The Knightly News

Hello Knight Families,

I hope you enjoyed a happy Thanksgiving break. We experienced a very successful fall season at the Castle as our teams competed in several regional and state competitions, including our girls' volleyball team, which continued their dominance in Region 6A with yet another regional championship. Our theater department put on a fabulous fall play, The Desk Set, with contributions from our music department. We now look forward to a promising winter season with plenty of athletic and performing arts events to enjoy. As always, we thank you for supporting the numerous activities at Kellam High School.

I am also very proud of our faculty and students who have partnered to serve those who are less fortunate within our zone and throughout the city of Virginia Beach. Students have collected tons of canned and dry goods literally, assembled Thanksgiving and holiday meals to deliver, and are preparing to assist with the Wreaths Across America initiative to honor our fallen veterans later in the month. What an amazing exhibition of service learning and a living testament to our leadership, integrity, and unity values.

As we approach the holiday break, continue to monitor your student’s progress in the Parent Portal, and reach out to your student’s teacher or counselor if they are experiencing challenges. We have resources available to support our students, including tutoring, so please encourage your students to be proactive. As a reminder, the end of Term 1 for 4x4 classes and Semester 1 is January 27.

I hope that you and your families enjoy a joyous holiday season!

Sincerely,

Dr. Ryan Schubart
Principal

Don't forget to follow us on Twitter: @KellamHigh and Facebook: KellamHS. Our website is updated regularly for more information: https://kellamhs.vbschools.com/

CALLING ALL KELLAM KNIGHT SENIORS!

Class of 2023

Copies of the 2022-2023 Kellam PTSA Scholarship Application can be found in your guidance department or on Scholarship Central.

Deadline for all applications is April 21, 2023. No late applications will be accepted.

For any questions please email Pamula.poteet@gmail.com

Seniors!! Your class voted on this sweatshirt design so here it is!!

Use the following link to preorder by DECEMBER 6th- https://klhs.memberhub.com/store?limit=21&live=true

We plan on selling sweatshirts at school during lunches, but sizes will be limited. Therefore, we recommend pre-ordering your sweatshirt to guarantee your size. Please check our social media sites and/or school announcements for the dates of in-person sales.

President

Responsible for leading the PTSA and is the presiding officer and official representative of the association

Vice-President (Membership)

Plans and promotes membership campaigns and events; maintains membership database

Treasurer

Manages the PTSA finances by keeping accurate financial records and preparing for the annual audit.

Hospitality Coordinator

Coordinates teacher and staff appreciation events throughout the school year

GradFest Coordinator

Manages the all-Knight celebration for the Senior Class; coordinates with vendors to secure a venue and sponsorships; organizes Grad-Fest details and logistics; develops and oversees fundraising opportunities.

In a few weeks, on December 21st, our calendars will once again mark the shortest day of the year. On the Winter Solstice, the sun travels the shortest path through the sky, meaning the day has the least amount of daylight and the night lasts longer than any night throughout the rest of the year. Since ancient times, people worldwide have celebrated this time by welcoming winter holidays and sources of illumination. This season offers great opportunities for adults and students to learn more about others and themselves. Sharing traditions, foods, crafts, etc., are all activities that can also be real lessons about living in a diverse and inclusive community.

Diwali, the Hindu Festival of Lights, is celebrated by more than a billion people worldwide. This year’s holiday began on October 24th, but it’s not too late to learn more about the celebration. Diwali gets its name from the word “Deepavali,” meaning a “row of lamps,” referencing the lamps people light during the holiday to illuminate their homes. Families who celebrate Diwali engage in traditions including the lighting of candles/lamps and setting off fireworks which represent the triumph of good over evil - light defeating the darkness.

The African-American and Pan-African holiday of Kwanzaa is celebrated this year from Monday, Dec. 26th through Sunday, Jan 1st. The name Kwanzaa comes from the phrase “matunda ya kwanza,” meaning “first fruits” in Swahili. The holiday recognizes and celebrates combined traditions of several African harvest celebrations including songs, dances, storytelling, and feasting. On each evening during the holiday, a candle is lit in recognition of the Seven Principles (Nguzo Saba) which are cultural values that contribute to the following communities: Umoja, Kujichagulia, Ujima, Ujamaa, Nia, Kuumba, and Imani.

