Thanks to All Keeping SMSD Strong!

Shawnee Mission is thrilled to honor all Shawnee Mission School District (SMSD) employees during Educator Appreciation Week, May 3-7, 2021. We are excited to see all the celebrations that will take place across the district this week!

We all have been faced with many challenges this year, and we want to recognize and thank everyone who has worked to make sure SMSD  remains strong. We hope our community will join us in this celebration.

This week, all employees will receive decals with the phrase “Keeping SMSD Strong.” It is being shared as a symbol of appreciation from the Shawnee Mission School District. This emblem serves as a reminder that SMSD employees work tirelessly to help students achieve their personal best every day, and their work strengthens our community. 

We hope that, as this image is seen, our students, family members and community will join us in giving words of thanks to the educators they know, or when they see someone wearing a district badge. 

Here are a few materials to help:

Use this stationery to print or email a thank you note to an SMSD employee.

Here are some coloring sheets for students to display or give to an educator they know:

Coloring Sheet 1

Coloring Sheet 2

Please share your thanks for SMSD employees you know by using the hashtags #SMSDStrong and #KeepingSMSDStrong on social media.

We are also grateful for the numerous local businesses who have stepped up this year to offer discounts to Shawnee Mission School District employees as part of Educator Appreciation Week. We extend a word of gratitude to the Overland Park and Leawood Chambers of Commerce, who are partnering with us to connect us with businesses wanting to provide these discount offerings. We sincerely appreciate all participating businesses. We will be sharing a list with our staff so they can enjoy these offerings. If you know of a local business who would like to participate in offering a discount to educators, please let us know at adcommun@smsd.org.

This week also marks the time we honor all retirees and service pin recipients. Collectively, these individuals have dedicated thousands of years of service to help students achieve their personal best. We are truly fortunate to have so many dedicated individuals building a better future for our students every day.  

No matter how many years served in the SMSD, we encourage our community to express thanks and gratitude for all employees, remembering the tremendous obstacles they have overcome this year, and all they do in service to the mission of Keeping SMSD Strong.  

Sincerely, 

Mike Fulton

Superintendent