As part of our social responsibility project, we would like to help out the less fortunate in our community so Team 8-1 is having a food & supply drive to help support the Neville House. The Neville House is a domestic violence shelter in Bloomington, IL that served over 750 local residents last year. Our goal is to collect as many items as possible between Friday, December 1, 2023 and Friday, December 15, 2023.  Drop-off locations will be in the KJHS lobby and outside of room 311. 

Here is a list of items Neville House needs: 

• Cleaning Supplies: Lysol spray, Clorox Wipes, garbage bags, dish soap, toilet paper, paper towels, hand sanitizer, hand soap (bar & liquid) 

• Toiletries: shampoo/conditioner, deodorant, toothpaste, toothbrushes, hair brushes, combs, lotion, 

• Batteries: (AA, AAA, & 9v)  

• Non-Perishable food items: vegetables, soups, mac n’ cheese, pasta, etc.  

• Clothing: (Men, Women & Children - a varety of sizes) sweatpants, sweatshirts, t-shirts, new packaged socks, underwear, gym shoes 

• Grocery Store Gift Cards to purchase nonperishable items (Walmart, Meijer, Hyvee, Kroger)

We will also be collecting NEW toys for the Toys for Tots Program in our community. Feel free to donate a new and unwrapped toy to help the children in our community have a happy holiday!

Thanks for helping us give back to our community!

Sincerely,

Team 8-1 Students and Teachers

Here is the December Kingsley Family Connection, which was sent out on Wednesday. 

We are looking for a staff member to work before school care 1-2 times per week in rotation with Mrs. Holland and Ms. Lynch. If you are interested, please let Elisa know. Before school care run 7:25 - 8:25 am and can be hosted in your classroom. 

Tardies were down 26% in November as compared to October. More details can be found on the KJHS Tardy Dashboard. 

Here is the schedule for the PBIS Q2 Celebrations the week of December 18. 

Mark your calendar... Cycle 3 Data Day is December 18. Please complete your team recommendations by end of the day on Tuesday, December 12th. 

If any students mentioned being interested in doing the STEM program at the high school and asked you for a recommendation, please complete the STEM Program Teacher Recommendation Form for them ASAP. 

December Dress Up Days

December 11: Cookie Exchange in MSR

December 14: Staff Holiday Party/Open House at J Starkey's

December 20: Staff Breakfast in MSR

December 21: Ugly Sweater-Festive Wear Contest for staff

On behalf of the KJHS Wellness Team, we'd like to thank all the staff members who participated in the November Staff Wellness Challenge. We were very encouraged to see so many staff members walking the hallways, utilizing the fitness area in Arends, and being active outside during those warm days earlier in the month. Our hope was to give you all some tools to address your own physical and emotional wellness that might become habit(s) for you going forward. 

Our weekly winner for the Week of November 27-December 1 is Sharee Conely. 

Our Major Award winner, who completed and submitted a challenge form each of the four weeks, is Jennifer Dierkes!

Congratulations to all who participated. Please consider continuing those walking meetings, using the fitness area in Arends, and finding pockets of time in your week to dedicate to your overall health and wellness.

Best,

The KJHS Wellness Team

Has a fellow Cougar gone out of their way to help you? Have you seen a staff member who goes above and beyond to make Kingsley a better place to work and learn? Reward them by nominating them for a Kingsley Kudos! It's quick, painless, and brings joy to you and the recipient. 

We have several 8th grade students going on a history education trip to Boston in May 2024. They are raising funds through a variety of methods, including a dine to donate at Jason's Deli on Saturday, December 16 from 11:00 am to 9:00 pm. If you are feeling hungry on that day and want to help out these students, please stop by Jason's Deli and enjoy some delicious food! 

On Tuesday, December 19th, the KJHS PTO is partnering with the KJHS music programs to present an evening of dining and music at KJHS. The KJHS PTO has a dine to donate fundraiser with the Normal Main Street Jimmy John's store on that day and KJHS is inviting families and staff to pick up Jimmy John's and then join us in the KJHS cafeteria from 5:00 - 6:00 pm for performances of the KJHS Choirs (5:00 - 5:20) and KJHS Flobinet Choir (5:25 - 5:45), followed by the Orchestra concert at 6:00 pm. This event is casual so feel free to come and go as you please. 

1. The PTO has a dine to donate fundraiser on December 19th at all the local Jimmy John's.

2. The PTO is selling Papa Murphy coupon cards for $5. If you are interested in purchasing one, please let Elisa know. 

3.  The Gobena Coffee Fundraiser is an ongoing one and an excellent opportunity to try some new, local coffee. 

4. Want to request PTO funding for a classroom project? Use this form please. 

Check out what instructional coach Jenny Snyder has been working on and is planning to do this semester! We are so proud to see that so many KJHS are taking advantage of her support to up their teaching game! 

Here are the Instructional Technology Tips for December.

Just a reminder, according to our Pepsi contract, we cannot serve competing products (including Coke products. It does not matter whether we give them away or sell them. Doing so would be a violation of our contract and we could be fined. Competing products can only be for individual use and cannot be photographed or displayed in public places. 

Campus Optimizer (the automation of our HVAC system) is now live at KJHS. Please complete the KJHS Building Use Request form for any KJHS space you are using after 5 pm during the week or any time on weekends. We need to indicate that the space is being used on one of our room Google calendars to ensure heating/cooling is turned on. 

Want another way to talk with your students about engaging in class? Try using the Continuum of Engagement Framework as a way to get your students thinking about how engaged they are in their own learning. 

If a student tells you something that you didn't witness yourself, please have them complete a "What's Up Kingsley?" form rather than a referral. Administration will follow up with a referral if needed. Please only complete a referral if you witnessed an incident yourself. 

The November Kingsley Family Connection was sent out via Infinite Campus last weekend. 

There have been several changes in HR staffing this semester. Here is an updated HR "Who Do I Contact?" guide to help you navigate these changes. 

The KJHS Tardy Dashboard is updated with the October stats. Overall, tardies for October were down 5.8% from Sept 23 and down 33.8% from October 22. In September, we averaged 47 tardies per day and in October we averaged 42 tardies per day. Admin will follow up with teams during team meetings regarding grade level trends. Well done all!