Friday, January 9, 2026

 

Principal's Post

Hello KMMS families,

As part of our schoolwide focus on grit this year, we’re hoping to highlight real examples of perseverance from the adults in our community. We know our students are inspired by authentic stories, especially from people living and working right here in Kettle Moraine. We are looking for parents, relatives, or family friends who would be willing to create a short “media bite” (45-90 seconds) that shares a moment of grit from their professional or personal lives. Think Instagram/social media reels! This could be a challenge you pushed through at work, a hobby that took a lot of practice, a failure that taught you something important and how it led to future success, or a time when you stayed committed even when it wasn’t easy. To make these videos engaging and developmentally appropriate for middle schoolers, we’ve put together a few simple guidelines:

Media Bite Criteria

  • Length: 45-90 seconds (90 seconds max)
  • Content: Share a real story where you needed grit. What was hard, what you did to stick with it, and what you learned
  • Engagement: Start with a hook, keep the language simple, and connect your lesson back to school, learning, or the social life of a middle schooler
  • Structure (optional - these are merely suggestions to engage 11-14 year olds):
    1. Quick hook
    2. What the challenge was
    3. How you showed grit
    4. A short takeaway for students
  • Format: Simple vertical phone video is perfect. No editing needed!
  • Keep it positive and school-appropriate

If you or someone you know would be interested in contributing, please reach out to me at kitzerowm@kmsd.edu. Your story could make a meaningful difference for our students as they learn what grit looks like in real life. Thank you for your partnership and for helping our students grow in perseverance and responsibility, 

Matt Kitzerow
KMMS Principal 

Laura Lloyd
KMMS Associate Principal

Urgent After School Reminder

Please be aware that students are NOT allowed to stay after school unless they are participating in an after school club or Learning Lab (M-W). All students who are not participating in a supervised after school activity must be picked up by 3:15pm. 

Kettle Moraine Shines at Regional Math Meet

Kettle Moraine brought two high‑performing math teams to this year’s Regional Math Meet, where districts competed in divisions (D1, D2, and D3) based on school size. The event encourages excitement for mathematics, recognizes exceptional talent, and fosters a positive academic environment for students across the region.

5th/6th Grade Team
The 5th/6th grade KMSD math team proudly represented the academic strength of our district. This group made mental math look easy! Congratulations to: Gus H., Maya H., Hudson S., Aaron H.‑H., Nora G. (alt), Jackson H., Aidan H., Connor H., Tyus B., and Elena P. (alt).

7th/8th Grade Team 
The 7th/8th grade KMSD math team earned second place in the D1 middle school division, securing a spot at the Mega Math Meet on May 27 at UW–Madison. Congratulations to: Jordan S., Evan G., Aaron S., Hadley B., Jackson M. (alt), Connor S. (alt), Graham W., Willa R., Declan I., Logan S., and Lucia C. (alt).

Individual Awards 
A special shout‑out goes to Evan G., who earned 2nd Place in the Individual High Score Category among all D1 middle school competitors.

Our students lit up the event with their energy, grit, and passion for math. A huge thank‑you to our generous parent chaperones for their time and our amazing Math teachers for helping our students rise to the top.

Staff Appreciation Hot Cocoa Bar: Coming Soon

Hello Kettle Moraine Middle School Familes!

Let's treat our middle school teachers and staff to a hot treat with a Hot Cocoa Bar on Wednesday, January 14th. Sign Up Genius

We need a handful of items to make this event of a success.  Please signup in the available slots and deliver items to the middle school by the end of the school day on Tuesday, January 13th.

(There are suggestion links included, but you can purchase items anywhere that works best for you.)

There are also a few item slots for supplies to restock the staff lounge. These items are indicated that they do not need to arrive by Wednesday.

Thank you for your support!

Teacher Appreciation Committee

Abbey Sprague, Karli Olson, AnnMarie Eve, Stacy Grafenauer, Diane Terry, Angela Steenhagen and Nicole Deklotz

Laser Tag @ Battle House 

Click here for a link to purchase tickets for the Battle House event.

KMMS Best Buddies

Our next Best Buddies activity will be on Wednesday, January 21st from 2:45 - 3:30. Please meet in the 7th Inspire Area! Please see Mrs. Suvaka or Mrs. Daley with questions. We hope to see you there! 

KMMS Dance: Friday, January 23rd

The PTO is excited to team up with Student Senate for an all school dance. The dance will be on  Friday, January 23rd (6-8pm). Admission will be $6 at the door. There will be $1 concessions for sale. Proceeds from the concessions go to the KMMS PTO. We need your help in collecting water, pizzas, snacks and backed goods. Slots are also open for parent chaperones. Please review the available slots below and click on the button to sign up. Thank you!  Sign Up Genius.

Laser Locker

HOLIDAY STORE HOURS:

Friday, Jan. 9:  Noon 4pm

Tuesday, Jan. 13:  2 - 4pm

Friday, Jan. 16:  Noon - 4pm

GO LASERS!

Store hours are also listed on kmsd.edu under Menu.

KMHS Open Houses

Upcoming PTO Community Meeting: January

Dine for Dollars 

Upcoming PTO Community Meeting: January

Sentry Receipts

Collect your Albrecht's Sentry receipts to support Kettle Moraine Middle School PTO! Please send in your Albrecht's Sentry receipts throughout the year and drop them in the collection container in the front office. Albrecht's Sentry will give back 1% of receipt totals collected. Thank you to Albrecht's Sentry for supporting our community! Note: Receipts cannot be older than 6 months to be eligible for the round up.

COMMUNITY EDUCATION

KM Community Education provides recreational and educational opportunities for families. Please be sure to visit the website often for updates and new programs. For program information and registration forms, visit www.kmsd.edu/communityed.

We also rent space and are happy to facilitate your events, courses, or activities.

VISIT OUR WEBSITE TO LEARN MORE!

Events/opportunities listed on our Community Flyers page are not endorsed by the Kettle Moraine School District. They have been approved for electronic sharing.
Visit: https://www.kmsd.edu/o/kmsd/page/community-flyers

COMMUNITY ED LOGO

Wide Variety of Spanish Programs 

With Futura Language Professionals, we offer a wide variety of in person or live virtual Spanish lessons for youth and adults in our community.  From beginner to advanced levels we have  multiple options.  You will receive dynamic interactive lessons.  All classes are listed online at https://kmsd.revtrak.net/rwcommunityeducation/

Weight Training Grades 5-8

Weight training for grades 5-8 will take place Tuesdays and Thursdays at the high school weight room with high school coaching staff members.  The session will run 12/2-3/6 on school days from 4-5pm  Join us when you can!  Sign up today at https://kmsd.revtrak.net/rwcommunityeducation/

American Sign Language 1A

This course introduces American Sign Language (ASL) to students with no previous experience with ASL. It emphasizes the expressive and receptive conversational skills of ASL used by the Deaf community. Students will learn strategies on how to introduce themselves, colors, and numbers 0 - 15. Includes introduction to American Deaf culture.  Classes are held on Mondays in February.  Sign up today at https://kmsd.revtrak.net/rwcommunityeducation/

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KETTLE MORAINE MIDDLE SCHOOL
349 N. Oak Crest Drive | Wales, WI 53183 | 262-968-6200