KAMSC Newsletter

What a fun week with holiday dress up days, the physics of toys demonstrations and of course alumni day. KAMSC is full of intensity at times but the enjoyment of learning and doing hard things seeps through all of the time. We hope that this two-week break is full of what Challenge Success refers to as PDF - playtime, downtime, and family time. Thank you for entrusting us with your children everyday. Each one brings unique gifts to the program and we all feel fortunate to work with them.

Happy Holidays,

Heather Kortlandt

Director, KAMSC

Hannah Bippley, Sarah Cho and Aichatou Salifou, are part of the KAMSC HOSA Public Service Announcement team. They have created a public service announcement video that demonstrates different brain healthy habits that, when implemented, can help to reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease as we grow older. As part of their competition, they need people to watch the PSA video and complete a survey talking about the video's impact on their opinions on brain healthy habits. Below is a flyer with QR codes for both the video and the survey on it. Please consider participating.

Exams will be the week of January 12th at KAMSC. Please see the calendar below for the schedule. We believe there will be a minor conflict with some Portage students on Jan 13 and 14, we expect that they may arrive late since Portage Exams are expected to run until 11:50. Please try to arrive by 12:30-12:45. We will allow additional time post 2 pm to make up for your late arrival. Please discuss your plans with your teachers and sign in if you arrive late to KAMSC.

Exam Review Sessions provided to you by the Student Senate. We will have structured review/study sessions hosted by student senate representatives on:

Friday, January 9 from 2-6 pm at KAMSC - we will serve pizza

• If you would like to participate in the study session from 2-6 pm, we ask that you sign up here so that we can provide enough food for the event.
• Senate is looking for student "expert" volunteers - hours will count toward the KAMSC volunteer award - if you feel you could lead a session please sign up on this doc to be an expert. Experts must be in grades 10-12.

We have a wonderful group of parents (calling themselves the "treat crew" organizing some fun students snacks to take place approximately once per month on Fridays. The first one will be Friday, January 9th as a welcome back from holiday break. and will be a popcorn bar for a sweet and salty treat. They have gotten a wonderful donation from the Woodbridge Hardings for the popcorn and the parents will volunteer to come set up and host the event, but they are looking for some support from others to sign up to provide some sweet toppings. Please use the sign up genius below and bring your contribution to the KAMSC office by Thursday, January 8th. Thank you for helping this team bring some joy to KAMSC!

If there are any KAMSC families that ever wish to use the food pantry on the third floor, you can simply contact Mrs. Allbee, and she will work with you to get you what you need. It is all anonymous and very simple.

The KAMSC parent organization would like to invite you to keep abreast of their meeting agendas/minutes and dates so that you can be as involved as you like. It would be great to get more underclassmen parents involved so that you can help lead as some of our families "graduate" out. Click this link to review meeting minutes.

GALS is a free grade summer science program for high school students across Michigan. The program is designed to expand opportunities for students who identify as female or gender-nonconforming, students of color, students from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds, and others historically excluded from STEM fields. All students are welcome to apply. Her is the link to the program website https://galsmi.weebly.com/ and a blog about the first year's program https://www.kbs.msu.edu/2025/10/gals-program-first-year/

Selected participants spend two weeks in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula, learning science through hands-on fieldwork alongside Michigan State University researchers. We especially encourage applications from students who have had limited exposure to outdoor learning or field-based science. Academic performance is not considered in participant selection—our focus is on students who would thrive in an experiential, supportive learning environment.

The 2025 application window opens December 1 and runs through March 2. Here is a flyer with additional details, and we hope you can help spread the word to Michigan science teachers, potential applicants, and your broader community networks.

I hope that you all have had a chance to review our KAMSC Handbook and sign the acceptance form through PowerSchool. Here is a direct link to it again. I would invite you to be sure that you have read through the MTSS support procedures. I will pull grades to review the 3.0 requirements and use that as a gauge to get more support for students. If your child is showing that need, Mrs. Allbee or I will email you and the child to set up support provided by KAMSC. This is required for a three week interval and then we pull grades again to review. Our hope is always that that three week interval is enough support but students will sometimes move in and out of support throughout a semester. Please know, that this is meant to be a supportive measure. We take our responsibility of helping your child achieve the high standards of KAMSC seriously.

If you are dropping off or picking up your student at KAMSC, please do so at the Vine Street entrance. Please find a safe place to pull over and then have you student proceed to the Vine street entrance. If students are driving themselves:

1. They need to acquire a parking pass from the KAMSC office - please fill this out

2. They need to park by the El Sol playground off of Dutton Street (but then walk to Vine street entrance)

3. They should be reminded to not keep anything valuable in their car and to keep their cars locked at all times.

4. The building will have a campus security officer at the Vine Street entrance during times of arrivals and dismissals.

December 20-January 4 - Winter Break (KAMSC Closed)

January 7 - Open Lab 6-7:30

January 9 - Exam Review Night - hosted by Student Senate 2-6 pm at KAMSC

January 12 - Math Exam AM & PM students

January 13 - Science Exam AM students and Elective Exam PM Students

January 14 - Science Exam PM students