The Knightly News
Parent Newsletter for Kellam High School - February 2019
On the Move
In the January Issue of the Nightly Times we shared some of our new and returning programs. 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. Continuing our work from last year’s PCI, our current PCI sets our sights on a achieving a 100% on-time graduation (OTG) rate beginning with the Class of 2021 (current Sophomores) while increasing our rate in the interim. Our PCI was created and updated collaboratively. The process included:
- Shared visioning process with multiple site visits
- Multiple rounds of data analysis by a variety of stakeholder groups
- Revisions and recommendations from our school's leadership team
- School Planning Council review of the updated PCI
- Refinement of strategies and professional learning
- Updates and revisions (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.
School-wide Overarching SMART Goal: Beginning with the class of 2021, each class will have a 100% On-Time Graduation Rate and a 0.0% Drop Out 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.
SMART GOAL #1A: We will increase the graduation rate to 100% by 2021.
SMART GOAL #1B: 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.
SMART GOAL #2: We will increase student perception of culture and learning opportunities data to indicate 100% agreement in a number of specific areas by 2021.
SMART GOAL #3: We will improve the college, career, and civic readiness cohort rate as measured by the College and Career Readiness Index (CCCRI) on the annual State Accreditation Report to 100% by 2021.
SMART GOAL #4A: We will increase SOL Achievement Rates in the five key subjects (Reading, Writing, Math, Science, and History) for all students by 2% over the previous year.
SMART GOAL #4B: We will increase SOL Achievement Rates in the five key subjects (Reading, Writing, Math, Science, and History) for specific subjects and sub-groups:
English (Reading/Writing) “Students with Disabilities” pass rate from 63.22% to 66.90% (reducing failure rate by 10%)
Math “Black” pass rate from 68.35% to 70%.
Math “Economically Disadvantaged” pass rate from 61.74% to 64.96% (reducing failure rate by 10%)
Math “Students with Disabilities” pass rate from 48.15% to 52.75% (reducing failure rate by 10%)
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)
Please take a minute to join Kellam’s PTSA and support the PTSA through Stress Free Fundraising using the payment link below:
Kellam will be hosting the 5A/6A region wrestling champions on Feb. 7-9. As part of the responsibilities as the host school, we will be providing a hospitality room for coaching staffs, officials, event workers, and police officers. This is a very large event and we will be providing multiple meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) each day to approximately 150-175 people. We would appreciate any donations that could be made to help support this event. Please contact Amy Pratt, Assistant Student Activities Coordinator, at amy.pratt@vbschools.com for further details or to make a contribution.
Thank you for your continued support of Kellam Athletics.
Attention all parents (especially underclassmen parents):
Remember All Knight Gradfest needs volunteers... If you like to decorate or just want to help with a awesome event, please contact Holly Thornton at allknightgradfest@gmail.com.
Thank you for supporting Kellam PTSA!! Go Knights!!
Castle Counselors
Counselors have wrapped up our 3-month process of One-to-One registrations! We enjoy this time with your students so much and always appreciate getting to talk to them directly about their thoughts on next year, their feelings on how things are going now, and anything else that may come up in conversations.
Course requests have been entered into our system and should be available for viewing in Student and ParentVue. Course Verification Sheets will be sent home with all students with the 3rd quarter report cards. Students are invited to make adjustments to their selections through the Spring semester as needed. There is a course change request slip available in the counseling office.
Course requests will need to be finalized prior to students leaving for the summer so that sections can be created to ensure space for all students. Requests for changes during the summer months cannot be guaranteed.
A REMINDER:
ALL STUDENTS WHO ARE ENROLLED IN A DUAL ENROLLMENT COURSE (juniors and seniors only) and ALL STUDENTS WHO ARE ELIGIBLE FOR EARLY RELEASE or LATE ARRIVAL (Seniors Only) MUST HAVE THEIR FORMS TURNED IN BY APRIL 1st.
Testing for Dual Enrollment eligibility will be held at Kellam on April 9th and 10th; the application must be completed and turned in to the counseling office in order to be a part of that test date.
We are still seeking community partners for our job shadow experience in March!. If you or someone you know is a part of a business or organization or working in a field that you may be able to host a student (days and times vary based on your availability!), please fill out this survey. (Survey completion does not commit you to participation!! It simply adds you to our database for further contact if interested!)
Job Shadow Participation Survey
As a reminder, please see the attached letter for important information regarding AP Exam registration.
AP EXAM REGISTRATION INFORMATION
AP BULLETIN INFORMATION FOR PARENTS & STUDENTS
Vapes, E-cigarettes, and Teens
What do you know about the vaping epidemic? Apparently, the Surgeon General, Jerome Adams, declared vaping an epidemic due to the sheer number of teen aged users and the negative effects it has on their development. Never has there been an increased use of any substance by America's youth that rivals that of the e-cigarette according the Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar. So...what do you know about the vaping epidemic?
