline for submission
is Sept 10th.
Forms can be found here, on the
PTSA website
or from Tami Moran at Tami.Moran@ge.com
|
|
Your newsletter from Shawnee Mission West, part of the award-winning Shawnee Mission Public Schools.  |
Message from Dr. McLean.....
Outstanding Start to the School Year
Students and faculty are enjoying a great start to the 2010-2011 school year. Currently, 1830 students are enrolled at West. This is an increase of 60 students more than last year. In fact, the Class of 2014 has 499 members and this is about 70 more than we had in last year's senior class. The Class of 2014 has been a great addition to our school. The class is adapting to the high school setting and has many good leaders and academically gifted individuals. I also want to acknowledge the outstanding leadership from the Class of 2011. I am so proud of the way our seniors are stepping up with the Freshmen Mentor Program (FMP), STUCO, and our many athletic and music squads.
Viking Voice is GREEN. This is the third year of the newsletter, The Viking Voice, being shared with our community via e-mail. I want to thank the PTSA leadership for their courage and foresight to continue to support this form of communication within the West Community. Last year, we used over 4 million pieces of paper at West. The administration and faculty are committed to reducing that number in order to save our natural resources. Last year at West, the faculty reduced the consumption of paper by 26%. We will continue to look for ways to reduce paper usage and to reduce our use of electricity at West.
Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) Update
Last spring, 10th and 11th grade students took the State of Kansas math (10) and reading (11) assessments. Also as part of the Kansas Assessment program, many of our students took a competency test in science. I am happy to report that West High School made AYP for the 2009-2010 academic year. If your student took the State reading, math or science exams last spring, please let them know we are proud of their efforts and success.
This year we will continue to work hard to improve our performance on the state assessments. Our teachers deserve credit for their hard work and commitment to each student as they strive to ensure that each student learns the district's adopted curriculum. If students learn the adopted curriculum, they are prepared for the state assessments. GREAT JOB WEST!
Parent Involvement Still the Key
SMW parents are one of the keys to our school's success. A couple of issues I want to encourage you to discuss or be aware of as we start school are: texting and driving - please have a conversation with your teen driver about the risk of texting and driving. Research shows that individuals texting and driving are 23% more likely to have an auto accident. Please stress with your student the need to shut the phone off while driving. The economy - there are a large number of families in our community that are facing some very difficult times during this economic down turn. Please talk with your students and help them to learn about family finances and the strain this economy might be putting on the family. This is an excellent time to be teaching your child about the good and bad aspects of the economy and to help them to be sensitive to the situations their peers might be facing.
Whether you're talking about band, debate, soccer, cross country, drama or yearbook, our wonderful parent support is outstanding. When parents are a part of the crew, they help students, teachers and administrators improve. If you are a parent of a SMW Viking, thank you for not only your financial support but for your willingness to give of your time, energy and talents to make sure our programs are the best they can be. Remember, we need ALL Hands on Deck in order to have a successful voyage this year.
Always remember - WEST is the BEST! |
Looking for the Upcoming Schedule?
Find the Complete
2010 - 2011 West Calendar online
Click on the school calendar near the center of the page.  |
|
Parent & Teacher Conferences
SEPTEMBER 23rd & 24th
We strongly urge ALL parents to participate in parent teacher
conferences regardless of your child's course grade status. We have two convenient formats available.
The OPEN conference format is held in the gymnasiums, bridge and
cafeteria. There is no need for
appointments for these conferences. Plan
to spend 7 - 10 minutes per teacher. If
a parent and/or teacher would like to continue the conference past the allotted
time, they should establish an appointment for a conference time on Friday afternoon
allowing for a more private conversations.
If a parent cannot attend the September 23rd and 24th
scheduled conference time, they should contact the teacher directly by phone or
email to establish an appointment for an alternate time.
Thursday, September 23rd
5:00 - 8:00 pm
All teachers will
be available for conferences. Appointments are not required.
Teachers will
be located on the bridge, main gym and auxiliary gym. A map will be provided.
