It’s finally here!  Today, Kingsport City Schools reaches the culminating event of the academic year as students and staff celebrate the seniors graduating from Dobyns-Bennett High School.  Through much hard work and dedication, these graduates have reached the pinnacle of their K-12 education and now prepare to embark into their future!

Graduation day is a special time, as the entire KCS community comes together to mark this significant achievement.  One special aspect of D-B graduation is the annual participation of teachers and administrators from other KCS schools who take part in the ceremony.  By including staff from pre-k, elementary, middle schools, Cora Cox Academy, D-B EXCEL, and D-B, we signify that we are all vested in the education of KCS students and take district-wide ownership of supporting student success.  Though they may be graduating today from D-B, ALL KCS staff members have been instrumental in helping students reach their graduation day.

It’s quite a phenomenal group of young women and men!  This week, we celebrate this year’s graduates by sharing some of the fantastic accomplishments of the Class of 2018.  There are WAY more than six items to highlight.  Thanks to D-B Principal Dr. Chris Hampton for sharing this great info. (click here to view the full photo album of graduation day photos)

The Dobyns-Bennett Class of 2018 contains:

• 5 National Merit Semi-finalists.
• 5 National Merit Commended Students.
• 3 Presidential Scholar Candidates (the most in school history).
• 90 students with a GPA exceeding 4.0 (the most in school history).
• 75 AP Scholars (the most in school history).
• 3 appointments to United States Service Academies.
• 120 Graduates with distinction (the most in the school history).
• Of the 131 D-B students ACT scores of 30+ this year, 75 are in the senior class and
  two of those recorded a perfect score (This is the seventh year in a row D-B has had at least one perfect ACT score).
• This is the 12th consecutive year the DB Air Force Junior ROTC program has been named a unit of distinction.
• More than a dozen Career and Technical state-level winners and national qualifiers.
• 40 students earning approximately 60 National Industry Certifications.
• Over 60 conference, district, and regional athletic titles.
• Several state tournament participants.
• This graduating band class has performed on some of the biggest stages in
  our state and country, while solidifying their place on an elite stage for
  marching bands by finishing 6th in the U.S. at the esteemed Grand Nationals competition.
• The band and orchestra also performed a joint concert at Carnegie Hall,
  one of the most famed concert halls in the world.
• This has been the most decorated year in history for the D-B Choral program, including being one of 12 choral programs in the world to be chosen to perform at the inaugural National Choral Festival.
• D-B has been named in the top 5% of all high schools in the country by US News and World Report and one of the most rigorous high schools in the nation by the Washington Post.
• The class of 2018 has been offered in excess 15 million dollars in scholarship money (and still counting).  This is the most scholarship money every awarded to a graduating class at D-B.

Congrats to the Dobyns-Bennett Class of 2018!!

Click here to view the full album of photos from this year’s graduation.

And so with that, another year of the Saturday Six comes to a close.  Thank you for sharing this year’s journey with Kingsport City Schools and learning more about our incredible students and educators each Saturday.  Keep on the lookout for additional KCS information at wearekcs.com, including more great video blogs to come!

Unbelievable… The 2017-18 KCS school year is down to its final days!  The last day for students is this Thursday, May 24, with D-B graduation taking place next Saturday, May 26.  How did it all come to an end so quickly??

But following any great school year is a fantastic summer!  This week in the Saturday Six, let’s take a look at some of the activities and events on the horizon once school breaks for the year.

