Principals and community volunteers gathered on Sept. 4 to make plans and discuss how to best support Shawnee Mission school communities throughout this year.
Community members who have connected with schools across the district through Caring for Kids, attended a kickoff event at Shawnee Mission West. One of the goals of Caring for Kids is to connect groups with schools and help volunteers identify partnership projects that best support the goals of the individual school.
Jeremy McDonnell, principal at Westridge Middle School, and Amy Nine, and Amy Nine, social worker at Westridge, were among those who spoke about how Caring for Kids has made a positive difference for their school community. In the 2018-19 school year, Caring for Kids partners donated time and groceries to help 300 local families prepare Thanksgiving dinner in their own kitchens. Deputy Superintendent Rick Atha also thanked Caring for Kids for supporting students and staff in the Shawnee Mission School District.
One of the central activities of this event, however, was to get to work. Principals and community volunteers took time to discuss their goals and talk about their next steps for accomplishing these goals.