Belinder Elementary

Community News & Calendar

August 12, 2018

#family

Vision and Value Statements

Belinder Vision Statement:

To be a place where children love to learn and teachers love to work.

Belinder Value Statement:

We believe the following attributes are critical to the success of our organization:

Learning
Parent partnerships
Transparent communication
High expectations
Collaboration
Perseverance
Celebration
Engagement
Hospitality
Diversity
Inclusivity
Safety (Physical and Emotional)
Personal growth and development

Great first day!

Thank you for an amazing first day back. It was great to see our students and families back for another outstanding year at Belinder. We hope your students came home and shared they had a wonderful start to the 2018-19 school year.

Arrival and dismissal

It is always our intention to provide a safe learning environment for our students. To that end, we had asked that you drop your students off at the door and let them make their way to their classes with the other students during arrival. Based on some parent feedback, we are going to allow this first full week of transition to be one where parents can still walk students to classrooms if that's something they feel their child needs. However, we will ask that you start coaching your students so that beginning next Monday, August 20, we can begin expecting consistency with this new expectation.

My Volunteer Pal (MVP)

The following is a note about the SMSD MVP program. Please reach out to the Belinder office with any questions.

...

Thank you for your interest in the Shawnee Mission School District’s My Volunteer Pal (MVP) program! Educating and caring for today’s students is a collaborative partnership, and volunteers play a valuable role in making our classrooms, schools and district great!

In as little as thirty minutes per week, you can make a positive difference in the life of a student. The Shawnee Mission School District MVP Program connects adult volunteers with students ages four to 18. MVPs can assist in a wide range of school activities, including mentoring, volunteering in the classroom, joining classes and schools for field trips, tutoring in a variety of subjects, or simply being a positive, adult role model in the life of a student. No special skills are required; only a willingness to commit your time and energy and the ability to develop a good relationship with a young person. Volunteers enjoy flexible schedules, and most activities take place on school grounds, during school hours.

Examples of opportunities include, but are not limited to:

Chaperones for SMSD-approved Field Trips*
- Examples: band, orchestra, camps, Wildwood, Cheerleading, Dance Trips, DECA, journalism, thespians, sports, etc.
Chat ‘n Chew
Chess Club
Mad Science**
Master Gardeners**
Mentors
Classroom volunteers.
Tutors
Watch Dogs

*Refer to SMSD BOE Policy IFCB for a definition of USD 512 Approved Field Trips and Non-Sanctioned Field Trips.

**MVP training is required anytime a student is handed off to another adult before or after school who is not the parent, guardian, parent approved adult, or school employee (i.e. after-school activities).

Steps to Become a MVP Volunteer (please do these steps in order):

Complete an online MVP application. Visit https://www.smsd.org/families/volunteer-mvp for more information.

It is recommended that MVP applicant’s begin the process at least six weeks prior to a scheduled event or activity.
Applicants must complete the online application before they can do fingerprinting. Fingerprinting must be repeated every three years.

Attend a MVP training session. District training dates and times are posted on the “Volunteering” page on the district’s website: https://www.smsd.org/families/volunteer-mvp. Check with specific schools for additional training opportunities.

Morning MVP sessions, which combine the training and fingerprint screenings, are limited to 12 participants and require a reservation. Please call 913-993-6447 or email volunteer@smsd.org to check for availability and make a reservation.

Complete Fingerprinting. Drop-in fingerprint screening is available at the Center for Academic Achievement, 8200 W. 71st Street, Shawnee Mission, KS 66204, on Mondays and Wednesdays from 9:30a.m. to 12:00p.m. and from 1:00p.m. to 4:00p.m.

Fingerprint screenings can only be done AFTER attending a training session AND completing the online application.

Thank you again for your interest in the SMSD MVP Program. We are excited to work with you toward helping ALL students succeed! Please e-mail volunteer@smsd.org or call (913) 993-6447 for more information.