1. First things first… Not sure where to find all the options that are available for students this summer?  We’ve made it easy for you!  Just click here for the one-stop shop of summer offerings from our KCS Summer Events webpage.
2. KCS STREAM (Science, Technology, Reading, Engineering, Arts, and Math) camps will take place during the month of June.  High School students (rising 9th-12th graders) will meet June 4-8 at the Regional Center for Advanced Manufacturing (RCAM) from 8:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.  Elementary (rising 2^nd – 5^th graders) and middle school (rising 6^th – 8^th graders) students will each have two weeks of camp, June 11-15 and June 18-22.  Middle School camps will be held at Robinson Middle School from 8:30 a.m. – 3 p.m., while elementary camps will be held at Sevier Middle School from 8 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
3. There are also a wide variety of sports camps being offered this summer.  Boys baseball, boys basketball, girls basketball, football, soccer (boys and girls), girls softball, girls volleyball, and track and speed (girls and boys) are among the offerings.  Again, please check the Summer Camp webpage for the full slate of offerings and registration information.
4. KCS is pleased to offer Summer preview camps for Honors and AP classes.  These are designated for first-time Honors and AP students or those who want to improve their potential for success.  Offerings this summer include “How to Be a Successful AP Student,” “AP Human Geography Summer Pre-View,” and “Honors Algebra II Prep & Success.”
5. Want your rising 6^th grader to get off to a great start at their new school?  Make sure to attend one of the JumpStart programs.  These three-day summer classes will provide rising 6^th graders an opportunity to tour their school, learn how to open combination locks, meet new friends and some teachers, become aware of middle school procedures, play team building games, and more!  There are four separate offerings of JumpStart scheduled for late May and early June.
6. Summer preparation is an integral part of why the KCS music programs are so strong and competitive year after year.  Band Camps for middle schools meet various weeks throughout the summer, while the D-B band camps begin in late June for freshmen and in July for all others.

Again, click here to view information and registration processes for all KCS summer offerings.

BONUS ITEM – KCS, in conjunction with the U.S. Department of School Nutrition Services, is pleased to announce the Summer Meals for Kids Program.  Any child 18 years old or younger is eligible to receive breakfast and/or lunch FREE each weekday from May 29^th – July 20^th, except for July 4^th.  Sevier Middle School is a walk-in site serving breakfast and lunch.  There are also some residential delivery sites at which lunch only will be provided.  Click here for more details about the free summer feeding program.

Next week in the Saturday Six:  The school year comes to a close next Saturday with graduation at Dobyns-Bennett.  The Saturday Six will provide a photo review of the festivities, along with some interesting stats about this year’s graduating class.  PLEASE NOTE:  Publishing of the Saturday Six will be slightly delayed next week to compile all the great graduation photos.

Spring has arrived and just like the flowers bursting into full bloom all across Kingsport, the students and educators of Kingsport City Schools are accomplishing great things as the temperature heats up and the end of the school year approaches.  This school year has seen incredible achievements taking place across the district by so many talented individuals.

This week, the Saturday Six shines a spotlight on some highlights of our Spring semester.

