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[[Image:SMSD.jpg|right{{Short description|thumb|200px|ThePublic school district in Shawnee Mission, School District]]Kansas}}
{{More citations needed|date=August 2025}}
The '''Shawnee Mission School District''' ([[Kansas]] Unified School District 512) is one of the major school districts in the [[Kansas City Metropolitan Area]]. Located in northeast [[Johnson County, Kansas]], the school district enrolled 29,389 students in the [[2003]]-[[2004]] school year. As of 2004, the district comprises 5 [[high school]]s, 7 [[middle school]]s, 39 [[elementary school]]s, and 3 instructional centers.
{{Use American English|date=February 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox school district
|name = Shawnee Mission USD 512
|logo = Shawnee-Mission-School-District-logo.png
|address = 8200 W. 71st St.<ref name="USD512-Home"/>
|city = [[Shawnee Mission, Kansas|Shawnee Mission]]
|state = [[Kansas]]
|zipcode = 66204
|country = United States
|coordinates =
|type = [[Public school (government funded)|Public]]
|grades = [[PreKindergarten|PreK]] to [[Twelfth grade|12]]
|established =
|superintendent = Michael Schumacher
|school_board = <!-- # members -->
|schools = <!-- Put "total number of schools" here -->
|students =
|website = {{URL|https://www.smsd.org/|smsd.org}}
}}
'''Shawnee Mission USD 512''' is a [[Public school (government funded)|public]] [[unified school district]] headquartered in [[Shawnee Mission, Kansas]], United States.<ref name="USD512-Home">{{cite web |title=USD 512 Website |url=https://www.smsd.org/ |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20201210022055/https://www.smsd.org/ |archivedate=December 10, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=USD 512 District Map |date=June 10, 2016 |publisher=[[Kansas Department of Transportation]] |url=https://www.ksdot.org/Assets/wwwksdotorg/bureaus/burTransPlan/maps/SchoolDistrict/School%20District_512.pdf |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20200505083908/https://www.ksdot.org/Assets/wwwksdotorg/bureaus/burTransPlan/maps/SchoolDistrict/School%20District_512.pdf |archivedate=May 5, 2020 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The district comprises five [[high school]]s, five [[middle school]]s, 34 [[elementary school]]s, and six District centers. In the 2023–24 school year, district enrollment is approximately 26,200 students.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-05-15 |title=Kansas K-12 Report Generator |url=https://datacentral.ksde.org/report_gen.aspx |access-date=2024-05-15 |website=Kansas State Department of Education |language=en}}</ref>
==Historical Significance==
South Park Elementary school, in [[Merriam, Kansas]] played a significant role in school desegregation prior to the unification of the Shawnee Mission School District. South Park opened in [[1948]] for white students, leaving African-American students in the inadequate Walker Elementary using outdated curriculum. Corinthian Nutter, an African-American teacher, resigned in protest and taught the students from her home. [[1949]]'s Webb v. School District 90 case paved the way for Brown v. Topeka Board of Education five years later.
==History==
McAuliffe Elementary School in [[Lenexa, Kansas]] was the first school in the nation to open named in honor of [[Christa McAuliffe]].
[[File:ShawneeMissionRuralHighSchool.jpg|thumb|Original Shawnee Mission Rural High School - Opened in 1922]]
In 1969, several school districts unified to become the Shawnee Mission School District. These districts were Greenwood District 39, Shawnee District 22, Lenexa District 500, Districts 10 and 90, Valley View District 49, Overland Park District 10, Linwood District 1, Roeland District 92, Merriam District 99, Antioch District 61, Westwood View District 93, Prairie District 44, and Corinth District 82. South Park Elementary school, in [[Merriam, Kansas]], played a role in school desegregation before the unification of the Shawnee Mission School District. South Park opened in 1948 for white students, leaving African-American students in the inadequate Walker Elementary using an outdated curriculum. Corinthian Nutter, an African-American teacher, resigned in protest and taught the students from her home. In 1949, the Webb vs. School District 90 case paved the way for [[Brown v. Board of Education|''Brown v. Board of Education'']] five years later.
McAuliffe Elementary School in [[Lenexa, Kansas]], was one of the first schools in the nation named in honor of [[Christa McAuliffe]].
==High schools==
===Shawnee Mission North High School===
[[Image:SMN_Logo.gif|thumb|175px|right|Shawnee Mission North logo]]
The district converted from the 7–8–9 junior high model to the 7–8 middle school model in 1986.
