KMS WEEKLY UPDATE

Dear KMS Families

MAP Testing has concluded! We are proud of the hard work our students and staff put in during the three-day testing period. We will start make-up testing next week.

Next week marks the beginning of the second semester of the 2023-24 academic year. During their Advisory classes this morning, students received their new schedules and can request a schedule change form at the main office if any issues arise.

Our wrestling and volleyball team practices are well underway. We are excited to invite you to our first home wrestling meet against Teeland and Palmer this Friday and Saturday at the High School gym. We encourage our student-athletes to continue excelling in both their academics and athletics.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. Our doors are always open.

Best regards,

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.

This morning, students attended a brief awards assembly to recognize a few students from each subject/grade level. Each teacher chose one student for Academic Excellence, one for The R.I.C.K Award, and one for Outstanding Progress. Honor Roll Certificates will be awarded once semester grades are finalized.

Academic Excellence is awarded to the student with the top grade. RICK Award is presented for that student's demonstration of the characteristics that KMS values (Respect, Integrity, Citizenship, Kindness), and the Outstanding Progress Award recognizes those who have had tremendous improvement in the first semester.

Congratulations, students! You are doing an amazing job!

(A student's face/award/name may be blurred due to their individual media permissions.)

Last week, we held the first round of the Scripp's National Spelling Bee: Classroom Bees.

Each ELA class held their own spelling bee and the winners are eligible to compete in the school-wide spelling bee on January 22, 2024. It will start at 3:30pm in the KMS Commons.

Congratulations, spellers, and good luck in the next competition!

The top two spellers from the KMS Spelling Bee will advance to the District Spelling Bee.

Please make sure your student has a reusable water bottle to bring to school each day.

Thank you!

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- Landon Welch for Citizenship

Table 2- Eli Laloava for Integrity & Citizenship

7th grade:

Table 1- Mason Glade for Integrity

Table 2- Xavier Holmes for Citizenship & Respect

8th grade:

Table 1- River Pikus for Integrity & Citizenship

Table 2- Henry Pysher for Integrity & Citizenship

We’re wrapping up our study of the Rebellion and Revolutionary War.

Students will complete a Test Review Guide.

The test will take place during Block 2, (January 17 or 18).

All materials needed to study and complete the Test Review Guide are uploaded in the Unit Test Review Folder in Schoology (Week 18).

Next up: A New Nation is Formed

We will be studying the history behind the U.S. Constitution including the controversy surrounding the Bill of Rights.

Immediately following, we will begin to study Westward Expansion, including the Journey of Lewis and Clark, the acquisition of Texas, and all the land west of the Mississippi.

We will also stop for a bit on the War of 1812 and look at the importance of this conflict in establishing the United States as a truly independent and powerful country.

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!

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.

• 1/22: KMS Spelling Bee, 3:30pm, KMS Commons

• 2/2-3: KMS Drama Club Presents The Outsiders, 7pm, Drama Pod
• 2/7: NAEP Testing (8th grade only)
• 2/9: Friday Night Live, 6-8pm, KMS Commons/Gym

• 3/7: PTSA Meeting, 6pm, KMS Library
• 3/18-3/22: No School, Spring Break
• Track - Information coming soon

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.