Embedded Files
A Note from Ms. Palmer, KJHS Principal
Dear Kingsley families,
And, just like that, it is March and we only have 15 days of school until spring break! Spring is not only a time of transition for nature, it also a time of transition at schools. After spring break, we will only have 8 weeks left in the school year. The April Kingsley Connection will have information about events for our 8th graders who will be transitioning to high school, events for incoming 6th graders, and end of the year plans for the KJHS student body. In the meantime, we are enjoying watching the KJHS students grow cognitively, emotionally, and physically. They have come a tremendously long way this year and it is privilege to work with them and partner with you. Here's to a great March!
Ms. Palmer
KJHS Updates
KJHS Updates
IAR Testing
IAR Testing
IAR testing in math and English language arts will be held at Kingsley on March 16, 17, and 20 (see testing session times below). We hope to have your child present at school for the dates/times below so we can complete the testing process as efficiently as possible. Thank you in advance for your support!
Thursday, March 16: 9:00 - 10:30 am (Math)
Friday, March 17: 9:00 - 10:30 am (Math) & 1:21 - 3:00 pm (ELA)
Monday, March 20: 9:00 - 10:30 am (Math) & 1:21 - 3:00 pm (ELA)
8th Grade Dance
8th Grade Dance
One of the events that the 8th grade class looks forward to every year is the 8th grade end of year dance. This dance is traditionally planned by the 8th grade parents. If you are interested in serving on the 8th grade dance steering committee, please let Ms. Palmer know at palmere@unit5.org.
PTO Spirit Wear Sale
The final PTO spirit wear sale for this school year is going on now through March 24th. Check out the available design and items at the KJHS spirit wear store.
5 Essentials Survey - Thank You!
5 Essentials Survey - Thank You!
Thanks to all of you who completed the 5 Essentials survey! We were able to meet threshold of 20% that the state requires for us to reach in order to see family feedback. We greatly appreciate you giving of your time!
I is for Integrity
I is for Integrity
March's PRIDE theme is "I is for Integrity". We appreciate your support in helping KJHS students demonstrate integrity in all that they do.
Restaurant Field Trip Volunteers Needed
Restaurant Field Trip Volunteers Needed
The 3rd quarter PBIS reward involves field trips to local restaurants. Since students will be visiting different restaurants, we could use volunteers to help chaperone different groups. If you are interested in helping with this, please be sure to go through the volunteer approval process (call the KJHS main office at (309) 557 -4407 to get this started) and contact your child's team to sign up to be a chaperone. Here is the field trip schedule:
6th grade: Thursday, 3/23, 12:30 - 2:07 pm
7th grade: Friday, 3/24, 11:13 am - 12:49 pm
8th grade: Friday, 3/24, 12:30 - 2:00 pm
Staff Wish List - Thank You!
Staff Wish List - Thank You!
Thanks to all of you who purchased items off the Staff Wish List! Your support and generosity is greatly appreciated.
Who Do I Contact?
Knowing who to contact at KJHS about certain issues can be challenging. We hope this mini-guide helps as to who to contact first when you are needing assistance.
Absences (partial or full day): KJHS Attendance line (309-557-4456)
Classroom level issues (grades, behavior, etc.): Your student's teacher(s)
General questions about KJHS: KJHS Main Office line (309 - 557-4407)
Student information/registration updates: KJHS Guidance office (557-4849)
Sports related questions: Mrs. Ambrose (557-4862 or ambrosev@unit5.org) or Mr. Davis
Student behavior issues: Student's AP
Last name A-K: Mr. Larson (557-4858 or larsond@unit5.org)
Last name L-Z: Mr. Davis (557 - 4962 or davissy@unit5.org)
Student schedules: KJHS Guidance office (557-4849)
Student support services: KJHS Guidance office (557-4849)
Internet Safety
Internet Safety
If you are looking for a resource to help you with keeping your student safe online, check out Officer Gomez on Facebook or on YouTube. He posts regularly about online dangers and how families can help guide kids to use social media and other online resources safely.
Unit 5 Updates
Unit 5 Updates
School Board Elections
School Board Elections
There are several candidates for the McLean County Unit 5 school board elections this April. The candidates have been invited to speak at the KJHS PTO meeting on Monday, March 20 at 7 pm in the KJHS IMC.
April Referendum
April Referendum
As you are most likely aware, McLean County Unit 5 has experienced an ongoing deficit in its educational fund for several years. In order to address this deficit, the district needs to either raise revenue, cut expenses, or both. With the failure of the fall referendum, the board has announced that the following reductions will be made if the April referendum does not pass:
2023-2024 REDUCTIONS = $1.8M-$2.2M
Annual adjustments based on enrollment
Reduce administration
Reduce budgets by 10% - schools, curriculum, technology, extracurricular and cocurricular, Unit Office, etc. (supplies, materials, and travel)
Remove funding for field trips
Remove 5th grade band/orchestra
Remove schedule B at the junior highs - sports, clubs, etc
Remove freshman teams
Limit # of students who travel to out-of-town competitions (JV/Varsity)
Reduce # of job sites for students with disabilities
The district will also pursue the avenues of additional revenue:
2023-2024 REVENUE = $600K +
Increase registration, activity, and gate fees (charge for all sporting events)
Increase facility rental fees
Implement National School Breakfast & Lunch Program at the high schools
Remove funding for Schedule B Illuminate coaches (MTSS collaboration, screening and progress monitoring)
Want more information?