Shawnee Mission Rural High School opened [[September 12]], [[1922]], having cost $150,000 to build. It had 12 faculty members and a senior class of 20. There had been a vote on [[September 21]], [[1921]], on a "proposal to organize a rural high school district."
The Superintendent is Michael Schumacher and was selected by the Board of Education on February 12, 2024. <ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-05-15 |title= Next SMSD Superintendent Announced |url=https://www.smsd.org/about/news-archives/news-archive-details/~board/2023-2024-district-news/post/next-smsd-superintendent-announced#:~:text=We%20are%20pleased%20to%20announce,the%20Shawnee%20Mission%20School%20District.|access-date=2024-05-15 |website=Shawnee Mission School District|language=en}}</ref>
In [[1922]] the east building was completed and in [[1936]] the west building, housing a gym and auditorium, was connected to the east building by an arcade. In [[1941]] the shop wing was constructed to house agriculture and auto mechanics; it was connected to the west building by a concrete walk. In [[1950]] a large addition was made, including the south academic wing, the cross hall/offices, library, Field House and music rooms. After 30 years all the buildings were connected by hallways.
==Shawnee Mission North High School==
The swimming pool and science wing were built in [[1969]], the Developmental Center in [[1978]], the Little Theater in [[1984]] and the "lunch dock" remodeled in [[1993]]. In the summer of [[1997]], the new library was added as well as air-conditioning. In [[1998]] the cafeteria and kitchen were remodeled.
{{main|Shawnee Mission North High School}}
Shawnee Mission [[Rural]] High School opened on September 12, 1922, having cost $950,000 to build. It had 12 faculty members and a senior class of 20. The school colors are Red, Black, and White, and the school mascot was the Indian.
There had been a vote on September 21, 1921, on a "proposal to organize a rural high school district." The school was named ''' Shawnee Mission Rural'' until 1945 when senior [[Robert Frederick Bennett|Robert F. Bennett]] was sent to Topeka to petition the legislature for a name change to more accurately reflect the school's suburban status. Later elected Governor of Kansas, Bennett was named North's first Distinguished Alumnus by the class of 1975. It was thus named Shawnee Mission High School until 1958 when Shawnee Mission East High School opened and Shawnee Mission High School was renamed Shawnee Mission North High School. The student body of Shawnee Mission High School had petitioned the school board to name the new school anything other than Shawnee Mission East High School in an attempt to avoid a renaming of their school.
As part of a recently-introduced district-wide bond, major improvements will be made to the SM North campus as well as all high schools, middle schools, and many elementary schools. A key project at SM North will be the demolition of the Stadium and reconstruction beginning in [[2005]].
In the 2023–24 school year, enrollment is approximately 1,507 students.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-05-15 |title=Kansas K-12 Report Generator |url=https://datacentral.ksde.org/report_gen.aspx |access-date=2024-05-15 |website=Kansas State Department of Education |language=en}}</ref>
The school was named '''Shawnee Mission Rural''' until [[1948]], when senior [[Robert Frederick Bennett|Robert F. Bennett]] was sent to Topeka to petition the legislature for a name change to more accurately reflect the school's suburban status. It was thought that the job would take several weeks, if it could be accomplished at all, but Bob Bennett brought it home in three days. Later elected Governor of Kansas, Bennett was named North's first 'Distinguished Alumnus' by the class of [[1975]].
===Feeder schools===
It was thus named '''Shawnee Mission High School''' until [[1958]], when East opened and Shawnee Mission High School became SM North. The student body of Shawnee Mission High had petitioned the school board to name the new school anything other than "Shawnee Mission East" in an attempt to avoid a renaming of their school. This history is reflected in the fact that the North varsity letter remains an "S" to this day, a fact which continues to befuddle the students of the historically deficient other high schools. SM West opened in [[1962]], South in [[1966]], and Northwest in [[1969]].
* Middle schools
** Hocker Grove Middle School
* Elementary schools
** Bluejacket-Flint Elementary School
** Crestview Elementary School
** East Antioch Elementary School
** Merriam Park Elementary School
** Nieman Elementary School
** Santa Fe Trail Elementary School
** Roesland Elementary School
** Rushton Elementary School
==Shawnee Mission East High School==
====Alma Mater====
{{main|Shawnee Mission East High School}}
(tune: [[Far Above Cayuga's Waters]] -- [[Cornell University]])
Shawnee Mission East High School opened in 1958. The mascot is the Lancer and the colors are Columbia blue, black, and white.
