Hump Day Happenings

This newsletter is a weekly publication available every Wednesday to our Kilgour community. If you have information to share with our school community, including upcoming events and activities please email details to RC1 by 4pm on Mondays.

A message from CPS:

As we prepare for the unique and anticipated event of the solar eclipse on Monday, April 8, 2024, please read the following essential updates regarding student and staff schedules on this day.

Cincinnati Public Schools will be closed to students on April 8. All CPS staff members are expected to report to work as usual for school-led professional development and will follow cold weather day procedures (https://www.cps-k12.org/Page/648).

This decision reflects our commitment to safety and efficiency, particularly considering the expected transportation delays and the risk to students walking home post-dismissal. The solar eclipse, an event that captivates and educates, will begin its partial phase at approximately 2 p.m., with the peak - a nearly two-minute period of significant darkness - occurring around 3 p.m. Normal sunlight conditions are expected to resume by 4 p.m.

We recognize the educational and personal interest many of our families, students and staff may have in experiencing this phenomenon, especially the total eclipse visible further north.

Understanding this, staff may request the day off by following the standard procedure for requesting annual leave and promptly informing their Principal or supervisor. Should you have any questions or need further clarification regarding your duties or the schedule on April 8, please contact your Principal or supervisor directly. Your dedication and hard work are the foundation of our success at Cincinnati Public Schools.

We appreciate the cooperation of our families, students and staff, and continued commitment to Cincinnati Public Schools.

Thanks to our district Science department, every student and staff member has or will receive a pair of certified Solar Eclipse viewing glasses. Here is some information from the Cincinnati Observatory on safe solar viewing.

The Basic Rules

Never look directly at the Sun without proper equipment.

Safe options:

• Specially made eclipse glasses, purchased from a reputable source marked ISO 12312-2 - have on your face before looking up
• #14 welder's glass - make sure to place in front of your eyes before looking up
• Professionally made solar filters designed for telescopes and binoculars

Eclipse Facts

• A solar eclipse is caused by the Moon casting its shadow on the earth as it passes in front of the sun.
• The diameter of the Sun is 400 times larger than the diameter of the Moon; however, the sun is 400 times further away from the Earth, which is why the Moon can block out the Sun's light.
• During totality you can only see the atmosphere of the Sun. The atmosphere of the Sun is called the corona.
• Totality lasts longer the closer you get to the center of the line of totality. Choose your viewing location wisely!
• After the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024, the next total solar eclipse that can be seen from Ohio will be on September 14, 2099.

For complete information and events surrounding the eclipse, visit cincinnatiobservatory.org/2024-solar-eclipse

Next week our 3rd-6th graders will begin taking their Ohio State Tests (OST's). Ohio law requires public school districts to administer state assessments assigned to each student’s enrolled grade level or course, regardless of the student’s time in Ohio public schools. There is no process allowing parents and/or students to indicate their choices to not participate in state testing. Schools must account for and report any student who did not participate in a required state test.

These state assessments tell us how well our students are growing in the knowledge and skills outlined in Ohio’s Learning Standards, as well as how our school is performing compared to others throughout Ohio.

Testing Schedule for OST's:

Reading

Grades 3-5: English Language Arts (ELA) Reading part 1 on Wednesday, April 10, 2024

Grades 3-5: English Language Arts (ELA) Reading part 2 on Thursday, April 11, 2024

Grade 6: English Language Arts (ELA) Reading part 1 on Thursday, April 11, 2024

Grade 6: English Language Arts (ELA) Reading part 2 on Tuesday, April 16, 2024

Science

Grade 5: Science part 1 on Tuesday, April 23, 2024

Grade 5: Science part 2 on Thursday April 25, 2024

Math

Grades 3-6: Mathematics part 1 on Tuesday, April 30, 2024

Grades 3-6: Mathematics part 2 on Thursday, May 2, 2024

Here are a few test prep tips:

📚 Make sure your child gets plenty of sleep the night before

📚 Make sure your child has a healthy breakfast the morning of testing

📚 Have your child dress comfortably

📚 Try to make the morning routine non-stressful

📚 Arrive to school on time

📚 Encourage them to try their best

For more information on state assessments and resources to help your student prepare, please visit https://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Testing/Testing-Forms-Rules-and-Committees/Parent-Resource-Toolkit to access the state’s Assessment Toolkit for Parents.

