This is a reminder that KCS will be on Spring Break next week, April 3rd-7th. We wish everyone a relaxing time with family & friends and a well-deserved break!

Response to Instruction Intervention for Behavior (RTI2-B) presents the Way of the Warrior Dance (WoW Dance) which will be held during school hours (double RA blocks) by grade level. This is an opportunity for students to celebrate positive behavior. A student is qualified to go to our RTI2-B dance if he/she meets specific behavior and academic expectations that do not exceed significant discipline referrals or more than two minor discipline referrals including: bus referrals, transition referrals, and/or lunch detentions – and who has met school-wide expectations for the four weeks prior to the dance. The RTI2-B dance will not cost money to attend. Dances for each grade level will be held during school hours. The Specific criteria are listed on the Flyer below!

Prayer Warrior Club will be completing their community service project that was started earlier this semester. Students will be visiting Preston Place Suites Assisted Living on April 21st at 4pm to deliver pillows and special gifts prepared by the Prayer Warrior Club. We would like to invite any faculty/staff, parent, JSMS community member to join us. So mark your calendar! Pillows were hand made by the New Hope Quilting Ministries and our students hand stuffed over 50 pillows!

Kingsport City Schools would like to remind parents (who have student's entering seventh grade next year) that it's not too early to get your child's state-required immunizations. In Tennessee, all students entering seventh grade are required to have the Tdap (tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis) vaccine prior to entering school. Parents must provide their school with an updated immunization certificate, indicating that the child has received the required vaccination, before the first day of school in August. Parents may submit this information to the school at any time.

Students attending Washington DC trip:

All students participating in the Washington DC Trip need to have their medicine forms signed by a doctor and turned in to the Sevier nurse (Ms.Collins) in the Clinic by Friday, April 14. The medication that matches up with the forms must be turned in no later than Friday, April 28.

Students not attending the 8th grade trip to Washington D.C.:

Students have the opportunity to participate in local activities the week of May 8-12. Eligible students received information and permission slips on Friday, February 3 (replacement permission slips may be picked up in Ms. Hoilman's room.) The cost to students is $50 and all permission slips and payments are due no later than Friday, March 31. Please direct students to return permission slips and payments to Ms. Hoilman, Ms. Tester, or Mrs. S. Kilgore. Please view the trip information, permission slip, and behavioral expectations HERE.

This is a friendly reminder that we do not permit family members in the cafeteria during student lunch times.

Please be mindful of where you stop and park, it is a violation to block a driveway.

Our staff has reached out and expressed a strong need for tissues. With the weather changing and allergies flaring, the students are experiencing symptoms.

If you are out and about, could you grab a few boxes of tissues and drop in the office? It would be so very appreciated. The staff can distribute them on a need basis.

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The JSMS PTSA is recruiting board members for the next school year (23-24) school year!

What does the position involve?

Advocating for students and staff.

Monthly meetings

Getting to know admin and staff (and you won't regret this)

What's the time commitment?

The average time commitment is 60-90 minutes a month for meetings. Some months we don't meet. Depending on the role you play could depend on more time needed BUT we all have other commitments too! You decided how much time you want to give.

We can't wait to work with you!

Email jsmsptsa@gmail.com if you are interested or have questions.

JROTC will be in the library on April 17th after school until 3:45. Lessons include JROTC Overview and Expectations, Drill, Manual of Arms, Chain of Command, and Team Building Challenges.

Families, Please take a moment to check in on your childs school supplies. Make sure they have the basics for each day: pencil, paper, and their technology (chromebook and charger).

* Students need to bring computers (school issued device) and chargers every day.

The TCAP Achievement and End-of-Course (EOC) Tests will be administered online for students in our middle schools this spring. The windows run from April 17- May 2 for the TCAP

Achievement Test and April 17-May 5 for the EOC Test (for students enrolled in Algebra I and

Geometry). Students will also be participating in an English/ Language Arts field test later in

May.