Friday, September 24th
7:30 - 11:30 am
All teachers will
be available for conferences. Appointments are not required.
Teachers will
be located on the bridge, main gym and auxiliary gym. A map will be provided.
Friday, September 24th
1:00-
3:20 pm
Conferences
by appointment only. Parents should
contact the specific teacher for an appointment.
|
Superintendent to Present Boundary &
Facility Proposals on September 13
In the fall of 2009, as part
of the Shawnee Mission School District's five-year strategic planning process, the
Shawnee Mission Board of Education directed Superintendent Gene Johnson to
identify areas of educational and operational inefficiency within the school
district. Dr. Johnson formed an internal committee to identify the areas of
inefficiency. Last April, the committee provided Dr. Johnson with a draft
report. Throughout the summer, Dr. Johnson and his staff have been reviewing information from the
report along with other available district data and are in the process of
developing proposals to address educational and operational inefficiencies
within the district.
On September 13, Dr. Johnson
will present these proposals to the board of education. The information, which
will include proposals for boundary changes and school closures, will be
presented during the regular board meeting, which begins at 7 p.m. The meeting will be held in the cafeteria at
Shawnee Mission West High school and is open to the public. The board will hear the proposals, but will
take no action on September 13.
The district will hold a
series of community meetings between September 13 and the end of October to
allow patrons to react to the proposals and gain clarification regarding
proposed changes. Board of education members will attend the meetings to hear
reactions and feedback from those in attendance. The schedule of the community meetings will
be announced to the public at the September 13 meeting. The superintendent's
presentation and community meeting schedule will be available to the public via
the district's website on September 14.
Following the community
meetings, the superintendent will provide the board of education with formal
administrative recommendations. The board will consider the recommendations for
action at the November 8 board of education meeting, which is scheduled at 7
p.m., in the Shawnee Mission North auditorium.
|
 Shawnee Mission School District Survey
Shawnee
Mission would like to provide a venue for feedback from parents, patrons and
community members related to technology in Shawnee Mission. This
information will be included in our district's technology plan submitted to
KSDE this fall.
Beginning
August 30th, there will be a story on the district website and a
posting on the district's Facebook page to allow for public feedback. Shawnee Mission's website is www.smsd.org. Everyone is invited to give their opinions on
the District's technology programs. Input will be collected through both
of these venues through September 7.
|
Communication Between School and Home is Vital
Communication between
school and home is a vital piece of academic success for students. SM West will be using several modes of
communication to keep parents informed of student progress and important West
information. Check the SM West website
for more information.
EMAIL
SM West will be using email as a primary mode of
communication to distribute important information related to all aspects of
West High School, i.e. counseling updates, school wide information, schedule
updates and changes, etc.
Please verify that SM West has correct parent/guardian email
information on record. If you have not
received emails announcing Back to School Night or other information from West
by email this year, please contact the Counseling Office, 913-993-7809, to
verify and/or update your email address or other basic student
information.
|
|
News From The Counseling Dept
|
Check Out Our Website!!!
The
Shawnee Mission West Counseling Department is always adding new information to
our web backpack. Keep checking it
regularly. If you need information
regarding tests, career options, college applications, scholarships and financial
aid, log on to: http://www4.smsd.org/SMWCounselors or the Shawnee Mission West website and click
on "Counseling Home"
The counselor
assignments for the 2010-2011 school year:
A - E Mr.
Tommie Davis 993-7835
F - K Mr.
Rick Rogers 993-7837
L - M &
ELL Ms.
Laura Hicks 993-7834
N - S Ms.
Chris Foster 993-7832
T - Z Mrs.
Cindy Neely 993-7827
9th
grade Ms. Mary Lea
Kieffer 993-7836
Personal
Social
|
 SENIORS and College Planning
Has your
senior taken the ACT yet? Has your
senior decided on a college or career path yet? Now is the time - our office recommends that seniors take the ACT for
the last time in October or December of the senior year. (October for
scholarship purposes at KU and K-State since they have November 1st
scholarship application deadlines.)
