Boundary Process - Briarwood / Tomahawk 2022

The Shawnee Mission School District administration has committed to using a boundary work group to engage in research/study and to make advisory recommendations to the administration on boundary changes for Briarwood and Tomahawk elementary schools. Specifically, the work group will review and study an enrollment analysis prepared by RSP and Associates, review and analyze the guiding principles of boundary changes, review and analyze public input, and make advisory recommendations on boundary changes.  

The administration has finished the process of selecting the members of the workgroup, working to ensure the group has representatives from both elementary schools, as well as the district, as a whole. District and building staff have been appointed to the work group.  A google form sent to family and community members replied with interest to participate in the work group, keeping administration’s goal of members being open-minded and who are, as much as possible, neutral to the boundary change.  This work group will include the members listed below.  

The workgroup will begin to meet in September 2022. 

 

Briarwood	Tomahawk	District
Chris Lash, Principal	Erin Aldrich, Principal	*David Stubblefield, Assoc. Superintendent
Autumn Roberts, Teacher	John Kashka, Teacher	*Dr. Leigh Anne Neal, Chief of Early Childhood/Sustainability
Connor Morris, Teacher	Michelle Lawson, Teacher	Dr. Dan Gruman, Director of Research and Assessment
Kelly Horner, Classified Staff	Teri Carrender, Classified Staff	Dr. John McKinney, Director of Student and Family Services
Craig Brown, Parent	Jeff Allison, Parent	Sherry Dumolien, Director of Special Education
Ashley Edmonds, Parent	Jamie Kapke, Parent	Chris Lowe, Director of Elementary Services
Justin Howard, Parent	Rachel Weast, Parent	Kristie Darby, Director of Elementary Services
Ashley Hunt, PTA President	Bonny Green, PTA President	Pam Lewis, Director of Elementary Human Resources
Blake Revelle, Indian Hills Principal		Judd Remmers, Assistant Director of Facilities

*These members will act as facilitators, along with the consultants from RSP and Associates.

April 25, 2022	Deliver timeline and work group representation to the BOE.
May 2, 2022	Release interest to participate form.
May 9, 2022	Form closes at 5:00 PM.
May 16, 2022	Work group members selected by administration and announced.
September 1, 2022	Boundary Work Group Meeting #1 Enrollment analysis, present boundary concepts
September 15, 2022	Boundary Work Group Meeting #2 Refine concepts, discussion/consensus
September 19, 2022	BOE Update Present draft recommendations prepared by the work group facilitators
October 4, 2022	Public Input #1:  Briarwood Gym from 3:45-7:30 p.m. Opportunity for patron feedback
October 4-14	Survey open to the public seeking input as part of the ongoing work of the Briarwood/Tomahawk boundary process work group
October 27, 2022	Boundary Work Group Meeting #3 Refine concepts from public input
November 3, 2022	Public Input #2:  SM East Library from 6-8 p.m. Opportunity for patron feedback
November 14, 2022	Final Recommendation to BOE Administration will present its recommendation for Board consideration and approval.
December 2022	Begin design of new Tomahawk Elementary School
January 2023	New Tomahawk design committee work to begin
March 1, 2023	Transfer window opens - Briarwood student may request an early transfer to Tomahawk (pending space available)
December 2023	Current Tomahawk student move to Indian Creek
January 2024	Groundbreaking on new Tomahawk
March 1, 2024	Transfer window opens - Briarwood student may request an early transfer to Tomahawk @ Indian Creek (pending space available)
August 2025	New Tomahawk opens - boundary change will go into effect.

† All dates are subject to change.

November 14, 2022

The Board of Education approved the Briarwood/Tomahawk Boundary change recommendations outlined in Concept 2, which were presented by Superintendent Dr. Michelle Hubbard. The Board approved the recommendation with a vote 7-0.

Prior to the vote, Dr. Hubbard provided rationale for the boundary change proposal recommended to the Board. Her recommendation was based on the report and recommendation from the Boundary Work Group. Dr. Hubbard outlined the activity of the work group, provided a summary of how community input was engaged, and provided considerations to the Board as a part of her recommendations. Click here to view her presentation. She expressed deep appreciation for everyone involved in the work group. 