Students are disappearing from class for longer periods of time. They are going to the bathroom more often. More often custodians are noticing a different kind of trash in the corners of the stalls, little plastic cartridges. What is going on? Security checks reveal that all of these phenomena have one answer; the students are vaping. Vaping in our school is on the rise. It is distracting its users from their school work and it is dangerous to their brains and overall health!
Facts to consider:
Vaping among teens increased by 900% between 2011-2015.
21% of high school seniors vaped in the last 30 days in 2018 compared to 11% in 2017.
Juul is the most popular brand.
One Juul pod contains the same amount of the nicotine in 20 cigarettes (one pack).
30% of e-cigarette users start smoking traditional cigarettes within 6 months.
Nicotine is highly addictive and causes negative brain development.
What is being done to reduce use in the Castle?
At Kellam we have increased security checks in the restrooms.
We have asked that teachers do not allow students to leave the room the first 10 minutes and last 10 minutes of the block.
The discipline is strict. Students with their 1st offense receive ISS and a counseling from the school nurse. They are informed that the 2nd offense requires 5 days OSS, and the 3rd will result in a referral to School Leadership with a recommendation for long term suspension.
What should you do?
Get the facts: What do vaping products look like, what are common brands, and where are they sold?
Talk to your kids: Be patient and ready to listen. You want to have a conversation so don't shut them down with lectures or criticism.
Make it clear that you do not approve of them vaping or using e-cigarettes and take action
Reduce privacy, check book bags, remove locks from doors, inspect cars.
Reduce or eliminate allowance.
Schools can not tackle this issue alone. This issue can not be legislated away. We need your help.
Culturally speaking Black History is American History
American History has it all. It has the good, with lists of the “firsts” or “greatests”. We were the first to walk on the moon, with Neil Armstrong. We have great athletes, like Muhammad Ali and Jesse Owens, and we boast of some of the best writers in the world, like Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence. American History also has the bad and the ugly: The Trail of Tears, The Dred Scott Decision, and the bombing of Japan, in 1954.
It is impossible to talk about American History without talking about the contributions of African slaves, Negros, African Americans, or Colored and Black people. Right from the beginning, Black people have been on the scene, adding to every spectrum of American life. Right from the start Black History was a part of American History.
So why have a Black History Month? What is the real purpose? Is it to acknowledge the place of Blacks in American History? It could be argued that there is no need to have a Black History Month given that, taught historically and inclusively, Black history would be taught in all American history classes. Or maybe the purpose of Black History Month is to highlight all of the wonderful contributions of Blacks. Then what are the other 11 months for… highlighting the contributions of everyone except the Black Americans in history?
Black History Month is in February because of a historian who wanted Negro Appreciation Week to cover the February birthdays of Frederick Douglas and Abraham Lincoln. President Gerald Ford made Black History Month official in 1976, urging everyone in the United States to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.” We strive for a Black History Month in our school that will be an education about and celebration of black history. We know that it cannot be separated from American History. It is a cultural highlight that we all need.
Black History Month should be the start of a conversation about the truths we hold, “that all men are created equal”. It can be a reflection of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. “Dream”. It can be a promise of more to come. Black History Month, at its best, can be a start….of something bigger, better and more inclusive for all Americans.
Job Shadow Day
Your help is needed! Our Job Shadow Committee will begin accepting 11th grade applications for Job Shadow Day later this month, and is in search of businesses and organizations that may be will willing to host our students. This year, we will be expanding job shadow day to a 2 week window, from March 18 – March 28, in an effort to accommodate the schedules of our community partners. If you know or have a connection to a potential partner for this program, please contact Juliana Caruso with the best contact information or pass along this link to the Job Shadow Host Survey. Your help is greatly appreciated!
What is A VIRTUAL LEARNING DAY?
Last spring, VBCPS announced Virtual Learning Days for the 2018-2019 school year. Two have occurred thus far on Oct 8 and Nov 6, and a third is planned for Feb 1.
So, what exactly occurs on a Virtual Learning Day?
At Kellam HS, most teachers develop virtual lessons through our digital platform, Schoology. Some lessons mimic what students might experience in a traditional classroom lesson including a warm-up and/or activation of prior knowledge, delivery of course content through a video, reading, or other content-based activity, and a post-assessment to gauge student learning. Other lessons may be abbreviated or non traditional in nature. All lessons should be able to be completed by the student independently. Students may contact their teacher from 1pm to 2pm on any virtual learning day for clarification or assistance.
Teachers review and grade students’ work and use the evidence of each student’s learning to plan for subsequent traditional classroom lessons. Students are assigned a ten-day window extending around the Virtual Learning Day to provide for flexibility to students who may have multiple assignments and/or technical difficulties. Comparable hard copy lessons are available by request for those who may not have internet access from home.
How could I support my child?
