KMS WEEKLY UPDATE

Dear Parents & Guardians,

The PTSA will be hosting another immensely popular Friday Night Live (FNL) event, on February 9th, from 6-8 PM. FNL is exclusively for middle school students and is free of charge. Teachers will be reminding all students about the guidelines for after-school events, as follows:

• It's essential to note that students must remain for the entire duration of the event unless a parent/guardian picks them up early and comes in the building to sign them out.
• During school events, all school rules and dress codes apply, and we encourage students to review the student handbook's guidelines beforehand. You can find the student handbook here.
• While all students are welcome to attend, if any student receives an office referral between February 5th and 9th, they may be ineligible to participate.

We hope to see all eligible students at the event!

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Also, as a reminder, we value your thoughts and input, and would greatly appreciate your feedback on the School Climate & Connectedness Survey (SCCS). One family member per student in a school should take the survey.

Last year, only 2% of KMS families completed the SCCS. This year, our goal is to get at least 50% of families to complete the survey.

Please click the link to complete the SCCS survey.

https://surveys.panoramaed.com/aasb/280070family

What is the School Climate & Connectedness Survey (SCCS)?

The School Climate and Connectedness Survey (SCCS) is a voluntary statewide survey taken by students, staff, and parents/guardians. It was developed by the American Institutes for Research (AIR) in partnership with the Association of Alaska School Boards (AASB).

What does the survey measure?

SCCS measures positive school climate, how connected students feel to adults and peers, social and emotional learning (SEL), and observed risk behaviors at school or school events.

How do you define school climate?

School climate refers to the quality and character of school life. The climate reflects social and emotional learning, norms, goals, values, interpersonal relationships, teaching and learning practices, and organizational structures of that school. A positive school climate is associated with well-managed classrooms and common areas, high and clearly stated expectations concerning individual responsibility, feeling safe at school, and teachers and staff who consistently acknowledge all students and fairly address their behavior.

How do you define connectedness?

School connectedness refers to students’ school experiences and their perceptions and feelings about school. This includes feeling that they are a part of the school, that adults at the school care about them personally, that their learning matters and is a high priority, that they are close to people at school and have supportive relationships with adults, and that teachers and staff consistently treat them with respect.

Thank You,

Geoff Smith, Principal

Rena Rankin, Assistant Principal

This is where we will have a quick reference for the upcoming week. More info is usually listed lower in the newsletter, if needed.

Our swim unit will start Monday, and continue for 2 weeks, from Feb 5 - Feb 16.

Please be sure your student has a swimsuit,

a towel, and a bag to hold wet clothes on each swim day.

Tuesday, 2/6

7pm in the Drama Pod of the Gerald C. Wilson Auditorium

Representing KMS:

Sebastian Villaroya and Mariah Ennenga, with Jonnalyn Hill as alternate

GOOD LUCK TO ALL OF OUR SPELLERS!!

Friday, 2/9

6pm-8pm

There is no charge to attend, but there will be food and drinks for sale, from $1-$3/ea.

Enter KMS through the Commons/Playground doors near Powell Street

All students must stay INSIDE KMS until 8pm unless a parent/guardian comes in to the building to sign them out early. School rules and dress codes apply.

Just a reminder, these Healthy Schools guidelines are still being followed this year.

If you are not sure if your child is well enough to come to school, please refer to the flyers below.

Let's all do our part to keep each other as healthy as possible.

Mr. Mikenis led a discussion on Monday about healthy foods with Ms. Thorpe's Transition class and his Life Skills class.

Mr. Mikenis and Ms. Dale set up time Tuesday morning to make some healthy snacks for both classes.

Mr. Pendon's 7th grade Math students took a turn being the teacher!

On Thursday, Mr. Fogle's Outdoor Education class took a field trip to the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge Center.

*some photos are edited to comply with no media permissions

Congratulations to the Egg Fried Rice Champs for Quarter 3:

Cecilia Pedersen

Max Niel

Autumn Wortham

Cole Chambers

Jaden Rastopsoff

National Assessment of Education Progress is scheduled for selected 8th graders on 2/7/24.