Our K-2 students don't yet have to worry about OST's. However, they will be testing in their part of the building as well. Our primary students will be working to show how much they've grown too. They will be testing in Acadience and i-Ready during the month of April and into May.

While they don't have the pressure of performing for the state... they still need your encouraging words, proper rest and meals to sustain them during their testing. Maybe even an extra snack or 2 in their lunch this month.

Our school is rich with culture. Please consider helping us showcase the vast array of cultures that our school represents.

We now have 13 volunteers signed up for the Multicultural Fair. We need between 18-22 volunteers to make the fair a success. We will have to cancel the fair if we do not have enough volunteers. We have representatives from Mexico, India, Poland, Scotland, Hungary, the Philippines, Italy, South Africa, Guatemala and England/Holland. We can have more than one representative from each country.

Deadline for signing up: Friday, April 5, 2024

Count Me In for the Multicultural Fair

Every month the PBIS team reviews discipline referrals to address areas of concern. Here is a graph of locations where discipline referrals have been happening this school year. Talk with your student on how they take care of themselves, others and the environment in these various settings.

Kilgour follows the CPS district code of conduct. Based on this, Kilgour uses this flowchart to help determine what behaviors are handled within the classroom and which are handled in the office.

Discipline Referrals by Location 23-24 school year:

Kilgour follows the CPS district code of conduct. Based on this, Kilgour uses this flowchart to help determine what behaviors are handled within the classroom and which are handled in the office.

Kilgour uses restorative practices. Restorative practices are designed to increase students’ belonging in school communities and explicitly teach strategies to build empathy and make amends when necessary. One space at Kilgour you may have heard of that helps facilitate this is the A.L.C.

What is the A.L.C?

A.L.C is an acronym for Alternative Learning Center. The mission for this space is to provide a place for students to reflect upon their behaviors that led to disciplinary consequences, understand alternative behavior options, and identify improved behavior strategies for the future. Resources and support will be provided at the students developmental level. This is a space outside of the classroom.

At Kilgour we pledge to take care of ourselves, and others! The 2nd graders have really invested in taking care of others this quarter. After watching some Steve Hartman Kindness 101 videos, they voted to help foster children in our tri-state area. Their willingness to lean into kindness gave way to their current fundraising campaign in partnership with Payton's Lemonade Stand.

They enlisted the help of Student Council to create posters and raise awareness for their fundraiser around the school. They have even done morning announcements to be sure their voices help amplify their campaign.

Will you follow their lead and fill the donation bins with cozy pajamas and gift cards for new gym shoes? See below for details on how to help them spread kindness to foster children in our area.

Kilgour PTA Spring 2024 Clean Up Sign Up Link

4/7/24 - 6th Grade: Family Party at The Acres (4 spots left!)

Please join us with your 6th grader for putt putt, golf simulator, and light bites at The Acres. This is a great opportunity for kiddos and parents to socialize outside of school as we wrap up our final year at Kilgour. Siblings welcome!

PLEASE PURCHASE A TICKET FOR EACH PERSON ATTENDING.

Date: April 7th, 2024

Time: 3:00-5:00pm

Where: The Acres, 9941 Reading Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45241

4/11/24 - K-6th: Nerf Party at Alms Park (19 spots left!)

Calling all current K-6th Graders! Join us for an EPIC Nerf Battle! Thursday, April 11th at Alms Park (by the lower shelter) Bring your own Nerf Gun, ammunition, and eye protection. We'll provide the epic games and battles, as well as light drinks and snacks.

Date: April 11, 2024

Time: 4:30-5:30pm

Where: Alms Park-Lower Field by shelter- 710 Tusculum Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45226

4/19/24 - Mom Prom (228 spots left!)

