SM South News

SMSD for Trees

300+ students band together to plant 223 trees across 36 schools, 11 parks, and 10 cities.

Annie Caswell, Reporter • April 28, 2021

Last year Chase Horner and Harley Witbrod set out on a mission to improve the environment by planting trees throughout the Johnson County area. What started as a simple task of planting 50 trees has...

Graduation Date Change

Board of Education votes to move graduation dates for seniors

Simon Cox, Reporter • March 1, 2021

The SMSD board of education has voted to move the graduation of the 2021 class to May 24. Previously the graduation date was set for June 1. The last day of school was also moved from June 14 to May 27....

Return to Hybrid

With second semester on the horizon, the district makes a change to the learning model.

Sarah Ohlde, Copy Editor • January 13, 2021

With the beginning of second semester, middle and high school students will return to hybrid learning on Jan. 26. This means that students who have chosen the in-person learning option will be in school...

The Show Must Go On

Despite many challenges this year, the SM South theater department prepares for their first show of the year.

Annalie Polen, News & Opinions Editor • December 18, 2020

Relentlessness has been shown many times throughout this year as past South traditions find a way to continue in a covid friendly way. One holiday tradition that is having to be revised this year is...

Voter Registration Step by Step

As many first time voters attempt to register, COVID-19 has only made it more hectic. Here is a step by step guide to make sure you are registered.

Noel Mohammed, Reporter • October 12, 2020

This year with COVID-19 you may not feel comfortable registering to vote in person. Luckily there are two other ways to register contact-free. In Kansas, you are allowed to vote in-person and by mail....

Homecoming Madness

Amidst the global pandemic, a rescheduled football game, and thirty minutes of rapid planning, court nominees look to find the silver lining of homecoming this year.

Reese Woods, Multimedia Editor • October 9, 2020

Friday, Oct. 9 is the 2020 homecoming football game and ceremony that was originally scheduled for the coronation to begin at 6:30 and the football game against Olathe South to follow, but with the COVID-19...

The Gates Have Opened

Johnson Country has officially revised the gating criteria for schools surrounding COVID-19.

Sarah Ohlde, Copy Editor • October 7, 2020

On October 1, the Johnson County Department of Health and Environment (JCDHE) released an update on school gating criteria regarding COVID-19. Johnson County is in the orange zone,which according to JCDHE,...

Coming To You Live From SMS

KSMS, SM South's video production program, has begun broadcasting football and soccer live.

Annalie Polen, News & Opinions Editor • October 2, 2020

Friday nights here at South look a bit different than they did last year and every year before. Instead of a full stadium with football players and cheerleaders, filled with the sound of the band playing,...

Netflix, But For High School Sports

SMSD breaks ground on new streaming service for all sporting events across the district.

Evan Shibel, Editor-in-Chief • September 22, 2020

At 12:56 p.m. on Tuesday, September 22, John Johnson, athletic director at Shawnee Mission South, announced that all sporting events held in the main gym, auxiliary gym, or the stadium, would now be livestreamed...

SMSD Board approves return to fall sports

Vote allows high school sports to resume practices starting Thursday, competitions to follow

Evan Shibel, Editor-in-Chief • September 9, 2020

After questions concluded around 6 p.m. Wednesday, the SMSD board of education voted 5–2 in favor of resuming the fall sports seasons. Prior to the vote, SMSD was the last district in the state to still...