Students will be taking the tests on their KCS issued Chromebooks, so students must

bring their school device fully charged on test days. Students cannot test on a personally owned device. To help prepare, students should bring their devices daily from now until the end of the school year. In addition, if your school-issued Chromebook needs repair, please make sure to inform one of the classroom teachers.

If your child loses something, please encourage them to look in our lost and found. The items are cleared out every 2 weeks and placed in our clothes closet or donated.

We are going to begin a mentoring program at Sevier, spearheaded by Brian and Jana Woliver (Sevier parents/active community members). They have been involved with the youth in Kingsport for nearly 20 years combined and understand the importance of having a positive role model during this crucial phase of development in our youth. Over the past couple of years, they have been blessed to mentor several KCS kids. One thing they have learned is that all kids need access to a mentor, which they feel very passionate about. They are excited to assist us in growing a program at JSMS. We need volunteers that would love to join us in helping mold our next generation. If this is something you would be interested in or learning more about, please reach out to Robin Kerkhoff, rkerkhoff@k12k.com or 423.378.2406.

The application for zoning exceptions and tuition for the 2023-24 school year is open.

A few reminders about the tuition/zoning process:

• All families must re-apply annually if the zoning or tuition status still applies.
• It is not a first apply, first approved basis. As long as families apply from 3/1 to the end of the open enrollment period, they will be given the same consideration.
• Rising 6th graders will be rolled over to their home school in Aspen
• Open Enrollment period will be later this spring
• All tuition need to re-apply. Rates are anticipated to remain the same. As an FYI, it takes BOE action to change rates.
• Kindergarten zoning & tuition will be the last group to be processed as we monitor kindergarten enrollment. This is communicated in the Zoning/Tuition application.
• Zoning requests take priority over tuition requests.
• As a reminder, priority is given to KCS and City of Kingsport employees.

Dobyns Bennett's strength and conditioning coach, Zach Fleming, will be holding workouts for Middle School Athletes. Please note the change to the schedule.

• Current 8th Grade students will go on Mondays and Wednesdays from 3:15-4:30
• Current 6th and 7th grade students will go on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:15-4:30

Student will still be riding the buses over to DB.

Note: This is not just for football. The weight room will be open to ALL Middle School athletes (male and female).

Students need to have an inexpensive pair of earbuds to use with their Chromebooks in their classrooms. These are utilized by students when they are working on individual assignments. Students are not allowed to have earbuds, airpods, or headphones in while teachers are giving direct instruction and will be directed by a teacher when the appropriate time comes to utilize earbuds.

Currently, the only needed items for our school clothes closet are:

• Sweatpants/"joggers" for boys and girls. Students prefer the kind that are gathered at the bottom over the wide leg. Sizes: adult medium, adult large (small and XL are not needed at this time).
• Backpacks (new or slightly used)
• Shorts that are an appropriate length (elastic waistband is best for sizing purposes)

The online store is now available for the spirit wear. You can access this by following this link.

Home | My Business (square.site)

• Please keep your contact information updated. This can be done through your Aspen Parent Portal or by contacting LeAnn Franklin in the counseling office, 378-2435 or lfranklin@k12k.com. It's vitally important that we have current contact phone numbers and a correct address for each student.
  
• You MUST present an ID when visiting Sevier or checking out your student.
  
• If you know your child is going to be absent, please email ewilliams@k12k.com, you can do this rather than calling the school. If you prefer to call, please call 423.378.2450 as early as possible on the day of the absence. Any doctors notes or other excuses can be sent to the above mentioned email as well, or brought to the front office by the student upon their return.
  

Kindergarten registration:

If you missed this registration date, please contact your zoned elementary school ASAP.

Families can visit https://www.k12k.com/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=345568&type=d&pREC_ID=753665 for details on requirements for registration and screening.

