| Shawnee Mission Northwest High School | |
|---|---|
| Address | |
| 12701 West 67th Street [1] Shawnee, Kansas, 66216 United States |
|
| Information | |
| School type | Public, High School |
| Established | 1969 |
| School district | USD 512 |
| CEEB Code | 172771 [2] |
| Principal | Bill Harrington [3] |
| Athletic Director | Richard Grinage [3] |
| Grades | 9–12 |
| Gender | coed |
| Enrollment | 1,790 |
| Campus type | Suburban |
| Color(s) | Orange Black White |
| Athletics | Class 6A [4] District 2 [5] |
| Athletics conference | Sunflower [3] |
| Team name | Cougars |
| Rival | Shawnee Mission North High School |
| Newspaper | The Northwest Passage |
| Communities served | Shawnee Mission |
| Website | School Website |
Shawnee Mission Northwest High School is a fully accredited public high school located in Shawnee Mission, Kansas, USA, serving students in grades 9-12. The current principal is Dr. Bill Harrington. Shawnee Mission Northwest is one of many schools located within Shawnee, Kansas and surrounding areas. The school colors are orange, black, and white. The school population is approximately 1,850 students.
Shawnee Mission Northwest was founded in 1969 in order to help educate the increasing number of students due to the emerging population of Shawnee Mission. The school launched the International Baccalaureate program at the start of the 2008-2009 school year. Shawnee Mission Northwest is a member of the Kansas State High School Activities Association and offers a variety of sports programs. Athletic teams compete in the 6A division and are known as the "Cougars". Extracurricular activities are also offered in the form of performing arts, school publications, and clubs.
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Shawnee Mission Northwest High School was established in 1969 to help educate the increasing populations of Shawnee and Overland Park, Kansas. In 1998, a mural of evolution was painted near the science rooms in the school which created controversy throughout the school and the city. The mural depicted many things including DNA, cells, photosynthesis, and a four chambered heart. In addition to this, the mural also depicted in a series of walking figures, the evolution of man, from a hunched-over, hairy, apelike creature to the modern man. The mural offended many students and their parents and a large debate was held concerning whether to paint over the mural. In the end, the mural was left alone and remains today.[6]
In 2008, Shawnee Mission Northwest launched the International Baccalaureate program for the 2008-2009 school year.
In 2004, history teacher Dan Fullerton was named the 2004 Kansas Outstanding Teacher of American History by the Kansas Society Daughters of the American Revolution.[6]
The Cougars compete in the Sunflower League and are classified as a 6A school, the largest classification in Kansas according to the KSHSAA. Throughout its history, Shawnee Mission Northwest has won many state championships in various sports. Many graduates have gone on to participate in Division I, Division II, and Division III athletics. Spanning from 1994–2007, the Northwest boys varsity cross-country team won the state title for fourteen consecutive years and nineteen years overall.[7]
| State Championships[8] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Sport | Number of Championships | Year |
| Fall | Football | 1 | 1981 |
| Gymnastics, Girls | 8 | 1985, 1986, 1993, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2010 | |
| Volleyball | 1 | 1988 | |
| Soccer, Boys | 4 | 1990, 1993, 1998, 1999 | |
| Cross Country, Boys | 20 | 1977, 1982, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2010 | |
| Cross Country, Girls | 13 | 1980, 1981, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2011 | |
| Spring | Golf, Boys | 2 | 1985, 1989 |
| Golf, Girls | 2 | 1998, 1999 | |
| Track & Field, Boys | 2 | 2002, 2011 | |
| Tennis, Boys | 1 | 1997 | |
| Baseball | 3 | 1990, 1991, 1993 | |
| Softball | 6 | 1976, 1994, 1997, 2000, 2002, 2003 | |
| Total | 65 | ||
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 (also the bowling coach) and Matt Ronan. Shawnee Mission Northwest is known in the Kansas City Area for their exceptional music programs, especially their jazz band and orchestra, which hold many talented musicians. The band is under the direction of Penny Snead and Doug Talley. The orchestra is under the direction of Jeffrey Bishop. The choir is under the direction of Scot Schwartz.
The school newspaper is The Northwest Passage and the yearbook is The Lair. The print journalism program is now joined by web journalism at http://www.smnw.com/. The journalism program is run by Susan Massy. The Passage, Lair, and website have all received national scholastic journalism awards.