Message from Dr. McLean...

The faculty and staff at SM West want to extend a belated Happy New Year to our parents and community members.  It's hard to believe that 2013 is here and that we are half way through the 2012 - 2013 school year.  I hope each of you had a wonderful winter break.  As we begin the new year, it's time to begin thinking about next school year with regards to selection of classes for the 2013 - 2014 academic year.  In this edition I want to discuss enrollment and the decision to take AP and honors classes, study halls, and common core curriculum.

Choose Wisely
This month our students will be given the opportunity to select the courses for next school year.  I can't over emphasize the importance of making choices that are carefully thought out and reflect the student's future goals and aspirations.

As a parent, get involved with the enrollment process.  Talk with your student and look at the SMSD course offerings found in the High School Program Planning Guide.  The Guide can be found on the districts website.  As you consider next year's schedule please look at the AP and honors program and stretch yourself to step up and meet a higher standard of performance.  When a student and their family take on the challenge of a college level honors or AP course, they are making a commitment to do the summer reading and remain in the class for the first semester.  My experience at West has been that when a student makes the commitment to attend class, study, and manage their time, they are successful in the honors and AP classes.  The investment you and your child are making now in their education will have a direct impact on their future career opportunities and earning power.  Please get involved in this important decision making opportunity regarding the classes your child will take next year.  If you have questions don't hesitate to contact your child's counselor at 993-7830. 

Study Halls
With the daily schedule, many students have expressed a concern about having time to complete assignments, test preparation and class projects completed.  I would strongly suggest students enroll in a study hall.  Study halls provide a student with additional time to get homework completed.  Many of our students are involved with extracurricular activities, have jobs and frankly need the resource of time to reduce some of the stress that comes from taking college preparatory classes.

Common Core Curriculum
Again, I want to emphasize that as parents and taxpayers you need to learn all you can and become familiar with the Common Core Curriculum (CCC).  Just a reminder, CCC is a K-12 curriculum that sets standards for students.  CCC has currently been adopted by 44 states, including the State of Kansas.  The purpose of the CCC is to produce students that are ready for the world of work and college.  The standards are very rigorous and also require students to demonstrate their math, reading and writing skills.  SMSD is in the process of making some adjustments in the curriculum to better prepare our students to meet these higher standards.  Links providing more information are listed below.  I have placed a short Q&A article about CCC for you to read and a video clip out of New York State that does a great job of discussing the literacy portion of CCC.

Common Core - Intro to Literacy (click for more info)

Q & A About CCC (click for more info)

Thank you for your continued support.  As parents, please look for ways to get involved with your student's education and become an active part of the SM West High School family.

Dr. Charles McLean
 

Shawnee Mission West High School

"A Tradition of Excellence and Viking Pride"

School News  

Shawnee Mission West invites all parents to attend parent teacher conferences on Thursday evening, February 7th or Friday, February 8th. 

Thursday, February 7th                  5:00 - 8:00 pm

Friday, February 8th                     7:20 am - 3:20 pm 

There will be no classes for students on Friday, February 8, 2013.

• Graduation will be held Thursday, May 16th, at Shawnee Mission South District stadium.  The ceremony will begin at 7:00 p.m.  There is no limit on the number of guests that may attend the ceremony unless there is inclement weather and the ceremony is moved inside.
• In case of inclement weather, each family will receive five (5) tickets for admission to the SM South gymnasium.  Extra seating & closed circuit TV for guests who do not have tickets will be available in the SM South auditorium.
• Finals for seniors will be:
• Wednesday, May 8th; blocks 3, 5 & 7;
• Thursday, May 9th, blocks 2, 4,& 6;
• Friday, May 10th, block 1.
• Graduation practice will be held on May 10th, the last day of school for seniors after their Block 1 final exam.  The day will include graduation practice, yearbook distribution, the senior panoramic picture and picnic.  Attendance is required for all seniors.  Caps, gowns, and tickets will be passed out at this time.
• Graduation announcements will be delivered to school sometime around spring break.  Students should watch the student announcements for more information.
• Tryouts for Graduation Speeches will be held on Thursday, April 18th.  Students must sign up in advance with Mrs. Benge in room 15.
• Tryouts for Readers of the Roll will be held on Thursday, April 25th, after school in the Little Theatre.  Students wishing to try out need to sign up in the main office.  Students should watch the student announcements for dates to sign up.
• ALL senior FEES and FINES must be paid prior to graduation.  Students will NOT be allowed to participate in the graduation ceremony with an outstanding balance.  Students may check with the bookkeeper to determine what is owed.
• Seniors will keep their caps and gowns after graduation.