So what else
needs to be done?
- Pull
the applications together. Seniors need to narrow their lists of
colleges to five or so and review those with their academic/college
counselor. They need to check
application due dates and financial aid requirements from the colleges themselves.
- Do
the student "brag" sheet (found
on the Counseling web backpack).
We'll use this in the Counseling Office to write recommendations
for college and scholarships. The
Parent Comment Sheet is also very help in preparing letters of
recommendations.
- Put
together a master calendar of
all the application due dates are and tests being taken.
- Complete
the online applications
whenever possible, especially for our state universities (KU, K-State, Wichita, Emporia, Pittsburg, Ft.
Hays).
- Sign
up to take the ACT and, if necessary, the SAT.
- Check
out the FAFSA4Caster and establish your pin number for the FAFSAA:
go online to www.fafsa.gov .
- Scholarships:
already we are making announcements about available scholarships in
the Counseling Office. Check the
web backpack regularly for updates.
|
College Admission Testing
- upcoming dates
SM
West School Code: 172-773
ACT October 23rd at SM West
Registration deadline: September 17th
Register
on line at: www.actstudent.org
SAT October
9th, SM East & other schools
Registration deadline
September 10th
Register on line at www.collegeboard.com or in the Counseling office
November 6, SM East
& other schools
Registration deadline
October 8th
Register on line at www.collegeboard.com or in the Counseling office
|
College Information
Night at SM West
Parents
and students are invited to attend a College Information Night at West in the
Cafeteria to learn about college admissions, scholarships, and testing. Please join us in the cafeteria on Wednesday,
September 29th, at 6:30 p.m.
|
Financial Aid Night - Located at SM
Northwest
Save
the Date - Wednesday, November 17th, 7 p.m., Auditorium of SMNW
|
Shawnee
Mission School
District "College Clinic"
All students
and parents are encouraged to attend.
Wednesday, October 13th
Shawnee Mission
East High
School
6:30 p.m. -
9:00 p.m.
|
 Information for Seniors and their Parents
Caps and Gowns/Graduation Announcements
October 19th - Senior Class Meeting 2:00 in the
Auditorium - Students will receive information on from Herff-Jones to take home
and share with their parents.
October 26th - Herff-Jones Parent Night on the
bridge from 5-7pm - Herff-Jones representatives will answer questions and
collect order forms. Class rings may also be ordered.
October 27th and 28th - Herff-Jones
representatives will be on the bridge during all lunches to collect order
forms.
Very Important: All students who are planning to
participate in the graduation ceremony on May 18th MUST purchase a
cap and gown from Herff-Jones. The total for this is $30. All
announcements and other products offered by Herff-Jones are optional.
Important Dates
Around Spring Break - Graduation Announcements will be
delivered to students at school
April 21st - Graduation Speech Tryouts after
school in the Little Theatre.
Sign up with Mrs. Benge in Room 15
April 28th - Readers of the Roll Tryouts after
school in the Little Theatre.
Sign up with Ms. Gill in Room 123
May 13th - Last day for seniors. Graduation Practice, Caps and Gowns will be handed out
May 18th - Graduation at Shawnee Mission North
Contact Phone Numbers:
Herff-Jones - 913-952-5132
Lisa Benge - Senior Class Sponsor - 993-7919
|
9th
Grade
2010 PSAT TESTING INFORMATION
TIME AND
PLACE:
The
PSAT/NMSQT will be given to freshmen on Wednesday, October 13th at
S.M. West beginning at 7:40 A.M. The
total time for the test session is about 2 ¾ hours. Please be prompt and be sure to bring two #2 pencils and a calculator.
REGISTRATION
PROCESS AND COST:
The
test fee is $16.00. Registration will be
held through Tuesday, September 21st in the Counseling Office. Registration after that date will be on a
space available basis. Please make
checks payable to Shawnee
Mission West.
Why Should Freshman take the PSAT/NMSQT?