:Shawnee Mission, Shawnee Mission,
:Here's our toast to thee
:We will cherish and respect thee
:Pledge our loyalty
:We will honor, we will love thee
:Send our colors forth
:Proud and brave our [[alma mater]]
:Shawnee Mission North!
<!-- To sing the school song, all participants raise their right arm at a 45 degree angle, point their index finger, and bounce their finger up and down three times. -->
Shawnee Mission East is at the southwest corner of 75th Street and Mission Road in the city of [[Prairie Village, Kansas|Prairie Village]], and serves Prairie Village along with the other Kansas suburbs [[Westwood, Kansas|Westwood]], [[Westwood Hills, Kansas|Westwood Hills]], [[Mission Hills, Kansas|Mission Hills]], [[Mission Woods, Kansas|Mission Woods]], [[Fairway, Kansas|Fairway]], [[Leawood, Kansas|Leawood]], and [[Overland Park, Kansas|Overland Park]].
====Fight Song====
(tune: [[On Wisconsin]] -- [[University of Wisconsin]])
In the 2023–24 school year, enrollment is approximately 1,671 students.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-05-15 |title=Kansas K-12 Report Generator |url=https://datacentral.ksde.org/report_gen.aspx |access-date=2024-05-15 |website=Kansas State Department of Education |language=en}}</ref>
:Onward Shawnee! Onward Shawnee!
:Fight for victory!
:Press 'em harder, ever harder!
:Show them we can fight, fight fight!
:Onward Shawnee! Onward Shawnee!
:Fight for victory!
:Fight, Indians, fight, fight, fight!
:We'll win tonight.
====Traditions=Feeder schools===
* Middle Schools
There are always two mascots. One is an Indian princess, and the other is an Indian warrior. The students acting as Indian princess and warrior are always a male and female senior. The outfits they wear while playing these parts were crafted by the Shawnee Indians of Oklahoma. The Indian warrior originated in [[1975]] with a student's Halloween costume, which proved so popular he joined the traditional Indian princess as mascot.
** Indian Hills Middle School
* Elementary Schools
** Belinder Elementary School
** Briarwood Elementary School
** Corinth Elementary School
** Highlands Elementary School
** Prairie Elementary School
** Tomahawk Elementary School
** Westwood View Elementary School
** Trailwood Elementary School
==Shawnee Mission South High School==
During the alma mater, students stand and hold up their right index fingers while singing.
{{main|Shawnee Mission South High School}}
Shawnee Mission South's school colors are green and gold and its mascot is the Raider. The school's mascot was chosen by the first graduating class of 1967. The Raider was chosen as a mascot because of the popular band Paul Revere and the Raiders. Juniors from Shawnee Mission East and Shawnee Mission West were assigned to Shawnee Mission South the first year the school opened. Most of the students from the South come from the middle school Indian Woods. South has a newspaper called The Patriot and a yearbook called Heritage.
In the 2023–24 school year, enrollment is approximately 1,594 students.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-05-15 |title=Kansas K-12 Report Generator |url=https://datacentral.ksde.org/report_gen.aspx |access-date=2024-05-15 |website=Kansas State Department of Education |language=en}}</ref>
The Indian head time capsule (in front of the main office), which was gifted to the school by the class of [[1965]], is roped off and not to be stepped on.
===Feeder schools===
The day before homecoming, Shawnee Mission North stages a large parade. Different clubs, groups, and alumni create floats to parade down Johnson Drive.
* Middle Schools
** Indian Woods Middle School (formerly Nallwood Junior High School)
* Elementary Schools
** Brookridge Elementary School
** Brookwood Elementary School
** John Diemer Elementary School
** Rosehill Elementary School
** Oak Park-Carpenter Elementary School
** Trailwood Elementary School
==Shawnee Mission West High School==
SM North is located in northern [[Overland Park, Kansas|Overland Park]] and serves much of northeastern [[Johnson County, Kansas|Johnson County]]. The SM North area has a population of approximately 52,000 and includes the communities of [[Countryside, Kansas|Countryside]], [[Merriam, Kansas|Merriam]], [[Mission, Kansas|Mission]], northern [[Overland Park, Kansas|Overland Park]], [[Roeland Park, Kansas|Roeland Park]], and Eastern [[Shawnee, Kansas|Shawnee]].
