Chief Administrator Update March 2025

Emailed March 3, 2025

KHA Family,

I hope everyone enjoyed their February vacation/recess. Spring is just around the corner! “If March comes in like a lion, then it should go out like a lamb”. We are looking forward to a great month ahead KHA!

Please contact us @ [email protected] and/or @ [email protected]if you have any questions, feedback, and/or needs that we can assist you with. We are here for you KHA.

Sincerely,

Marcella Terranova Clark

Chief Administrator of Kingston Hill Academy

*Linked in my newsletter, you will find several documents that reference important information in regards to the school year.

Upcoming Community Events at KHA:

  • 3/3- Book Fair Week!
  • 3/5- Chess Club Match- 4pm Maker Space
  • 3/9- Daylight Saving Time
  • 3/12- Chess Club Match- 4:30pm- Away- Blackstone Valley Prep School
  • 3/13- ILS/URI Visit to KHA!
  • 3/13- KHA PTO Meeting – 6pm
  • 3/19- SIT Team Meeting- 3:45pm- All Are Welcome To Attend!
  • 3/19- KHA Board of Trustees Meeting- 6pm
  • 3/20- Chess Club Tournament and Award Ceremony- 4:30pm
  • 3/20- Arts Night- 5pm-6:30pm
  • 3/21- Last Day of Round 2 of ELPS
  • 3/25- Health and Wellness Meeting- 3:45pm- All Are Welcome To Attend!
  • 3/28- Professional Development Day for all Staff- No School For Students!

Reminders:

Parents and/or Guardians, please make sure not to arrive at school prior to 8:25 am and please wait for an adult to be present before students are released from vehicles. Also, please make sure not to arrive prior to 3:15 pm for dismissal. We thank you for keeping safety as a priority!

***Please do not get into the pick up line until you see a staff member. Staff remembers report to direct traffic for 3:15. The buses have until 3:15 to get into their pick up formation and require the proper space and time to do so. If you are here before 3:15, you can park in the big lot where you will wait until you are directed out by a staff member.


Thank you in advance for your understanding and attention to this matter.

Please make sure to have your photo ID handy if you need to pick up your child at the office for an early release or if they are ill.

A safety reminder that all KHA students should arrive at their scheduled bus stop at least 5 minutes prior to the scheduled departure time. Drivers have been instructed to not stop going forward for late arrivals. Please do not block and/or follow the bus if you arrive late to the bus stop. Please make alternate arrangements for late arrival.

Student Cell Phones: Please Read:

Please click on the link below:

Student Cell Phones

***Bus Information: Fidgets, books, electronics with headphones for music with no internet/photo/video capability are allowed. No Cell Phones!

State Assessment Dates:

  • April 3rd and 4th – 5th Grade ELA
  • April 7th and 8th – 4th Grade ELA
  • April 9th and 10th – 3rd Grade ELA
  • May 1st and 2nd – 5th Grade Math
  • May 6th and 7th – 4th Grade Math
  • May 8th and 9th – 3rd Grade Math
  • May 15th and 16th – 5th Grade NGSA

Survey Works Time:

Every year, the RI Department of Education puts out a survey called SurveyWorks which measures the overall climate and culture of Rhode Island schools. Your feedback on matters such as the safety of your child at school, the way students are taught, the conditions of the school, and your feeling of connection to the school community are part of this all-important survey. By taking part in this survey, you can help our school leadership and school community make improvements.

To take the survey between now and March 31st, simply visit bit.ly/ridefamily and simply select Kingston Hill Academy from the dropdown list.

Thank you in advance for your valuable time and input. If you have questions at all, please don’t hesitate to contact Mr. V at [email protected].

P.S. – Our KHA record is 153 responses and we would love for us to set a new record this year!

If we beat our record we will have a surprise for our students!

Accountability Rating: 5 STARS! * * * * *

The Star Rating system for schools summarizes overall school performance, classifying schools from 1 to 5 stars to provide families and school communities a transparent, accessible, and easy-to-understand snapshot of school performance. For 2024, KHA has been awarded a Five Star Rating. Our rating is driven by the following: Achievement and Growth in the areas of ELA, Math, and Science and School Quality and Success. This combination of scores led to the highest rating a school can receive on the accountability report card.