PSAT/NMSQT scores are enormously useful
in identifying students who may be successful in Advanced Placement or more
rigorous courses. With the results of
this test, we can increase access to higher level classes and ensure that no
student who has the chance of succeeding in those classes is overlooked. We can identify students who may be prepared
for the challenge of Advanced Placement course work, or who should be taking
higher-level prerequisite courses to prepare for Advanced Placement.
QUESTIONS: Contact Tommie Davis
at tommiedavis@smsd.org or call
993-7835.
-
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - -
Please complete the bottom portion of this form and bring to Counseling Office.
$16.00 fee.
Checks should be made
payable to Shawnee Mission West.
|
Wednesday, October 13th is Testing
Wednesday
Students
who register and pay for tests should report to school at the regular time
(7:40 a.m.). Students in grades 9-11
have the option to take tests on that morning. All other students should report to school in time to begin class at
11:00. More information will be given to
students closer to the date.
Parents: It's time to register your
students for tests!!
All registrations take place in the
Counseling Office.
9th
graders - can take PSAT for practice for $16 - registration form
10th
graders - can take PLAN for $15 - registration form
11th
graders - can take PSAT for $16 - registration form
Then
on Saturday, October 16th, 10th graders may take the PSAT
for practice at Broadmoor Technical Center - cost is $18 - registration form.
|
Don't Be Afraid To Ask For Help!
A Note to
Exhausted Parents of Challenging Teens...
Don't give
up! Avoiding the issues is not going to
help either! Parents of consistently
difficult teens ride an emotional roller coaster that frequently dips into
confusion, frustration, anger, pain, guilt and exhaustion. Ask for help during difficult times of
trouble or even to PREVENT serious difficulty. Find out what your options are. Mary Lea Kieffer, our school Social Worker, can help you started. For confidential advice you can call Ms.
Kieffer at 993-7836.
Student
Support Groups are available for students to participate in for emotional and
academic support. Written parent
permission is required for students to attend groups. Sessions are held during seminar and during
partial classes.
Groups
available:
Personal/ Growth: Improve self-esteem, recognize and express feelings, problem solving.
Anger Management: Recognize triggers, de-escalation, stress reduction.
Academic Motivation: Study and organizational skills, set academic goals.
Good Grief: Support for students experiencing grief issues.
Please call
Mary Lea Kieffer or your student's counselor for additional information!
Other great
resources are:
Johnson County Mental Health 913-826-1565
Heart of America
Family Services 913-342-1110
www.JoCoFamily.net
www.mentalhealthkc.org
www.youthinformation.org
PLEASE SEE SM
WEST COUNSELING WEBPAGE for a more detailed list of helpful community resources
available to you.
|
YouthFriends
Needed
As a YouthFriends mentor, you can choose from a wide range of
in-school activities including having lunch with a student or group of
students; sharing special talents or career interests; tutoring; or simply
being a good friend who listens. YouthFriends accommodates your interests
and busy schedules. Volunteer for as little as one hour a week and select
a school location close to home or work. For an application, go to www.youthfriends.org. For more information, please contact Mary Lea
Kieffer at 913-993-7836 or Terry Wintering, Volunteer and Community Partnership
Coordinator at 913-993-6411.
If you are interested in having your son or daughter connected
with a YouthFriend, please call Mary Lea Kieffer 913-993-7836.
|
 Relay For Life
The
American Cancer Society along with the SM West JAWS Club will be
sponsoring a
Relay For Life event on Friday, October 8, 2010. Students are
encouraged to form teams of
10-15 students and help raise money for this important cause. More information can be found in the additional documents below:
Ms. Mary Lea Kieffer, social
worker in the
Counseling Office, can be contacted with questions about this event
(993-7836).
|
FOOD SERVICE....Did you know............
