Electronic Blackboard News December 5, 2014 Upcoming Events Dec. 5—Holiday Fun Night Craft Show and Vendor Fair, 6:00-8:00 p.m., KME. Dec. 11—7-12 Gr Orchestra Concert, 7:00 p.m., KHS Auditorium. Dec. 11—2nd & 4th Gr Chorus Concert, 6:30 p.m., SLE. www www.kingslocal kingslocal.net kingslocal net Dec.13—KABC Holiday Spiritwear Sale, 9:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m., KJH Multipurpose Room.(NOTE DATE CHANGE) Dec.16—Kings Board of Education Meeting, 6:30 p.m., KEC. Dec.16—KJH Choir Concert, 7:00 p.m., KHS Auditorium. More event information can be found at: http://www.kingslocal.net/Calendar/Pages/default.aspx The Annual KABC Holiday Spiritwear Sale has been postponed until NEXT Saturday, December 13th from 9:00 a.m.2:00 p.m. in the KJH Multipurpose Room. You’ll find some great gifts for your favorite Knight Fan! Mark your calendars to join us for our first LIVE Twitter chat with Superintendent Tim Spinner and Assistant Superintendent Larry Knapp on Thursday, January 29th from 6:00-6:45 p.m. More details to follow! Kings Junior High Re-designated as Ohio School to Watch! Congratulations to Kings Junior High on its re-designation as an Ohio School to Watch! Schools to Watch is an initiative launched by the National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform in 1999. OSTW is a partnership between the Ohio Department of Education, the Ohio Middle School Association, Otterbein University, and the Ohio Federation of Teachers. Through the Schools to Watch initiative, the National Forum identifies schools across the United States that are well on their way to meeting the Forum's FOUR CRITERIA for high-performing middle level schools in the area of Academic Excellence, Developmental Responsiveness, Social Equity, and Organizational Structures and Processes. “The observed culture at Kings indicates there is a united team effort in ensuring the success and academic growth of all students,” read the comments from the site visit committee. Principal Nicole Huelsman was very excited to meet with the Ohio Schools to Watch team and hear their feedback and recommendations. “The Ohio Schools to Watch designation and redesignation process has been a wonderful way to reflect on what we are currently doing for students here at Kings Junior High and seek opportunities for improvement,” said Huelsman, “we strive towards doing what is best for all students while continuing to promote high academic achievement. I am very proud of the commitment to quality education that our entire staff embraces. This designation validates this as well as the respectful and nurturing relationships that they work so hard to build in and outside of the classroom environment." The re-designation process included participation of staff, students, and the Kings Community. Huelsman said, "We are proud of our accomplishments and the community support we have here in the Kings School District. We look forward to building our programs and seeking innovative educational opportunities for our students.” KJH was designated as an Ohio School to Watch for the first time in 2012. At the end of year three, to be re-designated, a school must again complete a Self-Study and host a visit from the OSTW team. Representatives from OSTW will recognize KJH for their re-designation at our December 16th Kings Board Meeting. Also at the next BOE meeting, representatives from College Board will be on hand to recognize Kings and KHS for making the AP Honor Roll. We hope you can join us! Kings Stadium Getting a New Look! The Kings Board of Education approved the replacement of the Kings Stadium Turf Field, installation of a steeplechase pit, and the resurfacing of the track. Construction began this week. This new and improved look should be complete by mid-March 2015. “Our goal is to be completed by the start of Spring Sports,” said Phil Poggi, Kings Athletic Director. Over the past 3-5 years, the Kings Athletic Booster Club, through their fundraising events such as Knight to Remember, and their annual golf outing, has raised over $100,000 to support this project. Kings has also been fortunate to host additional events to bring revenue, as well as the Kings Track Program raising funds to offset the installation of the steeplechase pit. Between all of the fundraising, over half of the cost of the $500,000 project has been raised. The Kings Stadium is now 10 years old. Poggi said, “At the end of the day, this was a true TEAM EFFORT! Our students, for another 10 years, will get to continue to participate and play in and on one of the finest venues in