LN Weekly News

This upcoming week is the final week of classes before final exams begin next week. Students should expect a significant amount of review to help prepare them for their exams. Please remember that final exams count for 20% of the final course grade.

Additionally, this Monday, January 12, is our January PTO meeting. We will meet virtually at 7:00 p.m. The meeting link is located later in the newsletter.

On a more somber note, this past week was a difficult one at Loy Norrix High School. Longtime teacher, coach, and mentor Coach Duckett passed away unexpectedly on Thursday, January 8, 2026. Grief counselors were on site on Friday, and support will continue to be available for students and staff this upcoming week and for as long as needed. Our thoughts are with the Duckett family during this difficult time.

You will be missed but your impact on Loy Norrix and Kalamazoo as whole will never be forgotten. 1946-2026.

If you haven't taken the surveys for LN families, please take a moment to fill them out. These will help support our ongoing school improvement initiatives in the building. Note there are five parts that have been slowly rolled out in newsletters of the past few weeks. Please skip over any survey you have already complete. The one at the top is new this week.

Tuesday 1-13 - Women's Basketball v. St. Joe - JV @ 5:30pm & V @ 7:00pm.

Wednesday 1-14 - Wrestling v. Battle Creek Central - Senior Night - 5:00pm.

Friday 1-16 - Basketball v. Kalamazoo Central - Women's JV @ 4:15pm, Women's V @ 5:30pm, Men's V @ 7:00pm.

Tuesday Feb 10th, 2026. From 5:00pm - 7:30pm at the Career Connect Campus. 3500 Vanrick Dr. Kalamazoo, MI 49001. Come and see the new CTE center for Kalamazoo County and learn more about offerings available for your student.

Do you seek adventures? Would you like to go canoeing, tubing, and snorkeling? If so, join the travel club on a trip of a lifetime to Tropical Belize in Central America! In addition to canoeing and tubing through caves and snorkeling in the Caribbean Sea, travelers will zipline through the jungle and tour Mayan temples and ruins. Travelers will receive $300 of the cost of the trip for early registration by signing up by February 28. Students can earn 3 college credits. Contact Ms. Ward wardal@kalamazoopublicschools.net for more information. There will be a virtual informational meeting for parents Tuesday January 13 at 5:30. Here is the Google Meet link. There will be a face to face meeting at Loy Norrix in room D-11 February 5 at 6 pm. Follow the signs!

Contact Ms. Ward in D-11 or wardal@kalamazoopublicschools.net for more information.

Cell phones are not to be visible during instructional time. This includes while students are in the hallways during class times. Students may use their phones before school, during passing times, during lunch and after school. For each of the 50 minutes students are in their classes, they are not be used. The first time they are seen they are confiscated for the day. The second time they will be confiscated with a parent meeting and then progressive discipline will follow. We want our students focused on learning during instructional times.

In an ongoing effort to ensure a safe, secure, and positive learning environment for everyone, the Kalamazoo Public Schools Board of Education has authorized the use of weapon detectors in its middle and high school buildings. The presence and operation of weapon detectors serve as a deterrent and a protective measure for our entire school community. This measure is an additional component to the district's comprehensive safety plan and reflects the district’s commitment to proactive violence prevention.

All individuals entering KPS buildings are subject to safety screening procedures. KPS uses the RAPTOR visitor management system. All visitors should be prepared to present a photo ID.

The weapon detection system consists of walk-through detectors at main entrances and may include the use of handheld detectors. Principals, campus safety, and other trained personnel will oversee the operation and monitoring of the detectors during school hours.

Screening Procedures for Students and Visitors

• Middle and high school students will be required to pass through the weapon detection system each day upon arrival at school.

• If an alarm is triggered, the individual will be asked to remove any metal items and pass through the detector again.

• If the alarm is triggered again, a trained staff member will conduct a secondary screening using a hand-held metal detector.

• If the handheld detector indicates the presence of a metal object, the individual will be asked to identify and safely remove it.

• A student search will be conducted only if there is reasonable suspicion that the individual is in possession of a prohibited item. Such a search will be conducted by a trained administrator or campus safety personnel of the same gender and with a witness present.

• Visitors to secondary schools, including parents, guardians, and contractors, will be required to pass through the weapon detection system and may be subject to additional screenings, including bag checks or handheld weapon detector scans.

