Stay tuned for next week's Knight Nation News for a list of important back-to-school event dates such as meet the teacher and open houses.

Have a great summer break! Don't forget to read!!

The 129th Commencement of Kings High School occurred on Sunday, May 19 at the Cintas Center on Xavier University Campus.

This year's graduating class of 351 seniors will have a set of memories and experiences that have been greatly affected by a global pandemic. They are a class that leaves a legacy of which to be proud!

This year's Master of Ceremonies was KHS Student Body President, Diego Medina. The Kings Board of Education awarded the Academic and Activity Excellence Awards to Katie Gibson and Brendan Stock. Valedictorian, Grace Sims, and Salutatorian, Robert Giller were presented with rings to commemorate their achievement. This year's Honored Vocational Student was Aaliyah Sammons presented by Warren County Career Center's Director of Human Resources Director, Kevin Gale.

Senior Cristian Corro-Zambrano was the selected Senior Class Speaker. He noted that he moved here from Venezuela without knowing a word of English to now giving the Commencement speech. In his speech, "Show the World,"

Cristian reminded students, "Don't let others determine what you are capable of. Embrace self-love and growth." He also encouraged his fellow graduates to make themselves their first priority. " Take care of yourself and find your purpose," he said.

Kings Superintendent, Greg Sears gave his speech with help from some J.F. Burns Elementary Kindergarten students. Kids say the funniest things!

This year, the graduation ceremony was livestreamed and is available to view. Check out the photo gallery from the Cintas Center Ceremony.

Congratulations KHS Class of 2024! We know you will do big things! #onceaKnightalwaysaKnight

The Kings Early Childhood Education Center's Young 5 students participated in their graduation ceremony this week. They are off to Kindergarten and will be members of the Kings Class of 2037!

As this year comes to a close, we wanted to share the portfolios of the eleven AP DMA Seniors who just recently graduated. We encourage you to take a look at the talented student's work that was created during their time at Kings High School.

These talented students are looking for internships, commissions, networking, and job opportunities that will help them achieve their future career goals. If you like their work, please contact them directly for your photography, illustration, design, animation, video, and filmmaking needs! Please forward their portfolios to anyone you know who might be interested in their work.

Brennan Abbott

https://24babbott.wixsite.com/bman

Grant Arnesen

https://gamepingraphics.wixsite.com/gp-graphics

Alexa Escamilla Martinez

https://aalexaescamillaa.wixsite.com/alexaescamilla

Joey Gatto

https://thejosephgatto.wixsite.com/josephgatto

TJ Hoolehan

https://thvizuals.wixsite.com/thvizuals

Jocelyn James

https://jamesj8558.wixsite.com/jjames8558

Hayden Mays

https://haydenmaxwell0723.wixsite.com/hayden-s-portfolio

Keira McCoy

https://keiramccoyportfolio.wixsite.com/artandwriting

Kylee Mettey

https://kjmettey.wixsite.com/kj-mettey

Charlie Reeder

https://charliereeder5.wixsite.com/cr15

Nora Spelic

https://24nspelic.wixsite.com/home

The students at J.F. Burns Elementary have been reading furiously to win this year's Laps for Literacy.

From January to April students log every minute of extra-curricular reading they do. Those minutes are added up and calculated into laps that JFB Principal, Mrs. Montag has to walk around Landen Lake. This year students read a total of 816,240 minutes!

This year’s Top Readers were: Kindergarten - Mia Beuerlein; 1st grade- Jaanvi Viveka; 2nd grade - Teagan Lomison; 3rd grade - AJ Bersaglia; and 4th grade - Gracelyn Bersaglia; Top Classes were Mrs. Carpenter, Mrs. Roewer, Mrs. Blazek, Mrs. Gray, and Ms. Bowman.

Mrs. Montag walked six laps around Landen Lake – 18 miles! The entire student body lined the J.F. Burns drive to cheer on Mrs. Montag, the top readers, and classes as they began the first lap. Kings Superintendent, Greg Sears, and Assistant Superintendent, Dana Martin joined Montag on the last lap.

This year's Lemonade Stand also raised a whopping $910.50 that will be donated to the Juvenile Arthritis Association. Way to go! Keep reading this summer! 

Last week, if you visited Kings Mills Elementary, you would have run into Abraham Lincoln, Taylor Swift, Michael Jordan, Rosa Parks, Dolly Parton, and many more famous Americans!

The KME 4th graders hosted their annual American Heroes Wax Museum! The 4th graders spent time researching American Heroes, writing about them, and memorizing a speech they bravely gave to visitors attending.

We were there live. Check it out!

Last week the District 4th Grade Chorus, a chorus made up from all three of our elementary schools had their spring combined concert. J.F. Burns Elementary Music Teacher, Jen Maegly said, "They did really well!"

The Chorus is directed by Maegly, Matt Jenkins, KME Music Teacher, and Melanie Sherby, SLE Music Teacher.

Kings High School students in Miss Michaela King's Biology class participated in an end-of-the-year lab to review DNA prior to their final exam.

In the DNA Necklace lab, students collected their cheek cells by swishing Gatorade in their mouth, spitting it into a tube, and then added chemicals to create a reaction. After 12 minutes of waiting time, the DNA traveled to the top of the tube to be extracted. (The DNA is the clear/white stringy fiber in the test tube picture below) Students then were able to put their DNA into a pendant necklace to wear during the school day! 

Miss King said, "Students were very engaged and had fun! Definitely a memorable lab."

At their final high school performance on May 9, three Kings High School Senior Choir members were awarded this year's National School Choral Awards.

