KSTM Newsletter March 2026

It is hard to believe we are already approaching the Month of March!!! This month we "Spring Forward" on Sunday, March 8th, please make sure to adjust your clocks so that everyone is on time to school on Monday as "Every Minute Matters!" We also have Parent-Teacher Conferences in March and hope you are able to attend them on March 12th. There are many events upcoming with in this newsletter, but for a full list of all activities and announcements, please be sure to check the KSTM website found here for upcoming events, the staff directory, and other important information. https://www.ops.org/kingscience

Important Reminders and Upcoming Events:

• Parent-Teacher Conferences are in March. They will be held in the KSTM Gymnasium. The dates for PT conference: March 12th from 12-7pm. Please see below for additional information.
• Due to conferences, there is NO SCHOOL for students on Thursday, March 12th and Friday, March 13th.
• SPRING RECESS for students and staff is from March 16th to March 20th. When students return to school on Monday, March 23rd, it will be a "B-day".

• If you are interested in your student attending homework help or high dosage tutoring at KSTM, reach out to Nicole Benson - Nicole.Benson@ops.org or call at 531-299-7030 for more information regarding Tutoring at KSTM.

#KSTMPROUD,

Jane Laughlin

Principal

• In-person conferences will be held on Thursday, March 12th from 12-7pm. Conferences will be in held in the KSTM gym. This will be our only IN-PERSON conference date that week. Community can come to meet with all KSTM staff during this time by coming up to the school.

• In addition to that date and time, staff will be available from 3:25-4:25 p.m. for pre-scheduled virtual or phone conferences on Monday (March 9), Tuesday (March 10) and Wednesday (March 11). These conferences would need to be PRE-SCHEDULED via the grade level administrator. If you would like to see about scheduling a time during these dates/windows - please start by calling the grade level administrator.

Middle schools across our district are strengthening students’ experience to better ensure all students are reading on grade level and prepared for success. These years are critical for young people to build strong reading and writing skills.

We are acting on student, staff and family feedback to deliver:

· More frequent teaching on reading and math through an updated class schedule, with both subjects most days and rotating longer periods mid-week

· A stronger focus on reading and writing across classes

· Academic support through reading and math intervention and extension time during the school day

· Consistent access to elective choices in the arts, STEM, and career exploration that include work on reading and writing

The schedule shift will be implemented in the 2026-27 school year. These efforts are to give students more consistent, high-quality learning across all middle schools, so every student feels supported, challenged, and prepared for high school and beyond. Families are critical partners, and we wanted to share this information directly as we begin planning as a staff team.

We are grateful for your continued partnership.

In April, all KSTM students will participate in school wide testing for NSCAS. We are excited about this opportunity for students to show their knowledge. As a reminder, getting enough sleep, eating breakfast, and being on time to school are important steps to ensure students are able to do their best. KSTM will test on April 7, 8, 14, 15, 21 & 22 using the adjusted school schedule below.

We want to express our gratitude to everyone who supports students coming to school every day, on time, and ready to learn.

Thank you to our students and families for making daily attendance a priority. Thank you to our wonderful teachers who pour their energy into making each classroom an exciting place for exploration and knowledge, so children do not want to miss learning. Thank you to our support staff and community volunteers who provide the extra hands and attention our children need.

It takes an average of three days for students to catch up for every one day of being absent. Students who miss less than nine days throughout the school year will attain the goal of missing less than 5% of the entire school year.

Attention Students and Families: There are 415 minutes in the school day, and every minute counts! Tardies to class disrupt the classroom, interrupt the lesson, and put students at risk of falling behind. These reminders started on Monday, September 15th and will go out daily. The school will send daily emails to parents and guardians of students who were tardy to one or more classes. BE RESPONSIBLE, WILDCATS! Get to class on time.

🐾 Wildcats Club (WCC) February Highlights & What’s Next!

Wildcats Club has been on the move! From cooking to skating to reading challenges — our students are staying active, engaged, and having FUN while learning. Here’s what’s been happening and what’s coming up!

