The Week Ahead

Great Things Happen Here at Killingly High School!

Dear KHS Students, Families, and Staff,

What an incredible week to be a Trailblazer! This week was filled with opportunities to celebrate student achievement, plan for the future, promote wellness, and demonstrate our school spirit. I want to extend my sincere appreciation to our students, staff, and families for their support, participation, and enthusiasm throughout the week.

Celebrating a Great Week at KHS!

• PSATs & Post-Secondary Planning: Thank you to our School Counseling Department, teachers, and staff for their hard work coordinating and administering the PSATs for students in grades 9–11 and providing meaningful post-secondary planning opportunities for our seniors. We appreciate our students for their participation and commitment to preparing for their futures!

• Great Things Happen Here – R.E.D. Assembly: What a wonderful opportunity to come together as a school community and recognize the incredible things happening at KHS! Our R.E.D. Assembly celebrates students and staff who exemplify our core values of Responsibility, Excellence, and Dedication. These values are more than words—they are reflected in the choices we make, the way we treat one another, and our commitment to doing our best every day. We are proud to recognize the many Trailblazers who make a positive difference in our school community!

• Wellness Day: Thank you to everyone who helped organize and participate in Wellness Day! Taking time to focus on our physical, mental, and emotional well-being is an important part of building a healthy, supportive school community. We hope students enjoyed the opportunity to connect, recharge, and explore ways to prioritize their wellness.

• Homecoming Week: A very special SHOUT-OUT to our Student Council! Thank you for the tremendous amount of time, creativity, and hard work that went into planning our Homecoming spirit days, events, football game, and dance. Your leadership and dedication help create the traditions and memories that make KHS such a special place. Thank you to our staff and students for embracing the festivities and showing your Trailblazer pride!

• 🤖 Killingly Robotics Teams Shine at Competition!

  Congratulations to our Killingly Robotics teams on an outstanding performance at yesterday’s competition at CREC High School in Enfield!

  All three teams represented Killingly with tremendous skill, determination, and teamwork!

  • Teams NaCl+ and Battery advanced to the Round of 32!

  • Team Nitro earned victories in both the Round of 32 and Round of 16!

  • Team Extraction battled their way to the Finals, earned 2nd place in the Skills Competition, and qualified for the 2027 CREATE U.S. Open!

  Beyond their impressive competitive accomplishments, our students received numerous compliments from judges for their outstanding character, sportsmanship, and professionalism both on and off the competition floor.

Looking Ahead: Quarter 1 Is Almost Over!

Next week is our last full week before Quarter 1 grades close! This is an important time for students to take ownership of their learning and finish the quarter strong.

We encourage all students to:

• Check Google Classroom and PowerSchool to review grades, assignments, and any missing work.

• Communicate with your teachers if you have questions, need clarification, or want to discuss opportunities to improve your performance.

• Use PRIDE and intervention blocks wisely! These are valuable opportunities to seek extra help, complete assignments, and strengthen your understanding.

• Stay focused and finish strong! Every day is an opportunity to demonstrate Responsibility, Excellence, and Dedication.

Families, we encourage you to check PowerSchool with your student and have conversations about their progress, goals, and plans for a successful end to the quarter. Your partnership makes a difference!

Celebrating Día de los Muertos at KHS!

We are excited to recognize Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), a meaningful Mexican tradition celebrated in many Latino communities that honors and remembers loved ones who have passed away. This celebration provides an opportunity for our school community to learn about cultural traditions, appreciate our diversity, and celebrate the importance of family and remembrance.

Thursday, October 29 | 9:25 AM–12:50 PM | KHS Cafeteria

Students will have the opportunity to receive beautiful half-face Día de los Muertos makeup designs!

Important reminders:

• Students must sign up in advance to participate.

• Spaces are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.

• Scan the QR code on flyers posted throughout the school to reserve your spot.

• Students who register should check their school email for their assigned time slot.

We look forward to celebrating and learning together as we approach Día de los Muertos on October 31–November 1!

Let's Keep the Momentum Going!

As we head into the final stretch of Quarter 1, I encourage everyone to continue demonstrating kindness, supporting one another, and taking pride in our school community.

Our R.E.D. values remind us that greatness is not defined by one accomplishment or event. It is built through the everyday actions, choices, and commitments we make to ourselves and others.

Thank you for all you do to make Killingly High School a place where students feel connected, supported, challenged, and celebrated.

Great Things Happen Here because of YOU!

Have a wonderful week ahead, Trailblazers!

Carrie Apanovitch
Principal, Killingly High School

Stay connected with the Killingly High School Counseling Department! Our counselors are here to support students throughout the school year with academic planning, college and career exploration, scholarships, social-emotional support, and so much more.

Be sure to check out the latest Newsletter for important information, upcoming opportunities, deadlines, resources, and announcements for students and families.

Senior Recognition Ads are available with an “Early Bird Discount” through November 20th! Click the link, design your ad and save! https://jostensyearbooks.com/?REF=A01028490

Ms. Lajoie has been working hard behind the scenes to bring this newsletter together, gathering all the important updates and highlights from our clubs and student organizations. From events to achievements, this is your go-to place for everything happening in our school community. Be sure to check out the new newsletter and stay connected!

Class Advisor: Mrs. Jarvis

Sjarvis@killinglyschools.org

860-779-6624

Senexet Grange #40, a local community organization based in Woodstock, CT, is organizing its 2026 Annual Winter Boot Drive benefiting TEEG, which supports individuals and families throughout northeastern Connecticut.

We are inviting families to donate new or gently used winter boots and new socks in all sizes to help children, adults, and seniors in our region stay warm and safe during the winter months.

Donation Details:

· Collection Period: Throughout October 2026

· Community Drop-Off: Saturday, November 7, 2026

· Drop-Off Location: Putnam Town Hall - Parking Lot

· Items Needed: New or gently used winter boots and new socks

· Sizes: All ages and sizes

Families wishing to participate may bring donations to the community drop-off location on November 7.

If your family is in need of winter boots or socks this season, we encourage you to contact TEEG directly to learn more about available resources and assistance.

Every donation, large or small, can help make a difference for someone in our community. Thank you for your generosity and for helping us keep our neighbors warm this winter!

Senexet Grange #40

Woodstock, CT

Dear KPS Parents and Guardians,

We are excited to announce that Killingly Public Schools will be transitioning this summer from SchoolMessenger to ParentSquare as our primary communication platform for families, students, and staff.

ParentSquare will provide a more streamlined and reliable way for you to stay connected with your child's school. The platform combines school announcements, notifications, messages, event reminders, and other important communications into a single, easy-to-use platform.

One of the greatest benefits of ParentSquare is its all-in-one communication experience. Families can receive and view school communications directly within the ParentSquare app, in addition to the more typical text message, phone call, or email. This gives you a centralized location to access and review messages at any time from your child's school. We're hoping this will remove a lot of the worry of missing an important call, email, or text from the district.

In addition, ParentSquare offers other helpful features such as:

• A user-friendly mobile app and web portal

• Secure document delivery

• The ability to communicate more directly with teachers and school staff where appropriate

• Day-to-day school, classroom, and district-wide announcements viewable all in one location

• More targeted and relevant communications based on your child, school, activities, or programs

Over the coming weeks, we will share additional information about ParentSquare, including instructions on how to activate your account and download the mobile app. ParentSquare accounts will be automatically created using the contact information currently on file with the district.

We believe this new platform will strengthen communication between our schools and families and provide a more convenient and engaging experience for everyone.

Thank you for your continued partnership and support as we implement this exciting new communication tool.

Sincerely,

KPS Administration