Warrior Connection
#worldchangingwarriors
Word for the Warrior....
Hello Warrior Families,
By now, you should have received a communication from KCS regarding some frequently asked questions. The district has just recently clarified some common questions for students, families and teachers and I wanted to highlight some of the ones that pertain most to middle school students.
Until now, teachers have been working under district direction to provide feedback and “grades” to students only through Canvas and Google Classroom. The reason for not putting grades in PS has been because it is our intention that work completed during our closure should not result in lowering a student’s grade from what it was prior to our closure. Our teachers have been in constant contact with your students regarding feedback, but we do realize this has made if difficult for parents to know if their children are completing work since nothing has been placed in PowerSchool. From this point on, we have been given the green light to communicate the following in PowerSchool so that parents can see if/when students complete work and through PS, will more easily see that work is complete and feedback has been provided to the student, if student work is in progress or if work has not been completed.
Q: How will students in grades 6-8 have academic progress communicated to them during the COVID-19 closure?
A: Academic feedback will be provided in PowerSchool using the following three designations:
· Work is complete (with feedback provided)
· Work is incomplete (started, but not finished)
· Work is missing (no work attempted)
We have also had some questions regarding students taking standardized assessments, should we return to school this year. In short, the answer is NO. See full answer below.
Q: Will standardized assessments still take place this Spring?
No. Tennessee comprehensive assessment program (TCAP) assessments, which include, but are not limited to, TNReady assessments, English learner assessments, alternate TCAP assessments, and end-of-course examinations, will not take place this Spring. Also as a result, student grades for the Spring semester will be calculated without scores that would have been generated from those assessments. (4/13)
Lastly, below is information regarding final grade distribution.
When and how will final report cards be distributed?
A: Currently, report cards are still planned to be distributed on May 21, 2020 utilizing the regular delivery methods that have taken place throughout the school year. If health and safety regulations prohibit in-person delivery of report cards for those that do not usually receive them electronically, report cards will be mailed to the home.
We will continue to stay in close contact with you. Please do not hesitate to reach out to teachers, counselors or administration during this time if you have any questions or needs. We are here for you!
Proud to be a Warrior,
Holly Flora, Principal
JSMS JAM
50 EXTRA Yearbooks!
Message from LifeTouch
Lifetouch picture facilities have been temporarily closed due to government mandates and our staff has been greatly reduced because of stay at home orders. We will let you know when we have more information. Lifetouch is actually holding all shipments at the plant until we get the green light to ship pictures. ---From LifeTouch
Band fundraising items are at JSMS
Spectrum Deals
ICYMI ... Charter Communication announced Friday morning it will offer free Spectrum broadband and Wi-Fi access for 60 days to households with K-12 and/or college students who do not already have a subscription.
The news comes on the heels of the arrival of coronavirus in communities throughout the country, and concerns over transmission of the virus.
A service of up to 100 megabytes per second will be provided.
Those interested in enrolling are asked to call 844.488.8395. Installation fees will be waived for new student households. Charter will also open Wi-Fi hot spots across its footprint for public use.
Spectrum will offer a reduced montly fee for families who qualify for an economically disadvantaged status following the 60 days free. They may ask for documentation in order for families to receieve this discount. If your family needs documentation, please come by the school office and we can provide a letter documenting this status.
Counseling Connection
Please know that our Counseling Center is available to connect with students! Families, please encourage your child to visit the Way of the Warrior Google Classroom to see a video from their counselors!
If your children would like to talk to a Sevier counselor, there are several methods of contact:
- Check Way of the Warrior Google Classroom. All students are enrolled in the classrooms.
Here are the course codes:
6th - 3byec5d
7th - 3237vwf
8th - c6dhv7f
--Students are also encouraged to join Mrs. Kincaid's Google Classroom: class code u2wpsxs
- Email counselors:
Ms. Ferguson: Kferguson@k12k.com 378-2436
Mrs. Kincaid: Dkincaid@k12k.com 378-2474
Mrs. King: Lking@k12k.com 378-2437
Also, follow us on Instagram @jsms_counseling
- Office hours, 12-2pm for Kelli Ferguson and Lisa King
-Office hours, 3-4 for Michelle Kincaid
Please let us know if you have any food needs.
If there is an emergency or you are feeling suicidal please call 911.
Suicide hotline: 1-800-273-8255
Crisis Text line: 741741
Mobile Crisis: (877) 928-9062
Creekside Behavioral Health Hospital *Offers crisis mental health evaluations 24/71025 Executive Park Blvd.Kingsport, TN 37660
Phone: 833-370-7433
Website: http://creeksidebh.com/
KCS Feeding Program
- Program is available at 10 AM - 2 PM at all eight elementary schools, Sevier, Robinson, and Dobyns-Bennett each weekday. We will restart the program on Monday, 3/30 following spring break.
- This is for all children 18 and under. Children do not have to be Kingsport City Schools students.
- Breakfast and lunch will be given during the 10 AM - 2 PM time frame.
- Bus routes will leave schools starting at 10 AM.
- Sevier's "Drive Through" feeding location is at the front of the school, on the corner, by the parking lot.
- If you are not on a bus route and live within Kingsport City limits, please call (423) 392-4670 or (423) 392-4416 to be added to a bus route if needed.
A Challenge from our own SS Teacher, Chris Carr!
I hope your quarantine time is going well. Yesterday, I had an idea. In our 7th grade class, we read lots of primary sources about the major events we cover in our curriculum. I thought it would be interesting to create a student book of primary sources from this unprecedented time we are in right now. After thinking about it some more, I thought it would be important to document the thoughts and actions of ALL KCS families, not just my own students.
What I am envisioning is a collection of diary entries, essays, poems, drawings, photographs, etc. showing the daily activities of our students, while we are waiting this out. Students and parents would email me their submissions, which I would compile using an online publisher, and then have printed into a hard copy, or copies. The result would be a book of primary sources by KCS families, that would give future students insight as to the fears, concerns, and daily life our children are experiencing right now. This could also give children a creative outlet to alleviate the stresses of isolation.
I'm asking each teacher to make mention of this in his or her Canvas or Google Classroom (or whatever platform you are using) lessons. Depending on the grade level, hand-drawn pictures or a few sentences would be great; you know the ability levels of your children. If you wouldn't mind telling parents to email their child's submission directly to me (ccarr@k12k.com), or if you could forward them to me, I can begin compiling them. I would like for the work to include the student's name, and age.
I'm sending this to everyone, because I want your submissions as well! This is your chance to tell future generations how you spent your time during the spring of 2020. Get creative! I'd like to have May 1 as the deadline for submitting work. That way, I can assemble the book, and hopefully have a hard copy, or copies, by the start of the next school year. Thank you in advance for your help with this endeavor. If I haven't made myself clear, or if you have any questions, please feel free to email me. Stay safe, and stay sanitized!