Families interested in more information about the district's financial situation and the upcoming April referendum can visit the Unit 5 Referendum Information page.
Online Registration
Online Registration
Registration for next School Year (23-24) is now open. Current Unit 5 student information can be found on the Established Student Registration page. This link is for families that had a student registered with Unit 5 for the 2022-2023 school year. To access, log in to the Infinite Campus Parent Portal, go to "More" on the left hand side of the page, and click on "Online Registration." For further guidance, please refer to the Returning Student Online Registration Help & the Infinite Campus Returning Student Registration Directions
There are no fees due at this time for any students. Fees will be available to pay in July, and additional information will be made available closer to that time.
If you have questions please contact the KJHS main office at (309) 557 - 4407. If necessary, please leave a message on the main phone line.
Unit 5 Podcast
Unit 5 Podcast
Want to know more about Unit 5? Check out our new podcast, Inside Unit 5!
This monthly podcast is dedicated to highlighting information and news for Unit 5’s parents, students, educators, and community members.
Attention 8th Grade Families!!!
Attention 8th Grade Families!!!
Course Acceleration
Course Acceleration
As our 8th grade students choose high school classes for next year, they encounter a new option: Honors Courses. As part of this process, teachers are asked to make advanced course recommendations for students. This coming year, the district is also implementing automatic enrollment, which reflects a change in the Illinois School Code.
Automatic enrollment is an addition to school code that amends the current Accelerated Placement Act and Unit 5’s adopted accelerated placement policy. It specifies that a school district’s accelerated placement policy allow for the automatic enrollment in the following school term of a student into the next most rigorous level of advanced coursework if the student meets or exceeds state standards in English Language Arts (ELA), Mathematics, or Science on a state assessment.
The most recent state assessment results should be used to determine whether a student meets or exceeds state standards. These may include:
Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) scores for Level 4: Met Expectations and Level 5: Exceeded Expectations are designated as “meeting or exceeding state standards” for Grades 3-8.
The results from a locally selected, nationally normed assessment may be used instead of the state assessment for other high school grades if those results are the most recent.
KJHS guidance counselors and 8th grade teachers have reviewed those students impacted by this policy and those students have been notified of their placement in honors courses for next year. Families are always welcome to decline placement in honors courses if they so desire. If you have questions about your student's course placement for next year, please feel free to contact the KJHS Guidance Office at (309) 557 -4849.
High School Course Planning Timeline
High School Course Planning Timeline
To parents of the Class of 2027 (yes, 8th grade parents, that's you)... high school registration is around the corner. Here are upcoming dates that you should be aware of.
NCHS French Courses
NCHS French Courses
Going to NCHS next year? Considering taking French? Check out the NCHS French Department website for more information.
Athletics & Clubs
Athletics & Clubs
Kingsley Clubs and Activities
Kingsley Clubs and Activities
Incoming students & families often ask "how can my child get involved & participate in the Kingsley community?" Great question!
Off of the main page of the Kingsley website, there is an "extracurriculars" page with our club and activity information. For students, we post club information in the daily announcements & on "What's Kickin' at Kingsley?" bulletin boards throughout the school. Here is a list of our current clubs:
Black Student Union (BSU) Jazz Band Speech/Debate Team
Board Game Club Kingsley Bible Club Spirit Club
Drama Club Kingsley Stream Team Strategy Card Games Club
FCCLA Kingsley Student Council Tech Club
Fellowship of Student Athletes (FCA) KJHS Book Club Wyld Life
Harry Potter Club Not In Our School (NIOS) Yearbook
KJHS PTO
KJHS PTO
KJHS PTO Happenings
KJHS PTO Happenings
Next Meeting
Next Meeting
The next PTO meeting is Monday, March 20th at 6:30 pm in the KJHS IMC. You can also join us virtually via the Zoom link on the KJHS PTO Web Site. Candidates for the McLean County Unit 5 School Board have been invited to speak at 7 pm.
Spirit Wear Sale
The KJHS PTO needs your financial help in order to keep supporting the activities we provide KJHS students and staff! For more information, check out the "No Hassle Fundraiser" flyer.
Want more information on the KJHS PTO?
Visit the KJHS PTO Web Site
Dates to Note
Dates to Note
March
6: Early Release Day (11:45 am)
16 - 20: IAR Testing
20: PTO Meeting (6:30 pm)/Meet the School Board Candidates (7:00 pm)
24: PTO spirit wear sales ends (11:59 pm)
27 - 31: Spring Break
April
7: Early Release Day (11:45 am)
10: Teacher Institute Day (No School)
Stay Up to Date!
Stay Up to Date!
Be sure to mark school holidays, teacher institute days, and early release days on your calendar!
Daily Announcements are shown each lunch period, daily & posted on the main page of the KJHS website.
Stay Connected
Stay Connected
To stay connected to our Kingsley community, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, &/or Twitter.
You can also visit our school website for additional information. Please be patient as changes are being made to the website to ensure the most updated information is provided.
At any time you can also reach out by email to palmere@unit5.org
#KingsleyCARES
Student Council is putting on a dance from 3:45 - 5:30 in the KJHS cafeteria. The theme is "Winter Glow" and tickets are on sale now. Attendance is limited to 250 students and students with a 2nd quarter ISS or OSS will not be allowed to attend the event.
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