Think that since Spring Break is upon us, all with Kingsport City Schools comes to a halt?  Not so!  This week, the Saturday Six peeks behind the curtain to reveal a variety of things that will be going on while students and (some) staff are on break.

1. There are many KCS students and staff members that have very busy schedules this week.  For instance, the Dobyns-Bennett “Cyber Tribe” team will be competing in two major robotics competitions over break.  This weekend, the team travels to Huntsville, Alabama for the FIRST Robotics Rocket City Regional.  Then next weekend, they are back on the road, this time to Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville for the Smoky Mountains Regional.  Live streaming will be available, so even if you can’t attend, you can virtually support our students!  #RollCyberTribe
2. The KCS Early Childhood staff will be hard at work serving parents and children, preparing for the 2016-17 school year.  Pre-K screenings and placements will take place next week to help get our future students ready for next school year.  It is an exciting time for both parents and children, as they begin to start the transition to school!
3. The KCS Human Resources department is starting to hit high gear!  The recruitment and hiring process never really stops, but especially at this time of year, things are beginning to ramp up for what is an extremely busy season.  HR will be hiring and processing new employees, and with an eye on the 16-17 school year, beginning work on making sure the district’s goal of “providing committed and innovative educators” is being met.
4. The KCS Technology department never sleeps!  While many students and staff are on break next week, tech services will be hard at work continuing to move the district technology vision forward.  Staff will take advantage of lower network traffic to complete maintenance and numerous system upgrades, including work on the wireless network, servers, and security cameras.
5. Do you (or someone you know) need assistance with a zoning or tuition issue for 2016-17?  Spring Break is a great time to submit that request!  The KCS Student Services department is accepting zoning and tuition applications for next year, which can be submitted online here. Remember, even if you are attending a KCS school this year through a zoning or tuition situation, a request must be made annually.  The Student Services department will be happy to accept that request next week.
6. There may not be students to feed this week, but the KCS School Nutrition Services staff is hard at work.  SNS will spend much of next week gathering documentation for their yearly State review that is coming up in April, as well as making preparations for the Summer Feeding Program.  It’s hard to believe, but summer will be here before you know it!
7. Speaking of summer… A bonus item!  The KCS Communications staff will spend time next week in preparation for the release of the 2016 Summer Activities calendar.  This one-stop shop for academic camps, sports camps, and summer activities will be  published just after spring break.  Having seen the initial list, it’s certainly going to be a busy and fun summer!!

And don’t forget… 90.3 FM WCSK, the voice of Kingsport City Schools, never sleeps!  Let it be the 24/7 soundtrack of your Spring Break.  🙂

**Coming soon:  Did you notice that this past week, the D-B baseball team recorded the 1,500th win in school history?  This is the most wins by a high school varsity baseball team in America!!  In the coming weeks, look for a special Saturday Six that will share six interesting facts about the D-B baseball program.  Well done, Tribe!

Something a bit different for the Saturday Six this week, as you analyze whether your bracket is officially busted or not…

Here are the top six photos and images from KCS this week!

1. It was a full house in the D-B Culinary Arts room on Thursday, as lots of good friends gathered for the annual Retired Teachers Brunch.  What a great job by the D-B students that prepared a fabulous meal!
2. The D-B Air Force JROTC unit exemplifies the term “world class” as they support the Retired Teachers Brunch.
3. What great role models!  The D-B YES! club continues to shine, mentoring students at Roosevelt Elementary.
4. It’s almost concert season!  Students at Lincoln Elementary get ready for their big moment.
5. Beauty and grace… The D-B Winter Guard continues to shine through their competition season.
6. Don’t forget!  2016-17 Pre-K Screenings and Kindergarten Registration is coming up this week.

This week, the Saturday Six highlights six KCS events that need to be on your radar in the coming weeks.  Make plans now!