ENROLL RI:

Enroll RI is Open! If siblings of a KHA student are interested in attending KHA, please make sure to register them on enroll.my.site.com/apply.

FYI – Kindergarten siblings will have a seat reserved. Upper grades (first to fifth grade students) will need to register for a seat available.

The deadline is March 13th and it closes at 5pm.

KHA Office Notes:

If you need to send in a note to the office regarding changes to your student’s dismissal procedure for that day or a child’s absence, please send it to [email protected]You will receive a confirmation email when the note has been received.

Please send your dismissal changes before 2 pm. All dismissal changes are sent to the classrooms at that time. This procedure will eliminate handwritten notes sent from home getting lost.

This email will not be monitored after 2 pm – Please DO NOT send an email after 2 pm. Please call the office for any emergencies after 2:00 pm.

KHA Safety Drills:

Fire, safety, and lockdown drills are necessary for the safety of students, faculty and staff. State law requires fifteen drills per year. These drills are crucial so staff and students know where to go and how to respond if there was ever an actual threatening situation. All safety procedures are reviewed annually with staff. The school will conduct 15 drills per year following the RIDE requirements.

* In an event of a fire or potential safety concern families will be notified as soon as possible with an update and instructions if needed. Please avoid contacting and arriving at the school. Our focus first and foremost, is the safety of all the students and staff in the building. Visitors will NOT be allowed in the building during an emergency situation. We have safety procedures and protocols in place to ensure our KHA students and staff are safe. We thank you in advance with your patience and cooperation regarding this matter. Please discuss with your child the importance of these drills at school.

KHA Nurse Updates:

Please call Nurse Judy or send an email to [email protected] if your child will be absent from school. Reminder to parents to refill the spare clothes kept in school in case of spills, accidents or falls in the wet weather.

Please send in a snack and water bottle daily with your child.

Please get plenty of rest at night! School is a busy place with lots of learning! 🙂

KHA Attendance:

KHA will be promoting RIDE’s Campaign Its #cool2 beinschool /attendance matters.

Students who are absent are more likely to fall behind in their coursework.

Attendance is reviewed on an ongoing basis with our School Nurse, Social Worker, and Administration. Communication will be sent home bi-weekly to KHA families if their child is chronically absent according to our attendance tool from RIDE. Other communication such as possible phone calls, letters, and meetings may follow as well.

Please keep in mind that school begins at 8:40 am. Students arriving after 8:40 am will be marked tardy. Tardy letters are also sent home monthly.

Please keep in mind that vacations are not considered excused absences. Please highly consider vacations according to the school calendar.

Please report your child’s absence, by sending it to [email protected].

You may also contact our school nurse with any questions/concerns.

  • Judith D’Angelo RN, M.Ed, BSN
  • Rhode Island Certified School Nurse Teacher
  • Kingston Hill Academy
  • 850 Stony Fort Road
  • Saunderstown, RI 02874
  • 401-783-8282
  • 401-783-5656 (fax)
  • 401-203-9296 (cell)
  • [email protected]

According to RI General Law 16-18-1 every child is required to attend public school during all the days and hours that the public schools are in session in the city or town the child resides. Students are therefore expected to be present each day of the school year unless officially excused.

If your child is ill and cannot attend school in person please call the office and speak to our school nurse.

Please call the office at any time if you are in need of support or guidance at home. Our school social worker and school psychologist are also available to provide assistance to our families.

*Please keep in mind that EXCUSED Absences, Tardies, and Early Dismissals require a Drs. Note or an excuse from the school nurse. Please send all notes directly to the school nurse for documentation. Please feel free to reach out to our school nurse with any questions regarding excused and non excused absences and documentation required Ultimately, as a parent/guardian you have the right to make decisions for you and your family. Please just keep in mind that absences may not be excused. Please reference our district elementary handbook for more information.

Attendance letters and/or the RIDE Nudge Tool Texts from RIDE will be used to notify families of students absences. RIDE does not distinguish between excused/unexcused absences. All absences factor into our accountability.

Thank you!

*Staff and Student Attendance counts towards our star rating from the state!

Hazel Health Coming Soon:

Please click on the link below:

Hazel Health

URI Visit and Partnership: Community Partnership!