• Visitors to elementary schools, including parents, guardians, and contractors, may be subject to safety screenings, including bag checks or handheld weapon detector scans.

Non-Compliance, Detected Weapons, and Consequences

Failure to comply with the weapon detection policy, including refusal to submit to screenings or attempting to bypass the detection system, will result in the following consequences:

• Students: Disciplinary action will be taken as outlined in the student code of conduct, and may include suspension, expulsion, or legal consequences.

• Visitors: Individuals who refuse screening may be escorted off KPS property and banned from future entry. In serious cases, local law enforcement may be contacted.

If a weapon is found during the screening process, the principal or his/her designee will immediately direct the individual to a private area for further assessment.

• The weapon will be confiscated and turned over to the appropriate school or law enforcement authority.

• For students, the incident will be addressed following the school district's code of conduct.

• Depending on the nature of the weapon, the individual who brought the weapon may face criminal charges.
  
  

Privacy and Confidentiality
The weapon detection process will respect the privacy and dignity of all individuals. Personnel will ensure that screenings are conducted discreetly and that any personal information collected (e.g., names and reasons for screening) are kept confidential in accordance with local, state, and federal privacy laws.

Data from weapon detection systems will not be stored or shared beyond what is necessary for security purposes. Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) will be followed for the protection of student information.

The Knights Health Center is open at LN! This center will be able to provide a variety of health care services to our students at no cost*. Please see the attached flyer. If you want your student to be able to access these services, please fill out the attached consent form and return to the main office.

*Private insurance may be billed but no copays will be collected. Additional information can be attained by contacting the Health Center.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LoyNorrixHighSchool

Instagram: @loynorrixhighschool

Daily announcements are posted on our Facebook page.

Interested in LN Gear? Please click here for the LN spirit shop!

KPS Attendance Procedures Overview

The attendance procedures are designed for all students. Good attendance will help students do well in school, college, and at work. It does not matter if absences are excused or unexcused, they all represent lost time in the classroom and lost opportunity to learn. Too many absent students can impact the whole classroom.

School is students’ first and most important job. They are learning about more than math and reading. They are learning how to show up for school on time every day, so that when they graduate and get a job, they will know how to show up for work on time every day. Students who attend school regularly are more likely to graduate and find good jobs. Set an example for your child. Show your child that attendance matters to you and that you will not allow an absence unless someone is truly sick.

All students aged six to sixteen are required to be in school according to state law. Parents/guardians are required by law to make sure their children attend school on a daily basis. Kalamazoo Public Schools (KPS) expects all students to attend school. A collaborative approach is used in educating young students, which includes the utilization of family support specialists, staff members and administrators to ensure that students attend school on a daily basis.

You can view the entire attendance procedures document here on our website.

Contact your child's school if you have any specific questions.

New Attendance Expectations and Support Starting on November 27, 2023 (the first day of trimester 2)

When your student has the following number of unexcused absences in a trimester, you should expect to receive the following notifications and support.

3 days of unexcused absences in a trimester

Letter or email to parent/guardian

Robo text or phone call

5 days of unexcused absences in a trimester

Letter or email to parent/guardian

In person, virtual or phone conference

10 days of unexcused absences in a trimester

Letter or email to parent/guardian

School attendance committee creates an individualized plan of support

15 days of unexcused absences in a trimester

Letter or email to parent/guardian

Referral to central office. The central office attendance team will make further recommendations that may include:

• wrap around services

• referrals to community support organizations

• academic interventions

• summer school attendance

• possible recommendations for grade level retention

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

Chronic Absenteeism

The state defines ‘chronic absenteeism’ as attending school less than or equal to 90% of the time. This includes all absences (excused, unexcused, suspensions, etc.). A student who misses more than half the day is considered absent for the day.

Chronic absenteeism not only impacts the absent student, it disrupts learning for an entire classroom when teachers have to repeat lessons for students returning to class.

When your student is out of school, for any reason, they are missing valuable instructional time.

Every six weeks, families will receive letters from the school if their child has an attendance rate of less than or equal to 90%.

There is an opportunity to learn about the absence procedures.

Taking Care of Your Attendance Needs

EMAIL: lnattendance@kalamazoopublicschools.net

Phone Line: 269-337-0220 Ext. 2204

Website: https://www.kalamazoopublicschools.com/
Location: 606 East Kilgore Road, Kalamazoo, MI, USA
Phone: 269-337-0200
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LoyNorrixHighSchool