Southwest Ohio!” Photo on the right shows the new stadium look. JFB Super Hero Day The J. F. Burns students and staff celebrated their school spirit with Super Hero Day. There were lots of students dressed as Superman, Batman, Batgirls, and Ninja Turtles. Even the Lunch Ladies dressed up as Supergirls! Pictured is Mrs. Hoffman's kindergarten class dressed as their favorite super hero. Congratulations on a Great Season, Kings Marching Band! Our Kings Marching Band wrapped up one of their most successful seasons to date in Dayton on November 9th at the Ohio Music Education Association State Competition. The 55 member band received a Superior Ranking, the highest in their block. They also placed third at the Mid-States Competition the day before in Kings Stadium. Throughout the season, they participated in 9 different competitions, securing Grand Champion at two of those, and 12 football games. Marching Band is a big commitment for students. Kings Band members begin working early in the summer and their season ends in mid-November. They put in nearly 20 hours a week; practicing four days a week and performing at home football games, as well as competitions on the weekends. Though marching band season is over, these students are still hard at work in concert band, pep band, jazz band, and winter guard. They will present a holiday concert on Tuesday, December 9, at 7:00 p.m. in the KHS Auditorium. Please join them for an exciting new "prism" format. Much like a prism reflects light in different directions, students will perform from a variety of locations in the auditorium for 30 minutes of non-stop holiday music. You do not want to miss it! December 5, 2014 Page 2 Kings Preschool Registration 2015-2016 Preschool registration for next year is just around the corner for the Kings District! The Kings Preschool & Childcare will be accepting registrations for the 2015-16 school year beginning January 20th. The preschool/childcare program meets in the King Local School District’s Kings Education Center (KEC) located in Kings Mills. Kings Preschool offers both preschool and childcare for 3-5 year olds. Two, three, four & five day classes are available. All programs are licensed by the Ohio Department of Education. More information may be obtained on the Kings Local School District website at www.kingslocal.net. Click on the “Departments” heading at the top of the page, and then follow the Childcare/Preschool link. Registration forms will be available on the preschool page beginning January 5, 2015. To schedule a tour or ask questions regarding the program, call Susan Guckert at 398-8050 ext. 10043. GOBBLE, GOBBLE! The Warren County Soil and Water District visited South Lebanon Elementary before Thanksgiving with their Gobble, Gobble Presentation. They taught the students all about turkeys; where they live, what they eat, who their predators are, and they even learned how to make their own turkey call! Kokorodza Marimba Ensemble in Concert Sunday The Kings Local School District’s Kokorodza Marimba Ensemble will be performing in the Christmas in Warren County Concert on Sunday, December 7th. The concert will also include performances by the Northern Cincinnati Youth Orchestra, Vivaldi's Dulcimer Ensemble, Woodrow Studio Flute Ensemble, St. Francis DeSales Children's Choir, Heritage Music and Friends, Mason United Methodist Youth Choir, and the Haydnators String Quartet. The concert will be at the Mason United Methodist Church and begins at 7:00 PM. There is no charge for admission or parking and a reception will follow the concert. KJH Quiz Bowl Right before Thanksgiving Break, Kings Junior High hosted their 3rd Annual 8th Grade Quiz Bowl. Each of the three eighth grade teams chose three teams of three to participate. This year’s moderator was Kings Superintendent Tim Spinner. Team 8 Blue won the overall Team Title. That team consisted of Kaylee Okamoto, Jackson Hacker, Ian Gorley, Gwen Gorley, Matt Gerstner, Casey Jantzen, Timothy Bredemeier, Brooke Howard, and Adam Ashour. The overall Individual Team Champ which garnered the top score of all 9 teams were Andrew Naughton, Tommy Mitchell, and Eric Middlekamp from Team 8 White. Congratulations to all of these high academic achievers! December 5, 2014 Page 3 CIS Knights of the Round Table “Knights of the Round Table” are students who are responsible, courteous, respectful, truthful, and who show initiative. Each month teachers at Columbia Intermediate School nominate students for this honor. We are proud to announce that the “Knights of the Round Table” for November are: Kate