Pre-K information:

Pre-K Screening is by appointment at Palmer. Call 378.2160 to schedule your appointment or for any additional information.

6th graders - can attend the camp (more information to come)

7th/8th graders - can volunteer at the camp

Do you have any students who may want to get volunteer hours with the Victory Sports Camp? It will be run through Kingsport Community Church, but will be housed at RNR. KCS food service will be sponsoring meals for the children. The contact information for Jamichael Lipscomb is jamichael@kingsportchurch.org and his phone number is 423-380-9157.

The Upper East Tennessee Human Development Agency will be at City Hall (415 Broad Street) on two dates in the coming weeks to assist low-income households to apply for assistance in paying their delinquent utility bills.

• Monday, April 3rd from 9 p.m. to 2 p.m. in their RV in the City Hall parking lot.

UETHDA received federal COVID grant money to help low-income families pay utility bills through the Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP). Income limits depend on the number of persons in your household. For example, a household of 4 can earn as much as $50,902 annually and still qualify for assistance. If you qualify, the LIHWAP grant will pay $250 on your account, even if you owe as little as $10. Some customers receive as much as $5,000.

You will need to bring a copy of at least one social security card for someone in the home, a copy of a driver’s license or an ID card of the person completing the application, along with proof of income for the last 30 days for everyone in the home over the age of 18.

The LIHWAP program is scheduled to end September 30, 2023. UETHDA has dispensed $365,000 in LIHWAP funds throughout its 8-county service area with $1.3 million remaining. If you want to turn in your application or ask about assistance sooner, please go to UETHDA’s office at 301 Louis Street or call them at 423-246-6180.

If you have a delinquent balance and don’t qualify for federal assistance, you can make a payment arrangement with Customer Service, including paying the balance over a 12-month period to prevent your water from being cut off.

You can call Customer Service at 423-343-9860 or visit City Hall on Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

See the flyer below with information on iCode events including Saturday Camps and Parent's Night Out events that St Dominic's Catholic School is hosting in the coming months. There is a QR code on the flyer for families to request more information and register.

Are you a grandparent or relative caregiver raising kids? We have heard great things about this organization. If you don't want to attend alone...reach out to Robin Kerkhoff, she will be happy to attend with you. Do you need help getting transportation to the event? Robin Kerkhoff can also assist with that. You can reach her at 423-378-2406 or rkerkhoff@k12k.com

If you could use assistance with your taxes, see the information below.

Monday, April 10

• Golf match against TA Dugger & Robinson at Elizabethton Golf Course

Tuesday, April 11

• Golf match against Sullins Academy, Sullivan Heights, & Robinson at Cattails
  
• Softball game vs. Church Hill at Sevier (Varsity1st JV-2nd)
• Track meet at Greeneville Middle

Wednesday, April 12

• MATE Underwater Robotics - Wednesday until 5 in Mr. Way's room

• There will be a Sequoyah Scribe staff meeting in room 329 from 2:50 to 3:30 pm. All student journalists are required to attend. The editorial team will meet until 5:00 pm.

Thursday, April 13

• Softball game vs. Indian Trial at Indian Trial (Varsity-1st JV-2nd)

• Golf match against Tennessee Middle & Robinson at Bristol Golf Course

• Spring Chorus Concert

Friday, April 14

• All students participating in the Washington DC Trip need to have their medicine forms signed by a doctor turned in to Nurse Collins in the Clinic by Friday, April 14. The medication that matches up with the forms must be turned in no later than Friday, April 28.

Save The Date:

• April 15th - 7th/8th Grade band trip to Carowinds

• End of Year Awards Programs - mark your calendars

  6th grade: Wednesday, May 17 @ 8:00 AM

  7th grade: Wednesday, May 17 @1:30 PM

  8th grade: Thursday, May 18 @ 9:00 AM

  *All programs will be held in the Sevier Gym.

• Free Athletic Physicals in May (more information to come)