KAMSC Newsletter

What an exciting week at KAMSC! Our juniors and seniors were immersed in hands-on learning experiences that truly brought their studies to life. Student engagement is one of the three pillars of Challenge Success—alongside well-being and belonging—and this week (and next) we are really elevating that “E” in meaningful ways.

Here is some brief information on some of the great activities our students participated in this week.

On Earth Day, Mrs. Joyce and Mrs. Allbee took a group of morning students to an event at WMU that Mrs. Joyce helped coordinate called Careers in a Changing Climate. Our physics students had the unique opportunity to visit Western Michigan University, where they conducted a lab using a particle accelerator housed in the basement of Rood Hall—a truly memorable scientific experience. Some students also successfully launched high-altitude balloons as weather allowed. In Material Science, students partnered with the Kalamazoo Regional Educational Service Agency mobile laboratory to apply the engineering design cycle, taking products from concept through "pitch". Our AP Environmental Science class explored the Michigan fishery system firsthand at the Wolf Lake Fish Hatchery, while AP Computer Science A students dove into robotics using our new VEX Robotics kits. Finally we were able to engage with our seniors in a meaningful way on Friday afternoon at the Radisson for the annual senior luncheon. They are a special group of young adults that we are excited to launch alongside of their parents into the world! Looking ahead, the momentum continues as students head to Kalamazoo College for the Searching for Health Conference next week. We encourage you to ask your student this weekend what they enjoyed most about their learning experiences—there’s a lot to share!

The Searching for Health Conference is part of the KAMSC curriculum. We give students an opportunity to attend a professional conference. This year that will be held at Kalamazoo College and is organized and put on by KAMSC staff, led by Mrs. Hohler. All 9th, 10th and 12th graders are required and expected to attend, just like a normal school day. However, it is a full day with us, and so they will miss their partner school programming that day. Only excused absences appropriately reported are allowed in which case an alternative assignment will be issued to students upon return to complete to make up for the day. We will not require the make-up assignment for students with a school-related absence such as an athletic event or other school events that requires them to also miss school.

We are excited about our panel of speakers all centered around health sciences. You likely have filled out the opt in form for KAMSC for all field trips for the year, so if you do not give your permission for this trip then you must fill out the opt out form. Students will be expected to report to KAMSC at 8 am. We will take attendance and give instruction and then our staff will walk with the students (rain or shine) the one mile to Kalamazoo College. Dress is business casual as it is a professional experience - students should bring umbrellas if raining and where shoes they can walk one mile comfortably in (there and back). We will return back to KAMSC by 2 pm for kids to catch the PM busses or be picked up etc. If there is a medical reason for student not to walk, have them let Mrs. Chapoton know as she will drive those that are unable.

11th graders will arrive at their normal afternoon time and remain back at KAMSC to work on a project with Mr. Sinclair. Both of these events (conference and 11th grade project) occur each year so all students attend the conference three times while at KAMSC. Note we do get different speakers and topics each year

Thank you to our parent volunteers that are all already signed up to work the event!

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 agendas/ minutes.

Reminder this event is coming up next Thursday. You must have registered to attend and it runs from 6-8 up at KAMSC (Presentation Center) - Please enter through the Dutton Door Entrance

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.

April 29 Open Lab 6-7:30 pm

April 30 - Admissions 101 Workshop (see flyer above) 6-8:00 pm

May 7 Project Day open house 4:00-6:30 pm

May 7 Awards Night 7:00pm

May 13 - Open Lab 6-7:30 pm (last one)

May 19 - Senior Exams

May 20 Senior Exams

May 21 Seniors Last Day at KAMSC

May 26 - KAMSC Senior Recognition Ceremony - 7:30pm

May 27 PM elective exams for 11th grade

May 28 AM and PM Math Exams

May 29 AM and PM Science Exams --- Last day of school at KAMSC