In this Issue

A Note From The Superintendent
Upcoming School, Community Events
KFCS Headlines
KUHS Alumni
Phone App Download for District Website
Join Our Team
KFCS Board of Education

A note from the Superintendent;

Dear Klamath Falls City Schools Community,

Vaping among youth has become a significant concern for schools and communities nationwide. While often marketed as a safer alternative to smoking, vaping poses serious health risks, particularly to young people. Studies have shown that e-cigarettes can deliver harmful chemicals and high levels of nicotine, leading to addiction and potential long-term health issues. At Klamath Falls City Schools (KFCS), the safety and well-being of our students are our top priorities, and we are taking proactive measures to address this issue.

To combat vaping on our campuses, KFCS has employed a full-time electrician to work in partnership with our I.T. department on a vital project: installing vape detectors in all school restrooms. These detectors are a significant step toward curbing vaping and creating a healthier environment for our students.

The installation of these vape detectors requires substantial groundwork, including the installation of low-voltage cable to power the detectors. At Ponderosa Middle School alone, we’ve installed over 2,000 feet of cable—a testament to the scope of this initiative.

We began our efforts with the Klamath Learning Center (KLC) and Ponderosa Middle School. I’m pleased to announce that the installation at these schools is now complete. Next, we will move on to Klamath Union High School, Eagle Ridge New Tech High School, and our elementary schools to ensure this critical technology is in place district-wide.

We believe these efforts will help deter vaping and contribute to the creation of a safe and supportive learning environment for all our students. Thank you for your continued support as we take these steps to protect the health and well-being of our community.

Regards;

Keith A. Brown

Register Now For Winter Sports at KU

Winter Sports start this coming MONDAY, NOVEMBER 18TH.

Make sure you have completed your online registration and physical examination in order to participate!

Here's the registration link: https://students.arbitersports.com/.../ku-athletics-2024...

GO PELS!!

wer t r gsdv — Click on image for information for National Stress-Free Holiday Month

Snowflake Parade

Klamath Falls City Schools was seen on various floats Thursday, Dec.6 at this year's Snowflake Parade through Main Street.

Klamath Union's marching band, Ponderosa Middle School, Eagle Ridge New Tech High School, KFACE, Klamath Union ASB and many runners participated in the annual Snowflake Mile, which was in its 26th year.

Ponderosa Middle School students

Klamath Union Marching Band

Eagle Ridge New Tech High School

KFACE Float

KU ASB

KU Cross Country Snowflake Mile

KFCS District Office Holiday Potluck With KU Orchestra

KFCS wants to thank Klamath Union orchestra instructor, Alexis Candy, and the members of her orchestra who came to play holiday music during a holiday potluck put together at the KFCS District Office Friday, Dec. 6.

We want to also thank our Human Resources staff, Robin Sundseth and Mary Holder, for taking the time to cook a turkey and ham for staff to share.

Conger Ugly Sweater Chess Tournament

On Sunday, December 1, the Conger Chess Club hosted the 2nd annual Ugly Sweater Chess Tournament. 25 students from Conger, Ponderosa, Pelican, and Stearns participated in the event, ranging from ages 6-14. The tournament featured a five-round, Swiss-system format with two seperate age categories; K-5 and 6-8. Winners of the K-5 tournament are as follows:

1st (tie with 4 wins): Oliver Wietlisbach, Brogan Henderson, and Olivia McPherson

2nd (3.5 wins): Jaxon Ogborn

3rd (tie with 3 wins): Mak Merrit, Brannon Henderson, and Bradley Wonser

Winners of the 6-8 tournament included:

1st (5 wins): Aiden McPherson

2nd (3.5 wins): Wally Stevens

3rd (3 wins): Audric Singer

A heartfelt thank you goes to all volunteers of the event, Marvin and Kimberly Dykstra, Ciara Dykstra, James Mitchell, Manny Castaneda, and Ashley McPherson.

