The Knightly News
Parent Newsletter for Kellam High School - January 2018
Planning for What's Next
In the December 2017 edition of The Knightly News, we shared OUR WORK regarding high school redesign, innovation, and profile of a graduate. In this current issue, we wanted to share with you and communicate our Plan for Continuous Improvement.
Our Plan for Continuous Improvement (PCI) is our documented commitment to excellence and improvement. In years past, this was an annual document created in isolation and rarely, if ever, communicated. Our current PCI sets our sights on a 4-year goal of attaining 100% on-time graduation (OTG) rate for our current freshmen, with OTG rate increases for each graduation year. Our PCI was created collaboratively, developed over the course of the past 18 months. The process included:
· Shared visioning process with multiple site visits
· Multiple rounds of data analysis at the admin, ILT, and school levels
· School Planning Council meta-analysis of data to develop action steps and ultimately, the goal and measurable objectives
· Draft of PCI
· Revisions and recommendations from ILT
· Development of strategies and professional learning (current)
· Updates, re-visits, and re-visions (upcoming)
As we progress through our development and continue to improve, we will update the PCI each year to reflect our progress, and re-visit our goal, measurable objectives, strategies, and professional learning needs every 18 months. We continue to work on this PCI and are currently developing strategies and professional learning to support the four measurable objectives.
Goal: The Class of 2021 will have a 100% On-Time Graduation Rate. Our students will graduate with the knowledge (K-12 curriculum), skills (Creativity, Citizenship, Critical Thinking, Collaboration, and Communication), and dispositions (Adaptability, Flexibility, Grit, Perseverance, Persistence, Resilience, and Risk Taking) necessary for success in college, career, and contribution. Progress toward this goal will have three annual checkpoints (OTG rates for Classes of 2018-2020) and two scheduled revisions and updates:
January 2019
September 2020
- Measurable Objective 1: We will decrease the cohort drop-out rate to 0% by 2021 through identification of at-risk students (data triangulation - academic performance, attendance, behavior, socio-economic status) and implementation of high-yield strategies.
- Measurable Objective 2: We will increase student perception data as they relate to relationships, preparation, and sense of belonging to the Kellam community to 100% by 2021.
- Measurable Objective 3: We will increase the SOL achievement rates in courses required for successful graduation for our Students with Disabilities (SWD), increasing OTG for SWD, annually.
- Measurable Objective 4: We will explore, define, and implement a pathway to success program.
2017-2018: Explore and define a pathway program for college, career, and contribution. Explore and define the 5Cs and Dispositions.
2018-2019: Implement a pathway program for college, career, and contribution. Develop performance assessments with rubric implementation of the 5Cs and Dispositions.
2019-2020: Implement Senior Project.
Happy Holidays and Happy New Year. We look forward to an amazing 2018 and beyond!
Don't forget to follow us on Twitter: @KellamHigh and Facebook: KellamHS. Our website is updated regularly for more information: http://www.kellamhs.vbschools.com/.
Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA)
Help out the Kellam PTSA by linking your Harris Teeter account. If you have a Harris Teeter Card you can link it to Kellam High School so every time you make purchases at Harris Teeter a portion of your purchase goes to Kellam High School.
Seniors and Gradfest
Gradfest has a Facebook page: https://m.facebook.com/groups/145254846087694 where you can check out future fundraising for Gradfest such as Dodgeball Tournament February 21st. Signups starting at the beginning of the year.
Info on casholas to be released via social media as we book them.
PTSA Volunteers
Please come out to our monthly PTSA Meeting the first Monday of each month at 5:30pm at Kellam High School. Or visit our portion of the Kellam High School Website: http://www.kellamhs.vbschools.com/pages/parents/ptsa/
Please still join the Kellam High School PTSA through the above website also. If you would like to learn more about the National PTA where a small portion of the joining fees goes check on the following website: https://www.pta.org/.
Fun Run 5K and 1 Mile
Look for more information to support a fun run and how to help with this awesome exciting future fun at Kellam.
Castle Tutoring
During the School Day:
Students are encouraged to take advantage of tutoring during the school day. Students report to ASB. The teacher will write the student a pass to the tutoring location. The student will report back to ASB for the last five minutes of the block.
- Peer Tutoring (Block 1A, Schola Balcony) All Subjects
- Literacy Center (Tuesday-Friday, A119) Reading and Writing
- SOL Remediation (Every Tues and Wed 1st 1/2 of the block, D214) Algebra 1, Geometry, Earth Science, and Biology
After School:
Students are encouraged to take advantage of tutoring after school, as well! We have activity bus runs every evening: Monday - Friday, the bus departs at 4:40 p.m. and, Monday and Tuesday only, there is a 2nd run at 5:45 p.m.