{{main|Shawnee Mission West High School}}
Shawnee Mission West's mascot is the [[Viking]] and the official school colors are black and gold. West opened its doors in 1962; since then, it has been remodeled several times. Additions have also been made to the school, the most famous of which is "the bridge," an actual bridge between halves of the school that later had classrooms added beneath it. It is in [[Overland Park, Kansas|Overland Park]] at 85th Street and Antioch Road.
The [[2006]] population of SM North was 1,966. The mascot is an [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Indian]], and the school colors are cardinal and black.
West is home to both an award-winning school newspaper, the Epic, and a yearbook, SAGA. The Epic was ranked the fifth-best news magazine in the country by the Scholastic Press Association in 2010. West has twice (1986 and 2007) placed second at the National Forensic League tournament for policy debate.
Every year around February a senior male is selected by his fellow classmates as "Northman". This title is much like "Homecoming King" at other schools. Originally called "Big Man on Campus", the winner was crowned at the annual "Women Pay All (WPA)" dance. In [[1979]] the title was considered outdated and changed to Northman.
West's student body population is 13.3 percent Black students, which is the highest population of Black students of any Shawnee Mission high school.<ref name="Enrollment">{{Cite web |date=2023-11-26 |title=Enrollment |url=https://www.smsd.org/academics/curriculum-instruction/interactive-dashboard/enrollment |access-date=2023-11-26 |website=Shawnee Mission School District |language=en}}</ref> West is the most ethnically diverse high school in the district with 46.1% of students coming from Hispanic, Asian, or Black backgrounds.<ref name="Enrollment"/> West draws its student population from [[Overland Park, Kansas|Overland Park]], [[Lenexa, Kansas|Lenexa]], and small parts of [[Shawnee, Kansas|Shawnee]].
North has won 4 state championships in [[football]] ([[1969]], [[1970]], [[1971]], [[1974]])
under the coaching of [[Larry Taylor]]
In the 2023–24 school year, enrollment is approximately 1,618 students.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-05-15 |title=Kansas K-12 Report Generator |url=https://datacentral.ksde.org/report_gen.aspx |access-date=2024-05-15 |website=Kansas State Department of Education |language=en}}</ref>
====Famous Alumni====
*[[Robert Frederick Bennett|Robert F. Bennett]], Governor of Kansas
*[[Richard Myers|General Richard B. Myers]]
*Dr. [[Phil McGraw]] (1968)
*[[Robert (Bob) Tomlinson]]
*Director [[Darren Lynn Bousman]].
===Feeder schools===
* Middle Schools
** Westridge Middle School (formerly Hillcrest Junior High School)
* Elementary Schools
** Apache Elementary School
** Christa McAuliffe Elementary School (Partial)
** Comanche Elementary School
** East Antioch Elementary School (Partial)
** Lenexa Hills Elementary School
** Overland Park Elementary School
** Pawnee Elementary School
** Rising Star Elementary School (Partial)
** Sunflower Elementary School (Partial)
===Shawnee Mission EastNorthwest High School===
[[Image:East_Logo.gif|thumb|175px|right{{main|Shawnee Mission EastNorthwest High emblem]]School}}
Shawnee Mission Northwest High School's mascot is the [[Cougar]], and the school colors are black and orange. It is in [[Shawnee, Kansas|Shawnee]], at 12701 West 67th Street, between Pflumm Road and Quivira Road.
In the 2023–24 school year, enrollment is approximately 1,619 students.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-05-15 |title=Kansas K-12 Report Generator |url=https://datacentral.ksde.org/report_gen.aspx |access-date=2024-05-15 |website=Kansas State Department of Education |language=en}}</ref>
Opened in the school year beginning in [[1957]], SM East is unique in the district for featuring the [[International Baccalaureate]] program, one of the few in the region. As of 2006, the population of East is 2,012, making it the most populous school in the SMSD. East is known for its dispropotionate amount of students to classrooms, a well as only a few African-Americans. The mascot is a [[Lancer]], and the colors are Columbia blue, black, and white. Its alumni include [[Major League Baseball]] players [[trade union|union]] representative [[Donald Fehr]], [[National Review]] senior editor [[Ramesh Ponnuru]], author, [[Harper's]] columnist and Editor of [[The Baffler]] [[Thomas Frank]] and author [[W. Bruce Cameron]], Vimla Dayal, and Allyson Leach. It is located in the suburb of [[Prairie Village, Kansas|Prairie Village]].