Did you know why we keep flavored
milk in schools? Studies
revealed that eliminating chocolate and other
flavored milks from school cafeteria menus resulted in a dramatic drop in milk
consumption along with a substantial reduction in nutrient intakes of students--which are not easy or affordable to
replace. When
flavored milk was not available, many children chose not to drink milk
and missed out on the essential nutrients that milk provides. On days when only
white milk was offered in cafeterias, milk consumption dropped an average of 35
percent.
To replace the nutrients lost from the decline in milk
consumption:
- Required three to four different food
items
to match milk's nutrient contribution
- Added back more calories and fat than
were being reduced
- Added back roughly half the sugar, netting a
savings of only 15-28 grams/week
- Required an incremental $2,200 to $4,600
more
annually per 100 students
The school breakfast menus, lunch
menus, and other nutrition information
are available on the district's website
at http://www.smsd.org/parents/foodservices.htm.
|
Student Council News
The Shawnee Mission West theme for this school year is "All Hands on
Deck!" We，as the
Student Council Executive Board，are looking forward to an exciting 2010-2011 school
year. It's only the second week of school and already the Executive Board has
discussed StuCo elections and Homecoming themes.
"All Hands on Deck" means
that every student at Shawnee Mission West High School has a part in making
West what we'd like it to be. Everyone has an impact; it doesn't take a small
group of students to keep the school in order, it takes everyone's involvement to make West the best. Preparing
for the theme was easy: we made posters with hand prints and put each student's
name in them. In that way every student, old and new, is now part of the
"All Hands on Deck" theme.
Elections are coming up for freshman class
officers and representatives for all four classes. Signups were from Monday
August 23rd to Thursday August 27th, with a meeting
during Thursday's seminar to discuss campaign guidelines. The StuCo Executive
Board traveled to freshmen seminars Tuesday to inform freshman of signups and
encourage participation in StuCo. Elections take place September 3rd.
Big StuCo will
have their first meeting September 7th, the Tuesday right after
elections. Their first responsibility will be to decide on a theme for
Homecoming, which will be held Saturday October 2nd, a week earlier
than usual. That means the homecoming parade will be held Thursday September 30th.
Already clubs are getting reading for the big parade and with things moving so
quickly StuCo is looking for student leadership to stay ahead.
PTSA has a
huge role in helping Student Council host the Homecoming dance and several
other projects sponsored by StuCo. StuCo
encourages both parents and students to join PTSA. Signing-up also results in a
free after party ticket.
This photo of Sean Jones, Sydney Harvey and Michael Garret was taken at
the statewide Student Council Leadership
Camp at Emporia State University over the summer.
2010-2011 Student Council Executive
Board
Student Body Officers
President: Michael
Garrett
Vice President:Alyssa Parsons
Secretary: Amy Hocker
Treasurer: Chris Brown
Parliamentarian: Drew
Humphreys
Publicity Committee
Yuqi
Hou
Denise
Suarez
Sydney
Harvey
Social Spirit Committee
Danielle
Neighbour
Tori
Wilkinson
Ava
Clark
Charity Committee
Connor
Henderson
Sean
Jones
Sydney
Miramontez
|
New Staff Members Join West This Year
West
welcomed the following new teachers to the staff this year.
Claudine Boldridge - District Psychologist
Laura Berry - Math
Ryan Buckley - Industrial Technology
Cynthia Cameron - Language Arts
Janet Carter - Spanish
Janel Cates - FACS
Lauriann Finstrom - SPED
Nicole Hesseltine - Math
Stacey Smith - SPED
The
following support staff are also new to West.
Lindsay Braathan - ELL aide
Jeffrey Demerath - Campus Police Officer
Diane Muro - paraprofessional
Rhonda Neighbor - paraprofessional
Mallary Shondell - paraprofessional
Price Wright - Custodian
|
 Immunization Requirements
School is back in session. The long lazy summer days are
over for the faculty and students. I want to thank all those parents who got
their students immunizations over the summer. October 20th is the
exclusion date for student who do not have their immunizations complete by
then.