These singers came into high school as online learners during the 20-21 school year, persevered and led the program through the difficult years following COVID-19, and sang for all four years of high school.

Congratulations (and thank you) to Jorie Allison, Cora Dwyer, and Jack Lacefield! Each singer also received the Chuck Mason/Jared Adamson scholarship. And congratulations to all of our singing Grads!

Congratulations to the 297 Kings High School students who are being recognized by the United Nations Association of the USA, ServeOhio, and InnerView in the 7th Annual Community Service Awards.

This past year, KHS students invested 19,476+ hours in community need, earning the Ruby Award. These students are recognized for community service as National & State Award earners and as inspirations for other students to get involved in their community. These service awards connect student service activity and impact to the UN Global Goals.

The three-tier award program recognizes a range of student achievement; Merit for 25 hours, Honor for 40 hours, and Ambassador for 100 hours of service this school year. This year, five KHS students received the Ambassador Award. Congratulations to Gwendalyn Bildstein, Meredith Bodley, Kam Koopman, Lauren Rubel, and Keira Serrano.

“High school students have a strong perspective on the most challenging issues and needs facing our communities. These awardees exemplify young leadership, harnessing their passion and skills to enact positive change in their communities and beyond,” says Kristine Sturgeon, CEO of InnerView Technologies. “We feel privileged to work alongside these change-makers daily, supporting their journey, unlocking opportunities, and commemorating their achievements."  

Click here for a list of all of the winners from KHS.

Our best wishes go to the recent retirees from the

Kings Local School District:

Penny Brandenberg, Jeff Cupp, Ana Sanchez-Denny, Eva Garchar, Karen Ferrarelli, Linda Kidder, Julia Kurtz, Heidi Strong, and Cheryl Wanner.

 Thank you for all of your years of service and dedication

to the Kings Local School District. 

You will be greatly missed!   

The Summer Slide is a decline in reading ability and other academic skills that can occur over the summer months when school isn't in session. Numerous studies show that kids who don't read during summer break actually slip in reading ability by the time autumn rolls around.

We have provided you with some Summer Reading Programs in our area to help your students. Thank you for supporting your student to prevent the Summer Slide! Thank you to Mrs.Bowman for providing this list!

Nearly 20 Kings students have been cast in the next Acting Up performance of The Lighting Thief - The Percy Jackson Musical.

About the show: As the half-blood son of a Greek god, Percy Jackson has newly-discovered powers he can't control, a destiny he doesn't want, and a mythology textbook's worth of monsters on his trail.

When Zeus's master lightning bolt is stolen and Percy becomes the prime suspect, he has to find and return the bolt to prove his innocence and prevent a war between the gods. 

The show is an adaptation of the best-selling book, The Lighting Thief by Rick Riordan. Performances are May 31 - June 2 at Mason High School.

Get your tickets here.

The Food Service Department wants to thank students and their families for their support in our School Lunch Program. We want to remind all parents/guardians that any remaining funds on student meal accounts will transfer to the 2024-2025 school year. The balances will remain on the students accounts when they return in August.

If a student is graduating or transferring out of the Kings Local School District and your student has a remaining balance, please contact the Food Service Department at 513-398-8050 ext 10027 or you can email us directly at jarlinghaus@kingslocal.net and a refund will be issued to you.  If you currently have an account on PaySchools Central for your graduate and it is set up for auto deposits, it is advised that you access the PaySchools Central site and delete the "auto-deposit" feature from your graduate's meal account.

If you have a graduate that has a remaining balance and you have another child/student in the District the remaining funds from your graduate can be transferred to thier younger sibling. Please contact the Food Service Department to make this request and they would be happy to assist you.

Any student that currently has a balance due can forward payment by cash, check or payments are also accepted from our online portal, PaySchools Central.  Forms of payment of cash or check can be sent to the students' school or they can also be mailed directly to the Food and Nutrition Department at 1797 King Avenue, Kings Mills OH 45034. Checks can be made out to: Kings Local School District Food Service. 

Board Members

Kings Board of Education (L-R): Janelle Groff, Board Member; John Skerl, Board Member; Deb Cowan, Board Member; Stacie Belfrom, President; and Peggy Phillips, Vice-President.

The Board of Education will meet only once in June and July. A combined Work Session and Regular Meeting will be held on Tuesday, June 11 and Tuesday, July 9. Both meetings will be held at 6:00 p.m. and will be livestreamed on the Kings Youtube channel.

Visit the Board of Education page on our website for meeting dates, meeting recordings, and agendas.

If you are looking to purchase Kings Spiritwear, visit the Kings Online Spiritwear Store provided by our partner ROKKITWEAR or Lemons and Limes Boutique Deerfield. Kings Spiritwear can also be found at the Landen CVS.

Keep in touch with all things Kings Spiritwear by following our Facebook page!

In an effort to be "green," the District does not send paper flyers home. We use a platform called Peachjar that houses flyers of community programs and resources. 

Parents receive approved flyers via email, and they are posted on our digital flyerboard for easy retrieval. Any organization can distribute information to our community by creating an account!

We are looking to bolster our Kings Alumni database. Are you a Kings High School graduate or know someone who is? Please share the form with your fellow graduates. This will help our reunion committees and keep you updated on what is happening at your alma mater!

Please complete this Alumni Roundup Form.

Registration is open for this summer's Athletic Camps. Visit this link to sign up.

Former Kings High School Football Coach, Andy Olds is being inducted into the Ohio High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame on Friday, June 14 in Columbus, Ohio.

There hasn't been a Cincinnati area coach inducted in eleven years. Congratulations, Coach!

Anyone who would like to support Coach Olds at the event is encouraged to attend. For more information visit ohsfca.net.