Principal's Message
November 2020
Kingsway Regional Middle School
Ed Dubbs, Assistant Principal
Website: krsd.org
Location: 203 Kings Highway, Woolwich Township, NJ, United States
Phone: 856-467-3300
Dragon Deed Winners!
A Message from the Principal's Desk:
Dear Kingsway Community,
As we eagerly anticipate the upcoming fall break, there are many things we should celebrate and be proud of at KRMS. First and foremost, our students and staff have done a fantastic job making sure this environment has been safe and healthy. From following daily protocols to conducting themselves with the health of others in mind, I could not be more proud. Secondly, our students have begun to settle in to a nice routine both in school and in the virtual setting. Schoology seems to be much easier for the students to navigate which is certainly a huge benefit. Finally, both our book fair and first parent advisory meeting this month were a huge success. We look forward to a productive November, and we wish you a relaxing fall break.
Sincerely,
Brian Tonelli
Week of Respect - Sports Jersey Day
Communication
Chromebooks: Over the fall recess, we will be offering Chromebooks for families who need a device for either virtual learning or hybrid in-person learning. If you currently have your own device and want to continue to use it, you can. It is our goal to ensure every child at home or coming to school has their own device to streamline and enhance the learning process.
All Chromebook distribution will be done on the following dates/time starting November 2nd at our High School North Main Entrance.
Monday 11/2: 5pm-7pm
Tuesday 11/3: 9am-11am
Wednesday 11/4: 5pm-7pm
Thursday 11/5: 9am-11am
Acceptable Use Policy must be signed and brought with you www.krsd.org/technology. See left hand side "Technology Device Request".
Fall Break: Fall break is a great time to recharge. Homework will not be assigned. However, it is, for some of our students who have fallen behind, a great time to catch up. If your child has missed numerous assignments, please reach out to the teachers directly and have him/her make up those assignments during this time.
Lockers: Cohort A and B have both been assigned lockers. The students have been spread out with empty lockers in between each other. Cohort A was issued top lockers, and Cohort B was issued bottom lockers. Lockers will ONLY be used to store coats, and students will only go to their lockers at the beginning and end of the day.
Reporting an absence in Middle School:
When reporting an absence in the middle school, please dial (856) 467-3300; next, press 2 (please leave message: your name, child’s name, grade level and reason for absence). Please keep in mind that an outbound voice message will be sent for all absent students; please disregard if you have reported your child absent. Excused absences include: sickness accompanied by a doctor’s note, death in the family, and religious holidays.
Please keep in mind that student attendance is mandatory on Wednesdays. Students are marked absent if they are not present in each of their 7 classes.
Clubs: We have all 9 virtual clubs up and running. Please click HERE for all of the clubs and Schoology codes for those clubs
#1DragonFamily: Theme for the month of November is Trustworthiness. All students will be exploring what it means to be a Trustworthy person through pieces of writing in their English classes. Students will be focusing on the idea of trust as a middle school student navigating through real life situations. Trustworthiness is an important Pillar of Character that our social-emotional learning initiative, #1DragonFamily, is centered around.
Health and Safety: We are two months into the school year, and I could not be more proud of our students and staff for their attention to all of the health and safety protocols and procedures that we have put in place. From wearing masks to keeping our six-foot distance, KRMS has been steadfast in our approach to ensuring a safe environment. Please continue to stress the importance of washing hands, using sanitizer, wearing a mask, maintaining social distancing.....with your child. It is working at KRMS; let’s stay healthy and safe as winter approaches.
Cohort V Students Moving to A or B: Please note that we will be allowing students to transition back into Cohort A or B from Cohort V from November 16th to November 20th. Please reach out to guidance department (ext. 3095) to complete this program change.
Renaissance Program: Please encourage your child to be a part of our Renaissance Program! Students must complete five community service/after school involvement hours by November 12th in order to be eligible for our Mid Semester Celebrations. The Mid Semester celebrations will take place on November 23rd and 24th. Please click HERE for more information about the Renaissance Program.