Chanukah (or Hanukkah), also known as the Festival of Lights, is a Jewish holiday commemorating the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem and celebrating liberation from oppression. This winter, the holiday lasts from Dec. 18th through Dec. 26th. Community members celebrate at home and in public by singing, playing games, and lighting the menorah (an eight-branched candelabrum). After sundown, on each of the holiday’s eight nights, a candle is added to the menorah and lit by the shamash candle – one used to light all the others. Those who celebrate typically recite blessings during this ritual and display the menorah prominently in windows or doorways.

Many practices and traditions of diverse cultures include light, or the concept of light, and its many forms. The holidays described above (Diwali, Kwanzaa, and Chanukah) are just a few scheduled for this winter season, while Christmas, Bodhi Day, Lunar New Year, and more can be added to the list. This month, reflect on light's role in your family’s traditions. Consider how light is valued in your life and what it represents. How is the nature of light shared across cultures, religions, and traditions within your community? On behalf of Kellam’s Inclusive Culture Committee, happy holidays to all those who celebrate!

Student Activities Update

The Student Activities department is working to create opportunities for our students to connect and be a part of all that Kellam has to offer. Please visit our Student Activities Resource Guide to explore opportunities in activities and athletics. You can also visit Kellam Student Activities Info Site for additional information on our organizations. Be sure to watch for updates in this newsletter and follow us on social media. You can also visit the Kellam Touch Pro to see the accomplishments of our present and past students.

Twitter: @KellamHigh

Instagram: kellamhigh

Facebook: Floyd E. Kellam High School

• Senior Scoop

Use this link, Kellam Senior Scoop, to find important information for seniors. It will be updated regularly and is located in the resources on the HKL Grade 12 Schoology Group page.

• Senior Cap and Gowns

ALL ORDERS SHOULD BE PLACED BY DECEMBER 20, 2022.

Seniors should go to jostens.com to order their cap and gown. Invitations and other senior items are also available at jostens.com.

Use this link for additional information: Cap and Gown Info Sheet.

You can watch this video for additional information: How to Order Cap and Gown Video from Jostens.

• Kellam Letter Jacket

  You can order your Kellam Letter Jacket using the Jostens Letter Jacket Link.

  You can watch this video for additional information: How to Order a Letter Jacket Video from Jostens.

• Junior Class Rings

All juniors must have placed their orders by December 20, 2022, to be able to receive the ring at Ring Dance.

Kellam has a time-honored tradition of receiving class rings during junior year at Ring Dance and we will be continuing this tradition for the class of 2024. You can visit www.jostens.com and start designing and even order your ring today! If you have any questions, email Eric Harvell at eric.harvell@jostens.com. Use this link for the Class Ring Information Sheet. You can watch this video for additional information: Ordering a Class Ring Video from Jostens.

• Winter Activity Bus Schedule

Beginning October 5, there will only be 1 activity bus run and it will leave at 4:45 p.m. Click the link to access the schedule: Activity Bus Schedule and Routes

• Tickets for Sporting Events

All tickets to attend Varsity and JV Football games are available for purchase through GoFAN. Tickets can be purchased at GOFAN.co. You can attend Field Hockey, Volleyball, Golf, and Cross Country without purchasing a ticket during the regular season. Tickets for ALL FALL, WINTER, and SPRINGS SPORTS will be required for region and state events and available for purchase on GoFan. There will not be cash accepted at the gate; however, purchasing a ticket using a credit/debit card will be available at Beach District Events.

Beach District Passes can also be purchased at GOFAN.co. Beach District passes are accepted for all regular season games at any VBCPS High School.

Pass Prices:

$60 for 3 or less

$50 for 4 or more

For easier purchasing and viewing tickets for validation, download the GoFan App in the iTunes or Google Play Store.

Tickets for region games will be available on Gofan.co. The cost is $10 for adults and $5 for students. ALL REGION EVENTS WILL REQUIRE A TICKET FOR ADMITTANCE.

All state tournament information is available on the VHSL Website.

• Athletic and Academic Team Eligibility Requirements

All participants in a VHSL activity or sport must have passed the equivalent of 5 classes the previous semester and be enrolled in the equivalent of 5 courses for the current semester/term. Please review this presentation for an explanation of eligibility requirements with the hybrid A/B and 4x4 schedule.