Johnson County Health Dept is administering the varicella or (chicken
pox) from a grant you might want to consider taking advantage of this
opportunity. Besides your doctor you may get immunizations from Johnson County
Health Dept or the clinics in Walgreens and CVS. Immunization requirements
include a DTAP within 10 years for all students and three Hepatitis B, and at
least one chickenpox if you are in 9th or 10th grade. If
your student has had the disease you may verify this with a statement from the
doctor.
Feel free to contact Wanda Vaughn if you have questions at 913 993-7816.
|
Supplies Needed To Stock the SMW Nurse's Pantry
This
year PTSA is sponsoring a program to help stock the SMW Nurse's Pantry. This
Pantry will assist the SMW nurse, Dr. Vaughn, in providing a snack
for students that are in need of some nutrition during the day to help them
concentrate and focus on class when lunchtime or dinnertime is several hours
away. Items such
as granola bars, individually wrapped packages of crackers, peanuts, anything
with protein would be greatly appreciated. In addition, feminine sanitary
products are always appreciated in the nurse's office.
Items for donation can be dropped
off directly in the nurse's office or contact Cheryl Scott at cdscott@everestkc.net for pickup. Thanks so much for your
support of this program! Learning is why
we are here at SMW, and this is an effort to help ensure that all our students
can focus during class.
|
 Registering to Vote is Easy!
If you haven't noticed the advertisements, political season
is upon us. United States Citizens have
the opportunity to be heard at the voting booth. Many of our students have turned 18 or will
be turning 18 this year.
Registering to
vote is easy. Go to: www.jocoelection.org, on the left hand side click on
Register to Vote. The website provides
the voter registration application which must be completed and returned to the
election office 14 days prior to election day. Additional information regarding polling places, ID requirements for 1st
time voters, sample ballots, and advance voting are provided on the website as
well.
|
News from the Journalism Department
yearbook
purchase
Now is
the time to reserve your copy of the 2011 Saga. You may buy a yearbook
for $55 by contacting Mr. Pennington in the bookkeeper's office. All
orders are due by Dec. 1. After Dec. 1, a limited number of books will be
available on a first-come, first-serve basis for $60.
yearbook
senior ads
The
deadline for yearbook senior ads is Sept. 17 for early bird pricing and Oct. 8
for regular pricing. Ad information is available at http://www4.smsd.org/amymorgan/ or
by contacting Amy Morgan at amymorgan@smsd.org or 913.993.7911.
senior
yearbook pictures
The
deadline for senior yearbook pictures is Sept. 10. Seniors must be photographed
by DeCloud Studios to be included in the yearbook. Contact DeCloud at
913.956.7200. The studio is located at 6717 Shawnee Mission
Parkway...this is a new location. You are not obligated to purchase any
photos, but will be asked to pay the sitting fee.
underclass
yearbook pictures
Freshmen,
sophomores and juniors will have yearbook pictures taken Sept. 15, 16, and
17. Students will travel to the library with their English class to be
photographed. Picture package order forms will be handed out the week
before in English classes. You are not obligated to purchase any photos
to be included in the yearbook. Retakes are scheduled for Oct. 26.
newspaper
advertising
If you
are interested in advertising in the Epic, the student newspaper, please
contact Amy Morgan at amymorgan@smsd.org or 913.993.7911.
Newspaper
subscriptions
If you
would like the Epic mailed to your home, send your name and address to Amy
Morgan at amymorgan@smsd.org, along
with a payment of $20 (cash or check made out to SM West journalism). The fee
covers postage and additional printing costs.
Check
out www.smwest.com!
We are launching
a new website to cover school news. It is a combined effort from the
journalism, radio &tv and business departments. It is your online
source for all things West...check back frequently for updates!
|
 Hi West Families,
Welcome to our returning and new families at SMW. Our goal is for each parent, student and faculty to be members of PTSA. We are focusing on increasing our membership to assist with our projects and to provide funding for PTSA activities. We stretch every dollar as far as we can by utilizing our volunteers efforts and donations. Last year PTSA supported our teachers with over $3000 in grants and our Senior graduates with $3000 in college scholarships. This support is in jeopardy of being drastically reduced due to current membership estimates. So, we really need your support! Please clink on the PTSA website link and join today!
