KAMSC Newsletter

Hello! I am so excited to welcome students and staff back for the 2025-2026 school year. It is an honor to serve KAMSC. You will receive a newsletter from me via smore every week, usually at the end of the day on Fridays. I hope that this communication will help families feel connected to all of the great things going on at KAMSC. We will send it to all parents listed in our student information system as well as all students. It will also be posted on the KAMSC website. starting on Aug 22nd (our website is currently under construction). Please read it each week so that everyone is feeling connected and communicated with.

It has been a joy to have some freshmen on campus the last two weeks with some of them brushing up on Algebra skills and some taking the Introduction to Science Inquiry course. I can't wait for the first day of school to greet all of the students!

Heather Kortlandt

Director, KAMSC

Please note that the first day of KAMSC is Tuesday, August 26th, which differs from your child's partner school start date. If you have questions about:

1. Transportation to and from KAMSC - contact your partner school's office

2. Lunch - lunch will start the week of September 8th. In order to get a packed "to-go" lunch from KPS food service at KAMSC, you must fill out this form for us . If you have a special dietary request, you must fill this form out for KPS food service.

3. Medications - please make sure you have filled out the appropriate KAMSC office paperwork for this and drop that and the medication off in the office prior to the first day of school. The best time to do that next week will be Wed 8/21 - Fri 8/23 between 8am-3:30 pm. Reach out to Ms. Pat Sanders in the office or via email at kamsc.office@kamsc.org

4. Field Trip full year opt-in form - This year we will only ask for one year-long permission to opt in to all KAMSC field trips. All trips will be announced ahead of time, if you feel that a trip comes up that you do not want your child to attend but have opted in for the year, you will have an opportunity to opt out for each individual field trip. All families should fill out the OPT In form below for the school year, by August 26th, 2025 Click here to opt in.

We hope you are as excited to start school as we are! The 9th-grade teachers at KAMSC hope your student can attend our annual 9th-grade Orientation on Tuesday, August 19th, from 2 - 5p at the Kalamazoo Nature Center (7000 N Westnedge Ave, Kalamazoo, MI 49009). The event is FREE and will be lots of fun! If there is someone from the KNC in the entrance booth just tell them you're there for the KAMSC Orientation.

There will be icebreakers and team-building events, time to get to know your new classmates and teachers, and even a chance to ask veteran KAMSC seniors your questions so you're ready for the first day. The event will wrap up with an ice cream social, and you'll get to take home your very own KAMSC tie-dye t-shirt! For families, there will be members from the KAMSC Parent Organization there at 4:45p for meet and greets when you arrive to pick up your student. While the event is not required, we cannot recommend it enough, so please try your best to attend. If your schedule prohibits attending the entire event, no worries! Come late or leave early, we'd still like to see you on Tuesday. :)

This event will take place outside regardless of weather (rain or shine), so please dress accordingly. Check the weather before heading out the door, bring a rain jacket or sunscreen, and wear comfy shoes and clothes so you can fully engage with the activities and KAMSC fun! If you have any questions please contact the KAMSC Office (269.337.0004) or 9th-grade teacher Katelyn McCarthy (katelyn.mccarthy@kamsc.org).

Thank you,
Information Technology Teacher Mrs. Katelyn McCarthy
Honors Biology Teacher Mrs. Colleen Chapoton
Integrated Math I Teacher Mrs. Jodi Wiegerink

We are excited to welcome you to KAMSC! Students, please join us for an orientation for new tenth and eleventh graders at KAMSC on Friday, August 22, from 1:00-3:00. This is a time to meet other students, look at your classrooms, get a KAMSC t-shirt, enjoy refreshments, and learn more about the school year. Parents are welcome to join as well.

You can enter and exit through the Vine Street entrance. We will meet in Ms. Joyce's classroom, room 434.

Please respond to Ms. Joyce at this email address: Rebecca.Joyce@kamsc.org to let her know if you will be attending the orientation.

KAMSC is in the process of switching from Synergy to PowerSchool. Most of our partner schools already use it, and so many parents and students will be familiar with that. I will send out information next week, in Friday's newsletter for you all to download the app, log in and edit/add all of the necessary information. Please be on the lookout for that next week.

9th grade Honors Biology will attend a field trip to the West Lake Nature Preserve to explore a variety of ecosystems and the flora and fauna characteristics of Southwest Michigan. Each student is assigned a date based on their KAMSC group, either Sept 16 (Angles group), 17 (Rays group), or 18 (Segments group). Students will be informed their date based on which KAMSC 9th grade group they are in either at orientation or once school starts. Please fill out the Opt in permission slip for the full year which can be accessed by clicking the link in the back to school information section above.

Students will need parent transportation to West Lake to arrive between 8-8:15 and KPS will provide busses back to KAMSC for all students. Students will then catch their busses/rides to their partner schools from KAMSC for the afternoon. Please fill out this form to indicate whether you are able to drop your child off at the West Lake Nature Preserve on the specified day of your child's field trip. Please fill the form out after you know the date/group your child is in.

Please dress appropriately for the weather as students will be outside for the entire time.

• No open-toed shoes or sandals
• Consider bring sunscreen and insect repellent.
• Students should also bring a notebook and writing utensil.

This year we will only ask for one year-long permission to opt in to all KAMSC field trips. All trips will be announced ahead of time, if you feel that a trip comes up that you do not want your child to attend but have opted in for the year, you will have an opportunity to opt out for each individual field trip. All families should fill out the OPT In form below for the school year, by August 26th, 2025

Aug 19 - 9th grade orientation - 2-5pm Kalamazoo Nature Center

Aug 22 -10th-12th grade new student orientation - 1:00-3:00pm

Aug 26 - First day of school at KAMSC

Aug 29 - No school

Sept 1 - No School

Sept 3 - KAMSC open house - 9th & 10th grade 6-6:55 pm 11th & 12th grade 7-7:55pm