Welcome to 2018!  The Saturday Six is back from its Winter Break and looking forward to a fantastic start to the new year.

As the start of construction on the Regional Science and Technology Center at Dobyns-Bennett signifies, it looks to be a year of great growth and excitement across Kingsport City Schools.  2018 looks to be packed full of new experiences, opportunities, and reasons to celebrate the great things happening across KCS.

This week, the Saturday Six takes a look at what to expect during the coming year.  Let’s preview some highlights of what is to come during 2018.

1. The biggest news to kick off the start of the semester is the naming of the new KCS Superintendent.  At a special called meeting on Monday, January 22, 2018, the Kingsport Board of Education will vote on a contract to name Dr. Jeff Moorhouse as the 9th Superintendent in KCS’ history.  The meeting will take place at 6 p.m. in the Administrative Support Center Tennessee Room (400 Clinchfield Street) and the public is invited to attend.  Dr. Moorhouse comes to Kingsport after serving as Superintendent of Greeneville City Schools.  Welcome to KCS, Dr. Moorhouse!
2. Construction is underway on the Regional Science and Technology Center at Dobyns-Bennett and will hit fill stride as foundational work sets the stage for vertical construction.  Did you know that a 24/7 live camera has been positioned that will provide a view for the duration of the project?  Click here to stay up to speed on the construction progress by viewing the live stream.
3. This Spring will mark yet another milestone in the history of the KCS musical program, as the D-B Orchestra and Band will travel to the prestigious Carnegie Hall in New York City for a special performance.  The trip will take place from March 15-21 and include the band participating in the famous New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade.  And during that same time, the D-B Chorus will be attending the Music for All National Choral Festival in Indianapolis, an incredible achievement and honor.  World-class students sharing world-class talents in world-class venues!
4. Speaking of the arts, there will be MANY incredible performances taking place in schools in the coming months.  Click here to view the KCS Events Calendar so that you can stay up to speed and come enjoy our talented students.  One particular item of note early in the semester is the D-B Dramahawks performance of The Wizard of Oz, which will take place January 26 & 27 at 7 p.m. in the Nancy Pridemore Theater.
5. Please be aware of a few calendar items for the Spring semester.  Schools will be closed on Monday, January 15 for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, and again on February 9 for parent/teacher conferences.  Spring Break will begin with a teacher in-service day on March 16 and continue through the next week, March 19-23.  The last day of school will be a half-day on May 24.
6. As always, Dobyns-Bennett Graduation will be a magnificent way to wrap up the school year, as we honor the accomplishments of approximately 500 D-B seniors.  It’s a community celebration that is not to be missed, and you’re invited!  Mark your calendar now to join us in J. Fred Johnson Stadium on Saturday, May 26, 2018 at 9 a.m.

So much will happen over the next five months!  Make sure to follow along on our website (www.k12k.com) and social media (wearekcs.com; twitter.com/KCS_District; facebook.com/KptSchools) to catch all the action.

Next week in the Saturday Six:  Students across Kingsport are doing some incredible things in the area of Science, Technology, Reading, Engineering, the Arts, and Math (STREAM).  We’ll take a look at the fantastic learning taking place in KCS classrooms!