Yearbook: This year's 2020-2021 Kingsway Regional Middle School Yearbook, The Dragon Tale, is already on sale! Please visit www.jostens.com to purchase a yearbook for your student if interested. Click the "Yearbooks" link in the top left corner, and select "Buy Your Yearbook." You will then be prompted to type in the name of our school, Kingsway Regional Middle School, and the city, Woolwich.
This year's edition of The Dragon Tale is going to be special, featuring photos that represent the unique situation our students, staff, and families are facing this year. This yearbook will emphasize our school's promise that, "Together We Are #1 Dragon Family," especially during this extraordinary time. Don't miss out on this yearbook's greatness!
Please reach out to us if you have any questions.
Ashley Townsend (townsenda@krsd.org)
Lindsay Contarino (contarinol@krsd.org)
Yearbook Advisors
Mr. Hedenberg's class learns about the first political parties.
Miscellaneous
Mid Semester Grades: We will be mailing a hard copy of your child's mid marking period grades. Please expect a mailing the week of November 30th. Students have another 9 weeks to demonstrate their understanding of their courses. Please reach out to your child's teacher directly with any questions or concerns.
Virtual Career Day: Virtual Career Day is on Wednesday, November 18, 2020. We are in need of presenters. If you are interested in being a presenter for the virtual career day, please contact Theresa Kupsey at 856-467-3300, extension 3043.
MAP Testing: In an effort to understanding the impact of COVID on individual student learning and to provide students, parents, & teachers with important academic feedback, Kingsway Regional School District will be implementing MAP testing this year in ELA and math. This will take place on December 21st (A), 22nd (B), and 23rd (V) for the cohorts. Cohort V students will have the chance to take the assessment in person if they choose. More detailed information will be released after the fall recess.
Mock Election: On October 20, 21, 22, all students took part in a Kingsway Middle School mock election. Each student had the opportunity to vote and more importantly got a chance in their social studies class to gain an understanding of how the election process works. Hats off to the social studies department for their organization with this process.
T-Shirt Design Contest: Through the #1DragonFamily initiative, KRMS ran a T-Shirt Design Contest during the month of September. The t-shirt design had to incorporate the theme of "unity". Congratulations to our two winners....Gracelyn Xiao and Evelise Abreu. Both girls have received a fifty dollar gift card to the school store, and the t-shirt is being designed now and will be available for purchase in the weeks ahead.
Drills: On October 14th the middle school conducted a Lockdown Drill with the Cohort A students and on On October 16th, a Precautionary Lockdown Drill with the Cohort B students. Both drills were successful.
Blank Screen: During Wednesday's live Zoom/Google meetings, please encourage your child to leave his/her camera on at all times during the lesson.
Grading: Unlike the springtime last year when we were thrusted into a virtual environment, clear grading expectations and guidelines have been laid out for students this year. This is a reminder that there will be no pass/fail system implemented this year. The grade that is reflected in Schoology/PowerSchool is the grade your child will earn at the end of the semester. Please contact individual teachers, your child's team, or your child's guidance counselor if extra support or assistance is needed.
Upcoming Events
· 11/2 - 11/6 Fall Recess School Closed
· 11/13 Mid Marking Period
· 11/19 Board Meeting (Virtual) 7:00 pm
· 11/23 Cohort A Day-Mid Semester Renaissance Celebration
· 11/24 Cohort B Day-Mid Semester Renaissance Celebration
· 11/25 Virtual Day
· 11/26 & 27 School Closed - Thanksgiving
Renaissance Sponsors: Thank you to the following 2020-21 Renaissance sponsors.
Premier Sponsor
Botto's Italian Line Restaurant
Creamy Acres
Landmark Home Builders
Nathaniel Boerlin Scholarship Fund/Dragon Run
Major Sponsor
Innovative Orthodontics
Ray’s Pizza
Swedesboro Diner
Sweetsboro Pastry Shoppe
Spicy Affair
Contributing Sponsor
Marriott Philadelphia Downtown
Apel Psychological Services