KAMSC Newsletter

We hope that you will all come out to the Kalamazoo Central HS track on Wednesday night from 6-7 pm to join us for our fun run event. We will be celebrating health and well being and will have students help us host the event. People can walk, run or cheer from the sidelines. It should be a great time.

Mrs. Joyce did an excellent job with College Night this week. Our students asked so many wonderful and articulate questions. I loved how Dr. German from MSU reminded our students of how special they are and how all of these universities know the level of rigor at KAMSC. She praised the students for working so hard and all of the Universities mentioned how they love to admit students from KAMSC because of this!

Tutoring support is off to a great start, we have study groups being formed by students as well. We want to normalize that getting help early and often and using all of your resources is normal at KAMSC. It is also normal in college. We want students to learn those good habits here so they can utilize them early and often in College as well.

We have our annual study skills workshop Wednesday, Oct 8th. We invite all students and parents, but really want to emphasize that 9th graders should attend. It will be run by students and is a fun event.

Heather Kortlandt

Director, KAMSC

KAMSC sophomore, Marta Kellam brought forth the idea of a healthy fundraiser for KAMSC last December. I asked her to write me a proposal and she came up with Kilometers for KAMSC. Part of our Challenge Success program is lifting student voice and promoting physical health. I am excited to be partnering with Marta to plan this event for KAMSC, which we hope will become an annual event. We will be using Fund Hub to raise funds for many different activities and needs at KAMSC. Some of those include sustaining our student planner project each year, supplies for research, classroom supplies, food supplies for school parties, funding for lab aid positions and much more.

Please register your child by clicking on this link. We then ask that you share the Kilometers for KAMSC fundraiser link with at least 10 people using the share tools on your dashboard. Checks are also accepted; just send them to the office with your child’s name so they get credit for prizes.

We will host the Kilometers for KAMSC at Kalamazoo Central on October 1st (instead of open lab). Please come join us as we walk/run laps. We will also be sharing important Challenge Success tips for students that night as they walk. We hope that this will be a fun, and healthy event!

Challenge Success is hosting a webinar on October 7th to support families around college admissions, titled "A Healthier Approach to College Admissions". Cost is $29 per person. You can learn more by clicking on this link. The objectives of the webinar are:

1. Learn research-based findings on the relationship between college selectivity and future outcomes, including learning, job satisfaction, and well-being.
2. Explore practical strategies to embrace a healthier approach to the college admissions process.
3. Gain a deeper understanding of the value and meaning of engagement in college and high school.

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.

WMU hosts the Innovation Expo on Friday, December 5th this year and we would love to see some KAMSC students participate. Click here to learn more about the event and it's requirements. Please see Mrs. Joyce or Mrs. Kortlandt if you have an idea that you want to present on December 5th.

Here is a link to the KAMSC opt out if your child will not be able to attend a given field trip. (note we are asking all parents to opt in just once as a permission slip for the full year, but can use this form to opt out of individual trips. Opt out form link

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.

Wed. Oct 1 - Kilometers for KAMSC Fun Run Event - 6-7pm Kalamazoo Central HS Track

Wed. Oct 8 - Open lab and study skills session in the presentation center 6-7:30pm

Mon. Oct 13 - Alumni day for 9th and 10th graders - visits from alum discussing college (during school)

Wed. Oct 15 - Open Lab 6-7:30pm

Wed. Oct 22 - Open Lab 6-7:30 pm

Fri Oct 24 - No students - Teacher PD day

Wed. Oct 29 - PT conferences 5:30-8:30 (virtual... no open lab)

Thurs Oct 30 - PT Conferences 5:30-8:30 - Virtual

Fri Oct 31 - No students; PT Conferences (7:30-2pm)