===Feeder schools===
The ''Eastonian'' is an [[underground newspaper]] known for its longevity and long lists of editors who all use the pseudonym [[Characters_in_Atlas_Shrugged#John_Galt|John Galt]], the character in Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged. Former editors include Thomas Frank, author of ''[[What's the Matter With Kansas?]]''.
* Middle Schools
** Trailridge Middle School (formerly Trailridge Junior High School)
* Elementary Schools
** Broken Arrow Elementary School
** Christa McAuliffe Elementary School (Partial)
** Mill Creek Elementary School
** Raymond B. Marsh Elementary School (Ray Marsh)
** Rhein Benninghoven Elementary School
** Rising Star Elementary School (Partial)
** Shawanoe Elementary School
** Sunflower Elementary School (Partial)
==District centers==
The Shawnee Mission East sports program is very skilled and competitive. During the 2005-2006 season the SME basketball team took second at the State championship. Also during the 2005-2006 school year the Shawnee Mission East tennis team (boys and girls) won the State championship. The SME swim team won the State championship in 2005 and 2006.
* Aquatic Center
* Arrowhead Day School (K-12)
* Horizons High School
* Broadmoor Technical Center
* Indian Creek Technical Center
* SM Instructional Support Center
==Former schools==
Another defining aspect of SME is its debate/forensics/mock trial squad. The squad is the sixth-largest in the nation with regard to [[National Forensics League]] degrees. Brian Rubaie (2006) was the top student in the nation in points, as ranked by the National Forensics League, and was recently named the All-time National points leader.
* Middle/Junior High Schools
** Antioch Middle School (formerly Milburn Junior High School)
The Shawnee Mission East school newspaper, ''The Harbinger'', has won numerous city-wide, state-wide and national awards. The newspaper is currently advised by [[Dow Tate]]. During the 2004-2005 school year, Libby Nelson, editor of ''The Harbinger'', was named National High School Journalist of the Year by the Journalism Education Association. ''The Harbinger'' won both a Pacemaker and Gold Crown award for its work during the same year. In 2006, the Harbinger was awarded a second Pacemaker, along with a national Best In Show award for design. These awards are given to the top 20-30 high school newspapers each year by two separate groups.
** Broadmoor Junior High School
** Indian Creek Junior High School - now Indian Creek Technical Center
** Mission Valley Middle School (formerly Meadowbrook Junior High School)
** Old Mission Junior High School - closed in 1986
====School Song====
* Elementary Schools
** Antioch Elementary School - now part of the Shawnee Mission Medical Center in Merriam, KS
:Shawnee Mission, hail to thee.
** Arrowhead Elementary School - now Arrowhead Day School
:Lancers we will always be.
** Cherokee Elementary School - now New Haven Seventh Day Adventist Church
:We stand beside our colors bright,
** Don Bonjour Elementary School - now Shawnee Mission Unitarian Universalist Church
:Columbia blue, black and white.
** Dorothy Moody Elementary School - closed at end of 2011–2012 school year
:High school days too soon are gone,
** Flint Elementary School - merged with Bluejacket to become Bluejacket-Flint Elementary School
:But fond memories linger on (stomp feet)
** Greenwood Elementary School - razed, now a Walmart Supermarket
:May our spirits be increased,
** Hickory Grove Elementary School - now Horizons High School
:And '''God''' watch over SM East! (pump fists in air)
** Katherine Carpenter Elementary School - merged with Oak Park to become Oak Park-Carpenter Elementary School
** Linwood Elementary School
====Traditions====
** Marsha Bagby Elementary School
** Mohawk Elementary School - now Mohawk Park
The last school day before the Homecoming Dance, all students are released early from school to celebrate in the Lancer Day Parade. Different clubs and classes organize floats for this special event. The parade starts at the intersection of 75th Street and Mission Road and proceeds down Mission to Prairie Village Shopping Center. Traditionally, the mayor of Prairie Village gives a speech praising SME and changing the name of his/her city for one day from Prairie Village to "Lancer" Village.
** Nall Hills Elementary School
** Osage Elementary School - now Osage Park
The first home Kansas City Royals game of each season is unofficially designated "Senior Skip Day."