Are you a Kilgour mom or *mothering figure*, and would like to participate in prom with your child? Well, we have the great gathering for you! Put on your dancing shoes and boogie down with your child at a night you both won’t soon forget. This party is open to all K-6th grade students.

Date: April 19, 2024

Time: 6:30 - 8:30pm

Location: Kilgour Gym

Click the Great Gatherings image to access all of the available options.

It’s Springtime in Cincinnati and that means supporting the Cincinnati Reds! Why not also support the Kilgour sports programs at the same time?

Cincinnati Red's Tickets will be available for $12 in the View Level of Great American Ball Park. $9 from each ticket sold will be donated back to Kilgour Sports Boosters to support our sports programs.

Purchase your Red’s tickets through the Red’s Kid Glove link. www.reds.com/kidglove

1. Click the “Buy Tickets” green button.
2. Enter your offer code ‘KILGOUR’ and click SUBMIT.
3. Click on the game you want.
4. Choose the section on the map where you would like to sit.
5. Select your desired seats.
6. Click “Continue”
7. Enter the e-mail address associated with your online ticket account and password, then click on “Log In.”
8. Enter your payment information, and then check the box to agree to the Terms and Conditions.
9. Click “Place Order”

Anyone can purchase tickets to any game listed on the website. Share the link with family and friends – thank you for supporting the Kilgour Sports Boosters!

Sports Recognition Night will be Thursday, April 25th from 6:30-8pm in the Kilgour gym.

In preparation, please add 1-3 Kilgour sports related pictures to the shared album. You may have more if your child does multiple sports. These pictures should be clear and from THIS SCHOOL YEAR.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/L8DHRV5bA8xqGbCp8

Please remember to take pictures of any remaining basketball events and upcoming spring sports and add them to the album at any time. If you have a baseball or softball player, please take photos in uniform or at practice (since games start later).

KSB would like to thank you for your help with this!

Kilgour is proud to have 4 students who participated in the pilot After-School Pickleball Program conducted in partnership with the Cincinnati Tennis Foundation and Ollie Enterprises last month. The program was offered to 4 schools for 3rd and 4th graders. It seems to have been a success as the Cincinnati Tennis Foundation is now offering a Spring Pickleball league.

The CTF is offering a new way to learn & play pickleball! - Play with your friends!
- Practice & play a low pressure match weekly
- Grades 3-6
- No experience necessary. Instruction provided.
- Teams assigned & match schedule provided Saturdays 9-10:00 AM from 4/13 until 5/18 Outdoor season at CTEC at Withrow High School

Registration link!

Coaches from local high schools are hosting a clinic to introduce the sport of field hockey to new players. All students in grades 4-8 are invited to attend. Please bring a mouth guard, shin guards (old soccer ones are fine), and a water bottle.

The details are:

Learn To Play Field Hockey

April 20, 2024, 10am-12pm

The Summit Country Day School

4-8th grade

Free!

Sign Up Link

Welcome back from spring break! We hope you all had a great time off! As we get back to our routines here are some champions reminders:

Schedule changes for the upcoming week are due before midnight on Wednesday - Please remember you are billed based off what you schedule. So, if you do not need as many days because of all the new programs - please go into your account and change it. This way you are only billed for what you need.

Payments on your account for our current week we are in is due before midnight tonight.

Late fees are added first thing Thursday morning - $10.00

Champions program hours are 7am-9am for our morning program, 3:30-6:15pm for our afternoon program.

Summer camp enrollment is still open - We are filling up fast so secure your spot today! Go online to your parent portal and register your child for our summer fun.

Fall 24/25 school year is in full swing as well - Secure your spot today for this fall! Registration is online in your parent portal at discoverchampions.com

April 8th - Champions and Kilgour are closed for the solar eclipse. I hope everyone gets to experience and view the eclipse safely! We all Return Tuesday April 9th.

If your child is in a before school or afterschool program - please let champions know - If we need to release your child to a program - please fill out our form which allows us to release to their program.

Our unit the next two weeks is our planet.

