Mid-April

Kingsley has three core values that guide our efforts & actions: our core values are community, growth, & innovation. Since March 2020, we have developed a deeper appreciation for our community & how coming together makes all things better.

Our primary focus is students & hearing their perspective on how things are going is important to us. Therefore, in February, we did a student & parent survey to get a pulse on the things we are doing well & where we need to improve. #growth

In the areas to improve, students shared that they would like:

• more food choices at lunch,

• to have a swimming pool (they’ll be able to take Swim during P.E. in high school!),

• for 6th grade to not have 4 afternoon classes in a row (we have changed that for next year), &

• to come to school more days (that has happened for in-person students).

When asked, “what is something you like about Kingsley?,” students replied:

• “My teachers are nice & answer my questions,”

• “I like our community in our school,”

• “I like all the sports,”

• “Doritos at lunch,” and

• “It really feels like our school.”

As a staff, we celebrated that students feel cared for and that students sense the community that we strive to create for them.

In follow up conversations with students, the meaning behind our mascot, The Cavalier, came up. By doing some research, we were surprised to find that “Cavalier,” as branded at Kingsley, was a follower of King Charles 1 of England, who was beheaded due to his disregard for the English Parliament & authoritarian rule. The Kingsley core value of community was not emulated by the Cavaliers.

Therefore, we will proudly finish this school year as the Kingsley Cavaliers, and when we begin the 2021-2022 school year, we will have a new mascot. Students are sharing their 2021-2022 mascot suggestions which will be reviewed by a committee of staff & a committee of students before a ballot with mascot options is created. After which, our students will participate in the voting process to select our future mascot.

As with many things in 20-21, the Cav Cash Store, as it existed before, needed to be reinvented due to Covid-19 safety guidance. Instead of closing it for the school year, Mr. Oates & his 8th grade Business Entrepreneurial Leadership & Technology (B.E.L.T.) students asked if the could innovate and reimagine the business model for the store. #studentleadership

After presenting their plans to the KJHS administration, the staff & the KJHS PTO, our 8th grade B.E.L.T. students have begun operating the Cav Cash Store for in-person students. Last week, in-person students spent a combined total of $2,511!

Remote Students: Since last summer, we have been seeking for a way to use Cav Cash with our remote students. We explored options with our KJHS tech team & the KJHS PBIS team then we reached out to other U5 PBIS teams, U5 Tech Coaches, & an external software professional. We kept reaching for options because we wanted every student, whether remote or in person, to have the option of participating. It has been a disappointing process as each time we thought there was a solution, a road block arose. Therefore to celebrate the dedication & hard work of our remote students, the KJHS PTO, PBIS team & staff has something special planned for our remote students in May.