1. It may not happen until summer, but registration is already underway!  The 2016 KCS Summer STREAM Camp is now accepting applications for rising 2nd through 6th grade students.  The two week camp runs from June 13-24 at Sevier Middle School and is designed to spark interest in STREAM subjects through hands-on, project-based learning in the areas of Chemistry, Digital Media, Engineering, Environmental Exploration, and the Arts.  Click here for more information!
2. Do you have or know of a young child that is ready to start pre-k or kindergarten?  Now is the time to start preparing for this fall!  KCS will hold Pre-Kindergarten Screenings for the 2016-2017 school year on Tuesday, March 22, 2016 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., located at the Kingsport Civic Auditorium.  On that same day, all KCS elementary schools will hold open registration for rising kindergarteners from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.  What an exciting time for our newest students and families!
3. The next generation of D-B Band and Orchestra students is about to take flight!  Current 5th grade students that will be attending Robinson Middle School this fall should have Saturday, March 19 on their radar.  That will be the day of the RNR Instrument Placement, beginning at 9 a.m. at Robinson.  Current 5th graders that will be attending Sevier Middle School this fall should keep the morning of Saturday, April 9 free for their instrument placement.  JSMS will begin at 9 a.m., as well.
4. With warmer temperatures upon us, it’s time to notice that spring concert season is right around the corner.  Once we hit April, students all across Kingsport will begin to showcase their musical talents during a wide variety of evening events.  Check out the KCS Activities Calendar here for the full listing, and make plans to celebrate the season!
5. Blink twice, and graduation will be upon us.  It’s never too early to start planning for the celebration that is KCS and D-B Graduation!  Saturday, May 21 at 9 a.m. in J. Fred Johnson Stadium is the time and place.  Trust us… You’ll want to be there!
6. And coming up soon, don’t forget that Spring Break starts a bit early this year.  The KCS Spring Break will begin on Friday, March 25, and continue through the following week.  Students will return from break on Monday, April 4, 2016.

Did you happen to notice the banner weekend that just happened at D-B?  If you didn’t, it certainly needs repeating…

Thanks to Dr. Chris Hampton for helping recap this incredible weekend!

1. It may have come to a close one step short of the state tournament, but congrats to the Lady Indians basketball program for an outstanding season.  They finished the year with 25 wins, the second most in school history!
2. The D-B Chamber Singers and Concert Choir received a Superior rating at the J.B. Lyle District Choral Festival over the weekend.  Both Chamber and Concert choirs will be heading to the State Choral Festival Friday, April 22nd.
3. Mu Alpha Theta had a very successful math competition. They brought home five awards, including 1st place individual and 2nd place overall in the math bowl!
4. Several D-B Student Council members were recognized at the Tennessee Student Council Leadership Conference this weekend.  Michael Bennett won the Leadership Essay Contest, Student Council President Sarah Tanner was named the 2016 Tennessee Association of Student Council Student of the Year and Chandler Shoemaker received the 2016 Award for Going Above and Beyond in the name of student council.
5. The middle, JV, and Varsity Winterguards all won first at the CIPA Guard Showcase over the weekend.

I’d say it was a particularly “World Class” kind of weekend!

1.  It was a week full of reading all across KCS!  The celebration of Theodor Seuss Geisel’s (Dr. Seuss’) birthday on Wednesday, March 2 may have marked the 2016 edition of Read Across America Day, but KCS students spent the entire week focusing on the joy of reading.  Thank you to the many teachers, staff, parents, and volunteers that helped support this special week.  It is a great reminder that in a culture full of activities, hustle and bustle, you just can’t beat curling up with a good book!
2. We thought about trying to post pictures from KCS Read Across America Day/Week activities here, but there are just WAAAAAAAY too many.  You owe it to yourself to check out the KCS Facebook page here to see the fun, creative ways that our teachers, staff, and students celebrated reading this week.  It’s worth your time!!
3. It’s pretty cool when reading and technology come together… Keep an eye out for a new and exciting literacy project just underway, being initiated by Johnson Elementary’s Rebecca Thomasson. It blends reading, video, and the opportunity to share good books via the internet.  Check out the KCS YouTube channel here to watch the first books in this initiative, one of which is read by KCS Superintendent Dr. Lyle Ailshie.
4. Congratulations to John Adams Elementary for a very deserving award!  Adams has been awarded the inaugural Governor’s Award for Excellence in Early Foundations – Excellence in Promoting Physical Activity Award by the Governor’s Children’s Cabinet, in recognition for their Morning Mile program.  The program engages staff, volunteers, and students in an active running/walking program before school.  Adams is the first school ever to receive this award.  Awesome!
5. It was a busy week regarding leadership announcements for KCS.   Congratulations to Dr. Carmen Bryant, who has been named Assistant Superintendent – Instruction.  Formerly the Chief Academic Officer overseeing KCS secondary schools, Dr. Bryant will now oversee all instructional programs for the district, replacing the recently retired Dory Creech.  Also, Andy True as been named Assistant Superintendent – Administration, responsible for district administrative oversight.  But contrary to popular rumor,  he will still be that voice that wakes you up so very early on those cold, snowy mornings!
6. An update on the D-B Girls Basketball Team, that just keeps rolling along.  The Lady Indians have advanced to the final 16 in Class AAA.  Sweet!  They’ll play at Oak Ridge tonight for the opportunity to move on to the state tournament.  Best of luck to Coach Bill Francis and our ladies.  Roll Tribe!!