Here is the draft of the 23-24 master schedule. The schedule has been formulated around five things:

1. Courses taught by teachers that we share with other schools. 

2. Having a plan period adjoining lunch whenever possible. 

3. Addressing special education needs.

4. Ensuring we have lunch supervisors.

5. Balancing work loads whenever possible. 

While I know that this may not be ideal schedule for some of you, the factors listed above do make pleasing everyone a challenge. If you have significant concerns you would like to discuss, let me know and we'll set up a time to meet. 

There will be a more formal edition coming out early in the week but, in the meantime, here is the general outline of events for our early release day on Wednesday, May 3:

11:45 - 12:45 pm: Lunch

12:45- 1:30: Staff Meeting

• OCR reminders

• End of Year "to do" list

• PBIS Field Day Updates 

1:30 - 2:15: LA Collaboration Time (6-2, 7-1, 8-1 & 8-2); Team time for all other teams

2:15 - 3:45: PLC Time

The KJHS PTO want to recognize one KJHS staff member who helps our community of learners grow in positive and innovative ways by spread kindness and care to all at Kingsley based on your nominations. Nominate that colleague who just popped into your head by completing the PTO Kingsley Staff Member of the Year nomination form. 

Please welcome Aldihir Cruz to the Kingsley Community for the 23-24 school year! Mr. Cruz will be teaching math on Team 8-1. 

Val's retirement reception will be held after school on Friday, May 19. 

From Elisa...

The Child Protection Network is having its annual CASAnova Competition for the Crown fundraiser and I am one of the "CASAnovas" this year.  For those of you who don't know, CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) works with children in McLean County who have been victims of abuse. They walk with them through the entire legal process, from preliminary interviews to court appearances. This organization has assisted several of our own students and, while this is out of my comfort zone, I am happy to be helping to raise money for this wonderful organization. 

If you would be interested in supporting this outstanding organization (and helping me meet my fundraising goal), please consider visiting my CASAnova page and voting by donation. Thanks so much! 

The following email is going out to 8th grade families this week:

Hello Eighth Grade Families,

We are so excited to host an 8th grade dance on Friday, May 12, from 6-8 PM at KJHS!  This will be a wonderful opportunity for 8th grade KJHS students to spend time together celebrating all they have accomplished as they look forward to the exciting high school times ahead.  We can’t, howevere, do this without all of you.  The Eighth Grade Parents* host the dance!

Here’s how you can help:

1. Make a purchase from the Amazon wish list for decorations and favors. You can ship to the school by typing in the Kingsley address:

                       KJHS Attn: 8th Grade Dance

                       303 Kingsley Street

                       Normal, IL 61761

2. Sign up on the Sign Up Genius to donate food and drinks. You can drop your donations at the school, or Sam’s Club Plus members can have purchases delivered to the school for free.

3.   Donate by sending a check to the office or PayPal to KJHSPTO@gmail.com as “Friends” with a memo to 8th grade dance.

4. Sign up on the Parent Volunteer Sign Up Genius to help the night of the event. We need adult volunteers helping that night to make this a safe and special event for our kids.  Parent* volunteers must complete the Unit 5 volunteer screening by April 26 to assist.

 *Parents is meant as an all-inclusive term, including guardians, grandparents, and responsible adults.  Siblings and other children will not be able to attend the event.

Have questions? Check out the KJHS Family 8th Grade Dance FAQ! 

PBIS Field Day is on Monday, May 22nd and there will be no advisory that day. Field day will be held during 6th, 7th, and 8th hours. Here are things teams need to be aware of...

• Teams need to start collecting $5 from all students to cover costs of Inflatables & Kona Ice.

• There will be 3 rotations during Field Day. Come Back rooms will be during 6th and 7th hours with those students then being sent to participate in the third rotation (8th hour).

• Students and teachers will need to clean up at their last station and students will be dismissed for the day from that station.

• Teachers are to actively remain with their team and assist with the stations.

• In event of rain: 1 station would have to be classrooms/Arends.

• Rotation Supervision will be coming out soon.

