Trail Talk Newsletter

Did you have multiple snow days on your "first week back to school" bingo card?! I didn't! We hope everyone enjoyed the extra sledding and snow activities. It may be cold, but spring event planning is in full swing. In this edition, please find details on submitting your student's Variety Show audition, the SFT Spring Totally Rad Trivia Fundraiser and how to get out of cooking on Wednesday, January 17!

Stay connected with the SFT community on Facebook and the New SFT PTA Website!

Shawnee Mission North is hosting two feeder elementary schools per home basketball game and SFT night will be this Friday, January 12!

• Varsity girls play at 6:00 p.m. & Varsity boys play at 7:30 p.m.
• A family section will be designated for SFT.
• Elementary students will be admitted free and tickets for parents will be $7.00 each. *One exception, Coach Hays hosted a basketball clinic on New Year’s Day and those participants, and one parent will be allowed to attend free. North has a list of registered participants.
• SFT students are encouraged to wear the Brickhouse Bound white t-shirt they received at the fall SMN football game on SFT night. There are some extra shirts for those students who didn’t receive one in the fall.
• Students will be welcomed to form a HIGH FIVE section along with the North PEP Club, Dance Team, and Cheer Squad during team introductions. Prior to introductions, the PA announcer will share with attendees to meet "me and student leaders" by the stage in the Fieldhouse. PEP Club, Dance and Cheer will help line up elementary students around the basketball court. This will occur for both girls’ and boys’ varsity pre-game announcements.
• A selection of 5th grade boys from Santa Fe Trail and Crestview will be participating in a 5-minute basketball scrimmage during half-time. We hope you can come cheer on your Trailblazers and Bisons!

Do you want to practice your skills and support North before the big SFT Spring Fundraiser? Join in the fun at the 10th Annual SMN Trivia Night!

• Teams of 8; deadline to Register is January 19
• Team theme contest for table decor and costumes
• Purchase event ticket packages and avoid the lines! Ticket packages include raffle, beverage tickets and heads or tails game entry
• Special signed George Karlaftis Chiefs helmet raffle tickets available
• Saturday, January 27, 2024, from 6:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.
• St. Pius X in Mission, KS
  
• This is an adult-only event – no one under age 21 will be permitted
  
• The team registration fee is $280, $100 of your team fee will go directly to the SMN team/group/club of your choice!

As mentioned in the October newsletter, there is a grassroots effort among parents, teachers and other supporters across SMSD to get a Dual Language program added to the district's elementary curriculum. In order to make that a reality, Dual Language first needs to land on the radar of the SMSD five-year strategic planning process, which starts this month. Part of the process includes asking for input from us, the families of SMSD students. If you receive a message asking what you think is important in the district, typing "dual language program" in the survey will let leaders know you want them to explore this valuable option for our district.

If the potential for your child to become bilingual is something you think is valuable, here's how else you can help:

• CONNECT: Join the Dual Language SMSD Facebook group to learn more about the effort, read the research about the tremendous value of bilingualism, and be notified of easy action steps.
• CHIME IN: Take a short survey, developed by Dual Language SMSD, to voice your support.
• VOLUNTEER: If bilingualism is a passion for you, consider giving some of your time to this effort.
• VOTE: When you get the "we need your input" email from SMSD, spend a few minutes and give them your thoughts.

If you are interested in volunteering or want to learn more, contact Mary Birkel at marydeantaylor@gmail.com.

SFT Families,

We have started the second semester! We finished up our winter benchmark testing in reading and math for all students and are making plans for students utilizing the data collected from the assessments. Kansas Assessments will be in April for grades 3-6. Conferences are coming up quickly. They are scheduled for the evening of February 8 and all day on February 9. Teachers will be reaching out to set up a time to conference either in-person, by WebEx, or by phone. Winter benchmark testing information will be shared along with student progress.

We will be celebrating The Kindness Challenge Week at SFT January 22-26 and will be promoting random acts of kindness both at school and home. We will invite all families to participate in Kindness Week by doing one or more of the suggested activities that will be sent home. I want to express a special thank you to the many parents and students who consistently lead by example when it comes to being kind and respectful to everyone. Hopefully, The Great Kindness Challenge will remind us of all that it is actually fun to be kind to others and surprise them with a random act of generosity or kindness. Let’s all commit to extending Kindness Week to Kindness Year, and then to practicing a lifetime of kindness!

Educationally yours,

Ms. Leiker

Pre-K and Kindergarten Enrollment Now Open

Enrollment is now open for Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten for the 2024-2025 school year in the Shawnee Mission School District (SMSD)! We encourage all in our district to share this information with any families in our community who have a child who is Pre-K or Kindergarten age.

• Click here to learn more about Pre-Kindergarten in the Shawnee Mission School District
• Click here to learn more about Kindergarten

Valentine's Day Preparation

Students may bring valentines (without food in them) to school by Wednesday, February 14 for distribution. Please send enough for all students in the class. Valentine’s Day Parties are scheduled for February 14 from 2:00-2:50. Only room parents and parents that are assisting with the party should attend. Here are the district guidelines:

• All foods brought to school for sharing at parties must be in labeled packaging by the manufacturer (exception: whole fruits/vegetables).
• All labeled food items must be checked by the classroom teacher or school nurse.
• No homemade food items should be provided to share at the parties.
• Teachers/staff members are responsible to follow all safety measures when providing food in the classroom, fieldtrips, parties, etc.
• No carbonated sodas or energy drinks will be provided to students.

