January 31, 2025

Good morning Giants !

This week is winter fest. Tickets for the dance will be sold today during lunches.

Good morning, World Changers!

Winterfest is this Friday. All World Changers must be picked up no later than 11:30 p.m. If you are not picked up by this time, you will be uninvited to all future after school events. Please make sure your transportation is on time. We can't wait to see you on Friday.

Winterfest is here, Giant Nation!

Tonight, our Maroon Giants take on Battle Creek Lakeview at 7 PM in a crucial conference matchup. We’re UNDEFEATED in conference play, and we need YOU to pack the stands and bring the energy!

Theme: Hawaiian – so break out the tropical gear and let’s make it a night to remember.

Then, keep the party going at the Winterfest Dance starting at 9 PM! Let’s make it a Giant night from start to finish!

A Parent Teacher Conference Make-Up date is scheduled for Wednesday, February 5, 2025. Conferences will be held from 4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Teachers will be reaching to reschedule appointments planned for January 21, 2025.

Bittersweet Ski Resort, Otsego, MI

The Kalamazoo United Alpine Ski Team (Loy Norrix + Kalamazoo Central) Boys team finished 1st overall in the

Conference for Race 4, 1 st in slalom and 3 rd in Giant Slalom. Leading the boy’s team was Junior Sam Oberlee

(LN) with a 1st in Slalom and 2 nd in Giant Slalom, finishing overall for Race 4 in 1st place! Sophomore Luke

Buytendorp (LN) was 3 rd in SL and 7 th in GS, Nolan Kiplinger, Senior (LN), was 13 th in SL, Senior Lincoln Hoffman

(KC) 15 th in Slalom, Freshman Cameron Merkling (KC) 16 th in Slalom and Senior Jamison Merkling (KC) was 19 th .

Sophomore Grady Heystek (LN) finished 3rd in Slalom and 1 st in GS on Varsity B.

The girls team finished 4 th in both Slalom and Giant Slalom. Leading the way was Senior Amelia Todd (KC)

placing 2nd in Slalom and 4 th in Giant Slalom and 2 nd overall for Race 4. Senior Lizzie Bierlein (LN) was 13 th in

Slalom and 16 th in Giant Slalom, Senior Natalie Velten (KC) 11 th in GS and 21 st in Slalom, Junior Mary Ewing (LN)

23 rd in Slalom and 33 rd in GS, Senior Katie Rhodes (KC) 25 th in GS and 28 th in Slalom and Freshman Zoe Newman

(LN) 30 th in GS and 33 rd in Slalom.

Great team effort by everyone on the team!

The team is back in action on Wednesday, February 5th at 4:45pm at Timber Ridge!

A HUGE Congratulations to your Giants Men’s Swim Team! They used an amazing 96.88% Personal Record rate to defeat Battle Creek Central 82 – 68 last night. The meet appeared to be a lot closer than the final score. The score was thought to be 71 – 70 going into the final event, the 4x 100-yard Freestyle Relay. However, a number of Bearcat disqualifications had not been factored into the unofficial score. It was believed that your Giants (Enoch Praise, Tom Olagbemi, Nick Pollard, and Pablo Pena) needed to win the final relay to pull off their 1st win of the season. They did not disappoint! They attacked that relay with all they had left. After 3 legs of the race it was a 0.02 second difference between the teams. Pena anchored the relay with his personal record and 2.2 seconds ahead of the Bearcats to secure the win!

Top Finishers for the Giants: 4x 50-yard Medley Relay of Praise, Jake Totten, Pena, and Lars Lagoni; Pena in the 200-yard individual Medley and the 100-yard Butterfly; Praise in the 100-yard Backstroke. Praise and Lagoni led the team in personal records with 5 each. Will Cummingham contributed 4 personal records and a 2nd place finish in the 50-yard Freestyle. David Nyirenda contributed 4 personal records. Olagbemi and Pollard each produced 3 personal records. Olagbemi earned his with his 2nd place finishes in the 200- and 100-yard Freestyles. Pollard earned his with his 3rd place finishes in the 200- and 500-yard Freestyles. Totten doing the Ironman event list, swimming the 500-yard Freestyle, then into the 100-yard Breaststroke, and right into the 4x 100-yard Freestyle still turned in 2 personal records! A fantastic and exciting night for the Men’s swim team.