** Porter Elementary School - now Porter Park
** Ridgeview Elementary School - now Kansas City Christian School
===Shawnee Mission South High School===
** Roeland Park Elementary School - closed in 2003
[[Image:Shawnee_Mission_South_Raider_Logo.gif|thumb|175px|right|Shawnee Mission South Raider]]
** Sequoyah Elementary School - now Vineyard Community Church
** Shawnee Elementary School
Shawnee Mission South is located on Lamar Avenue near 107th Street in southern Overland Park, Kansas. The school colors are green and gold and its mascot is the Raider. The school's mascot was chosen by the first graduating class of 1967. The Raider was chosen as a mascot because of the popular band The Raiders. Most of the students from South come from the middle school Indian Woods. The school's population in 2006 was 1,805 students. Notable alumni include former [[University of Southern California|USC]] and [[NFL]] quarterback [[Rodney Peete]]. Additionally, [[The Who]] played a concert with the [[The Buckinghams]] at Shawnee Mission South on November 17, 1967. SMS is unique in the district for featuring the Engineering Program. Beginning in 2007-2008 school year, the Shawnee Mission School District is adopting Project Lead the Way (PLTW) as the disrict engineering signature program, offered at Shawnee Mission South High School. SMS is notable because it hosts the Shawnee Mission School District's Center for International Studies, giving students who attend opportunities to study not only Spanish, French, German and Latin, but also Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, and Russian. A club at South is the Raider Revolution Club which has started in the school year 06-07, where the students build robots and compete with them at national competions. Located on the school grounds is the Shawnee Mission Environmental Science Laboratory (SMESL), a 22-acre plot of land consisting of grasslands, trees, a stream, and a pond for scientific research and study. The school houses a variety of animals, both indoor and outdoor, to be studied by students. The school also has some of the best science classrooms in the district, offering Biology Honors to freshmen and sophmores and Physics Honors. SMS is notable for its achievements in scholastic competitions such as [[Academic Decathlon]], Categories (a local quiz-bowl type competition) and forensics. South has won the state Academic Decathlon title the last five years and has had strong finishes at the national level. In 2005, South's [[Science Olympiad]] team made district news by winning the state of [[Kansas]] competition and advancing to the national level.
** Skyline Elementary School
** Somerset Elementary School - closed in 2004, now Addington Place of Prairie Village
** South Park Elementary School - merged with Merriam to become Merriam Park Elementary School
====Fight Song====
** Valley View Elementary School - now Holy Cross Catholic School
(tune: Mr. Touchdown, USA)
** West Antioch Elementary School - closed in 2003
:We are the Shawnee Mission Raiders!
:We have the team that fights to win.
:Hail the Raiders, strong and true.
:Give us a cheer and a loud "LET'S WIN!"
:We wear our colors proudly: green, gold, and white.
:Cheering our raiders to fight!
:Go, fight, win!
:The spirit from within.
:Raiders, we're for you!
===Shawnee Mission West High School===
<!--: [[Image:bla -->
Shawnee Mission West's mascot is the [[Viking]] and the official school colors are black and gold. West opened its doors in 1962; since then, it has been remodeled several times. Additions have also been made to the school, the most famous of which is "the bridge," an actual bridge between halves of the school that later had classrooms added beneath it. As of 2006, its population is 2,042. It is located in [[Overland Park, Kansas|Overland Park]]. Notable alumni include actor [[Paul Rudd]], NFL linebacker Steve Towle, basketball player [[Matt Freije]], comic book artist/writer [[Ande Parks]], actor/writer John Lehr, actor/director Jason Wiles, baseball writer [[Rob Neyer]], actress Gwen Diamond, and seminary teacher Cris Howell. Every 4 years the West Pride Marching Band, along with the Golden Girls Dance Team, travel overseas to march in the New Years Day parade in London, England. The Madrigal Singers, currently under direction of Laura VanLeeuwen, were selected to represent West at Carnegie Hall 2006-07 year. The former principal, Dr. Karl Krawitz was the NEA III District Educator of the Year for 2004-2005. SM West is home to both an award-winning school newspaper, the EPIC, and yearbook, SAGA. [[Jaymie Stokes]], Miss Kansas Teen USA 2007, is a currently sophomore at West.
SM West has a student body population that is 8% African American, which is the highest African American population of any Shawnee Mission high school. Statistically, SM West is the most ethnically diverse high school in the district.
SM West draws its student population from both [[Overland Park, Kansas|Overland Park]] and [[Lenexa, Kansas|Lenexa]].
==== Sports ====
SM West has a long history of success in sports, especially in football. SM West won state championships in 1972 and 1985, in addition to runner-up finishes in 1977 and 2006. Of late, the SM West football team, and its "Viking Power" slogan have become a dominant force in class 6A football under head coach Tim Callaghan. In November 2006 the Vikings defeated Lawrence Free-State High school in the Sub-State playoffs, then lost to Hutchison High School 21- 14 in the state title game in Emporia KS on Nov 25th. They were the first Shawnee Mission School to reach the title game since West won in 1985.
