KAMSC Newsletter

Thank you to those that were able to come to our open house this week. It was so great to see and meet families. We are starting to get a cadence down at KAMSC. Students are doing well and are digging in. Most should have homework daily. Please ask them their plans around homework and try to encourage them to start it early enough that they can get enough sleep at night.

Sleep is a topic we discuss often with our students at KAMSC. With the many activities high schoolers can be involved in we have heard stories of students not starting their homework until well after dinnertime and then staying up well past midnight to complete their work. We teach our students about the importance of sleep and the brain research behind that. It not only will help with their consolidation of learning in their brains but enough sleep can also help with alertness and reduction of distracted driving. The health benefits are enormous.

We have our first open lab next week for 10th-12th graders and a 9th grade Mixer for the freshmen. I want to encourage attendance at both of these events. Open Lab is a great time to get study groups going and first and foremost for students to check in and get help from their teachers.

Heather Kortlandt

Director, KAMSC

Are you still having trouble setting up your accounts. Here is some more specific information. Once you are in the app

1. go to forms,
2. student information update form
3. add yourselves as contacts to the student through the form
4. From there, KAMSC office has to internally approve it and then the KPS PowerSchool people behind the scenes will use that information to make your accounts. We are hoping that all happens by the middle of next week. We will begin personally reaching out to those that haven't yet completed steps 1-3. Once everyone has done that, then we can move through our pieces.

We are almost there. Of course we will extend the deadline to approve the handbook etc. until everyone is in. Thank you so much for your patience with us as we work through a new system change, you all have been wonderful!

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.

KAMSC swag shop is open for the new year! It will stay open for three weeks. Kalamazoo Sportsware will then complete orders and we will do a pick up at school

https://www.purekalamazoo.com/kamsc

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.

Please fill out this required volunteer form to have on file.

Each year KAMSC hosts university representatives that will come speak with students and parents. We also host a College Information night, which will be September 24 at open lab from 7-8:30 pm.

Please click the button below for a full list of dates and times for scheduled college visits at KAMSC and local in our area.

If you are a NON KPS student, you must:

• Download the app
• Use District Code: KXRB
• Sign in as "parent" (not student) and select "forgot password"
• On the next screen they should use their KAMSC school email address as their username and also use their kamsc email address as the "email address"...both are your KAMSC email.
• Check your kamsc email - a link to reset your password will appear (May take a few minutes to get the email)
• Set your password
• This will allow you to see your grades etc.
• Note: Parents also set up their own accounts.
• Parents - should then follow the steps listed above in the newsletter.

Parents, please use the button below, to first download (or update) the app for your phones. Then, once your account is set up, go to "menu", "forms", "2025-2026 registration", then there will be a drop-down menu of forms to complete. This is extremely important. KPS parents, you may have already updated your information. Please complete this by September 5th. KAMSC students and parents will share a log in to PowerSchool - when you log in, to complete these tasks, please log in using your student's KAMSC email address/credentials. So you will want to do this task with your student near you. Please complete this task by September 12.

KAMSC now has a student handbook that will be distributed each year to be signed by a parent/guardian and the student. You will do so through PowerSchool. It is the responsibility of each child and parent to read the handbook and comply with our program guidelines. The handbook is signed in PowerSchool through a google form. Click the Button Below to review the handbook with your child. Please do this by September 12

9th grade Honors Biology will attend a field trip to the West Lake Nature Preserve to explore a variety of ecosystems and the flora and fauna characteristics of Southwest Michigan. Each student is assigned a date based on their KAMSC group, either Sept 16 (Angles group), 17 (Rays group), or 18 (Segments group). Please ask your student what group they are in. Please fill out the Opt in permission slip.

Students will need parent transportation to West Lake to arrive between 8-8:15 and KPS will provide busses back to KAMSC for all students. Students will then catch their busses/rides to their partner schools from KAMSC for the afternoon. Please fill out this form to indicate whether you are able to drop your child off at the West Lake Nature Preserve on the specified day of your child's field trip. Please fill the form out after you know the date/group your child is in.

Please dress appropriately for the weather as students will be outside for the entire time.

• No open-toed shoes or sandals
• Consider bring sunscreen and insect repellent.
• Students should also bring a notebook and writing utensil.

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., Sept 10 - 9th grade mixer - 6-7:30 - 1st floor Chenery Lobby

Wed., Sept 10 - open lab 6-7:30

Tue., Sept 16- 2:00-2:45 - MSU College Rep at KAMSC

Tue., Sept 16 - 9th gr. Bog Field Trip - Angles

Wed., Sept 17 - 9th gr. Bog Field Trip - Rays

Thur., Sept 18 - 9th gr. Bog Field Trip - Segments