KMS Bi-Weekly Communication

Good Morning KMS Parents,

As we step into this new calendar year, I want to take a moment to express how proud we are of the students at KMS. We often talk to them about responsibility, kindness, compassion, and community—and this past semester, they have truly embraced these values.

In just four short months, our students have accomplished incredible things:

• Penny War for Red Cross Hurricane Relief: Over $1,800 raised.

• Canned Food Drive for Kirtland Service Council: Generous participation.

• Pop Can Tab Collection for Ronald McDonald House: Over 77,000 tabs collected so far.

• Final Day Donations Before Winter Break: More than $1,000 raised to benefit the Lallo family and Cleveland Clinic Children’s Hospital.

None of this would have been possible without the unwavering support of our amazing families. We are incredibly proud of the generosity and humanitarianism your children have demonstrated!

As we move into 2025 and the second semester, our focus will remain on humanitarian efforts, student wellness, academics, and fostering strong, community-minded citizens. For the remainder of January, we are introducing a Wellness Challenge focused on promoting healthy sleeping habits through a fun and interactive bingo game. Additionally, we will continue our humanitarian efforts by selling #EvanStrong T-shirts, designed collaboratively by Evan and his buddies.

This week at KMS has come with its challenges, but it has reminded me of the phenomenal team of teachers, support staff, and students we have here. I also want to thank you, our parents, for your patience and adaptability during unexpected situations this week. Your swift cooperation helped ensure everything ran as smoothly as possible.

Looking ahead to next week:

• Monday, January 13: The 8th-grade high school health class will host its first guest speaker of the semester (details to follow in a separate email).

• Thursday, January 16: 8th graders will participate in a team social studies field trip to the Garfield House.

• Pop Can Tab Challenge Celebration: We’ll announce and celebrate the winning grade level for our Ronald McDonald House initiative.

• Band, Choir, and Art Tech Updates: To simplify the Blue and Gold Day schedules, 6th and 7th-grade band and choir students will now meet as a full group every Friday. This change, based on feedback from student surveys and teacher input, aims to streamline the schedule and reduce confusion. Thank you for sharing your feedback—it truly helps us make meaningful improvements!

As we embark on 2025, I can’t help but reflect on how grateful I am for the entire Kirtland community. Over the past two and a half years, I’ve been fortunate to witness the amazing spirit of our students, families, and staff. While 2024 was a remarkable year, I’m genuinely excited about what lies ahead for Kirtland Middle School in 2025.

Finally, Please use this link to access the AHERA notice from the district.

Thank you for your continued support, and have a wonderful weekend!

Sincerely,

Mr. Race

Week of December 13

Monday, January 13

• 8th grade health presentation - Organ and Tissue Donation

Thursday, January 16

• Garfield House Field Trip - 8th graders

Week of January 20

Monday January 20

• No School - Teacher Work Day

Girls Basketball/Wrestling Schedule Link below....

DragonFly Athletic Schedules

Advanced Options Presentation - Advanced Placement & College Credit Plus Informational Session

Thursday, 1/30 at 6:00pm

Join the counselors to learn about advanced options for students including the Advanced Placement and College Credit Plus programs. All rising 7th-12th grade students and parents welcome.

8th to 9th grade Transition Meeting

Thursday, 1/30 at 7:00pm

Join the high school counselors to learn about the curriculum, scheduling, graduation requirements, and opportunities for students at KHS. All rising 9th grade students and parents welcome.

Hello Parents!

There are a few things I would like to ask for your help with.

Students are not turning in their loaner laptops and/or chargers in a timely manner which leaves some students without a loaner when needed. Laptops are not being charged at night which is very important so that there are loaners available for students whose laptops need to go to tech.

Thank you so much for your help with this.

Mrs. Gordon

Please help support the Class of 2028 AfterProm fundraiser and have 28 chances to win gift cardsvariety of vendors!! How it works:

Buy 1 entry for $10 or 3 entries for $25. Your name is then entered into the daily drawing for that amount of times. Each calendar has 28 chances to win. There will be one name drawn each day. If you win your name will be returned to the raffle for another chance to win. The name chosen will win the designated prize for that particular day. Winners will be notified via the contact information provided and delivery of prize will be arranged at that time. Winners do not need to be local to win. Please see the calendar for options how to purchase or reach out to kirtlandafterprom2028@gmail.com / 216-800-5019 for more information.

The idea for KAA came out of a series of discussions the Building Leadership Team had regarding our desire to help students who need a little assistance every so often, while also trying to hold students with high amounts of missing work accountable. Missing work can have such a profoundly negative impact on student learning and success within the classroom and we want to provide something that can help. We believe that this program is a tremendous opportunity for kids who need help getting back on track, while also supporting students that just need a bit of assistance every now and again.

All KMS students are welcome at KAA. The academic team - including teachers, parents, and administrators - has the discretion to make this program mandatory for students with excessive missing work which negatively impacts student learning and success within the classroom.

In many ways, KAA is homework help, tutoring, and general academic assistance for any KMS student in attendance. KMS students do not need to sign up for KAA. They simply need to show up with things they want to work on, sign in, and get the help they need. We are confident that this process will help these students find great success.

Location: KMS Library

Time: 7:30 - 8:30am

Day: Thursday during Delayed Start

Staff Facilitator: Mrs. Saluan

Thank you Nicole Hollopeter for putting this together.

The link provided will take you the Kirtland Middle School - Important Dates for the 24-25 school year. There are still a few things that need to be added at the end of the school year, but they will be updated in the next couple of days. My goal for the year is to be as transparent as possible to major events taking place down the road at the school. I will continue to add to the important date section of the newsletter for upcoming events, but if you are wanting to plan for things, please refer to this document.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1TCl8Xmv-gALMgSvn69gqfFa83acvNE9EsObDigWkskg/edit?usp=sharing