Student Weekly

September 4 to 8, 2023

Schedule

Sept. 4 to 8

Monday "A-Day" - Classes start at 10am (see special schedule below)
Tuesday "B-Day"
Wednesday "A-Day"
Thursday "B-Day"
Friday "A-Day"

Upcoming Dates to Remember

Announcements

Message from Mr. Carroll, MS Principal

Hi DRAGONS!

Next Monday, we will have some special guests here in the Middle School. We will have some trainers here to work with all of our teachers on how to improve our teaching of reading. One of the things about being a teacher is that, like students, they are always learning and trying to get better. They do this so that they can help you be better! On Monday, you may be in a class that is taught by one of the trainers. No matter what, we know that all of you will be on your best behavior and will be eagerly showing what it means to be a DRAGON.

Message from Mr. Boland, MS Associate Principal

Communication continues to be a theme for Quarter 1. We have an Assembly at the end of the day on Monday to continue to see how respectful communication improves our community.

Hanbok Day: On Friday, September 22, students and teachers are encouraged to wear their hanbok to school as a way to celebrate Chuseok. This can be worn instead of the regular school uniform. If you choose to not wear your hanbok, then students should follow the usual uniform expectations.
Monday’s Late Start: Tomorrow (September 4) we will have our first Monday late start of the year. This is so faculty professional development. We will have a total of 6 late starts on Monday this year. Classes begin at 10am, so please try to arrive at school between 930 and 955. See the Schedule Below the grade-level announcements
ES Interruptions: We have received reports of students being oud in the 5th-grade hallway and of students bursting into the ES/MS Gym on Wednesdays at 330. This is during our early dismissal. Please make sure to exit the building respectfully. The ES/MS Gym is a shared space, so any time you enter you must be mindful of others.
Wednesday After School: On Wednesdays, we have an early dismissal at 325. Students are expected to head off-campus or back to the dorms. Some students have to stay on campus beyond 330 for late pick-up or an after-school activity. This means we have certain expectations of where students must go from 330 onwards:
1. Late Pick-ups: Our library is open every day until 5pm. This is where students MUST go if they have to wait after school for the bus or a parent.
2. After-School Activity - ANY student needing to stay for an after-school activity (sports/drama) MUST go to the ES/MSPAC Attendance will be taken in the PAC. Any student not in the PAC will not be permitted to practice that day.
3. Dorm students: All dorm students must report back to the dorms. If these students have an ASA, they can return to the day campus at 4pm.
4. Deli: The deli is not an option for students until after 4pm.
Leaving Classes: We have noticed many students looking to leave class to go to the bathroom, get a drink of water, or go to the nurse. Students should only go to the nurse or the bathroom if it is an emergency. There are plenty of breaks in our schedule for students to go to the bathroom between classes or during lunch. We have 45-minute classes and then a 5-minute break. In most cases, people can wait until a class transition to go to the bathroom. No student should leave the class for a drink of water. Students should fill up their water bottles during the transition times. Students MUST prioritize their class time!
Instrument Storage: Students with instruments that are too large for their locker, should bring them to the instrument storage room on the 4th floor first thing in the morning. Check with a teacher and you can use the elevator. These instruments cannot be stored in the hallways or next to lockers. It is too easy for them to get damaged. At the end of the day, go back to the fourth-floor instrument storage room to collect your instrument.
Lost & Found hoodies: With the wet weather, hot weather, and approaching cooler weather of fall, we are noticing a lot of KISJ hoodies and long-sleeved PE shirts coming into the MS Office. Make sure your name is on your clothing so we can send you an email to come pick it up. (SAFETY TIP) If you lay your clothing on the ground at break time, give it a shake before picking it up to make sure no bugs or centipedes have crawled under it. It is that time of year.

Grade Level Announcements

Grade 6

It is good to see that so many of you have settled into life in middle school at KISJ. We are making progress as a grade but we still have room for growth. Please focus on the following:

It is your responsibility to be prepared for your lessons. At the start of each class, you should:
- Have all learning materials (notebooks, folders, handouts, etc.)
- Have used the bathroom if necessary
- Have filled up your water bottle if necessary
Lunchroom Expectations:
- You DO NOT RUN in or towards the cafeteria.
- You speak at a moderate volume.

Grade 7

This week in advisory we will be focusing on setting up our Growth Portfolios for the school year. Reflection is important for us to grow as learners. We want to encourage you to use your lockers. If your instrument fits in it, please put your instrument there instead of carrying it to your classes. The same goes for umbrellas. If you put it in your locker you will know where it is and you won’t have to go from class to class looking for it when you forget it.

Grade 8

Please make sure you are walking on the right side on the stairways so traffic can pass in both directions. Submit your assignments on time! Meeting deadlines is an important skill to practice. Keep up the good work overall. It has been a good start to the year so far!