Parents should remind students that this is not a day off from school. Students should have work from each of their classes held on that day excluding Academic Resource aka Study Block. They should spend a minimum of 2 hours but no more than 6 hours working at home on assignments depending on the number of classes and length of assignments. Teachers reserve the right to count the grade as a classroom assignment and will evaluate the exit ticket or summative assessment.
Kellam HS is looking forward to its third Virtual Learning Day on Feb 1 (“A” Day).
Spotlight on Senior uKnight
As part of the their advisory experience, our seniors prepared to be “Life Ready” by attending four choice sessions throughout the past two months. Parents, consider asking your senior about what has been gained during these sessions. Questions to Ask: Which choice sessions did you attend? Why did you chose these sessions? What did you learn about yourself and how might the information connect to your future? If you have a chance to design a uKnight choice session, what would you want the topic to be? (... have you shared this with Ms. Hoffman?)
UKnight Choice Session Topics
Be Wise about Finances: Real-life Financial Advice (Thank you to our Partner: VB Credit Union)
Be Well: Living a Healthy Life through Lifelong Fitness Choices
Be Involved: Opportunities to Get Involved in Community Service and Volunteerism
Be Responsible: Staying Knowledgeable and Involved in Environmental Issues
Be Aware: Agribusiness and the Future of Farming (Thank you to our local farmers, legislators, and city representatives for meeting with our students.)
Be Creative: Living a Life Enriched by Art and Music
Be Motivated: Speaker Series
Be Prepared: The Nuts and Bolts of Basic Car Maintenance
Be Innovative: Entrepreneurial Spirit: What do you do with an idea?
Be Your Own Boss: Advice on Starting and Owning a Small Business
Be Independent: Dorm Life and Quick Meals
Be a Leader: Developing Your Leadership Skills
Be a Critical Thinker: Thinking for Yourself
Be Prepared for College: Discussion Circles with Current Kellam Alumnae
Academic and Career Resumes: Tips, Techniques, and Feedback
From the SCA and Class Senates
Love Kellam Week is coming soon!
February 11 - 15th will be Love Kellam Spirit Week.
The spirit days are:
Monday: Workout Day
Tuesday: Out of this World Day
Wednesday: Western Day
Thursday: Love Bugs - Dress in your Valentine's Best!
Friday: Love Kellam Day!
Love Floyd E. Shirts will be on sale from January 28 - February 4th in the following colors:
Tennessee Orange - with white writing
Orchid - With white writing
Dark Grey - with metallic gold writing
Short Sleeve shirts are $15, Long Sleeve shirts are $20.
Chick-Fil- A Valentine Biscuit orders will be taken from January 28 - February 8th for $5. Biscuits will be deilvered at the end of 1st block on Thursday, February 14th.
SAIDIE HAWKINS DANCE - To celebratge the end of Love Kellam Week will be Saturday, January 16th from 7-10. Tickets will be on sale starting February 11th for $10.
Workshop Roundup will be for 9th and 10th graders during Advisory on February 6th.
Workshop Applications will be available February 6th and are due no later than February 15th.
Leadership Workshop will be March 8-10th at Triple R Ranch.
Feel free to contact Abbie McGee (abbie.mcgee@vbschools.com) or Katelyn Taliaferro (katelyn.taliaferro@vbschools.com) with any questions
From the Desk of K. Cos- the SAC (Student Activities Coordinator)
Spring Sports Tryouts begin on Monday, February 18 unless otherwise noted. Please use the contact information below for sport specific tryout questions. All students interested in trying out for a spring sport must have a completed sports physical dated after May 1, 2018 on file in the student activities office in order to participate.
★ Girls Soccer-Mr. Mario Hurdle, Mario.hurdle@vbschools.com
★ Boys Soccer-Mr. Craig Powers, Craig.powers@vbschools.com
★ Baseball-Mr. St. Clair Jones, St.Clair.jones@vbschools.com
★ B/G Outdoor Track-Mr. Bill Bernard, kellamtrack@icloud.com (tryouts begin on 3/4)
★ Softball-Ms. Lori Gavin, Lori.gavin@vbschools.com
★ Boys Tennis-Mr. Scott Hoffman, Alex.hoffman@vbschools.com
★ Girls Tennis-Ms. Drago, Connie.drago@vbschools.com
Please contact Katie Cosimano at Kathryn.cosimano@vbschools.com with any student activity questions.
Upcoming Events
For all Beach District and VHSL sporting events involving YOUR Kellam Knights, click HERE.
For sports results and standings, click HERE.
January 31 - End of 2nd Grading Period and 1st Semester
February 1 - Virtual Learning Day
February 11-15 - I love Kellam Spirit Week
February 16 - Love Kellam Dance
February 20 - uKnight Advisory Day
February 27 - uKnight Advisory Day
Stay in-the-know: Access prior issues by clicking on the month below:
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