News From The Counseling Dept

Our website is filled with information about college counseling and scholarships, academic counseling, personal/social issues, and upcoming dates.  Please visit our Web Backpack often to keep current on important information for you and your student.  You can access it from the SM West homepage or the district website under students, then teacher web pages. 

www4.smsd.org/SMWCounselors  

 
During the week of February 25 - March 1, we will be focusing on mental health issues with an emphasis on suicide awareness and prevention. 

To kick off the week, the Counseling Department will host a program with speakers from the Johnson County Mental Health Center to discuss mental health issues in adolescence. 

Parents and students are invited to attend the program on Monday, February 25th, at 7:30 p.m. in the Auditorium. 

Mental health specialists will discuss a variety of topics, including suicide awareness, anxiety, and how to access mental health services. 

Please plan to attend this informative program so we can all assist our students through the challenging teen years.

• Register for college exams.  Take the ACT or SAT at least once, preferably twice this semester.
• Visit college campuses.  Talk to graduates and current students from schools to determine where you will want to apply next fall.  Explore colleges you are interested in attending on the internet.  You should settle on 4 or 5 schools you will be applying to next year.
• Work hard on your grades; junior year grades are extremely important for college admissions.  Your grade point average at the end of your junior year will be used as a determining factor in your ability to be admitted to colleges.

ACT Testing and Deadlines

Register at www.actstudent.org

Shawnee Mission West's school code is 172-773.  We would like you to put this school code down so that we receive your scores and place them on your transcript.  But most colleges want your score sent directly to them from the testing agency. 

Shawnee Mission West is a testing center for the ACT in February and April but not in June. Search for "Shawnee Mission" under School Testing Center (location code #176140).  Students on the free or reduced lunch program can ask their counselor for a fee waiver for the ACT.

2013 ACT Test Dates:
Test Date: February 9, 2013
Registration Deadline: January 11, 2013
Late Registration Deadline: January 12-18, 2013

Test Date: April 13, 2013
Registration Deadline: March 8, 2013
Late Registration Deadline: March 9-22, 2013

Test Date: June 8, 2013
Registration Deadline: May 3, 2013
Late Registration Deadline: May 4-17, 2013

Summer School 

If your student has failed a class necessary for graduation, summer school enrollment should be seriously considered.  Summer school enrollment begins on February 11, 2013, and can be completed online using a credit card OR in person at Broadmoor.  If you go in person, you must have an enrollment form signed by the counselor indicating the course and semester of the course the student wishes to enroll.  Counselors verify the online enrollments with the summer school office.  

Dates for Summer School:
Semester 1 is June 10 - June 28
Semester 2 is July 8 - July 26

Tuition is $160.00 per semester (art classes are $195).  Summer school will be held at Shawnee Mission Northwest High School.  Classes are filled quickly so decisions should be made as soon as possible.  Students who need to make up a semester of English are required to make that up during summer school

When to Enroll:
February 11 -  All Shawnee Mission School District Patrons
April         1 -  Open to all students on space available basis
June         4 -  Semester 1 enrollment closes at 12:00 noon
July          2 -  Semester 2 enrollment closes at 12:00 noon

Summer school information can be found on the district website:

http://www.smsd.org/parents/summer.htm 

AP Testing  

AP testing will take place the week of May 6th and May 13th at Shawnee Mission West. 