SM West has competed in four state titles games for basketball, the most recent being in 2005, but has never been able to come away with the title. The SM West baseball team also has enjoyed their fair share of success, winning state championships in 1977, 1987, and 1988. In 1991, the SM West Soccer team won the 6A State title defeating two USA Today nationally ranked teams in the process (Wichita South, SM South). Also the SM West Girl's Soccer Team were 2005, 2006 Sunflower League Champions; 2005, 2006 Northeast Kansas 6A Regional Champions; 2005, 2006 Kansas 6A State Quarter-finalist; 2005, 2006 Kansas 6A State Runner-Up.
==== School Song ====
:Alma Mater, hail to thee
:Sing we now so joyfully
:Honor, praise and loyalty
:Ever shall our promise be
:Onward, we are always striving
:For thy colors brave, undying
:Hail to thee, Shawnee Mission West
:Hail to thee, Shawnee Mission West!
===Shawnee Mission Northwest High School===
[[Image:Shawnee_Mission_NW_logo.jpg|thumb|175px|right|Shawnee Mission Northwest Cougars]]
Shawnee Mission Northwest High School's mascot is the [[Cougar]], and the school colors are black and orange. Its principal is Dr. Bill Harrington. As of the 2005-2006 school year, its population was 1,859. Summer school is held here for all of the Shawnee Mission Schools. It is located in [[Shawnee, Kansas|Shawnee]] and produces a bi-weekly newspaper, The Northwest Passage, which has claimed several prestigious national awards since its initial printing in 1969. The yearbook, The Lair, has also won numerous awards. At the 2005 Fall JSPA convention held in Chicago, Illinois, it received third place in Best of Show out of all yearbooks in the nation publishing over 375 pages. It is consistently rated as one of the top yearbooks in the country. In the 2006 Fall JEA/NSPA convention held in Nashville, Tennessee, the Lair received 5th in Best of Show in its category.
====School song====
:Stand up we are the Northwest Cougars
:Kings of mountain, plain, and shore
:We are the Shawnee Mission Cougars
:May our minds and hearts triumphant soar
:United stand we arm in arm
:We raise our banners to the fore!
:Remember we are Northwest Cougars
:Cougars now and evermore
====School Specialties====
The Shawnee Mission Northwest Drumline is consistently a top placer in drumline competitions throughout the marching season. It is under the direction of Britt Haney and Matt Ronan.
As of [[2006]], Northwest’s boys varsity [[Cross country running|cross-country]] team has won the state title for thirteen consecutive years. C-team cross country boys also took the state title in 2006 for the first time in 26 years. The c-team boys were led by Group 2.6 co-captains Stephen Pedroza and Kyle "Too Fast" Morgan. The c-team boys are looking to earn another C-Team State Title in 2007 when the two senior captains pass the torch on to Malcolm "The X" Hegemen and the promising freshmen Chris Wallace. The [[softball]] team won state in [[2003]].
The Shawnee Mission Northwest Marching Cougar Pride is known for its annual lightshow that is displayed at their last home game of the [[football]] season.
Shawnee Mission Northwest is known in the [[Kansas City Metropolitan Area|Kansas City]] Area for their exceptional music programs, especially their jazz band and choir, which hold many talented musicians. The band is under the direction of Penny Snead and Doug Talley.
