KAMSC Newsletter

We had a great set of Saturday events at KAMSC last weekend. Our outreach coordinator Mrs. Susan Fisher ran a wonderful event, called GISMO for middle school girls interested in STEM topics. 59 Computer Science students attended the WMU coding event, where they also heard lectures on AI and Cybersecurity. This week, MSO organized a successful potluck with students/families/staff contributing dishes from around the world. Our Parent Organization engaged in their monthly meeting and are always looking for ways to put kids first! What a wonderful community to be a part of. I'm so grateful for the KAMSC community, students, staff, and parents. I wish you all some great PDF time over the holiday. Students will be in school only Monday and Tuesday next week. I will NOT send a newsletter next week so the next newsletter will be on December 5.

Heather Kortlandt

Director, KAMSC

Parents of 9th graders, please click on this link to indicate whether you can drop your student off on the morning of their field trip at Waldo Library. We have arranged transportation back to KAMSC for students to catch buses/transportation back to partner schools at the end of the morning, but need your help getting students to Waldo Library. If this is a barrier for you, let us know in the form below and our office staff will transport students in need of this.

All 9th grade parents have opted into permission for the year for field trips, so you are all set with this piece. If you wish to opt your child out of this particular trip, scroll down to click on the opt out form located in the old news section below.

Please drop your students off at Waldo Library at 8:10 at the east entrance of the WMU Student Center, 1070 Student Center Loop. Google map link: https://maps.app.goo.gl/bHEkecRxV1LuRYRU7

Students will meet their teacher under the awning shown in the photo..

It is the yellow location on the attached map.

Dates of field trips:

Angles - Tuesday, December 2nd.

Rays - Wednesday, December 3rd

Segments - Thursday, December 4th

We will host perspective 8th families here on Wednesday, Dec 3rd (no open lab) from 6:30-7:30. We will begin with them downstairs at Chenery Auditorium, while staff and some students present about our program. Then, they will head upstairs, around 7:00 to find a room representing the school their student will attend next year. Ex. If they are a Portage Northern student, we will have a Portage Northern room with PN students and a PN parent there to do a Q and A with them. We need one parent from each high school in the county and a parent to represent "non public schools" as well. Please click the button below to sign up to volunteer.

Bring your items into KAMSC - boxes for each grade level will be in the main office and points will be collected toward the class competitions:

- 1 point = canned goods (vegetables, fruits, soups)

- 3 points = dry goods (rice, pasta, cereal), peanut butter

- 5 points = can openers, baby food and formula

The winning grade will receive 20 "grade cup points"

Click this link, look at the pictures, if any of this is yours, please come to the office and collect by Dec. 15 or it will be donated.

Parents of teens can help spread a cautionary word about the opioid-like product called "7-OH" or "kratom". This may be sold at convenience stores and marketed as an herbal energy supplement or "study drug." However, its potency and ingredients are unregulated, and it can be harmful and addictive. If you'd like to know more: Mayo Clinic Kratom Unsafe

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.

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.

Nov 26-28 - No Students Thanksgiving Break

Dec 2-4 - 9th grade Fieldtrips to Waldo Library

Dec 3 - 8th grade open house 6:30-7:30 - no open lab

Dec 10 - Open Lab 6-7:30 (Only one in December)

Dec 10 Parent Org Meeting - 6:15-7:15