One of the favorite activities we support and organize for the kids are the AGP, (After Game Parties). We are re-naming them All School Parties since several of them are after events at the school and not just after games! Our next ASP is Friday, September 10th. Due to the wonderful Administrators that go the extra distance to help organize and assist us with the ASP, this has become a great tradition that no other school in our district has! Please email us to volunteer to help with this fun event!
Our next PTSA meeting is on Monday, September 20th at 7:00 in the Library. Our guest speaker will be Craig Denny, the West area representative on the Shawnee Mission School Board. He will be there to listen to our concerns and to give us an inside look at our school board issues.
We hope to see you there,
Val Barth and Merilee Crow
Co- Presidents SMW PTSA
|
PTSA Membership Update
Thanks to all our parents, staff and students who have joined
SM West PTSA this 2010 - 2011 school year. While we are off to a great start, we still need your membership!
SMW PTSA (Parent Teacher Student Association) is a volunteer
organization seeking to unite home, school and community in promoting the
health and safety of our children, youth and families. We are an organization that strives to
promote spirit, inspire creativity and make a positive difference in the lives
of students and faculty here at Shawnee Mission West. The
programs that are funded by PTSA benefit all students across the board here at Shawnee
Mission West.
Your membership helps to sponsor many programs including the Freshman
Mentoring Program, All School After Parties, Teacher and Staff Appreciation
functions, Heart of the West Week, Teacher Grants, Senior Scholarships and much,
much more.
Remember,
at the high school level the students are encouraged to join PTSA!
With the current budget cuts all districts are experiencing,
your PTSA membership is more important than ever. SMW PTSA stepped up this year to completely
fund the Freshman Mentor Program. As
budget cuts continue, your PTSA dollars will become increasingly important to
your student.
To support SMW PTSA with your membership, please visit the
PTSA website at www.smwestptsa.org and send
in your membership today!
|
Visual Arts Update
Faculty Show
Recently, the Shawnee Mission West Patrons' Gallery had an
opening for its current exhibit, the 3rd annual faculty art show.
This exhibit highlights some of our staff who may not teach art but engage in
artistic pursuits over the summer & in their free time. The show will be up in the Patrons' Gallery
throughout most of September.
National Art Honor Society
National Art Honor Society (NAHS) is a nationally recognized
honor society. We have a chapter of NAHS at Shawnee Mission West. If you are
interested in joining, please see Mrs. Nicklas in room 61 or email her at wenickla@smsd.org. You can also sign up for Viking Alert if you
are interested in receiving text messages about NAHS meetings & events.
Click on NAHS to start receiving messages.
SMW Patrons' Gallery
If you are interested in becoming a member of the Patron's Gallery,
please contact Mr. Greg Schieszer. Memberships help fund our gallery which is
used as an extension of the classroom to bring students in contact with working
artists as well as providing seniors an opportunity to have an exhibition of
their work.
Artist Notecards
The art department will be selling bundles of note cards
& envelopes with original artwork by SMW students! All proceeds from the
sale of the cards help us supply the Patrons' Gallery as well as helping out
with Senior Show receptions & scholarships. If you are interested, please email wenickla@smsd.org.
|
Broadmoor's Culinary Arts Students Prepare Dinner
Make your reservations for Dinner at the Broadmoor Bistro. The meal is prepared by
Broadmoor's culinary arts students under the watchful eye of the visiting chef.
October's Visiting Chef
October 12, 2010
Rick Tramonto
Tru, Tramonto's Steak & Seafood,
Osteria di Tramonto &
RT Sushi Bar & Lounge,
Chicago IL
Reservations are required and can be made online at www.broadmoorbistro.org.
The 2010 chef line-up can be found here.
|
 PRESIDENTIAL SERVICE AWARD
We want to recognize your student for
their dedication of services to our community!
