KAMSC Newsletter

Happy New Year! It's great to be back in the swing of things. We have final exams next week here at KAMSC. You can find the schedule below in the calendar information. Please help your child manage their time and to get plenty of rest leading up to their testing. Stress, anxiety and lack of sleep definitely won't help. I also know that some of our partner schools are entering exams as well. We have worked with those schools to make sure there are minimal overlap/disruptions, but a few students may need to make sure their schedules work and talk to their partner schools or KAMSC if they don't. Also - I believe Portage bussing and possibly others may be disrupted next week due to half days at your partner schools. Finally - KPS has a half day early release on January 15th and there will be no bussing for the afternoon students. Please call your partner schools to understand how this might impact your child.

As we enter into the last half of the school year, I want to give a friendly reminder about drop off and attendance procedures:

Drop off: If you choose to pull into the CEC parking lot off of vine, please pull all the way in (and do a quick loop and then drive out) and either drop students off in the parking lot or drop them off on your way back out. I have received some feedback that since it is such a blind entrance that this would be a safer scenario, rather than pulling in part way, dropping off, then backing out.

Attendance: Please be sure to contact the office for all excused absences. Please note that attendance is required every day, including days here at KAMSC that are field trips, conferences, Olympiads, Big Data Days etc. These are all part of our curriculum.

The Google Classroom where you will log your hours and provide your evidence is up and running and the code for that is: 2sonss5

Do you have questions about the PVSA? - read about it in the "old news" section.

On Saturday, January 18th, we will be running two of the sessions for 8th graders testing as a part of their application process for next year. We are in need of 4 people to come to KVCC from 8:00-9:00 to handle registration and 6 people to help set up the testing environment and to serve as proctors. We also need 4 people to come to KVCC for round 2 of testing from 11:00-12:00 for registration and 11:30- 1:45pm to set up the testing environment and serve as proctors. Please click the button below to volunteer. If you have a student testing, you are not eligible to volunteer. Refreshments will be provided for volunteers.

Congratulations to Aryaman on being one of 300 high school students to win this honor. With this honor KAMSC was also awarded $2,000 that will go back into our research program to fund materials for research projects. Aryaman's project was titled "American Sign Language Alphabet Translation to English Using Novel Hand Gesture Recognition." We are so proud of your accomplishment, Aryaman!

The First (founding) meeting of a new "Rainbow Alliance" will be held January 29th before open lab from 5:30-6 pm in room 424. We're looking forward to welcoming all that wish to participate and to begin conversations about naming the club and thinking about what activities students might like to do. Ms. Fisher and Mrs.Chapoton will be the advisors. All are invited.

Are you starting to plan your summer for 2025? It's never too early to think about all the things your child may want to do or experience. Mrs. Joyce has put together a beautiful lists of options in case you are looking for opportunities such as these. Click the button below.

If you or someone you know are looking for ways to give, then look no further. We are beginning to raise funds for Sizzlin Summer Science Camp 2025. Your donation will go towards the program as a whole with costs that include materials, staffing and reduced costs for families in need.

There will be no open lab on January 15 or Jan 22.

On Friday, May 2nd KAMSC staff will put on a conference for all KAMSC students called Searching for Health. There are dynamic keynote speakers and breakout sessions planned for our students to attend. More to come on that as we get closer. But, in preparation, perhaps you would be willing to sign up to volunteer set up, organizer, serve and clear up lunch. It is a fairly easy job with usually box lunches available to students. We are looking for 10 parent volunteers. Please use the button below to sign up.

We have received some very positive feedback from students and families on the virtual study table that was provided for students needing just a little extra support. We also know that it frustrated a few. Please know, we are taking in all of the feedback and weighing it and discussing it. The MTSS structure is in place to help provide extra support as early as possible. We aim to be as supportive in the learning process as possible and to make students aware of support that we offer. We hope that the system forms a great check-in process with their teachers and gets students support if they are in need. To review the structure, click the button below.

We are excited to announce that the KAMSC has now become certified to hand out the Presidential Volunteer Service Award (PVSA)! Thanks to the hard work of our Student Senate students for researching the program and bringing it my attention.

This award is an opportunity for all students at KAMSC to be recognized for volunteering within their communities

KAMSC plans to give out these awards, which includes a medallion, during Project Day Awards Night, after submitting the applications to the government in early-April. The PVSA is also amazing for students who want to build an application for college, or want one award to recognize all of their various volunteer engagements.

Every student is welcome to sign up to the Google Classroom, which will house each individual’s Google Sheets to keep track of their volunteer events and hours.

Further information about the PVSA is available at their website: https://presidentialserviceawards.gov/

If your student is going to be absent from school you must notify both your partner school and KAMSC (if they are gone all day) and always KAMSC if they are gone during their KAMSC classes. Please remember that attendance is vital as the content moves fast and we want students to have as much of their classroom experience as possible. To notify KAMSC call (337-0004) or email kamsc.office@kamsc.org.

If you are dropping off or picking up your student at KAMSC, please do so at the Vine Street entrance. Please find a safe place to pull over and then have you student proceed to the Vine street entrance. If students are driving themselves:

1. They need to acquire a parking pass from the KAMSC office - please fill this out

2. They need to park by the El Sol playground off of Dutton Street (but then walk to Vine street entrance)

3. They should be reminded to not keep anything valuable in their car and to keep their cars locked at all times.

4. The building will have a campus security officer at the Vine Street entrance during times of arrivals and dismissals.

KAMSC follows the KPS code of conduct for student discipline. Please be advised of it, it is linked here. Specific behaviors we would love your help with talking with your child about at home are:

• Academic Integrity
• Bullying
• Name calling/inappropriate language

January 8th - Open Lab 6-7:30 pm

January 13th -AM Math Exam

January 14th - AM Science Exam

January 15th - PM Math Exam

January 16th - PM Elective Exam

January 17th - PM Science Exam