Kellam High School Eligibility

• Athletic Schedules

All sports schedules are available on the Beach District Website:

Kellam Athletic Schedules

All competitions that occur in the gym or the football stadium will be live-streamed on the NFHS network. Use this link to access the Kellam site: Kellam NFHS Network Page.

• National Signing Day

Kellam will honor our athletes who are committing to play at the post-secondary level on Wednesday, February 1, 2023, at 10:00 AM in the auditorium.

Please use the National Signing Day Sign-Up sheet so that we know who will be

participating. You will need to complete the google form by January 23 to be able to participate.

• Lacrosse Interest Meeting

There will be an informational meeting for all athletes and their parents who

plan to try out for Lacrosse this spring. The meeting will be Thursday, January 5,

2023 at 6:00 PM in the cafe commons.

Use this link to access and purchase. Order early to allow deliver for the holidays! SALE ENDS December 17!

The SCA will be raising money for the United Way in November!

Kellam’s Got Talent!

The SCA & Senior Class will hold a Talent Show on December 2, 2022, at 6:00 p.m. in the Auditorium. Tickets will be $5.

Winter Spirit Week: December 12 - 16th!

SCA Cashola: December 12th at Shorebreak

Senior Portrait Approval:

All seniors need to stop by the B2 Teacher workroom during 4th Block to approve their Senior Portrait with Miss Bachman BEFORE Winter Break (Dec 22)!

This is to ensure that everyone is pictured, and the correct poses have been chosen. If you do not choose your pose, she will choose one for you.

Kellam High School is participating in this year’s GET IT TOGETHER High School Seat Belt Challenge. Led by Drive Safe Hampton Roads, and supported by local traffic safety groups, the Get It Together Challenge aims to increase seatbelt use and improve driving behaviors for teens in Hampton Roads, in an effort to save young lives. The campaign consists of an education program and seat belt checks in school parking lots. Statistics from 2021 show that 60 teens, ages 15-19, died on the roads of the Commonwealth; 9 of those fatalities were in Hampton Roads. Last year alone found 3,802 teens across Hampton Roads involved in motor crashes resulting in 1,303 injuries and 5 unrestrained teen fatalities. These grim statistics show the primary causes of teen deaths on the roadways are driver inexperience, driver distraction, not wearing seatbelts, excessive speed, and alcohol use.

In an unannounced seatbelt check performed at Kellam in October, 96% of our students driving into the student parking lot were wearing seatbelts, while only 89% of their front seat passengers were buckled up. This statistic dropped drastically when Kellam students entered the student parking lot while in the back seat of a vehicle. Shockingly, only 30% of the students riding in the back seat of a vehicle into the student parking lot were wearing seatbelts. These numbers are too low and need to change! Through the GET IT TOGETHER High School Seat Belt Challenge, we hope to educate students on the importance of wearing seatbelts and increase the number of students buckled up entering the Kellam parking lots.

This year’s contest includes 23 schools representing the cities of Chesapeake. Hampton, James City County, Newport News, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Virginia Beach, and York County. Drive Safe Hampton Roads joins community partners AAA Tidewater Virginia, Christopher King Foundation, State Farm, and The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles as sponsors of the Get It Together High School Safety Belt Challenge for the 2022-2023 school year.

Let’s work together to save lives here at Kellam!

Stay connected to our calendar and mark yours!

Click HERE for all Beach District and VHSL sporting events involving YOUR Kellam Knights.

Mark your calendars:

December 3 - SATs

December 3 - Band Winter Craft Show

December 8 - Winter Chorus Concert

December 10 - ACTs

December 12-16 - Support Services Appreciation Week

December 14 - Winter Band/Orchestra Concert

December 14 – Advisory Day

December 16 – Winter Assembly

December 19 – Progress Reports Issued for A/B Classes

December 22 – Adjusted Dismissal

December 23- January 2 – Winter Break - No school

January 6- Next Edition of the Knightly News

Stay in the know: Previous newsletters can be accessed here:

• August 2022
• September 2022
• October 2022
• November 2022

The Knightly News is a collaborative effort involving several members of the Kellam staff and community. For direct questions, please contact Ryan Schubart, at ryan.schubart@vbschools.com or 648-5100.

Email: ryan.schubart@vbschools.com
Website: http://www.kellamhs.vbschools.com
Location: 2665 West Neck Road, Virginia Beach, VA, United States
Phone: (757) 648-5100
Facebook: facebook.com/KellamHS
Twitter: @KellamHigh