Megan Peterson sent out an email on 4/18 on notifying staff that the Public Health Emergency legislation regarding COVID is set to expire on May 11, 2023. This means that: 

• Unit 5 employees will no longer be able to use COVID sick time.  

• Any illness that leads to an absence will need to be covered by regular “Sick” time. 

• Staff are no longer required to report any COVID case(s) to the Unit Office.  

• Staff should follow “traditional” sickness protocol after May 11.  

The KJHS May Countdown Calendar has been published! 

May 2: 8th Grade Field Trip

             Orchestra Field Trip

May 4: Mo's Food Truck

May 11: 6th Grade Welcome Night (6:00 - 7:30 pm)

May 12: 8th Grade Dance (6:00 - 8:00 pm)

May 17: Data Day

May 19: 7-2 Field Trip (3rd - 5th hour)

May 19: Val's Retirement Reception

May 22: PBIS Field Day (6th- 8th hour)

May 23: Butcher Block Food Truck

May 23: 7-1 Field Trip (2nd - 5th hour)

May 24: 6th Grade Field Trip

May 25: 8th Grade Awards (1st - 3rd hour)

               Chromebook Collection

Writing Spring Benchmarks should be underway with a deadline of 4/27 in EduClimber. Please reach out if you have any questions. What do you do with the remainder of the class period? May I recommend "Sparks" - short, purposeful writing prompts developed by 826 Digital. I've used these as transitional activities between units, sub plans, and have even grown some out into larger pieces of writing looking at specific standards such as word choice. I encourage you to check out 826 Digital for ideas!

Sincerely,

Janel Sebeny

Please be sure to put absences in Tyler as soon as possible. Kim has had to enter many absences on behalf of staff members lately in order to process payroll in a timely manner. 

Please do not enter The Gathering Place on Wednesdays unless you are attending an IEP meeting. Students needing something from the Promise Council store room will need to wait. We are planning on moving that store room for next year. 

PBIS Tier 1 Data & Instructional Committees met to discuss March data and our April/May targets. We developed a similar theme to what we did last year about this same time with some updates including this year's data. What is that target? You guessed it: finishing strong. Please teach this lesson in core classes during the week of 4/24. There will be no lesson in May; however, we encourage staff to revisit student goals (slide 16) and discuss how they can hold one another accountable. Because our Cougar PRIDE letters in April in May are Determination (Finishing Strong) and Excellence (Celebrating Successes), we feel this is especially applicable. Feel free to make it your own to reflect your students.  

PTO is hosting a Gobena Coffee Fundraiser. Please check out the flier for more information. 

If you are planning field trips for your class please be aware that Unit 5 Food Service can provide sack lunches for all students.  Sack lunches must be offered to ALL students participating in the field trip.  Those who qualify for free or reduced-price meals must not be singled out or identified in any way.

A sack lunch includes the following items:

• PBJ Uncrustable (EZ Jammer may be substituted for peanut allergy)

• Sunflower Kernels

• Whole Grain Crackers (e.g. Goldfish, Cheez-its, or Animal Crackers)

• Baby Carrots*  

• Celery Sticks* 

• Apple Slices

• Apple Juice 

• Choice of Milk (students’ choice)

* If sack lunches are ordered on short notice, cold vegetables on hand may be substituted.

To request sack lunches, please notify Lisa Branch two weeks prior to the date needed (to allow time for ordering needed supplies) and include the following information.

• Date and time needed

• Estimated number of lunches

• Is pick up time more than 2 hours before students will eat?  If so, a cooler with ice will be needed to keep milk cartons cold.

Student lunch accounts will be charged for the meal.  Sack lunches may be picked up using one of the following options:

1. Each student comes to the lunchroom to get a meal, chooses milk, and presents their student ID to be scanned.

2. Lunches and milk are packaged and prepared for pick up.  The food service provided class roster can be used to provide a list of students requesting lunches.  The list will include the following information:

• Student first and last name

• Student food service account PIN number

• Class code

• Milk choice (chocolate or white) – can provide a total of each flavor per class 

Lisa must verify that students are present before distributing lunches.

The April KJ Family Connection was sent out to our KJ families on Wednesday, April 5th.