KMS Weekly News 4/25/2025

Posted Date: 4/25/25 (8:30 PM)

Kuna Middle School

Kavemen Khronicles

April 25, 2025

From the Principal: A Note to KMS Families About ISAT Testing

Hello KMS Families,

We’re excited to share that our students will soon take the Idaho Standards Achievement Tests (ISATs) in ELA, Math and Science, starting April 28th.

These tests are a valuable tool for us to see student progress on Idaho's learning standards and guide our instruction. Please know these scores are just one snapshot – they don't affect grades or promotion to the next grade level.

Our goal at KMS is to ensure that every student feels prepared and confident to simply do their best. Our teachers have supported and encouraged students all year and will continue to do so during testing.

You can make a big difference at home with encouragement and simple steps like ensuring plenty of rest, a healthy breakfast, and arriving on time for school to reduce stress.

Let’s work together to create a positive environment for our students! Encourage them to give their best effort, and remind them that we truly value their hard work and growth.

Thank you for being such an important part of our KMS community!

Partners in Learning,

Shelly Manuel

Principal

Text stating the mission of Kuna Middle School: 'Kuna Middle School provides high quality instruction to ensure all students learn at the highest level.'

Text-based image with the vision statement for Kuna Middle School: 'We will be a top performing and/or a goal maker school with focused, collaborative programs and a strong professional learning community.'

A row of colorful pencils sits above the text 'Important Dates & Times' and a calendar icon with a clock.

Looking Ahead

April 28: PTO Meeting @ 5:30 & Parent Advisory Meeting @ 6:00 pm

April 28 - 29: Science ISAT

April 29: Parent University

April 30 - May 1: ELA ISAT

May 7 - 8: Math ISAT

May 13: KMS Band Concert

May 20: KMS Choir Concert

School Spotlight

ISAT Encouragement Opportunity

State testing season is just around the corner, and we’re excited to cheer on our amazing students as they prepare to ROCK the ISAT!

We’d love for parents and guardians to help us build a wall of encouragement by writing a positive message for their child — or for all our students — to see before testing begins.

Click the link below to fill out a quick form, and CAST will write your message for you.

Let’s be their biggest fans and send them into testing week with confidence and support!

Send a Message

8th Grade Getaway

An invitation to celebrate the 8th grade class trip to a fun park with go-karts and games, featuring a photo of students enjoying the ride.

Athletics

Spring Sports Week: 5

We have an exciting lineup of athletic competitions this weekend, April 27-May 3. Come out and support our talented student-athletes as they take on rival schools in tennis, track. There are plenty of opportunities to catch the action and see our Kuna Kavemen in action.

Monday, April 27 4:15pm: KMS Tennis vs. Vallivue MS

Tuesday, April 28 4:15pm: IVL District Track Meet

Wednesday, April 29 4:15pm: IVL District Track Meet

Friday, May 2 4:15pm: IVL District Tennis Tournament

Saturday, May 3 9:00am: IVL District Tennis Tournament

A graphic announcing spring sports events, including tennis and track meets, with images of athletes running on a track.

A flyer for Kuna Middle School's cheer open gym, inviting 5th-7th graders to join. Dates and times for conditioning and cheer basics are listed, with tryouts on May 5th at 4:00 PM.

Classroom Close Up

AVID

Our 7th grade AVID students from Kuna Middle School had the exciting opportunity to visit Northwest Nazarene University. During their visit, they embarked on a guided campus tour, exploring key facilities such as academic buildings, the library, student commons, and residence halls. They also visited classrooms from various academic pathways, giving them a glimpse into different fields of study and potential career opportunities. In addition to experiencing the university's learning environment firsthand, students engaged in discussions about college life, admissions requirements, and the benefits of higher education, helping to inspire and prepare them for their future academic journeys.

Science

This week, our 6th grade science students had an exciting opportunity to learn from some of our valued community partners. Representatives from Boise State’s Microelectronics Institute visited classrooms to share their expertise on semiconductors. Students engaged in hands-on activities, tinkering with circuit boards and experimenting with programming code. A big thank you to Boise State for providing such an inspiring and educational experience!

A blue and orange graphic with the text 'Spark of Semiconductors' and 'Introduction to Semiconductors and Circuitry' on a blue background.

A teacher demonstrates a science experiment to a group of students in a classroom.

Two young students work together on a science project, connecting wires to a circuit board.

Two students work together on a STEM project, focusing on a circuit board and wires.

Students listen attentively to a presentation about semiconductors in a classroom setting.

A young student works on a STEM project, connecting wires to a circuit board.

A person works on a circuit board with wires and components, focusing on their task.

District III Band Festival

Congratulations to the awesome band students that performed in the District III Band festival this week! All three groups looked and sounded fantastic and received great clinics afterwards. We received so many compliments from other band directors and students. Way to go band kids! A HUGE thank you to the awesome parents that came along with us Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. We could NOT do events like these without all your help and support. You are so appreciated!

Information

Supporting Your Middle Schooler for ISAT Success

Hello Parents! I'm Jessica Toth, the Instructional Coach at KMS, and my role is to support our teachers and students for the best learning experiences, including preparing for important assessments like the Idaho Standard Achievement Test (ISAT).

The ISAT testing schedule is as follows:

Science ISAT: April 28-29 (in 8th-grade science classes) - This test assesses your 8th grader's understanding of scientific concepts, practices, and real-world applications. Expect questions analyzing data, interpreting information, and demonstrating scientific reasoning.
ELA ISAT: Mornings of April 30 and May 1 (whole school) - This assessment focuses on reading comprehension, writing, and language use. Students will read passages, answer questions, and write responses.
Math ISAT: Mornings of May 7 and 8 (whole school) - This test measures your child's understanding of mathematical concepts and problem-solving skills. Expect varied question types assessing different mathematical abilities and reasoning.

To help your child be prepared for the ISATs, please ensure they:

Attend all testing sessions. Consistent attendance during ISAT testing is crucial. Missing testing days will require students to complete make-up assessments, potentially causing them to miss valuable classroom instruction.
Bring pencils and wired headphones or earbuds each day.
Explore the official practice test to understand the format and questions. Students can select their grade and assessment (ELA, Math, or Science for 8th grade).

Here are some additional ways you can support your student leading up to and during ISAT testing:

Have a brief, positive conversation about their progress. Throughout the year, students took three SICA (shortened ISAT) benchmark tests, the latest in February. Teachers have discussed these results with students, providing them with an understanding of their strengths and areas for growth.
Encourage your child to explore the ISAT practice test in a relaxed way to familiarize themselves with the online environment and question types. Keep these sessions short and positive.
Your support at home is essential for their success. Ensure your child gets enough sleep and a nutritious breakfast on testing days. Your ongoing support with homework and a positive attitude towards school are important. Remember, our goal is to help your child feel prepared and confident to show what they've learned.

To learn more about how to support your child, check out this article on helping your child prepare for standardized tests.

A message from the KMS counselors

Next week counselors will be sending out Summer School registration forms for students who meet the criteria. Failing a class the entire year and or failing 3 or more classes second semester.

There is still time to improve our grades and thus not be invited to summer school. Please encourage your students to keep working hard until the end.

Summer School dates: June 4-June 25

Time: Period one 8am-10am

Period two 10:05-12 noon

Place: Fremont Middle School

More information to follow...

KMS Kave Cart

A GREAT OPPORTUNITY! Parents and Grandparents, who doesn't want to get met with a wave of positivity and excitement? That's what happens when you volunteer at our school Kave Cart! Consider signing up here to help on an upcoming Friday! Also make sure that you have completed an adult background check here: Thank you :)