Monday Late Start Schedule (A-Day)

Clash of DRAGONS

Thank you to everyone for a successful kick-off to our Clash of DRAGONS on Friday. We are seeing some excellent House Flags coming in. Make sure you and your group submit your design in the MS DRAGONS Google Classroom before Friday, September 8. Our first competition will be on Friday, September 22, during Fun Friday Advisory.

Here are this year’s Grade Level Lists. GRADE 6 GRADE 7 GRADE 8 FACULTY

MS Clubs and Activities

Q1 clubs begin on Tuesday, August 15. All students should attend each club session from 330 to 400pm each and every Tuesday and Thursday.

STUCO: STUCO is excited to announce our first social of the 2023/2024 school year! It will be held on Thursday, September 21st from 6pm-8pm. We are interested in hearing from students who would like to perform at the Falling Out of Green Social. Note: We are only accepting dance performances. If you are interested in performing, please fill out this form (read it carefully first!)

The deadline is Thursday, Sept. 7!

Service: Thank you to our newly formed Community Service Committee. We have begun the process of reaching out to various organizations on Jeju and are hoping to host a clothing drive at some point during Quarter 1. Details to come!
Broadcast Club

Is your birthday coming up soon? We would love to do a birthday shoutout for you in our next broadcast!!! Please complete this form.

Middle School Baseball

Can you hear the crack of the bat? Smell the leather in your glove?

That’s right, MS BASBEALL IS BACK!!! We will be practicing twice a week. Students are encouraged to attend both practices, but if other commitments mean they can only attend once a week that is ok. We will definitely practice on Fridays, and are confirming if the other practice will be Mondays OR Tuesdays (will be confirmed this week). If you are interested in joining our MS BASEBALL, please complete this form. We are looking to get started soon, so please sign-up by Thursday, September 7. Our first team meeting will be Friday, September 8, at 420 on the HS Field.

MS Athletics

Upcoming Events

There are a number of events taking place for our MS Dragons athletes coming up next week:

Monday (9/4): Girls Badminton vs. SJA

Tuesday (9/5) Girls Soccer @BHA

Thursday (9/7) Girls Soccer @SJA

Wish the members on these teams luck when you see them next week!

Uniform Orders:

Uniform order information has been sent to all athletes and their parents. You can also see the information by following this link. There are sizing samples available outside of the MS Gym for you to try on - RETURN ALL SAMPLES BACK TO THE CLOTHING RACK IN AN ORGANIZED MANNER. They are cared for by Mr. Oren. He is not a Uniqlo employee. He is not your parent. Clean up after yourself. The sizing samples will be taken away if the privilege is mismanaged.

Boys and Girls Soccer uniforms need a number chosen by you. Here are the instructions:

Complete and submit this form.

That’s actually it, but make sure that you understand these three factors when deciding your number:

Older players will get their first choice: if they choose the same number as you, they will get it.
If all three numbers are taken by an older player, the athletics department will choose one for you.
If you do not complete and submit this form, the uniform vendor (Therim) will choose a number for you.

BE CREATIVE - CHOOSE NUMBERS NO ONE ELSE WILL TAKE!

If you have any questions about athletics uniforms or athletics in general you can ALWAYS email or DM Mr. Oren at loren@kis.ac.

KISJ Athletics Google Classroom

Join the KISJ Athletics Google Classroom to stay informed of the latest happenings and information for all KISJ Athletics teams. You can join by following this link.

MS Theatre

LEGALLY BLONDE The Musical

Cast and Crew, please make sure that you are checking your rehearsal schedule every Sunday to make sure that you know your own personal schedule for the week. Cast rehearsals are Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday (though you won’t always be called for every rehearsal), and Crew rehearsals are Tuesdays and Thursdays.

PLAYWRITING FESTIVAL

Thank you to everyone who signed up for the playwriting festival! We will have a meeting before Chuseok to explain what the first steps are for this year’s KISJ Middle School playwrights!

MS Robotics

The first Saturday work session was held this past weekend. It was great to see our talented students diving in to get get started on this year’s task.

MS Music

Students in Band classes have chosen their motto for the school year. Each Band has a different motto, but check out Wind Ensemble’s poster! Their motto is….PRACTICE!

AMIS Orchestra & Band Festival Auditions
Auditions are due before October 23 for either the AMIS MS Orchestra Festival or the AMIS MS Band Festival. You must meet with Mr. Vest or Mr. Chapa to discuss the audition. The Orchestra Festival is held February 21-25 at KISJ and the Band Festival is held April 10-14 at HKIS (Hong Kong). Please contact Mr. Vest or Mr. Chapa if you have any questions.

MS Library

Students, many of you have begun library research using NoodleTools. If you are having trouble using the tool, come by the library, we can help. Also, remember to return your library books in a timely manner. If you need to renew your checkout, come by, we can help.