Barrett, AJ Brucker, Jersey Buck, Ben Clark, RaeLyn Coomer, Sophia Dane, Elizabeth Dodson, Corrine Folchi, Sophia Folchi, Samantha Harvey, Katie Henry, Mya Kaylor, Sydney Manis, Dulce Melendez, Joshua Mettey, Isaac Miller, Kendel Powers, Ashley Robinson, Audrey Roe, Abbie Tekavec, and Emily Worthington. J.F. Burn's New Outdoor Classroom and Ecology Trail A requirement of becoming an Eagle Scout is to plan your own community service project. Kings Sophomore Kaleb Stutzman, from Troop 617, is in the midst of doing his. Through his experiences in scouting, he grew to love the outdoors. For his community service project, Kaleb wants to share the outdoors with the students of J.F. Burns. With the help of many volunteers and donations, he has created an ecology trail and outdoor classroom. This will allow students to get out of the traditional classroom and experience learning in an outdoor environment. The project is 95% complete. Adventure awaits! KJH Interdisciplinary Day On Tuesday, November 25, 2014, the entire 7th grade participated in an Interdisciplinary Day. The day was specifically centered on the Greek culture, as well as the novel, The Adventures of Ulysses. Each teacher had a station where they rotated four groups of students through during the morning hours. The stations were filled with fun, hands-on activities that showed the various Greek connections throughout different subject levels. After the stations concluded, all 3 teams met in the cafeteria for a Greek Festival. The festival had yummy treats like baklava, hummus and chips, pomegranate seeds, green olives and much more! The final activity of the day took place in the gymnasium (aka the Coliseum). Students were encouraged to participate in Greek games like leg wrestling and throwing the javelin and discus. The festival ended with a treat from Kona Ice. A great day was had by all. December 5, 2014 Page 4 J. F. Burns Making a Difference at Thanksgiving The students at J.F. Burns Elementary helped make Thanksgiving a little easier for 25 JFB families before they went on Thanksgiving break. The entire student body collected food for a week. Then, the 4th graders collected, organized, assembled, and decorated the boxes. Special thanks to Meijer and Putter’s Bar and Grill for donating money and gift cards to go in the boxes to help purchase a turkey. Sleigh Bells for Charity The KHS Art club will display painted sleigh bells at Picture This gallery in Lebanon. There is an open house tonight, Friday ,December 5th from 6:30 p.m.-9:00 p.m. with music and refreshments. Prizes will be awarded to winning artists. A silent auction will be held to buy your favorite bell and all the proceeds will be donated to the Bridge Riding for the Disabled based out of Warren County. They will also be displayed on Saturday, December 6th during the Annual Carriage Festival in Lebanon. The silent auction will still be open during the Carriage Parade. Picture This gallery is located at 26 South Broadway in Lebanon. KHS Art Club Adviser Angie Guilfoyle said the club has participated in this event for the past seven years. Annual Thanksgiving Feast It was a happy Thanksgiving feast in Ms. Niemann’s Integrated Preschool class at Kings Preschool! The students, along with their parents enjoyed a great meal with all the fixins’. The students made the placemats for the table, helped decorate the cornucopia centerpieces, and put together an “I Am Thankful” book for the class to read. Ms. Niemann, Mrs. Nenna and Mrs. Moore were dressed as pilgrims and the students and their parents wore headdresses and hats that the students made. It was truly a day to be thankful! Best Buddies Club The KJH Best Buddies Club held their Ice Breaker Night on Friday, November 21st. Club Adviser Suzanne Dwyer reported that the Ice Breaker Night went really well. Sixty-five students showed up to join the fun. Typical peers (Best Buddies) learned what circle of friends they would be teaming up with for a Buddy (disabled peer) for the rest of the year. The circles gathered with their Buddy and played get -to-know-you games like "Speed Friending,” “Telephone" and "Two Truths and a Lie". After the friendly warm-ups, the Circles joined in on karaoke, photo booth, makeovers, and face painting. The big finale was an unforgettable session of Just Dance on the big screen. No one wanted the night to end! The Best Buddies Club’s next event is their Holiday Party on Thursday, December 18th. December 5, 2014 Page 5 J.F. Burns Students Create Indoor “Buddy Bench” Inspired by the successful "Buddy Bench" on the J.F. Burns