The cost for each test will be $89 and the payment deadline is March 8th. 

This is a firm deadline as tests must be ordered ahead of time. Mr. Davis will be visiting AP classes at the end of February with registration information. Students will then bring their enrollment sheet and a check to the Counseling Office to cover the cost of all tests being taken.  

There are several reasons students should consider taking AP tests:
*    The AP test must be taken to receive the AP designation on the transcript.
*    A student may earn college credit and/or advanced placement at most colleges and universities depending on the score received.
*    A student may be recognized for AP Scholar Awards.
*    Students gain valuable experience in rigorous exams (SAT, ACT, MCAT, LSAT, GRE).

School District News

Student Council 

Activities

SM West Theatre Department Presents:

"GUYS AND DOLLS"

A musical with music and lyrics by Frank Loesser and book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows.

January 31, February 1 and 2 at 7:00 pm in the SM West auditorium 
 

The cast of "GUYS AND DOLLS" includes: Alexander Martin as Sky Masterson, Makaela Terrance as Sarah Brown, Garrett Viets as Nathan Detroit, Trenna Keltner as Adelaide, Parker Vowels as Nicely Nicely Johnson, Houston St. John as Benny Southstreet,  Ben Hower as Arvide Abernathy, Taylor Chubick as Rusty Charlie, Libby Flood as Gen. Cartwright,  Codi Smith as Agatha, Katherine Riedel as Martha, Andy Larson as Big Julie, Seth Martin as Harry the Horse, Orodje Awasa as Lt. Brannigan, Ethan Zwibelman as Angie the Ox, Lucas Lowry as Joey Biltmore, and Jacob Gosserand as Calvin

TICKET INFORMATION

Ticket prices:  $5 for students or free for students showing an SMW activity pass at time of purchase and $10 for adults.

All seats are reserved.  All seating will be "best available," at the discretion of ticket sellers.  The only exception to this seating policy will be requests for handicapped seating.

For advanced ticket info go to www.smwspotlighters.com.

PTSA News 

Shawnee Mission West

PTSA Life Membership Award   

Do you know someone who has gone above and beyond the normal requirements of their job?  Either their volunteer job or their paid job? 

How about nominating that individual (teacher, parent, staff, etc.) to receive an SM West PTSA Honorary Life Membership Award? 

This award is the highest honor that a PTSA can give an individual.  It is a significant way to recognize a worthy person in the SM West community who has given outstanding service  to our youth and worked hard to promote the goals of PTSA.

Look around you.  Who do you see that deserves this honor?

Pick up a nomination form from the SM West office or click here for the form

Submit your nomination by February 25, 2013.  

Questions?  Contact Paula Dougherty at pkdougherty@aol.com

Join the PTSA Board next year

Department News 

If your student is planning on participating in athletics in the 2012-2013 school year at SM West, you are invited to attend an important meeting regarding Pushing Excellence.    

After parent-teacher conferences on February 9th, at 8:15 pm in the auditorium, there will be a meeting for athletes and parents presented by Brad Cottam, former draft choice and tight end for the Chiefs.  Brad was injured and unable to continue his professional career, but has put together a program that presents a message that all parents and athletes should hear.    

Look for more information on the presentation to come later, but be sure and mark your calendar and make plans to attend this informative and important meeting.

West had four members that were selected for District Orchestra: 

Julia Marquez - cello
Katie Miller - viola
Madeline Hanna - viola
Ashley Strasser - violin. 

Congratulations!

Winter Concert
SM West Orchestras performed their Winter Concert on December 6th. Continuing the tradition of performing various styles of music, the orchestras (yes, there is more than one orchestra at West!) delighted the audience with a wide range of music with pieces such as The Great Bicycle Race, The Little Drummer Boy, Finlandia to The Christmas Song. Composers ranged from Tchaikovsky to Handel to Bach.