🌟 What We Have Done

🥗 February 13 – Cooking at No More Empty Pots

WCC students enjoyed a hands-on culinary field trip where they prepared delicious Latin-inspired grain bowls! Students learned about nutrition, cooking techniques, and teamwork — and best of all, they got to taste their amazing creations!

🛼 February 16 – Skating Fun at Skate City

Nothing but smiles and smooth moves! Students hit the rink for an afternoon of roller skating, music, and laughter. It was a fantastic way to stay active and build community.

📚 What We Are Doing

📖 Reading Challenge – Final Week!

We are in the last week of our 3rd Reading Challenge, and the competition is close!

🏆 Current Leaders:
1️⃣ Jozlyn Gordon – 1st Place
2️⃣ Lugman Aden – 2nd Place
3️⃣ Neveah McGuire – 3rd Place

The winner will be announced next week — stay tuned! Keep reading, Wildcats!

🎉 New Clubs Are Here!

We are excited to launch several new enrichment clubs:

🏀 PE with Pouncil – Fridays 3:30–4:30
Basketball, soccer, baseball camps, and more!

🎮 ESports – Fridays 3:30–4:30
Competitive gaming and teamwork in action!

🛹 Skatefest – Fridays 3:30–4:30
Learn how to skateboard and build confidence on wheels!

🎤 Action Jackson – Tuesdays & Thursdays 3:30–4:30
Improve public speaking and presentation skills — and make it FUN!

🧘‍♀️ Bend It with Brittany – Mondays 3:30–4:30
Relax, recharge, and release stress with yoga.

There’s something for EVERY Wildcat!

🚍 What’s Coming Up

🎲 Thursday, March 5 – WCC Game & Trivia Family Night

🕠 5:30–7:00 PM

Families are invited to enjoy a night of food, fun, games, and AMAZING prizes — including a bike raffle! 🚲

📩 RSVP by Tuesday, March 3
Email: swise@aiminstitute.org
Call/Text: 402-881-0092

🚌 Upcoming Field Trips

📅 Thursday, March 12 – Field Trip (TBA)
📅 Friday, March 13 – Field Trip (TBA)

More details coming soon!

Wildcats Club continues to provide opportunities for learning, leadership, literacy, and lots of laughter. Thank you for your continued support — we couldn’t do this without our amazing families!

🐾 Once a Wildcat, Always a Wildcat!

College Visits With the School Counseling Program

Exposing students to post-secondary opportunities during middle school is key. It allows students the opportunity to envision themselves on a college campus, learn about how to make college a reality for them, and increases motivation to be successful.

All 7th grade students will have the opportunity to attend Midland University for a college visit on Thursday, March 5th (Mrs. Hixson's case load: last names L-Z) and Friday, March 6th (Mrs. Mbachu's case load: last names A-K). Ms. Sledge will distribute and gather permission slips, which will be due on Monday, March 3rd. Ms. Schmitz also sent an email out on Monday at 6pm with more information and the permission slip as well.

All 8th grade students will have the opportunity to attend Iowa Western Community College on Tuesday, March 10th (Ms. Jackson's case load: last names A-J) and Wednesday, March 11th (Mr. Santos' case load: last names K-Z). Mr. Nieland will distribute and gather permission slips, which will be due on Friday, March 6th. Stay tuned for an email from Ms. Schmitz on Monday evening with additional information!

Free service through NDE and NSCS

Nebraska SMART, a free online tutoring program developed by the Nebraska State Colleges in partnership with the Nebraska Department of Education (NDE), has now expanded statewide, providing all K–12 students with access to one-on-one academic support at no cost.

How Nebraska SMART Works:

• Parents must register their children for tutoring through the Nebraska SMART website.
• Once registered, students (or parents) can schedule sessions or connect instantly using our on-demand feature.
• Tutoring is available in 15-, 30-, 45-, or 60-minute increments; on-demand sessions are available in 10-minute blocks.
• All sessions take place on Pearl, a secure online tutoring platform that records and manages communication.
• Tutors are education majors who have been admitted to their programs, completed background checks, and are mentored by College Program Coordinators.