  • The URI Child Development Centers (CDCs) and the International Association of Laboratory Schools (IALS) is seeking high-quality local schools to host a brief visit for IALS Annual Conference attendees on the morning of Thursday, March 13, 2025. The 2025 IALS Annual Conference will be held at URI, and would love to show participants a few local schools that the university regularly partners with. Kingston Hill Academy was chosen in particular, because of our commitment to individualized inclusive education for all children, unique team teaching model, strong family engagement, and innovative educational programming. Welcome attendees!
  • KHA and URI are entering into a partnership with URI students teacher and practicum placements for students. We are excited to welcome new educators who can learn so much from our school and dedicated staff!
 

KHA Donation Opportunities: KHA Fundraiser Campaign-Please Consider donating:

Please click on the link: KHA Donation Flyer

After School Programs:

Please click on the link: After School Activities

KHA PTO:

Purchase your KHA Attire at the KHA Squadlocker store. The PTO gets 10% back from anything purchased.

https://teamlocker.squadlocker.com/lockers/277980/download_flyer

KHASchoolCalendar:2024-2025

Please click on the link: Revised KHA School Calendar 2024-2025

*Please plan vacations accordingly in reference to the school calendar. Vacations are considered unexcused absences by KHA and RIDE. Thank you for your support!

***School Times: 8:40 am -3:10pm

Please report to the office if you arrive after 8:40 am.

Please do not arrive prior to 3:15pm for dismissal. Arriving after 3:15 pm is greatly appreciated for traffic purposes. Thank you!

KHA Arrival/ Dismissal:

Please click on the links below for more information.

Arrival/Dismissal #1

Arrival/Dismissal #2

KHA Lunch Information:

Please click on the link below for more information.

Lunch Information

Lunch Menu: March Menu

Before/ After School Care Information:

Please click on the links below for more information.

Please note changes to PM.

Before/After School Care

YMCA After School Care*** Please notify the office if your child is attending The YMCA after care by calling Allison Scott @ 401-783-8282 or emailing her @ [email protected].

KHA Family Handbook:

In Case of Snow…

Snow has a way of sneaking up on us. Local news stations, radio stations, and our social media/web pages will all be updated in the case of a snow closing or delay.

We will also notify families through Black Board Connect with an email/call to all KHA families.

BCI Information:

To Chaperone Field Trips and for Volunteers/Mentors: Prior to chaperoning or volunteering ( This includes Field Trips), you must have a cleared BCI on file from the State of Rhode Island. The BCI must be dated within the last 12 calendar months.

To obtain a State of Rhode Island Background Check –

In Person BCI Check:

To get a background check in person at AG’s Customer Service Center in Cranston, you will need ONE of the following forms of ID:

  • Valid state issued driver’s license
  • Valid state issued identification card
  • Valid United States passport

Visit:

  • 4 Howard Avenue (corner of Pontiac Ave. and Howard Ave.)
  • Cranston, RI 02920
  • 401-274-4400
  • Monday – Friday (except state holidays)
  • 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

KHA Board of Trustees 24-25:

Dmitry Zagadsky

Chair

[email protected]


Lauren Nkwocha

Vice Chair and Treasurer

[email protected]


Kerri Dailey

Secretary

[email protected]


Joe Garcia

Trustee

[email protected]


Tiffany McClanaghan

Trustee

[email protected]


Kirsten Yagoobian

Trustee

[email protected]


Lori Filiberto

Trustee

[email protected]


Alicia Storey

Trustee

[email protected] 

 

Kingston Hill Academy ~ KHA ~ Contact Information:

850 Stony Fort Road

Saunderstown, Rhode Island 02874

Phone: (401) 783-8282
Fax: (401) 783-5656

 

KHA Web Page:

KHA Social Media:

Check us out on TWITTER:

Kingston Hill Academy- A Public Charter School

@Kingston850

Check us out on BLUESKY:

Kingston Hill Academy

@khacharter.bsky.social

 

Optimizing the Potential in All Children!

Kingston Hill Academy is dedicated to providing students with the opportunity for an inclusive, individualized, and challenging curriculum that supports them to reach their full potential.

 

Check out KHA’s Reel Spotlighting Charter Public Schools!