Hey KC! How's it going? I can't hear your response cause' I'm on the announcements, but you know what you CAN hear?! The KCHS Improv team on Friday at 8pm before the Winterfest dance! Come see our sillies, shenanigans, and hijinks! New team, same old laughs! $7 General admission, $5 admission with student ID! You won't wanna miss this!

Good morning seniors please stop by the athletic office to pick up your box of chocolate. You need to sell the whole box and return the money once you’re done. This is one of our biggest fundraisers so we need all of your support.

Hey everyone! Come to the Women’s Advocacy will meet Thursday Jan 30th at 2:30 in Mrs. Dodson's room (359). We’ll be talking about upcoming events and how you can get involved to help women in our community. Whether you’re already part of the group or just want to learn more, we’d love to have you there!

The KC Personal Finance Club will meet again on Thursday, January 30th in room 244 after school from 2:30 - 3:15. The guest speaker will cover budgeting and savings.

Softball winter workouts are starting. They are Sunday 3-6 and Wednesdays 6-8. Please join us!

“ The women’s conditioning for KU lacrosse begins today! It will be held at the Maple Street Middle School Gymnasium every Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 7 to 9 PM. If you're interested in playing a spring sport, you are welcome to join! For any questions, feel free to reach out to student-athletes Ella Basse and Lara Rogan. “

Parent(s)’/Guardian(s)’ Responsibility:

• It is the responsibility of the parent(s) and/or guardian(s) to notify the student’s school as early as possible on the day of an absence and explain the reasons for the absence.

• Written or email verification of a student’s absence by a parent/guardian is required (unless otherwise indicated by the appropriate administrator) and should be provided to the school the day after an absence.

• Student absences are considered unexcused if documentation supporting an excused absence is not provided.

• After 3 consecutive absences, a medical note from a physician may be required.

• It is the responsibility of the parent(s) and/or guardian(s) to make arrangements with the teacher to obtain missed assignments due to absences.

What is an excused absence?

• Student illness and/or appointment verified by the parent/guardian or medical professional

• Medically verified extended illness or hospitalization

• Attending a funeral

• Religious holiday

• Absence due to a subpoenaed court appearance

• Any time missed due to KPS school transportation issues

Please send email absence excuses to chsattendance@kalamazoopublicschools.net

We ask for your support in reinforcing the following school expectations with your children:

• Chromebooks: Students must bring a fully charged Chromebook to class daily. All Chromebook issues will be handled in the Chromebook Room during lunch

• ID Visibility: Students are required to wear their ID visible around their neck at all times. Pulling them out of pockets or backpacks is unacceptable. IDs are required to gain entrance into the building. They must be worn at all times around your neck and displayed. You may purchase an extra ID from Mrs. Garza for five dollars.

• Lunch Procedure: Each student is allowed to take only one lunch. Students who violate will serve dention and/or suspension

• Timeliness: Students must arrive to classes on time. Pattern of behavior will result in student loss of privileges up to and including suspension.

• Respectful Behavior: Students should keep their hands to themselves. Any physical aggression will be treated as an individual fight and students will be suspended.

• Detentions: Students must serve assigned detentions; failure to do so may result in suspension.

• Clean Environment: Students must throw away their trash after breakfast and lunch. They must also respect the bathrooms by putting paper towels in the trash can, flushing the toilet, and reporting vandalism. Students may receive lunch duty and other consequences.

• Safety and Welfare: Students can be suspended for behaviors that interfere with the safety and welfare of others, including walking the halls, vaping, attending more than one lunch, and any form of physical or verbal aggression.