Dear Parent(s)/Guardian(s),

These are the days your teen will want to remember forever. Help make their year unforgettable by purchasing a 2025-2026 yearbook. For only $20.00, your student will have a book that will be enjoyed for years to come.

Buy Online with a credit card, debit card or PayPal at yearbookforever.com or at school with cash or check in the front office. Order now so your child won’t miss out when the books are distributed.

As an adult, you know how important memories become. Don’t let your child’s memories fade; make sure they get a yearbook today!

Sincerely,

Jennifer Buser

Yearbook Adviser, King Science Technology Middle School

This summer, our district notified families that students at King Science will continue to receive lunch at no cost, regardless of income, through the USDA Community Eligibility Provision (CEP).

We encourage our families to complete an Educational Benefits Form by Sept. 24 to see if they qualify for additional benefits including:

• Discounted home internet services

• Discounted or waived fees for SAT, PSAT, ACT, AP and other academic tests

• Waived or reduced college and postsecondary application and course fees

• Scholarship options

• Access to career, internship and other community programs

Log in to SchoolCafe and click “Apply for Benefits” to complete the form. It only takes a few minutes to complete if you have your household income details handy.

One form covers all students in your household. If you have already completed an Educational Benefits Form or Free and Reduced Meal Application through SchoolCafe, you can check your eligibility status on your account dashboard.

Please reach out to our office if you need help completing your application.

8th Grade Administrators:

• Ms. LaDeidre Jackson: 531-299-4016 LaDeidre.Jackson@ops.org
• Mr. Odell Santos: 531-299-3774 Odell.Santos@ops.org

7th Grade Administrator

• Ms. Nicole Benson: 531-299-7030 Nicole.Benson@ops.org

6th Grade Administrator

• Ms. Roxana Silva: 531-299-9049 Carmen.Silva@ops.org

Instructional Facilitator (all grade levels)

• Mrs. Kelcey Schmitz, 531-299-8027 Kelcey.Schmitz@ops.org

Contact AD Odell Santos with questions regarding sports activities or events at 531-299-3774

MTSS-B stands for Multi-Tiered Systems of Support for Behavior. MTSS-B focuses on behavior Expectations that are prioritized and used all through King Science.

The framework for MTSS-B is:

• A Problem-solving framework for behavior

• A systematic standardized implementation of evidence-based practices

• A framework with standardized practices that has tiers of increasingly intensive supports that increase the likelihood students are academically, emotionally, behaviorally and socially successful.

At King Science with have two tiers of MTSS-B.

Tier 1 serves every student through our school wide expectations “The King Way”

• Be Respectful

• Be Responsible

• Be Safe

Students who show positive behaviors that match The King Way can be awarded Wildcat Bucks, which they can exchange in our Wildcat Store every few weeks.

Tier 2 serves a smaller portion of students who need more support than Tier 1. The Tier 2 team gives instruction to students on how to solve peer conflicts and helps them improve their attendance.

Attention Students: There are 415 minutes in the school day, and every minute counts! Tardies to class disrupt the classroom, interrupt the lesson, and put students at risk of falling behind. Beginning this week any student who has 3 tardies during the week will be assigned an afterschool detention the following week. BE RESPONSIBLE, WILDACTS ! Get to class on time.

• Cell Phones and Personal Devices must be off and out of sight during the school day from 7:40-3:05
• Student failure to comply may result in their personal device being confiscated by administration.
• Parent Communication and Code of Conduct consequences may be applied for repeated violations of the No Cell Phone/No personal device policy.
• If you have any questions regarding this, please call the grade level administrator.

Personal devices (headphones, earbuds, cell phones) and big backpacks are to be put away during the school day. String backpacks are available for purchase in the main office for $10 in Wildcat Bucks.

The OPS Parent Survey link is open all year long.

SURVEY LINK: http://www.tinyurl.com/OPSParentVoice