A letter was emailed home on the 10th of January discussing this assessment.

If you wish to opt your student out of this assessment, please notify the office no later than Wednesday, January 31, 2024.

E-mail your 8th grader's baby photos to

KMSYEARBOOK@KIBSD.ORG before March 20, 2024!

Pictures will be featured in the 2023-2024 KMS Yearbook.

Thank you!

Our next PTSA-Sponsored event is the hugely popular FRIDAY NIGHT LIVE on February 9.

The students love these opportunities to hang out with their friends and enjoy games, snacks, and fun times with each other!

As always, PTSA can only host fun events for our middle schoolers with your help.

Please consider signing up to lend a hand so that our kids can get silly, socialize and have fun at their school.

Click here to sign up if you are able to come help out before, during, or after!

Thank you so much!

Each yearbook comes with 2 pages you can customize - for FREE!

(customization deadline is March 20, 2024)

CLICK HERE TO GET YOURS TODAY

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Here you will find events that will be happening in the next couple of months, but not during the coming week.

We want to give our families plenty of time to plan around our activities and opportunities.

Details will be posted later in this newsletter and/or another newsletter in the near future.

• 3/4 - 3/15: 7th Grade PE - Ice Skating Unit
• 3/7: PTSA Meeting, 6pm, KMS Library
• 3/18-3/22: No School, Spring Break
• Track - Information coming soon

SESSION 2: YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE

FEB 5, 5:30 PM

KIBSD CENTRAL OFFICE PRESCHOOL

In the second session of our five-session series, discover ideas and activities that help assist your child in choosing positive behaviors, understanding feelings, and expressing them in healthy ways. This session also focuses on the importance of practicing self-care, providing tips and strategies for parents.

The Good Grade Incentive Program is designed to encourage and celebrate student success by providing a $50 cash prize for middle and high school students who maintain a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 and above.

Please click below to read more about the guidelines, eligibility, and how to enter.

Stay informed about what is happening in your student's school district!

Meeting information is posted on the Kodiak Island Borough School District website, www.kibsd.org, under the Board of Education tab - or click here.

KIBSD now streams meetings via Microsoft Teams!

The meeting agendas and documents can be viewed on BoardDocs, http://www.boarddocs.com/ak/kodiak/Board.nsf/Public

For more information, contact:

Laurie Pardoe, Secretary to the Board of Education

907-486-7566

laurie.pardoe@kibsd.org.

The agendas are subject to change;

therefore, the only official agenda is the one found online.

Click the flyers for more info.

KMS Guidance Counselors would like to remind you of the free VIP membership below, called Smart Social. It's available to all KIBSD families, free of charge.

Educate yourself and your children against the dangers online.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to Theresa Miller at 907-486-7471.

KIBSD Schools are excited to welcome our visitors and volunteers to the different schools.

If you have not visited one of our schools before or have been coming for a long time, we have made some minor changes to standardize our process throughout the schools.

There will now be a sign-in binder you will be asked to sign, along with the name tag you are used to wearing. We ask for your patience, if we have not seen you before, you will be asked to present an ID when you sign in.

All non-KIBSD employees in the buildings will be asked to use staff facilities, not the student washrooms.

We also want to say good-bye when you leave so we are asking everyone to stop by the office to sign out.

ATTENDANCE LINE:

Please use this option to let us know that your child is going to be absent, late, or if you're picking them up early. This is OPTION 1 when calling the school at 907-486-7460.

We check the voicemails every hour.

CHECKING STUDENTS OUT:

Please call in the morning to let us know that you will be checking your student out early. Press the attendance line (OPTION 1) to leave a message. A pass will be given to your student so they can be ready when you arrive. You will come to the front entrance, ring the bell, and sign them out in the office.

DROPPING OFF LUNCH/ITEMS TO STUDENTS:

Please be sure to drop off lunch to students PRIOR to their lunch time.

When dropping off any items to students, please do so BEFORE the class they need it, and we will call them to the front office during passing period.