School and Dorm Life Guide

Each week for Semester 1, there will be a short Google Form asking questions about our school’s guiding document, The School and Dorm Life Guide. Students are expected to read and understand this document. If you complete the quiz, and get all the questions right, there might be a small reward for you! Here is Quiz # 4.

MS Lost & Found

Make sure to check the MS Office if you have lost anything. We keep things in the office for a month. Unclaimed items will be discarded appropriately.

REMINDERS

Wednesday After School: On Wednesdays, we have an early dismissal at 325. Students are expected to head off-campus or back to the dorms. Some students have to stay on campus beyond 330 for late pick-up or an after-school activity. This means we have certain expectations of where students must go from 330 onwards:
- Late Pick-ups: Our library is open every day until 5pm. This is where students MUST go if they have to wait after school for the bus or a parent.
- After-School Activity - ANY student needing to stay for an after-school activity (sports/drama) MUST go to the ES/MSPAC Attendance will be taken in the PAC. Any student not in the PAC will not be permitted to practice that day.
- Dorm students: All dorm students must report back to the dorms. If these students have an ASA, they can return to the day campus at 4pm.
- Deli: The deli is not an option for students until after 4pm.
Personal Electronic Devices (PEDs) - According to the School Dorm and Life Guide, “Day students may bring PEDs to school but they are to remain out of sight throughout the school day. Staff may confiscate PEDs that are visible during the school day.” PEDs should be in your bags and out of sight while on campus. They should NOT be in your pocket or hand unless it is for an academic purpose. Taking your PEDs to the bathroom during classes or break time does not meet our school expectations.
Respect - Remember to make sure that the language you use is respectful. Think about the words you use, they reflect who you are. In classrooms, English is the language we use.
Library at Recess: Please complete the proper grade-level form should you want to go to the library instead of going out to the MS Field during recess time.
- Grade 6 Form
- Grade 7 & 8 Form

The form will be opened each day at 8:10 am and close each day at the end of class, right before lunch. The form will be located in the Reminders Section of the Student Weekly.

Bicycles, Scooters, and Skateboards: Students should not be riding these vehicles on campus. Students should walk these vehicles through the gate. All students should wear helmets as well.
Uniforms - Uniforms must be worn properly. Club shirts, Ambassador shirts, Team jerseys, hats, and Dorm clothing are NOT part of the casual uniform. ALL students should have their KISJ casual shirt on, even if they are wearing a KISJ hoodie. Respect our community by respecting our uniform.
- FAQs
  - If you are wearing your formal uniform, long sleeve shirts should be tucked in and neckties are worn with the knot at the top of the shirt (not hanging loosely).
  - Plain white/black shirts purchased in the uniform shop are NOT uniform pieces. They are for wearing under uniform shirts if you choose.
  - Students are expected to ALWAYS be in uniform when on campus during the school day.
  - Shoes: The MS and HS have simplified the shoe policy schoolwide. For formal and casual uniform days, “Shoes must be all black and have closed toes and a back that covers the heel: running shoes (sneakers) are permitted.” This includes the logos, laces and soles on your shoes. If you have to ask, then you probably know the answer. It is awesome to see that most students have had the correct footwear for the first days of school. If you have other colors on your shoe, please make sure to get your new shoes ASAP. If you use Naver or Coupang you can find links to several shoes that meet our requirements. Many shoe stores such as ABC Mart also carry all black shoes in Nike, Reebok, Sketchers, etc.
  - Hoods and Hats: Hoods and Hats can be used outside for weather protection. Once you enter indoors (classroom, hallway, stairwell, cafeteria, lobby, etc.) all hats and hoods should be removed.
Responsible Use Policy (RUP) - It is important to review our Responsible Use Policy. During the school day, we should be using our Macbooks for academic purposes, only. Students should not be shopping, gaming, or visiting non-academic websites during the school day.
Locker Issues: Please please follow these steps if you have any problem with your locker. First, try to solve the problem yourself. Second, ask your advisor for support. Third, complete this form.
Playground Expectations: The MS has access to the playground area during lunch recess on Tuesdays and Fridays. Do not climb on the outside of slides, and make sure you do not hang upside-down on the monkey bars. The monkey bars are for swinging with hands only.
Stairwells - We need to be mindful of our behavior in the stairwells, especially during passing times and at lunchtime.
We do not want too many students trying to squeeze up the stairs. This leads to pushing, and that leads to accidents and injuries. It is also not practicing social distancing. Students really should be walking up and down the stairs, no more than two at a time, and keeping to the right.
The volume level should be low. There is always another grade or two that are in classes. As you move about the building you need to "turn off your outdoor voices.

Middle School Uniforms

Please continue to follow our uniform policy. Students are expected to be in the proper uniform at all times and to wear their uniforms properly. Non-uniform clothing should not be worn on campus during the school day.

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