10/11/2026
10/11/26
Good evening, KCMS Parents & Families,
This is Mark Buckel, proud Principal of Kent County Middle School. I hope everyone has enjoyed the weekend. As we head into another week, please remember that we only have a three-day school week this week. Thursday, October 15, is our parent-teacher conference day and Friday, October 16,is a KCPS professional development day. If you have not already scheduled a conference with your child's teachers, please reach out to them as soon as possible. Conference times are first come, first served, so I encourage you to schedule your meetings early to ensure you have an opportunity to connect with your child's teachers.
Q1 Show Up & Shine!
Showing up and working hard pays off! At the end of Quarter 1, KCMS will celebrate students who Show Up & Shine by maintaining 94% attendance or better and earning all A's and B's. Students who meet both goals will be invited to a special Ice Cream Social to celebrate their commitment, effort, and success. We want to recognize our students who are making attendance and academic achievement a priority!
The Haunted Halloween Face-Off!
On Friday, October 30, KCMS students will take on faculty in an exciting game of Pillo Polo (think floor hockey with soft sticks)! This is a great opportunity for students and staff to have some fun together while showing off their competitive spirit.
To be eligible to play on the student team, students must have C's or better in all subjects and no discipline referrals. Sign-ups begin Monday, October 12, in the cafeteria.
As we build up to our Halloween celebrations, the National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) will also host a Halloween Spirit Week and sell Boo-grams for $2 during lunch shifts beginning October 19.
Science Olympiad Is Back!
We are excited to announce that KCMS will once again participate in the Science Olympiad Program! This hands-on science and engineering competition encourages teamwork, problem-solving, creativity, and a love of learning. Middle school students work together to prepare for events covering topics such as biology, chemistry, physics, earth science, and technology.
We will hold a family interest meeting on Monday, October 19, at 5:00 p.m. in the KCMS Media Center. If your student is interested in science, engineering, or working with others to solve challenges, we encourage you to attend and learn more about this exciting opportunity.
If you have questions, please contact Katie Hughes at [email protected]
A Thank You from Our PTA
Our KCMS PTA is looking for a little help showing appreciation for our hardworking teachers during parent-teacher conferences. Conference days mean long hours and back-to-back meetings, often with very little time for staff to step away and grab something to eat. To help keep everyone energized, the PTA is organizing a Grab-and-Go Snack Station for our teachers and staff.
Families who are able to help can sign up to donate a snack, drink, or paper item using the link below:
https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/ /FMfcgzQhWnxmMCZvBtjWGWNKPRMvWsPC
Sign Up to Support Our Teachers!
Thank you to our PTA and families for continuing to find ways to support the people who work so hard for our students each day. These small gestures go a long way in showing our staff how much they are appreciated!
PARTNER UP! FAMILY MEETING AND FOCUS GROUP
We invite all KCMS families to join us for our next Partner Up! Family Meeting on Thursday, October 22, from 12:30–1:45 PM at KCMS!
This is a great opportunity to:
Learn what’s new at KCMS
Connect with our school and other KCMS families
Discover ways families can get involved
Learn more about becoming a KCMS Parent Ambassador
Hear important updates from a KCMS PTA representative
Lunch will be provided!
Please RSVP using the link below so we can plan accordingly.
https://forms.gle/JscRvTu88ADyBabX7
KCMS Yearbooks
We are excited to announce that the 2026-2027 KCMS yearbooks are now on sale! For a limited time, families can take advantage of 10% off yearbook orders through October 31. Keep an eye out for yearbook flyers coming home beginning Monday. Be sure to take advantage of this early-bird discount and reserve your copy to help capture the memories, friendships, and special moments of the school year!
As always, thank you for your continued support of KCMS. I hope everyone enjoys the short school week and long weekend. We look forward to another great week of learning and growing together as a school family!
Warm regards,
Mark Buckel
Principal
Kent County Middle School