playground, third graders Abbie Arnold, Lydia Back, and Cate Freeman started an indoor recess "Buddy Area" for students in Mrs. Roewer's class. The "Buddy Area" is a place where children can wait if they do not have someone to play with during indoor recess. The other students in the class can then notice their need and invite them to play. The girls came up with the idea for a "Buddy Area" after noticing that indoor recess creates a new set of social challenges. Abbie, Lydia, and Cate are now making plans to help expand the "Buddy Area" idea to other classrooms. Great job, girls! Kings Hoxworth Blood Drive The Kings-Hoxworth blood drive netted 28 units of blood on Monday, November 17th from 38 registered donors, said event organizer and KHS teacher Jorge Gonzalez. "This was a light turnout compared to other blood drives," Gonzalez said. "We collected a combined 103 units in the two blood drives last year." To entice donors, event organizers raffled off four, $25 BP gas cards. The next blood drive at Kings is March 12th. KJH Welcomes Holocaust Speaker Right before Thanksgiving Break, the 8th grade at Kings Junior High School had the special honor to hear Holocaust Speaker, Dr. Albert Miler. Dr. Miller was born in Germany. He and his brother escaped in the late 1930's. His speech was concentrated on the rise of anti-Semitism and Nazism as he witnessed and experienced it. It was a great lesson for our students. SLE Students Perform Their Own Version of Stone Soup The third grade students at South Lebanon Elementary practice reading fluency and along with poetry, they like to add plays and skits to the mix. The students have been practicing a comical version of the old folktale, Stone Soup called Stone Slop, about a monster making his way around his neighborhood asking for disgusting goodies to add to his soup mixture. The students had three weeks to prepare their parts, learn their lines, create staging and think of prop materials to use to enhance their performances. The students performed in front of their parents and peers. Mrs. Elder said, “It was a great turnout for families and the kids had a great time performing!” December 5, 2014 Page 6 Mr.Spinner Reads to KME Kindergarten Class Kings Superintendent Tim Spinner was found at Kings Mills Elementary School before Thanksgiving reading to Mrs. Lindsay Dunlap’s kindergarten class. He read his favorite childhood book, “Timothy the Turtle” by Adrienne Kleinschmidt. Poetry Alive! Visits SLE South Lebanon Elementary PTO sponsored Poetry Alive!, a program that provides activities to encourage critical thinking, in-depth analysis, and communication skills through a high energy performance. The students had so much fun, they couldn’t stop giggling! Learning About Owls at JFB Joan Hall from the Cincinnati Zoo paid a visit to the art room at J. F. Burns Elementary. The 4th grade students were introduced to a screech owl. Students learned about the owl but also the students drew the owl for a future art project in class. The students always enjoy observing and drawing live animals. Pictured are Joe Dittman and Lawrence Flores. KJH Gives Thanks The 8th grade teams at Kings Junior High closed off the month of November with writing "Letters of Thanks" and making Linus Blankets, gift baskets, and Mint Trees that were distributed throughout the community. The students brought in items and assembled baskets, wrote thankfulness letters and then delivered the baskets to express gratitude to those who are often overlooked. The recipients of this year’s Thankfulness Baskets were Deputy Downs, Kings Tech Department, the KJH Secretarial Staff and Custodians, Nurses at KJH/KHS, and the Deerfield Fire Department in Kings Mills. Susan Sietz, KJH 8th grade Science Teacher said, “ The students are the ones who made the day happen. We have a very generous team of students and parents on Team 8 Red. We are very proud of them!” December 5, 2014 Page 7 Kings Kloset is Open This Saturday Kings Kloset is our attempt to serve those in our Kings community that are in need! It is simple, people need clothes, and we collect them and then give them away! We offer free Men’s, Women’s and Children’s clothes. The Kings Kloset will be open for shopping and to accept donations tomorrow, Saturday, December 6th from 9:00-11:00 a.m. If you need more information contact Tracy Porcelli at 513-383-4197. Students Testing the Wind Mrs. Thomas and Mrs. Bogard's second grade classes at J.F. Burns Elementary have been studying anemometers. They learned that meteorologist's use anemometers to measure wind speed and wind direction. The students built their own device and tested it at the classroom fan. They learned that the stronger the wind blows, the faster the wheel rotates! 