SMW students
may apply for the Presidential Service Award by tracking their service hours on
the sheet available from the counseling office or on the SM West website. The hours must be completed over a twelve
month period beginning 4/1 and ending 3/31. The students self report the service hours and at the completion of the
tracking period, return the completed service hour form to the counseling office
to be submitted for the award.
Forms need to
be turned in by 3/31 in the counseling office. The committee chair then compiles the information necessary for
submission of the students for the award. The awards are applied for on line on the Presidential Service Award
website, www.presidentialserviceawards.gov.
The awards
will be delivered to SMW and the counseling office and administration will
determine how and when recognition will be scheduled.
|
West Band Provides Music For Your Taste Buds
Skip the hassle of cooking before West's Homecoming Football Game on Friday, Oct. 1 at the district's south stadium.  The Shawnee Mission West
Marching Band will be selling delicious meals for just $5. Get a hamburger,
chips, a cookie and a bottle of water. Meals will be served between 6 and 6:45
p.m. in the grassy area south of the West bleachers. To reserve your meals please
call Chuck and Diana Owen at 913-492-3717 or email them to caowen@everestkc.net. Money raised will
go to support the band.
GO WEST!
|
Band's 18th Annual Spaghetti Dinner To Hit All The Right Notes
The West Band's Spaghetti Dinner - a highlight of the fall season - will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 9 at the school. This is the 18th year for the event that brings together the community and the band.
The event has something for everyone - delicious food, an auction of donated items and services, vendor tables and, of course, incredible music that will have diners swaying in their seats and shoppers dancing in the aisles.
Mark your calendars for this one-of-a-kind event that benefits the Shawnee Mission West Band. Tickets are available from band members and at the door.
If you are interested in promoting your business while supporting music education in your community please donate an auction item or service. If you have any questions or would like us to pick up your donation, please call Denise Peery at 913-648-7610 or email deeop@everestkc.net. Sept. 25 is the deadline for donations.
|
Show Your West Pride with Spirit Decals
The Cheerleaders are selling spirit decals for car
windows. The decals are 5" X 5" and are
available for most sports and activities. They are $10 each. You may
purchase multiple decals and personalize them with your child's name.
Complete the order form and mail it
with your check payable to SMW Cheer Booster Club to the address on the order
form. Look for the Cheerleading table at the first Home Football Game or visit
the SM West Cheer web site at http://www4.smsd.org/westcheer/
for decal information
and order form. Order deadline is
9/7/10.
Please contact Sharon
Tunakan, tunnaman@aol.comor Jayne Beemer, jayne.beemer@att.net with any questions.
|
Join the club! Your support will
actually save you money!Membership includes passes to all home games- the more you attend, the
more you save!
The BOOSTER CLUB'S sole purpose is to support all athletic
groups including cheerleaders, pep club and dance team, and to strive to keep
the tradition of cooperative spirit and sportsmanship at West. The BOOSTER CLUB is composed of parents,
friends and relatives of SMWest students. All money raised goes to the
coaches/sponsors for uniforms, equipment and related expenses. Click here to see more details and to print the membership form.
Questions? Please contact Joanie Weaver at 913-710-0207 or dtjoanie@aol.com
|
Still Time To Get This Year's Newest, Best West Looks
The Shawnee Mission West
Booster Club will sell spirit wear before home football games. Bring cash or a
check and show your West spirit as the football team plays to another victory.
T-shirts, caps, lanyards will
help make you the perfectly outfitted West fan, and a hoody on long-sleeved
t-shirt are perfect for chilly temperatures that are on the way. Prices range
from $5 to $30, and items feature everything from polka dots to a proud, bold
WEST. The Booster Club works year round to support athletic programs at West.
Different West items are also
available online. Go the West homepage and click on SMW Booster Club Spirit
Wear.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Look for the next edition of the Viking Voice
in mid-October.
If you have articles to submit for the next issue, please email shirlleines@everestkc.net and begin the subject line with "Viking Voice".
Please submit your articles by October 8, 2010. Thank you.
|
|
|
