KPS News

Sept. 27, 2024

Superintendent's Parent Meetings on Student Expectations

Superintendent Dr. Darrin Slade will hold two additional of parent meetings. He will outline the district's academic and behavior expectations for students.

6 p.m. Sept. 30 - Hillside Middle School
6 p.m. Oct. 3 - Northeastern Elementary School

The initial meeting was held Sept. 23 at Maple Street Magnet School for the Arts.

KPS Hosts Orff Music Workshop

The Kalamazoo Public Schools Music Department hosted the West Michigan Orff Chapter for a professional development workshop on Sept. 21 at Chenery Auditorium. KPS music teachers Danielle Bronson, Jeanna Cervantes-Hickman, Ondina Cooper, Erin Jordan-Rial, Maya Malerman, and Stephanie Measzros attended Dr. Jean Hersey's workshop on "The Nature of Expertise."

The Orff method teaches musicianship through a combination of music, drama, speech and movement.

Updated and Final District and KEA Calendars

pdf

insert_drive_file

KPScalendar2024-25 - FINAL.pdf

KPS Calendar 2024-2025- v18.pdf

Download

396.0 KB

Board Recognizes State Rep. Julie Rogers at Thursday's Meeting

WMU Offering Football Ticket Deals

Western Michigan University has deals available for low-cost football tickets for two upcoming football games.

Youth Day Offer: This offer is designed specifically for students and their families on Oct. 12. https://fevo-enterprise.com/event/Wmuyouth2

Education Day Offer: This offer is tailored for school staff and their families on Oct. 26. https://fevo-enterprise.com/event/Wmueducation2

The athletic department can also arrange personalized offers or other sport such as basketball, hockey, and volleyball.

For more information, contact Stephen Potucek, manager of sales and services, at (269) 387-8901 or stephen.potucek@wmich.edu.

CIS Walking With Purpose Kicks-Off on Oct. 1

Communities In Schools of Kalamazoo is launching its fourth annual Walking With Purpose initiative this October. For the month of October, community members step up to the challenge to walk anywhere, anytime, as a group, or on their own, all supporting Kalamazoo’s youth. The goal is to raise awareness, funding, and walk a collective 12,000 miles—which is symbolic for the number of students that CIS of Kalamazoo supports.

With October around the corner, 30 teams have committed, and 200 participants are ready to take their first step of many throughout the month. The initiative provides a fun and active way to support students in Kalamazoo while supporting individual health—heart and body. The team at Communities In Schools of Kalamazoo (CIS) strives to make the experience fun, easy, and meaningful for all participants with tools and support, every step of the way.

There are many ways to participate:

FORM A TEAM - Team captains help lead the way by recruiting colleagues, friends, and family to get involved. Teams set their own goals and work together to ensure the goal is met. Many office teams incorporate Walking With Purpose into their wellness programs and appreciate team building activities.

PARTICIPATE INDIVIDUALLY – You don’t need to be on a team to participate. Individual walkers can register and walk throughout the month.

SUPPORT WITH A DONATION – $40,000 is the fundraising goal for Walking With Purpose, which supports a CIS site coordinator in one Kalamazoo school for a year.

KICK OFF WALKING WITH PURPOSE WITH US – Bring friends, family, and co-workers to get a head start on the mile and fundraising goals Tuesday, Oct. 1, any time between 5 and 6 p.m. at the Woodward School outside track. Guest miles will be counted toward the 12,000-mile goal and a donation will be made for each lap walked at the kick-off.

Learn more or sign up today: https://ciskalamazoo.org/events/walking-with-purpose/

City Seeks Nominees for Social Justice Youth Awards

The City of Kalamazoo is currently accepting nominations for the 2025 Dr. Lewis Walker Social Justice Youth Awards.

As part of the community-wide MLK Day of Service, awards will be given to students between the ages of 12-19 from the Kalamazoo area in honor of Dr. Lewis Walker, a trailblazer for the progression of racial equity in Kalamazoo.

The winners will have demonstrated achievements in racial justice, community service, volunteerism, and leadership. Winners will receive a community service award, a monetary award, and a one-year membership to the NAACP.

The winners will be celebrated during the City Commission meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 21, when they will receive their award, which will be presented by the mayor.

The nomination deadline is Friday, Nov. 29.

Nominations can be submitted electronically HERE. For those without internet access, applications can be found in City Hall in the City Manager’s Office. If you need assistance, please contact (269) 337-8043. Additional information can be found on the city's website at: https://www.kalamazoocity.org/MLK.

Mix It Up with the KPS Blender Bike

Looking to add some healthy fun to your next school event? Check out the KPS Wellness Committee's blender bike, which is available for use during school events. Contact Heather Hayner, haynerhm@kalamazoopublicschools.net, for more information.

KCentral Travel Club Heading to Alaska

Let’s Go Alaska!! Join the K-Central Travel Club for a weeklong trip to Alaska, June 16-22, 2025. The trip includes stops in Fairbanks, Denali National Park, Anchorage, and the opportunity to view some of Alaska’s glaciers during a cruise through Prince William Sound.

Academic credit is available for the trip. A WorldStrides representative will be in Kalamazoo to talk to interested travelers at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 25, in Kalamazoo Central Room 359. A link to join virtually will also be available.

For more information, contact Vanessa Dodson at DodsonVD@kalamazoopublicschools.net .

Join the Loy Norrix Travel Club for Tour of Ireland, Scotland

The Loy Norrix Travel Club will spend 12 days exploring Ireland and Scotland next summer and anyone 14 or older can participate! Travelers do not need to be affiliated with KPS to travel with the club. Students can earn three college credits, and teachers can earn three CEUs!

Any family under a $85,000 Adjusted Gross Income qualifies for up to $600 in FLAG scholarship financial assistance for a student participant. Strong (zero deductible) medical and medical evacuation insurance is included at no additional charge. The Scotland portion of the trip includes many destinations as seen in the Netflix series "Outlander!"

Please contact Anna Ward wardal@kalamazoopublicschools.net for more information.

Free Identity and Credit Protection from MESSA

MESSA provides members and their dependents free, year-round credit and identity protection through credit industry leader Experian.

Through the service, all MESSA members with a medical plan can enjoy two levels of free protection:

• Experian Identity Restoration: This requires no enrollment. If a MESSA member suspects their identity has been compromised, they can contact Experian at (877) 736-4495. A dedicated investigator will work to recover financial losses and restore their credit.

• Experian IdentityWorks: This service offers extra protection and requires enrollment. It includes credit monitoring, up to $1 million, in identity theft insurance for members, and it provides credit monitoring for children under age 18. This extra level of protection is available to MESSA members at no charge.

Enroll today

Signing up is easy to do. Go to experianidworks.com/bcbsm and follow the directions to create your account.

Questions? Call MESSA’s Member Service Center at (800) 336-0013 or contact them online.

Please note: MESSA previously provided identity theft protection through AllClear ID; that service ended Dec. 31, 2019. If you were enrolled in AllClear ID Pro, you must sign up for Experian IdentityWorks to continue receiving your extra layer of protection. It’s still free for MESSA members and their dependents.