 

November 1, 2022

The Shawnee Mission School District (SMSD) has formed a Briarwood/Tomahawk Boundary Process Work Group to discuss options for changes to the attendance areas for these schools, in order to address enrollment concerns across these communities. The Briarwood/Tomahawk Boundary Work Group met on October 27 for its third session to review public input from both the October 4 meeting as well as survey results. RSP & Associates, the planning firm assisting in facilitating the work group, reviewed the process to date with work group members. Based on parameters, target enrollment, and feedback, the work group members analyzed two concepts, concept 1B and concept 2. Strengths of both plans were acknowledged and at the close of the meeting, the majority of the work group favored concept 2. Information on both concepts and the process to date will be shared with the community and additional input will be gathered at the Thursday, November 3, 2022 public input session #2, which is scheduled from 6-8 p.m. in the library at Shawnee Mission East High School, 7500 Mission Road.  An informational video has been prepared, which will be shared with participants at the input session. You can see that video here: Informational Video A packet of information will be shared with input session participants. That packet can be accessed here: Information Packet Work group members will review the feedback from input session #2, and forward a report to Dr. Michelle Hubbard, superintendent of SMSD. Dr. Hubbard will bring forward a recommendation to the Board of Education at its November 14 meeting.  As a reminder, you may attend the public input session #2 on November 3 to share your feedback with work group members.

 

October 27, 2022

The Briarwood/Tomahawk Boundary Work Group met on October 27 for its third session to review public input from both the October 4 meeting as well as survey results. RSP & Associates, the planning firm assisting in facilitating the work group, reviewed the process to date with work group members. Based on parameters, target enrollment, and feedback, the work group members analyzed two concepts, concept 1B and concept 2. Strengths of both plans were acknowledged and at the close of the meeting, the majority of the work group favored concept 2.

Information on both concepts and the process to date will be shared with the community and additional input will be gathered at the Thursday, November 3, 2022 public input session #2, which is scheduled from 6-8 p.m. in the library at Shawnee Mission East High School, 7500 Mission Road. 

An informational video has been prepared, which will be shared with participants at the input session. You can see that video here:

Informational Video

A packet of information will be shared with input session participants. That packet can be accessed here:

Information Packet

Work group members will review the feedback from input session #2, and forward a report to Dr. Michelle Hubbard, superintendent of SMSD. Dr. Hubbard will bring forward a recommendation to the Board of Education at its November 14 meeting. 

As a reminder, you may attend the public input session #2 on November 3 to share your feedback with work group members. 

October 3, 2022

The Shawnee Mission School District has formed a Briarwood/Tomahawk Boundary Process Work Group to discuss options for changes to the attendance areas for these schools, in order to address enrollment concerns across these communities.

The first of two public input sessions related to the Briarwood/Tomahawk Boundary Process Work Group takes place this week and the timeline for the first meeting has been extended.

The first public input session will be:

3:45 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

*Please note the extended time period.

Oct. 4, 2022

Briarwood Elementary School gymnasium, 5300 W. 86^th Street.

The format of the session will allow participants the opportunity to offer input, and will be open house style, allowing participants to come and go as needed. This will hopefully allow those observing the religious holiday to join, as well as those who may be coming from work to attend. At the conclusion of the input session, a survey will be provided both to those in attendance at the session and online, so feedback about the concepts may be gathered.

About the Briarwood/Tomahawk Boundary Process Work Group

The Shawnee Mission School District has formed a Briarwood/Tomahawk Boundary Process Work Group to discuss options for changes to the attendance areas for these schools, in order to address enrollment concerns across these communities.

An update on the work group’s progress was shared at the September 19, 2022 Board of Education meeting. An initial proposed concept for a boundary change (Concept 1A, attached) was shared as part of that meeting as a precursor to a broader community discussion at the upcoming public input session, scheduled for October 4, 2022.  Data related to Concept 1A can be viewed here. However, during discussion and questions at the board meeting, it was determined that Briarwood Elementary School’s projected enrollment still needed to be reduced.

With this in mind, we are sharing an additional concept map, Concept 2A (attached). Data related to Concept 2A can be viewed here. The work group initially reviewed this concept, but did not advance it due to a section of the map shifting students from Tomahawk to Briarwood.

With the need to make additional reductions to enrollment at Briarwood Elementary, Concept 2A is also being advanced. It is being shared now to give the community the opportunity to review both proposed concepts in order to offer feedback. Please keep in mind that these concepts at this time are drafts, and no decisions have been made.