The Concert Orchestra (freshman) performed Brandenburg Concerto #3, The Little Drummer Boy and The Arathusa.
The Philharmonic Orchestra performed Baltic Dance, The Great Bicycle Race and Mother Ginger.
The Symphonic Strings Orchestra performed Overture to the Messiah and The Christmas Song.
And finally, the Viking Symphony Orchestra performed Finlandia.

The Concert Orchestra also included Percussionist Jamie Benoit-Martinez.

The Viking Symphony Orchestra also contains volunteer Band students for the Winds and Percussion sections. These students volunteer their time to this orchestra and their participation is valued. The Symphony Orchestra Winds and Percussion students:
 

Flute - Kacey Brown, Abby Stuke;
Oboe - Alexander Bartel, Maddy Hanna;
Clarinet - Mark Maiden, Natassia Howell;
Bassoon - Jalen Ramirez;
French Horn - Alley Ulrich, Jillian Benson, Austin Clum, Logan Tritt;
Trumpet - Ben Hower, Erich Hanks, Alexander Martin;
Trombone - Kirk Kennedy, Nick Bukaty, Landon Ochsner;
Tuba; Ian Wiscombe;
Percussion - Preston Thomas, Andy Leininger. 

Upcoming Orchestra Events:

January 31 - February 2, 2013 - Musical - Guys and Dolls
March 14, 2013 - Collage Concert - 7 pm, Auditorium
April 25, 2013 - West Area Festival - 7pm, Gym

Spring sports begin Monday, February 25th. In order to be able to participate in tryouts, a complete physical form and a concussion and head injury information release form must be on file in the athletic department by Friday, February 22. Waiting to hand required forms in the day spring practices and tryouts begin will delay eligibility to participate. No student can participate without these documents being on file with the athletic department. All physical and concussion forms can be handed in directly to the athletic secretary.

SMW Family, Career & Community Leaders of America Organize Trick-or-Treat Event

SMW FCCLA members sponsored the 3rd Annual Safe Trick-or-Treat community service event on Thursday, Oct. 18 at Shawnee Mission West High School.

Many SMW student organizations teamed together to host Trick-or-Treat booths and Halloween games.  Over 325 children visited this fun, safe environment to celebrate Halloween as a community.  In addition, children each brought a canned food item to donate to a food pantry as they entered, so the children got involved with community service as well. 

FCCLA stands for Family, Career & Community Leaders of America and it is a national student organization that focuses on encouraging personal growth, leadership development, career preparation, preparation for adult life as well as family and committee involvement.  This event incorporates several of our objectives since students take responsibility and leadership for organizing a large event, collaborate as a team with many student organizations and serve the community through hosting the event and collecting canned goods that are donated to Harvesters.

FCLLA President, Jaime Hay, said "Leadership is something that is so important in every step of planning our Trick-or-Treat.  When we first thought about doing this project, we knew we wanted to be able to serve the community, but we also wanted a fun way to do it.  This event does both.  It has been so rewarding watching this project grow over the past three years.  The first year we were surprised at the turnout and each year we have continued to expand this event.  Our chapter is making a difference by getting the entire school involved in our goal to help serve our local community."

The idea for the event was brainstormed and implemented 3 years ago by student officers Jamie Hay, Alyssa Rushing, Marisa Collins and Diamond Wells.  They have continued to organize the event each year and these students are now seniors.  We have some very ambitious junior officers, Blake Peterson, Bailee McCraken, Ciyara Mills Gabi Vargas, and Amber Yeasin, that are ready to carry on the tradition next year!   Many other FCCLA members also put time, effort and creativity into making sure this event went well and was a success. 

In addition to all the games and trick-or-treating hosted by student organizations, SMW classes got involved as well.  Woods and Pre-Engineering students props for games and helped with advertising this event.  The Collaborative Technology classes created Halloween signs for each student organization that participated in the event, Year Book students were our event photographers, and many parents also volunteered at this event.

"It's exciting to see the students grow and become more confident 

as they get involved with FCCLA and take on new leadership rolls.  I'm very proud of our SMW students" said Jenny Choquette, SMW FCCLA Advisor.

Clubs