MMS Update 9-30-24

Dear Milwood Magnet School Parents,

Parent-Teacher Conferences are an important time to meet with your child’s teachers and discuss their progress. This winter, we will hold Parent-Teacher conferences on Thursday, January 23, 2025 between 1:00 pm and 7:00 pm. There will be scheduled virtual conferences and scheduled in-person conferences.

All conferences will be scheduled in eight minute increments. Teachers will use the two minutes to prepare for their next conference. Teachers will be sending emailed invitations to you through your child’s KPS email account. You will then have the opportunity to select the time that works best for you. The scheduling window for conference appointment slots will be open from January 16, 2025 to January 22, 2025. Conferences must be scheduled by 5:00 pm on Wednesday, January 22, 2025 to give teachers adequate time to prepare for conferences.

You will be asked to add your child’s name, your name, email address and phone number to the appointment calendar. Click “save” and the teacher will receive your appointment request. Teachers will then send the link for your personal Parent-Teacher conference through your child’s KPS email account, within 24 hours of your conference. Parents must be prompt and on time for in-person conferences and virtual conferences, ensuring adequate time for everyone.

You must use your child’s KPS email account or your own Gmail account during your scheduled virtual conference time on Thursday, January 23, 2025 to meet with your child’s teachers. We will do our best to accommodate your requests.

Thank you,

On January 20, 2025, the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday will mark the 30th anniversary as a National Day of Service. This day was established to honor the life and legacy of Dr. King, and to encourage all Americans to volunteer to improve their communities.

Americans celebrated the first official Martin Luther King Day, which is the only federal holiday commemorating an African-American, on Monday, January 20, 1986. In 1994, Congress designated the holiday as a national day of service and marking the third Monday in January every year as the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service - a "Day On, Not a Day Off."

Dr. King advocated for nonviolent resistance to overcome injustice as a means of lifting racial oppression. He created change with organized sit-ins, marches, and peaceful demonstrations that highlighted issues of inequality. Dr. King received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964; he was the youngest person to ever receive this high honor. He followed in the footsteps of his grandfather and father by entering the ministry to become a Baptist minister. On April 4, 1968, at the age of 39, he was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee as he stood on the balcony of his hotel. Dr. King traveled to Memphis, Tennessee to lead a march in support of striking sanitation workers.

The Knights Health Center is a school based health center funded by MDHHS and operated by Kalamazoo County Health & Community Services. We offer health care to Kalamazoo County youth who are between 5 and 21 years of age. Kelly Brizendine, our physician assistant, and Eureka Jennings, our medical assistant, provide the same type and level of care that a parent/guardian would expect to find at a pediatrician or a primary care provider’s office, (preventative care, urgent care for illness or injury, sports physicals, immunizations, etc…), while I provide mental health services. Appointments can be made by emailing healthyknights@kalcounty.com or calling 269-391-2458.

School-based health centers have several attractive characteristics that will appeal to parents and youth: equity and access to quality health care and the availability of same day appointments are two hallmarks of this system, as is the cost of services. For families with private insurance, their insurance will be billed directly and there are not any co-pays. For those with Medicaid, Medicaid is billed directly and for those without insurance, fees are waived.

Loy Norrix High School

606 E. Kilgore Road

Kalamazoo, MI 49001

269-337-0200

• Students must be in the 50th percentile in NWEA Math and Reading.
• Students must pass their core classes (Math, ELA, Science and Social Studies)
• Students must be at a 90% or higher attendance rate.

Students not meeting these goals may have to attend summer school or be retained in their current grade for the following school year.

• Students have 4 minutes to transition from one class to another. They must be on time for each of their classes. They should be in their seats ready to learn when the bell rings.

MMS Non-negotiables

• 1. No Cell phones/headphones/earbuds/ Air pods

  2. No Hats or Hoods on heads

  3. No Backpacks/winter coats

  4. No sunglasses/bandanas

  5. No Food/drinks (other than water in clear water bottles) in classrooms

• Parents, remember to use PowerSchool to monitor your child's grades and attendance. It is important for all students to arrive to school and class on time every day.

Be Proactive and Safe!

• If you or your child becomes aware of a situation that may create a problem at school, please contact an administrator at the school (269-337-0670). We want to be proactive and maintain the best possible learning environment for our students.

Academic Achievement, Safety and Order are Milwood Magnet School Priorities!

We are pleased to share that our students are taking advantage of after-school sessions to receive additional help with their academics. MMS teachers are dedicated to working closely with them to provide skill-building opportunities, reinforce effective learning strategies, and clarify any misunderstandings they may have.

For more information please reach out to your child's teachers.

KRESA’s Discovery Lab is a mobile, vehicle-based facility that is equipped to provide accessible, hands-on career awareness and exploration experiences, especially for younger learners. The Lab features advanced industry equipment, multimedia tools and interactive exhibits to create a rich learning environment. It is designed to be flexible and can travel to schools, communities and events to bring specialized educational resources directly to learners.

The goal of the Discovery Lab is to promote awareness and exploration of technical career fields, allow for hands-on experimentation and provide access to tools or equipment that might not be readily available in standard classroom settings.

The next GSA meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 21, 2025 from 2:30-3:15. See Ms. Chappell if you have any questions...chappellt@kalamazoopublicschools.net

Gift of Life Michigan is proud to present this youth-focused program to educate and inspire the next generation to donate life!

Student Outcomes:

• Learn about transplantable organs and tissues and the donation process
• Examine human organ and tissue specimens (photos above are plastinated human organs)
• Complete activities and simulations that demonstrate what it’s like to need a transplant and why they are necessary
• Learn about the Michigan Organ Donor Registry

District Beliefs, Expectations & Responsibilities

The Kalamazoo Public School District believes that all students can learn when provided with appropriate instruction and an environment that is safe and orderly. To create such an educational setting requires a comprehensive program of instruction, written and consistently enforced standards of discipline, and the cooperative efforts of students, parents/guardians, school staff and the community. In order to develop and maintain a positive educational setting, discipline standards should balance the need for consistency and uniformity with the need for discretionary authority, and should offer alternatives. The Kalamazoo Public Schools’ Student Code of Conduct is based on the following beliefs:

1. Discipline is a natural element of educational and personal development.

2. Positive behaviors are encouraged through appropriate reinforcement and/or corrective measures.

3. The rights and welfare of the individual as well as the entire school population will be protected. 4. The Student Code of Conduct should lead to a clear understanding of behavioral expectations and consequences for unacceptable behavior.

5. The school will strive to achieve a balance between the rights of students and the need for order and safety for the entire school population.

Mission of Milwood Magnet School

Milwood Magnet School will engage all students in rigorous learning experiences that promote academic excellence, while fostering a positive inclusive environment that demonstrates our school’s core values: preparation, respect, integrity, determination, and effort.

Vision of Milwood Magnet School

At Milwood Magnet School, our vision is to educate and empower the whole child academically, socially, and emotionally, so they have the skills to be a positive influence in our community.

Principal, William Hawkins - Hawkinswm@kalamazoopublicschools.net

Assistant Principal, Aaron Sauter –Sauteram@kalamazoopublicschools.net

Counselor, Joshua Kruger - Krugerja@kalamazoopublicschools.net

Counselor, Rashonda Wiggins - Wigginsrl@kalamazoopublicschools.net