Timeline

Results from this survey will be shared with the work group as they continue their work at their next meeting on October 27.

A second public input session is scheduled for November 3 at Shawnee Mission East, 7500 Mission Road, in the library from 6-8 p.m.

An update and recommendation from the work group will be shared with the Board of Education at the November 14 board meeting.

 

September 30, 2022

Dear Members of the Briarwood and Tomahawk Elementary School Communities, As many of you are aware, the Shawnee Mission School District has formed a Briarwood/Tomahawk Boundary Process Work Group to discuss options for changes to the attendance areas for these schools, in order to address enrollment concerns across these communities. An update on the work group’s progress was shared at the September 19, 2022 Board of Education meeting. An initial proposed concept for a boundary change Concept 1A, (attached ) was shared as part of that meeting as a precursor to a broader community discussion at the upcoming public input session, scheduled for October 4, 2022.  However, during discussion and questions at the board meeting, it was determined that Briarwood Elementary School’s projected enrollment still needed to be reduced.  With this in mind, we are sharing an additional concept map, Concept 2A (attached). The work group initially reviewed this concept, but did not advance it due to a section of the map shifting students from Tomahawk to Briarwood. With the need to make additional reductions to Briarwood Elementary’s enrollment, Concept 2A is also being advanced. We are sharing it now to give the community the opportunity to review both proposed concepts in order to offer feedback. Please keep in mind that these concepts at this time are drafts, and no decisions have been made. Our next step is to hold the first of two public input sessions on October 4. In order to ensure as many families as possible can participate, we are adjusting the time to 3:45-6:45 p.m. The format of the session will allow participants to offer input, and will be open house style, allowing participants to come and go. This will hopefully allow those observing the religious holiday to join us as well as those who may be coming from work to attend. The public input session will be in the gym at Briarwood Elementary School, 5300 W. 86th St. At the conclusion of the input session, a survey will be provided both to those in attendance at the session and online, so we may receive feedback about the concepts. Results from this survey will be shared with the work group as they continue their work at their next meeting on October 27. A second public input session is scheduled for November 3 at Shawnee Mission East, 7500 Mission Road, in the library from 6-8 p.m. An update and recommendation from the work group will be shared with the Board of Education at the November 14 board meeting. Sincerely, David Stubblefield and Leigh Anne Neal

September 19, 2022

David Stubblefield, associate superintendent of leadership and learning, and Dr. Leigh Anne Neal, chief of early childhood learning and sustainability introduced Rob Schwarz and Ginna Wallace from RSP & Associates, who provided an update on the work of the Briarwood/Tomahawk Boundary process work group.

Superintendent Dr. Michelle Hubbard emphasized that all information presented represented draft work that could be revised several times before any considerations are made.

The work group is made up of 26 Shawnee Mission parents, community members, and district staff. Schwarz and Wallace provided information on defined roles of the work group; academic, culture, and economic concepts; boundary guiding principles; parameters and goals; enrollment details; boundary maps; demographic information; projections; concepts developed; and details about the process.

A public input meeting will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on October 4, 2022 at the Briarwood Elementary School cafeteria, 5300 W. 86th Street. The purpose of the meeting will be to collect patron input on concerns, challenges, and/or outlook for the proposed boundary options. An online survey will be created and go live on October 4 for those unable to attend the meeting. A work group meeting is scheduled on Oct. 27.
Click here to view the presentation.

 

September 1, 2022

The Briarwood/Tomahawk Boundary Process Work Group held its first meeting.  Following introductions of members, Rob Schwarz and Ginna Wallace from RSP and Associates provided work group members with an overview of the process, reviewed the timeline for the process, roles, guiding principles, parameters, and goals for the boundary process.  The work group members received and discussed information regarding student enrollment and projected enrollment at elementary schools in the district.   Work group members began reviewing, discussing, and offering feedback and questions around boundary concepts for Briarwood/Tomahawk. 

The Briarwood/Tomahawk Boundary Process Work Group will meet again on September 15 to continue to review and refine boundary concepts.  An update on the work group’s progress will be presented at the Board of Education meeting on September 19.  The first of two public input sessions is scheduled for October 4 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the cafeteria at Briarwood Elementary School.