Absence Reporting Now Available in Skyward!

Families can now report a student’s absence online in Skyward using a desktop computer or a mobile phone. Please see the links below for directions. The other two options to report an absence are still available. Call the Attendance Line anytime at 913-993-5088 or call the office by 8:30 a.m.

Arrival

There has been an increase in the number of students coming in after the 8:10 a.m. bell. With the cold weather here, it takes longer to get jackets, mittens, hats, and scarves on and get out the door on time. It also means that more parents are dropping their students off instead of having them walk to school, so the traffic lines are longer at the school. Please plan on leaving a few minutes earlier to make sure your student is dressed appropriately for the cold weather and in their seat ready to learn at the 8:10 a.m. bell. Click and find out more about district attendance guidelines.

Circle Drive

Help us keep everyone safe by following the city signs on 71 St. Street. Vehicles heading west on 71st St. cannot make a left turn into the circle drive during posted times. We appreciate that most vehicles pull all the way down to where staff are assisting students out of cars in the morning. This also clears up the traffic on 71st St. and staff can give a welcome greeting each day!

Dress in Layers and Label Everything

• Please have your child dress in layers for school.
• Your student should be sent to school with a warm coat, gloves and a hat for outdoor recess.
• The only time students will not have recess is if the temperature is 15 degrees or below, the wind chill index is 0 degrees or below, or there is falling moisture.
• If your student wears boots, please send a change of shoes for PE and the classroom.
• Clearly label student's clothing with the child’s name so we can get items back to the owner.

On Monday, Dec. 11th, the lights were dimmed in the gymnasium and SFT students were transported to an ancient time and land. As students were immersed into a tale via shadow puppetry, live percussion music played. Firetail Productions presented a retelling of the Indian myth Ramayana. This unique show taught the students about a traditional Diwali story, which is told during the Hindu festival of lights.

Join us for a blast from the past at SFT's Adults-only Trivia Night and Fundraiser! While testing your knowledge of all things 90's, enjoy the cash bar serving up your favorite drinks. Plus, popcorn is on the house! Please note, a meal will not be served, but attendees are welcome to bring their own additional snacks to share with their table.

You don't have to be a know-it-all to participate in this trivia night! Gather your team of 8 or sign-up as a free agent to be placed at a table with other awesome SFT supporters. Not fully sold on joining the trivia? No worries! Come on down anyway and enjoy a drink, try your luck in the raffle, engage in our live auction, and groove to the 90's beats with your Santa Fe Trail buddies!

There is no entry fee, but registration/payment is required to participate in the trivia competition or to try your luck in the raffle and live auction. Don't miss your chance to win bragging rights for your 90's knowledge and win those prizes.

It's more than just trivia - it's an evening packed with entertainment and memories! Don't miss out on the fun! Registration will be available soon!

The Shawnee Mission Area Council (SMAC) PTA Clothing Exchange offers gently used clothing and shoes to those within the SMSD boundaries. All items are clean. Donations are made possible by SMSD residents. All residents are welcome! Visit the SMAC Clothing Exchange Website to shop, volunteer or donate! The 2024 Clothing Exhange Schedule is now available.

Do you want to recognize a fabulous SFT employee? Nominate them for the Shawnee Mission School District's All Star Award! The SMSD All Star review committee meets monthly to complete the selection process for submissions in advance of the Shawnee Mission Board of Education meetings. It's easy! Fill out the form at the link below and show the district that SFT teachers and staff are the best! The form includes basic information about the employee and three questions.

All Star Nomination Form

To make sure you're all set up to give, register for a Givebacks account and securely link your credit card. Then, select Santa Fe Trail as the cause of your choice. https://www.givebacks.com/join/sft

Because this is new, the SFT PTA wants to hear from you! Was it easy to set up, will you utilize it? Send any feedback to sftptapresident@gmail.com.

2024

Jan. 12 --> SFT Night at SMN Basketball Games

Jan. 15 --> No School; MLK Day

Jan. 17 --> Why Cook Wednesday: Culver's

Jan. 22-26 --> Kindness Week

Jan. 27 --> Shawnee Mission North Trivia Night Fundraiser

Jan. 29 --> SFT Variety Show Auditions Due

Feb. 08 --> Evening Conferences 4:30 - 7:30 pm

Feb. 09 --> No School; Conferences

Feb. 14 --> Valentine's Day Class Parties

Feb. 20 --> SFT Skate Party 6-8 pm

Feb. 21 --> General PTA Meeting SFT Library 6:00 pm

Mar. 02 --> SFT Totally Rad Trivia Spring Fundraiser

Mar. 06 --> SFT Variety Show

Mar. 07 --> SFT Open House

Mar. 08 --> No School; Teacher Workday

Mar. 11-15 --> Spring Break

Mar. 18 --> End of 4th Quarter

Apr. 10 --> General PTA Meeting SFT Library 6:00 pm

Apr. 16 --> SFT Skate Party 6-8 pm

May 03 --> SFT Carnival

May 10 --> Field Day

Email: sftptapresident@gmail.com
Location: 7100 Lamar Avenue, Overland Park, KS, USA
Facebook: SFT Trailblazer Connection | Facebook

Website: www.sftpta.org