1. The Dobyns-Bennett FIRST Robotics CyberTribe and D-B EXCEL M.A.T.E. (Marine Advanced Technology Education) robotics teams achieved great success in competitions this Spring.  In fact, the DBE “R’Mateys” M.A.T.E. team captured 1st place at the recent underwater competition here in Kingsport, qualifying them for the international championships.  With such a talented group of CyberTribe members and with two-thirds of the M.A.T.E. team members being either freshmen or sophomores, we can expect great things from KCS robotics in the years ahead.
2. Challenging academics have long been a hallmark of Kingsport City Schools and this year’s students are rising to achieve at unprecedented levels.  These include D-B seniors Kendall Miller and Karli Ailshie, who were awarded the 2018 Ned McWherter Scholarship,  and John Sevier Middle School 7th grader Ella Miller, who won first place for Best News Story at the Tennessee High School Press Association’s Awards Day.  D-B 11th grader and SCOPE Conference attendee Kevin Woo was elected 1st Vice President for the SCOPE slate of officers.  And Lego League teams from Jackson Elementary School and Robinson Middle School each captured 3rd place in the FIRST LEGO League (FLL) Tennessee Championship Tournament.  Oh, and the D-B student council also achieved Four Star Council status.  Knowing this doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface makes this Spring’s accomplishments all the greater!
3. KCS Spring athletes are also excelling.  The Baseball and Softball teams had great campaigns.  The Lady Indians tennis team has seen great success on the courts, sweeping through league play and capturing the District I-AAA Tennis championship.  Three players, Lainey Hill, Willa Rogers, and Emily Cai all went undefeated during the regular season, while the tandem of Hill and Rogers were undefeated in doubles’ play.  Miss Hill and Miss Rogers are continuing to shine in TSSAA tournament play and are poised for great success.
4. The boys soccer team is also making headlines.  The Tribe won the Big 7 Conference Championship and District 1 title and are currently undefeated on the season with a record of 16-0-2.  The Indians soccer team is ranked #2 in the State and #16 in the nation.  Now in the middle of tournament play, their next action will take place at home next Tuesday at Indian Highland Park as they host the Regional I-AAA semi-finals.
5. The D-B track and field team also won the 2018 Conference Championship and placed 2nd (girls) and 3rd (boys) at the 2018 Beach Run Invitational.  During the season, the team and individual members captured more than 30 first place finishes in more than 20 separate events in league and tournament participation.  
6. KCS employees are also achieving great things.  For example… D-B math teacher Mrs. Theresa Fuller fulfilled the rigorous requirements to be designated a National Board Certified Teacher.  Retiring D-B Coach Graham Clark was named a finalist for the prestigious 2017 Power of Influence Award by the American Football Coaches Association and the American Football Coaches Foundation.  John Adams Elementary teacher Dr. Cindy Bellamy was named the Outstanding Elementary Teacher of the Year by the Tennessee Council for the Social Studies and was named to participate as a member of the Tennessee Secretary of State’s Civic Education and Engagement Advisory Committee.  Kingsport is truly blessed to have such great educators!

Next week in the Saturday Six:  With just a few days left in the school year, we’ll take a look at the opportunities and events that will be taking place in KCS this coming summer.  It’s the Summer 2018 Preview Edition!

Can you believe that the Kingsport City Schools year is already coming to an end?  As of today, there are only 14 school days left before we close the books on 2017-2018.  But don’t think that just because the school year is winding down, there’s a lack of activity throughout KCS.  The schedule is jam-packed between now and Graduation Saturday on May 26th.

This week in the Saturday Six, let’s take a look at six key calendar items that are worth your attention between now and the end of the school year.

1. The week of May 7-11, 2018 is Employee Appreciation Week in Kingsport City Schools.  Careers in the field of education are so rewarding, but can also be exhausting!  KCS sets aside this week in the spring to send a little extra love to our faculty and staff who face each day with determination to open up the world to our students!
2. Looking for an opportunity to get a first-hand look at some of the great things that have been happening in our schools during the year? Check out the KCS Upcoming Events Calendar. Concerts, teas, awards days, art shows, and more dot the calendar, making May an action packed month of student celebration.
3. The last day of school is May 24^th, which is an early dismissal day for students.  Middle and high schools will dismiss that day at 11:40 a.m., while elementary schools will dismiss at 12:15 p.m.  Buses will run normal routes.
4. The grand celebration of each school year takes place at the Dobyns-Bennett’s graduation ceremony.  Please join students, families, faculty and staff at D-B’s J. Fred Johnson Stadium at 9 a.m. on Saturday, May 26 as this exciting event takes place.  Seating is available in the stadium on a first come, first served basis.  We invite you to come be a part of the biggest celebration of the KCS year!
5. With the end of May comes Memorial Day. On Monday, May 28, all schools and the Administrative Support Center will be closed as KCS joins the nation in celebrating this national holiday.  Please take time out to reflect on the sacrifice made by members of the armed forces killed in the line of duty as they have fought to defend the freedoms we hold so dear in the United States of America.
6. Tuesday, May 29 winds down the school year for school staff. It’s the final in-service day of the 2017-2018 as teachers wrap up all loose ends and begin to plan for 2018-19!

Next week in the Saturday Six:  As the year begins to wind down, the Saturday Six will take a look back at many student highlights and achievements from the Spring semester.