KAMSC Newsletter

Our counselor, Mrs. Allbee and I have been diving into the book titled "Why we Sleep" by Dr. Matthew Walker a neuroscientist and professor at UC Berkley. It dives into the history of the scientific research of sleep and the science behind what goes on for humans and different animals when they sleep and it also examines how sleep impacts our physical and mental well-being. Walker shares some interesting statistics on athletes and the impact of sleep on performance as well as it's impact on learning. A part of our Challenge Success Goals KAMSC will work all winter/spring to bring an awareness to this topic and challenge our students to monitor their own sleep patterns. On Monday, Feb. 2 three of our students here at KAMSC will present an assembly to kick off a sleep campaign here at KAMSC that will last through April.

Heather Kortlandt

Director, KAMSC

Senior Rinzel Arroyo was nominated by Ms. Joyce for a Martin Luther King Jr. Social Justice Youth Award, and he was recognized at the Kalamazoo City Commission Meeting on Monday, January 26 for his work. Rinzel has been an active leader of the KAMSC Multicultural Student Organization for four years.

Please join me in thanking Mrs. Allbee for her work at KAMSC this week! We are so fortunate to have a school counselor at KAMSC and we don't want her work to go unnoticed. Students consider giving her notes of affirmation this week! Drop them off in the office for her, it's a quick and impactful way to make someone feel valued!

This year Naya Dike, 10th grader is volunteering her time to tutor at El Sol elementary and is helping me lead the 2nd annual 5th grade El Sol KAMSC visit. This year we are also adding some visits to the Kalamazoo AT programs. Naya is looking for volunteers to help us with these outreach events. Below is a google form that should has put together for you to sign up to volunteer. We need all volunteers signed up by Friday, February 13th so act fast! Those who sign up will need their own transportation to and from visit sites. You can use these hours towards your KAMSC service award. To do so please contact student senate presidents Adelie Chen or Hayden Clack.

Reminder - if you wish to opt your child out of this field trip, the opt our form is in the old news section below. All parents should have filled out the opt in form at the beginning of the year. You only need to do that one time and it covers permission for any field trip for this school year. If you then wish to opt out of any trips, you must fill out the form for each trip you are opting your child out of. If you can't remember if you did the opt in form in the fall feel free to reach out to Ms. Sanders and ask. pat.sanders@kamsc.org

Computer Science - Trip to coding competition at Kettering University (only 25 can go, your student should know if they are one of them or contact Mr. Afsal) - February 6

AP Environmental Science Field Trip to Waste Water Treatment Plan - February 11

The KAMSC parent organization would like to invite you to keep abreast of their meeting agendas/minutes and dates so that you can be as involved as you like. It would be great to get more underclassmen parents involved so that you can help lead as some of our families "graduate" out. Click this link to review meeting minutes.

Mrs. Joyce has put together a comprehensive list of summer options at various intuitions around various topics. Summer is a great time to continue to enrich students! See the list below.

If there are any KAMSC families that ever wish to use the food pantry on the third floor, you can simply contact Mrs. Allbee, and she will work with you to get you what you need. It is all anonymous and very simple.

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.

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.

Feb 4th - Open Lab 6-7:30

Feb 6th - Computer Science Trip to Kettering 7 am -3 pm

Feb 11th - AP Environmental Science Field trip 11:30-2:00pm