KMS WEEKLY UPDATE

Dear Parents & Guardians,

KIBSD has opted to take 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.

Parent input is valuable to KMS staff so we can learn and grow through your feedback.

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.

A big thank you to the 8 Coast Guard Professionals who joined students during their lunchtime and answered questions about what it’s like to be in the Coast Guard. Students had a great time learning about exciting rescue missions, pathways to higher education, how everything they are learning in school relates to jobs in the Coast Guard and the variety of positions in the Coast Guard.

First Place: Sebastian Villoria, 7th grade

Second Place: Mariah Ennenga, 8th grade

3rd Place: Jonnalyn Hill, 6th grade

Sebastian and Mariah will represent KMS in the KIBSD District Bee on Feb 6, 2024 @ 7pm in the Drama Pod of the Gerald C Wilson Auditorium.

Jonnalyn Hill is an alternate if one of them cannot attend.

** Doors open at 6:30pm **

$3 Students & Seniors

$5 Adults

Due to violence be cautious about bringing young children.

This is a story about adolescents bonding, learning and dealing with struggle.

It may scare very young children.

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!

During the course of the school day, teachers and staff like to recognize students who are caught exhibiting the KMS values of Respect, Integrity, Citizenship, and Kindness. We do this by giving out Grizzly Tickets. Every Grizzly Ticket goes into a bucket and from that bucket, we draw two winners per grade. The winners get to sit on the stage with up to 7 of their friends for the rest of the week!

THIS WEEK'S GRIZZLY TICKET WINNERS:

6th grade:

Table 1- Czarina Mariano, Integrity and Citizenship

Table 2- Dhel Cadiente, Citizenship

7th grade:

Table 1- Aeila Colminas, Citizenship

Table 2- Jasper Ignacio, Citizenship

8th grade:

Table 1- Aiden McCormick, Citizenship

Table 2- Hayden Picciolo, Citizenship

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

(customization deadline is March 20, 2024)

_______

______

WEEK 21: THE US CONSTITUTION

Monday:

Pickin' apart the Preamble (memorize it, recite it, write it, or sing it to show you know it. Due Friday)

Block 1:

What's in the Constitution

Block 2:

Compare the Articles of Confederation to the US Constitution

Friday:

Comparison Essay

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 swim unit is coming up soon,

and will 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.

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.

• 2/5 - 2/16: 7th Grade PE - Swim Unit
• 2/6: KIBSD District Spelling Bee, 7pm, Drama Pod/Auditorium
• 2/7: NAEP Testing (8th grade only)
  
• 2/9: Friday Night Live, 6-8pm, KMS Commons/Gym

• 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

101 MARINE WAY

2/2, 5:00 PM

All families and kids welcome for First Friday Artwalk.

There will be a variety of activities for all ages.

During this event, we will debut our new pop-up museum with many touchable objects, a new scavenger hunt, and activity sheet for families to enjoy.

Free and open to the public.

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.