ThanKU Shirts

Maureen Lundy, KFCS TOSA, Roosevelt Elementary School

"I nominated Maureen Lundy for a ThanKU shirt because of her relentless and tireless commitment to the staff and students at KFCS. She spent hours this summer working with our elementary Instructional Coaches to plan and coordinate staff training on the new ELA curriculum. She has put in countless hours supporting our new Instructional Coaches and Intervention Leads as the school year has started. The result of her work has been some of the best Professional Learning our elementary staff have ever had, and one of the smoothest roll-outs of a new curriculum this district has ever seen," Fred Bartels, Director of Curriculum

Improved hallway behavior at Ponderosa

If the button above does not work, click here to watch the video above

Ponderosa staff are working together to further improve the school's culture of learning. Earlier this year the staff was trained in and have implemented Capturing Kids Hearts in the school to create an environment of respect in the classrooms. Ponderosa is now expanding that to the hallways. The staff have committed to working together to make student hallway behavior more calm and respectful. Students are expected to use respectful "inside" voices in the hallways, walk on the right side of the hallway, go directly to class, and keep their hands to themselves during all passing periods.

The staff rewards students who follow through on these expectations and immediately corrects those who do not. There has already been a huge improvement in student behavior in the hallways. The improved hallway behavior has resulted in students being calm and ready to learn when they get to each class. Check out the video to see one way PMS staff are teaching students how to behave in the hallway.

Eagle Ridge New Tech Students Build Shed For Copperfield Fire Victims

By Joaquin Aguilar-Flores, KFCS

Eagle Ridge New Tech High School students finished an 8-by-16-foot shed built for helping a Sprague River family who lost their home in the Copperfield Fire.

Eagle Ridge New Tech’s shed is one of five sheds built in the Klamath Basin through Team Oregon Build. Mazama, Lost River, Henley, Bonanza and Chiloquin also have built or are in the process of building sheds.

Click here to continue reading this story on the KFCS website.

Workforce Ready Grants Expand Career Pathways in Healthcare, Manufacturing, and Technology

HECC has announced preliminary awards totaling approximately $42 million to support 62 projects that prioritize underserved and marginalized communities

Salem, OR – The Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC) is pleased to announce the latest round of Future Ready Oregon Workforce Ready Grant awards to support 62 innovative workforce and talent development projects. A combined total of approximately $42 million has been preliminarily awarded, making this the largest round of Future Ready Oregon grant funding to date. These sector-focused Workforce Ready Grants in Healthcare, Manufacturing, and Technology support collaborative programs that center the needs of Oregon’s underserved communities* and connect individuals to resources for pursuing good-paying jobs and meaningful careers in key sectors of Oregon’s economy.

Click here to continue reading this story on the KFCS website.

Early Literacy Literacy Success in Oregon

Stand Oregon is a non-profit in Oregon that supports improvements in early literacy for Oregon students. They were instrumental in getting the Early Literacy grant passed in the state of Oregon. KFCS is using that grant money to hire full-time instructional coaches at our elementary schools to help our teachers become stronger literacy teachers.

Stand Oregon has started the Oregon Demonstration Network, which is a small selection of promising elementary schools that are getting additional support from Stand Oregon with the intention of those schools becoming model schools for other schools in the state to visit and learn from. KFCS has two schools that are part of the Oregon Demonstration Network: Mills and Conger elementary schools.

Mills is highlighted in a promotional video Stand Oregon has produced. Click on the video below:

Cold And Flu season is here.. Please help us prevent the spread of viruses by doing these things at home, school, and work.

Steps you can take

Individuals can

Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw used tissues in the trash. If you don't have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your elbow, not your hands.
Learn and use proper handwashing technique.
Teach children the correct way to wash their hands.
Clean frequently touched surfaces, such as countertops, handrails, and doorknobs regularly.

Information presented comes from the Center of Disease Control. Click this link for more information.

La temporada de gripe y resfriados ya está aquí. Ayúdenos a prevenir la propagación del virus haciendo estas cosas en casa, en la escuela y en el trabajo.

Las personas pueden:

Cubrirse la boca y la nariz con un pañuelo desechable al toser o estornudar; botar los pañuelos desechables usados a la basura; y si no tienen un pañuelo de este tipo, toser o estornudar cubriéndose con el ángulo interno del codo, no con las manos.
Aprender y usar la técnica correcta de lavado de manos.
Enseñarles a los niños la forma correcta de lavarse las manos.
Limpiar con regularidad las superficies que se tocan con frecuencia, como mesones, barandas y manijas de las puertas.

La información presentada proviene del Centro para el Control y Prevención de Enfermedades. Haga clic en este enlace para obtener más información.