2Knight 2Knight Featured on CD! We are excited to announce that Kings High School A Cappella group 2Knight 2Knight has been selected to be featured on the 2015 edition of the Best of High School A Cappella compilation CD! This CD is produced by Varsity Vocals and features the top high school a cappella groups from around the United States. This is the first professional recording that 2Knight 2Knight has made and marks the first time they have been selected for this recognition. The BOHSA collection CD’s will ship out in January, so be sure to look for more information soon so you can purchase your own copy of the cd featuring 15 of the best a cappella groups in the nation….including your very own 2Knight 2Knight! Columbia Students Learn About Ancient Egypt Columbia Intermediate 6th grade students on team Renaissance went on a “Nile River Excursion” recently as part of their lesson in learning about the everyday aspects of ancient Egyptian life. The students made stops along the river where they learned about the ancient Egyptians and some of their monuments. Everyone made it back to CIS safely, even though they had a run in with some dangerous Nile Crocodiles that managed to get on the “boat”. Captain Johnson stated that he has yet to lose a student on one of these trips, and he doesn’t plan to start now! December 5, 2014 Page 8 Che ck open it out be fore s to the it pub lic! FREE HOLIDAY HAIRCUTS in MID-DECEMBER South Lebanon Elementary Student Council (with support from the SLE PTO) has arranged a FREE haircut event for anyone who will donate at least 8 inches of hair. The hair donations will benefit the Pantene Beautiful Lengths program, which partners with HairUWear and the American Cancer Society, to provide free hair pieces to those experiencing medicallyrelated hair loss. There will be a couple of stylists onsite, donating their time & talent, to help others make the kindest cut of all. This event will be held at SLE on Monday, December 15, afternoon/evening ~ just in time to get that 'new do' for winter break! Even if you have short hair, there are ways to participate in this great cause. For more information contact LizGuibord@gmail.com.NOTE: there are some restrictions with chemically treated hair. Kings Food Service Department is looking for substitute Food Service Workers. Subs are used on an asneeded basis and the hours range from 10:30 a.m.—1:30 p.m. Please contact Kings Food Service Director, Jennifer Arlinghaus at 513-398-8050 ext. 10027, if interested. SIGN-UP FOR YOUR HAIR DONATION TODAY http:// www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0e48a5a628a20-free December 5, 2014 Page 9 KJH Late Knight Don’t miss Late Knight at KJH on Thursday, December 11th from 5:30-8:00 p.m.! All 7th and 8th grade students are invited to join in the fun. There will be something for everyone, so please try to attend! Activities include 3-on 3 basketball tournaments, corn-hole games, face painting, photo-booth fun, a movie room, Kona Ice, & more! Presale tickets will be sold at lunch starting Monday, December 8th - Thursday, December 11th for $5.00 each (cash only). New this year is the opportunity to purchase a $5.00 meal ticket for pizza and a drink. The PTO will have a concession stand with snacks for purchase, as well. After Breakfast with Santa, stop by the Kings After Prom Holdiay Bake Sale and stock-up on your favorite holiday baked goods! 6th from 8:00 a.m.– 11:00 a.m. in front of the concession stand. All baked goods will be sold for $6.00 per pound. Vote for DeAndre! The Kings PowerPack Program was started four years ago when teachers and school nurses recognized hungry children arrive at school on Monday mornings. Kings partnered with Joshua’s Place, a community outreach whose mission is to help break the negative cycles of poverty, to discreetly provide weekend meals to students in our district. Every Thursday, KHS students pack food to send six self-prepared meals home with those who need it for the coming weekend. The PowerPack program provides weekend meals to over 200 students. Overall, the Kings PowerPack Program provides 35,000 meals to children in our community each year. DeAndre Barnett has been nominated for the Ohio National Guard Cincinnati High School Player of the Year on Bengals.com. We encourage you to show your school spirit by clicking the link below and voting for DeAndre. Every vote matters! If DeAndre is selected as this