- Geometry and Algebra 2 (Tuesday and Thursday, 2:15-3:15 p.m., C135)
- Chemistry (Tuesday, 2:15-3:15 p.m., B212)
- Literacy Center (Tuesday and Wednesday, 2:15-3:00 p.m., A119)
- World Geography, World History 1 and 2, VA/US History (Tuesday, 2:15-3:15 p.m., B114)
uKnight (Advisory)
Advocating for the students’ academic and personal well-being is a major goal for our Kellam uKnight Advisory Program. Therefore, December uKnight provided time for our ninth grade students to participate in I Need a Lighthouse, a depression and suicide education awareness presentation. Lighthouse staff spoke to our students and addressed important topics, including:
The strong link between depression and suicide
Depression symptoms and triggers
Suicide warning signs
How to help someone who is depressed or considering suicide
Community resources and available support
Our sophomores and juniors continued to focus on academic and career planning, including course selection presentations for next year. Parents and guardians, please note that we use the following three resources in uKnight which can be accessed at home at any time.
Destination Graduation: a VBSchools resource to help families navigate the journey from pre-K to graduation
Major Clarity: a career exploration and planning resource
Big Future: a college and career planning resource
Student voice is a priority at Kellam High School, and we welcome student input and feedback. Therefore, 28 of our seniors facilitated feedback sessions during senior uKnight. The questions focused on purpose, the advisor-advisee relationship, and wants/needs from freshman year to senior year. The feedback will help Kellam continue to shape and refine our uKnight Advisory Program for next year.
Upcoming Sessions for uKnight in 2018
Project Wayfinder for Freshmen
Growth Mindset and Making a Difference in the Community for Sophomores and Juniors
Real Life Choice Sessions for Seniors
Castle Counselors
January brings with it not just a new year, but many new activities and opportunities for our students.
A reminder that any student interested in programs through the Advanced Technology Center or the Career and Technical Education Center must submit an application to the counseling office before March. The sooner the better to secure a spot in the application process! Also there is an OPEN HOUSE at ATC on January 3rd - check it out; what's available to our students through both programs is so impressive!
We are continuing with our one-to-one registration schedule. Last but certainly not least, our awesome junior class. Our rising seniors are embarking on an exciting time in their high school journey, and we are looking forward to helping them through it with discussions about their course requests, post-secondary options, credit evaluations, and planning. Please let us know how we can help!
Finally, our students who took the PSAT in October should have received a digital copy of their scores. Counselors have a paper copy that will go in their official file and the PSAT booklets for students to reference specific questions will be distributed during lunches our first week back in January. We know sometimes understanding the scores can be complicated. Counselors are on standby to assist with this, but we also find this reference from college board to be helpful.
We also like the Big Future website to help students measure “How Do I Stack Up” straight from college admissions offices. This helps them set goals for courses to take, test scores to achieve, and answer any questions they may have. It is a resource counselors use often! Simply type the college you are interested into the search bar, and then look for the “How do I stack up” tab or take advantage of the other resources available.
As always, please let us know how we can best support your student in any area of need; we look forward to working with each and every one of them! Don't forget to follow us on Twitter: @KellamCounselor.
Once a Knight, Always a Knight - Jim Moxey
From the SCA
There will be a school clothing drive from January 2 - 12. Boxes will be set up near the commons area for all donations.
Colors for this year’s I Love Floyd E. T-shirts will be revealed in early January, and orders will be taken through January 30th in preparation of Love Kellam Week (February 11). T-shirts are $15 and proceeds benefit SCA programs.
Leadership Workshop staff will be holding a Leadership Workshop for Middle School students from Princess Anne and Landstown Middle on Saturday, February 3rd from 9-3PM. Applications will be available on the Kellam website and at all feeder schools beginning January 5th.
Each Sunday, our SCA will publish events and activities for the upcoming week via social media. This platform is called "Sunday Knights." Give our SCA a follow and stay connected to weekly happenings at the Castle!
Twitter: @KHS_SCA (Kellam HS SCA 17-18)
Instagram: @kellamsca (Kellam High School SCA)
Facebook: KellamHS (Floyd E Kellam High School)
Upcoming Events
For all Beach District and VHSL sporting events involving YOUR Kellam Knights, click HERE.
For sports results and standings, click HERE.
January 1 - Happy New Year! (School Closed)
January 2 - A-Day
January 12-14 - Virgina State Thespian Conference (at Kellam HS)
January 18 - uKnight Advisory Day (Alternate Schedule)
January 20 - African American Male Summit (8am-1pm)
January 26 - February Issue of The Knightly News
Stay in-the-know: There have been over 6,300 views of The Knightly News! Access prior issues by clicking on the month below and stay in-the-know:
The Knightly News
Email: dwsmith@vbschools.com
Website: http://www.kellamhs.vbschools.com/
Location: 2665 West Neck Road, Virginia Beach, VA, United States
Phone: (757) 648-5100
Facebook: facebook.com/KellamHS
Twitter: @KellamHigh