Some fun dates in April:

April 11th- National Pet day

April 15th: World art day

April 21st: National Kindergarten Day

Important Reminders

• Champions closes promptly at 6:15pm. If you are going to be late picking up, please text or call. Late pick up fee is $10.00.
• Billing - Champions bills need to be paid by Wednesday before midnight, or you will be disenrolled on Thursday. If you are disenrolled, you will need to pay a $50.00 reenrollment fee.
  
• Inclement weather - If Kilgour is closed, so is Champions. If Kilgour has a delay, so does Champions.
  
• Please text, call or email if your child is absent so that we are not expecting them when we pick your child up from class in the afternoon. Thank you!

If you haven't already, now is the time to begin the tedious task of figuring out the summer routine. Whether it's finding the most interesting and engaging camps, a reliable summer reading program, a cool nanny or, just an occasional fun activity to keep the kiddos entertained, you gotta have a plan! This is an ongoing resource to hopefully help with your planning.

Know of something that should be added? Please email our Resource Coordinator, Tywanna Watson (RC1) at watsoty@cpsboe.k12.oh.us with the details.

New entries identified by 2 asterisks (**)

Summer Camps:

**Art Camp w/ our very own Art teacher, Laura McMullen (See flyer below)

• Max of 10 students per week
• Mini Art Show at the end of each week
• Brush Bop Studio in Park Hills, KY

Champions

• It's not school, it's camp! Each week campers get to shake things up with new theme, proving that learning can be fun AND inspired.

ABC (Activities Beyond the Classroom) summer camp guide

• Arts Connect Summer Camp
• Cincinnati Art Museum Summer Camp
• Clifton Cultural Arts Summer Camp
• Kennedy Heights Art Center Summer Camp
• Queen City Clay Summer Camp
• The Art Spark: A Creative Classroom Summer Camp
• Cincinnati Ballet Kids Dance Camp
• UC College Conservatory of Music Summer Programs
• Mutual Dance Theater Summer Camp
• School of Rock Summer Camp
• Many more... click the above link to access the full guide

The Children's Theatre of Cincinnati

• TCT Eras Camp
• The Villians' Revue
• Several others for various age ranges

Summer Reading Programs:

Summer Camp Reading

• For upcoming 2nd, 3rd and 4th graders
• Free
• 6 locations

Xavier University's Summer Reading Camp

• Grades 1-8
• Xavier University campus, Hailstones Hall

Summer Activities:

Cincinnati Public Library Discovery Pass - Visit your favorite arts, cultural, and recreational atrractions in Hamilton County for free with a library card. Participating organizations:

• American Sign Museum
• Cincinnati Art Museum
• Cincinnati Museum Center
• Great Parks of Hamilton County
• Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park & Museum
• Taft Museum of Art
• The Harriet Beecher Stowe House

Be sure to check for new entries each week as we build this resource together!

The MLCC is happy to announce that they are accepting applications for the 2024 Mt. Lookout Community Council Scholarship.

Here are the details:

Deadline: April 15, 2024

The Mt. Lookout Community Council (MLCC) Scholarship is an annual scholarship funded by the MLCC. It is a $500 scholarship awarded to two graduating seniors who reside in Mt. Lookout. The scholarship is to be used for educational purposes only (i.e. tuition, textbooks, etc.).

Eligibility for scholarship includes:

– At least one parent and the applicant must reside in Mt. Lookout and have an active household membership in the Mount Lookout Community Council. Contact us if you are unsure of your membership status.

– Senior must be planning to attend a two or four year not-for profit college or trade/vocational school.

– Have a current GPA of 3.00

Application can be found by clicking on this link Mt. Lookout Scholarship

If you have any questions, feel free to email the MLCC at info@mtlookout.org

Have a free morning and ideas for Superintendent Wright? You should plan to join her at one of her "Coffee with the Supt." sessions being offered during the months of April and May.

Equipping, enriching and elevating the 21st century learner. Serving grades K-6. We are #KilgourStrong

Email: watsoty@cpsboe.k12.oh.us
Website: https://www.cps-k12.org/kilgour
Location: 1339 Herschel Avenue, Cincinnati, OH, USA
Phone: 513.363.3000