year’s winner, he will be recognized at Paul Brown Stadium on December 22nd when the Cincinnati Bengals take on the Denver Broncos. Please show DeAndre how proud you are of his on-field performance. How can you help? You can be a PowerPack Partner for 2015. For only $48, you can provide weekend food for one child during the school year. To learn more about Kings PowerPack Program and to donate click here. Click here to VOTE: http:// www.bengals.com/fanzone/ong-hsplayerofweek.html. Voting closes at 5pm on December 12th. Be a Kings PowerPack Partner for 2015 December 5, 2014 Page 10 All About Kings Athletics Did you know that Kings Athletics has its own website? You can find out schedule information, upcoming events, news about teams, and even get directions to away venues. Click here to get to the Kings Athletics Webpage. Kings Day at Xavier Basketball Join us for Kings Day at the Cintas Center on Saturday, January 24, 2015 at 12:00 p.m. where the Musketeers take on DePaul. The Kings Firecrackers will be performing at half time, too! Tickets can be purchased by clicking the special link below Cost of the tickets is $17 or $22 depending on seat location. Click this link and enter promo code: Kings. We hope to fill the Cintas Center with our own Knight Nation and support our Firecrackers that day! #KingsStrong Enjoy Numbers, Computers, and the Game of Basketball? The Kings Men's and Women's Basketball Programs and the Kings Athletic Department needs you! We are looking for two (2) individuals to become our Game Statisticians for all Men's and Women's Varsity Home Basketball Games this season. Game stats are required by our league for all Varsity home games and are used for halftime, end of game, and end of season league statistics. We will train you on the software and general knowledge of the game of basketball is preferred. If interested, please contact, Phil Poggi, Athletic Director at ppoggi@kingslocal.net or 513-459-2937 Support Women’s Basketball When you eat at Buffalo Wild Wings at Harpers Station, 11363 Montgomery Road, through February 28th, you can have a great meal AND support Kings Women’s High School Basketball Program at the same time. Just show the teammate card on your mobile device and 10% of your entire bill will be donated to the team! December 5, 2014 Page 11 Kings Local School District 1797 King Ave. PO Box 910 Kings Mills , Ohio 45034 Dawn Gould Community Relations Coordinator Phone: 513.398.8050 ext. 10014 Fax: 513.229.7590 E-mail: dgould@kingslocal.net www.kingslocal.net Kings is on Facebook! Find us at: http:// www.facebook.com/ KingsLocalSchoolDistrict Find us on Twitter: @Kings_Schools The annual Sophomore Open House at the Warren County Career Center will be held Thursday, December 11th from 4:30 to 7 p.m. The event is open to all community members, and especially high school sophomores and their parents or guardians, to showcase the advantages of Career-Technical Education. Orientations will begin at 4:30 p.m. and will repeat throughout the evening in the WCCC Media Center. WCCC staff will be on hand to answer questions and labs will be open for tours. Informational sessions on college connections through Career-Technical Education will also be held in the WCCC Media Center during the evening and run in conjunction with the orientations. Online registration for 2015-16 will be open, and counselors will be available to assist with the enrollment process. Information will also be available about the many Adult Education programs offered at the WCCC Main Campus in Lebanon, the Greentree Health Science Academy in Middletown, and South Campus in Kings Mills. Adult learners have the opportunity to enroll in full time and part time career training that leads to industry certifications and college credit, and also may access free basic skills and GED preparation services. Learn more about career opportunities and what the Warren County Career Center can offer you. For more information, call 9325677 ext. 0 or visit www.mywccc.org. Get Ready for Winter! It’s getting to be that time of the year when bad weather is upon us. In case of inclement weather and possible school closings or delays, please check www.kingslocal.net for the latest information. You can also check our Facebook Page and Twitter for the most up-to-date information. Click the following link for information on how the district decides to close or delay school due to inclement weather: Inclement Weather Guidelines **Early Release will be canceled if there is a 2 hour delay on Wednesday** Find KJH on Twitter! December 5, 2014 Page 12