==Middle Schools==
*Antioch (building was originally Milburn Junior High)
*Hocker Grove
*Indian Hills
*Indian Woods (building was originally Nallwood Junior High)
*Mission Valley (building was originally Meadowbrook Junior High)
*Trailridge
*Westridge (building was originally Hillcrest Junior High)
=== Previous Schools ===
* Broadmoor Junior High (building now Broadmoor Technical Center)
* Indian Creek Junior High (building now used for district offices as Indian Creek Technical Center)
* Old Mission Junior High (building now part of Bishop Miege Catholic High School)
==Elementary Schools==
*Apache
*Belinder
*Beninghoven (Rhein Beninghoven)
*Bluejacket-Flint
*Bonjour (Don Bonjour)
*Briarwood
*Broken Arrow
*Brookridge
*Brookwood
*Carpenter (Katherine Carpenter)
*Comanche
*Corinth
*Crestview
*Diemer (John Diemer)
*East Antioch
*Highlands
*McAuliffe (Christa McAuliffe)
*Merriam (Soon to be Merriam Park)
*Mill Creek
*Moody (Dorothy Moody)
*Nieman
*Oak Park
*Overland Park
*Pawnee
*Prairie
*Ray Marsh
*Rising Star
*Rosehill
*Rushton
*Santa Fe Trail
*Shawanoe
*South Park (Soon to be Merriam Park)
*Sunflower
*Tomahawk
*Trailwood
*Westwood View
=== Previous Schools ===
*Arrowhead
*Bagby (Marsha Bagby)
*Bluejacket (merged into new Bluejacket-Flint school)
*Cherokee (closed 2001)
*Flint (merged into new Bluejacket-Flint school, building is now Wonderscope Children's Museum)
*Hickory Grove (building originally used for AEP program, replaced with new facility and renamed Horizons High School)
*Mohawk (building demolished; now a park at 67th & Lamar)
*Nall Hills (closed 2001)
*Porter (building demolished; site is now Porter Park)
*Ridgeview
*Roeland Park
*Roesland (under reconstruction)
*Skyline (building used for AEP program after closing in 1974, used as the Roeland Park Community Center since 1985)
*Somerset
*Valley View (building is now Holy Cross Catholic School)
*West Antioch (closed 2004)
==District Centers==
*Broadmoor Technical Center
*Center for International Studies
*Horizons High School (AEP)
*[[Indian Creek Technology Center]]
==Demographics==
As of the [[United States 2000 Census|census of 2000]], the district hashad a total population of 219,949 with 93,221 [[household]]s (or occupied housing units) and 59,084 families. 69.0% percent of the occupied housing units arewere occupied by the owner. The [[Race (U.S. Census)|racial]] makeup of the district iswas 91.0% percent [[White (people)|White]], 2.6% percent [[Black (people)|Black]] or [[African American]], 0.3% percent [[Native Americans in the United States|American Indian]] and [[Alaska Native]], 2.8% percent [[Asian American|Asian]], less than 0.1% percent [[Native Hawaiian]] and other [[Pacific Islander]], 1.6% percent of some other race, and 1.6% percent of [[Multiracial|two or more races]]. 4.3% percent of the population arewas [[Hispanic]] and Latino Americans|Hispanic or [[Latino]] of any race.
There arewere 93,221 households out, of which 29.9% arepercent individualswere people living alone, 63.4% arepercent were families, and 6.7% arepercent were non-families with two or more people. 52.2% percent of households (or 82.4% percent of families) arewere married couples living together and 28.6% percent (or 45.1% percent) havehad their own children (that is persons under the age of 18) living with them. Out ofOf the 11.2% percent of households that havehad a householder with no spouse present, 44.4% arepercent were women living with their own children. The average household size iswas 2.33, and the average family size iswas 2.93.
The 50,632 children residing in the district arewere 23.0% percent of the total population, and 13,283 (6.0% percent) arewere under the age of 5; 13,605 (6.2% percent) arewere from 5 to 9; 14,874 (6.8% percent) arewere from 10 to 14; and 8,870 (4.0% percent) arewere from 15 to 17. 48.8% percent of the children arewere female. For 95.1% percent of the children in the district, the householder iswas the child's parent and 77.3% percent live in married-couple families, but 1.1% arepercent were not related to the householder. Also 21 householders or spouses arewere under the age of 18.
== See also ==
* [[Kansas State Department of Education]]
* [[Kansas State High School Activities Association]]
* [[List of high schools in Kansas]]
* [[List of unified school districts in Kansas]]
==References==
{{Reflist}}
*[http://nces.ed.gov/ National Center for Education Statistics]. School district demographic data.
==External links==
* [http{{Official website|https://www.smsd.org/ Official website]}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20040623052940/http://online.ksbe.state.ks.us/rcard/district.aspx?org_no=D0512 Summary of the school district] from the Kansas State Department of Education website]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120316003912/http://atruthfulwestwood.org/Images/school_closing_history.pdf School Closing History]
* [http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Sep2005/20050925_2841.html Myers Reports on Military to Oldest Friends], a September 2005 article about the return of [[Richard Myers|General Richard Myers]] to Shawnee Mission North
[[Category:Johnson{{Overland CountyPark, Kansas]]}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:Education in Johnson County, Kansas]]
[[Category:Kansas City metropolitan area]]
[[Category:School districts in Kansas]]
[[Category:1969 establishments in Kansas]]
[[Category:School districts established in 1969]]
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