• Hats, Hoodies, or Bonnets: are not allowed to be worn in the building at any time.

• Cell Phones may not be used during class time or while on bathroom breaks. Students may use cell phones before school, passing time, lunch, and after school.

• Attendance: To send in all student absences to CHSattendance@kalamazoopublicschools.net. If the absence is for a doctor's visit please remember to send in the doctor's office note with your email.

We appreciate your help in encouraging students to adhere to these expectations.

Arrival

• Please drop off students in the front of the building, not the back.
• Buses have a limited time for picking up, dropping off, and transporting students to the elementary schools.
• If you are dropping off your student at the curb please drop off and pull away from the curb. If you are planning on waiting until the doors open please pull into a parking spot. It creates a traffic jam and is unsafe for our students walking into the building.

Dismissal

• To ensure a safe and efficient pick-up process, please adhere to the following guidelines:
  1. Pick up students in the front of the building.
  2. Do not cut in front of buses.
  3. If picking up after 2:45 PM, you may pick up in the back.

Safety Matters
Students darting between buses can create an unsafe environment. Let's work together to maintain a safe and orderly dismissal process.

Speed Club is back! Any athlete wanting to get faster and more explosive should plan to attend the Maroon Giants Speed club on Mondays and Wednesdays starting next week, Monday, January 13th. Speed Club meets in room 254 right after school. We begin at 2:45 sharp, and will be done no later than 3:45.

All track and field athletes: now is the time to begin preparing for greatness. Pre-season training schedules are available outside Coach Germain's door. Stop by and grab one any time!

Seniors! The Kalamazoo Promise Pathway Coaches will be hosting Open Labs every third Wednesday in lab 553. Starting November 20th. Open Lab is a one stop for everything post secondary. Applying to college, trade programs, promise paperwork, FAFSA and more. You will need a pass to and from Open Labs. Reach out to your Promise Coach, Ms. Trenae Dunigan, with questions and for more information.

If you are interested in joining upper bound applications are now being taken. Please use the link attached to apply today. Please see flyer today for more information.

As the weather turns colder it is very tempting to bring a blanket to school to snuggle in. Please leave it at home on your bed or couch to be ready for you when you get home and read a book. We do not allow students to use blankets as an alternative to coats or sweatshirts. Our HVAC system was upgraded this last year so we should be toasty all Fall/Winter long.

Thank you for your ongoing support of our students’ educational journey. We want to emphasize the importance of academic success and the role homework plays in achieving it.

Students are expected to complete their homework daily, as this work is important for understanding the material and preparing for quizzes, test, & state assessments. Help your student to set aside dedicated time and space each day for studying, which will help them stay on track. They can also stay after school for tutoring with our WMU tutors, CIS tutors, and KC Teachers.

Our goal is for every student to pass all their classes and earn the necessary credits toward high school graduation. Your encouragement at home can make a significant difference in their efforts.

Thank you for your partnership and being a part of our Giant Nation!

Attention CTE, KAMSC, and Dual Enrollment students, please pick up your yellow ID's in the Main Office, this will indicate to KC staff that you are allowed to leave campus and re-enter the building

Please be sure your are in the google classroom for the class of 2025 and that your have joined remind to receive text notifications.

If you have questions please see your advisors Mrs. Yarbrough and Ms.Bell

Aunt Flows Lockers are officially stocked! If you need any period products look for the lockers next to Women's restrooms marked with pink tape. If you need a more consistent supply of products don't hesitate to get in touch with kcwomensadvocacy@gmail.com.

State Representative Julie Rogers is seeking enthusiastic students to join her Youth Advisory Board! This is a fantastic opportunity to learn about government and make your voice heard. Interested? Check out the application linked below! For more information or questions, contact Kaitlyn Ozanich, who participated last year. Don’t miss your chance to get involved!

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeUHZeK5sEB68_rrDK_-AQmRmAYiC6QIDahsFhGGnPfXbl48Q/viewform