Niche.com has released its annual rankings of best school districts for 2025.

This year’s rankings include updated data for nearly 11,000 school districts nationwide. The rankings combine quantitative data from the U.S. Department of Education and user input from millions of opinions from students and parents. They also use teacher salaries, racial and economic diversity, and surveys from Niche users as a part of their methodology.

Kings has historically performed well in Niche rankings; this year receiving an overall grade of an A. The District is ranked in the top 10% of school districts nationally and in the top 9% in Ohio; ranking #53 out of 607 school districts in Ohio and the 11th best school district in the Cincinnati/NKY Area.

We take pride in the recognition that Kings is a great place to learn, a great place to work, and a great community to live!

Read more about how Niche calculates it's rankings.

College Board announced that Kings High School has been named to the Advanced Placement® Program (AP®) School Honor Roll. The AP School Honor Roll recognizes schools whose AP programs are delivering results and broadening access for students.

Schools can earn the Honor Roll recognition annually based on criteria that reflect a commitment to increasing their school’s college-going culture, providing opportunities for students to earn college credit, and maximizing college readiness. The AP School Honor Roll offers four levels of distinction: Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. This year, Kings High School earned Silver distinction. 

Regarding Kings High School's class of 2024, 52% of seniors took at least one AP exam during their high school career, 43% of seniors scored a three or higher on at least one AP exam, and 9% of seniors took five or more AP exams. Kings High School offers a total of 21 AP courses.

We are extremely proud of our students, faculty, and staff for making this happen!

Welcome home, Knight Nation!

The 2024 Kings Homecoming will be here before we know it. The ever-popular community Kings Homecoming Parade will take place on Friday, October 4 at at 5:30 p.m. and run from KME to KJH.

Additionally, the Kings Education Association will once again be hosting a block party from 4:00-7:00 p.m. on the practice fields by Kings High School. There will be lots of fun family activities like an obstacle course, cornhole, face painting, music, and popsicles. The event is FREE. Don't miss it! 

The Kings Knights will take on rival Little Miami at the Castle. Kickoff is 7:00 p.m.

We hope you'll join us for a fun evening in Kings Mills!

This year's Kings High School Homecoming King and Queen will be crowned at halftime of tonight's Kings Football Game vs. Little Miami.

This year's court who were nominated and voted on by their peers include Sophomores Caroline Cabrera, Chace Burdine, Sophie Donohue, and Nathan Tucker; Juniors Ella Roundtree, Josh Cassie, Hannah Snyder, and Jackson Bake; and Seniors Olivia Crawford, Jake Williams, Victoria Gorman, Desmond Toennis, Ava Marketos, Zach Hoying, Lilli Medina, Toriano Johnson, Evelyn Neal, Brody Pachko, Sydney Smith, Juan Lopez Rodriquez, Emma Titler, and Parker Carroll.

Stay tuned for next week's Knight Nation News for all the Kings Homecoming news.

Kings Junior High School hosted it's first-ever fall sports tailgate on September 25.

Over 150 students stayed after school to enjoy free LaRosa's pizza, candy, Kona Ice, and Chipotle. The event featured games, prizes, music and a chance for the students to relax and socialize. KJH Assistant Principal, Caleb Keeton said, "This tailgate allowed our student body to support several home KJH fall sporting events, including football, tennis, and volleyball."

Check out the video highlight below.

The students in Anna Bowling's Honors Biology class at Kings High School have been learning about biomolecules in class.

They had fun in a recent lab where they had to analyze five mystery mush solutions that represented toast with butter, hot dog (no bun) with ketchup, oatmeal with pecans, steak, and nonfat Greek yogurt with strawberries. 

The students had to carry out tests to determine which biomolecules were present in the solutions such as monosaccharides (sugars), polysaccharides (starch), proteins, and lipids. This lab allowed students to apply their knowledge to the nutrient content of food.

"It was really fun finding out which food belongs to which mush. It was like a puzzle," said Zeineb Gassoumi.

The preschoolers in Alexi LesChander's class at Kings Early Childhood Center have been learning about pets.

This week, one of the student's parent, Mrs. Brotherton, visited the class to talk about her job working in a veterinary office.

Check out these cute future vets!

As we approach World Mental Health Day on October 10, we want to highlight the importance of mental health and share some of the initiatives we have in place at Kings Local to support our students' well-being.

Sources of Strength: Empowering Peer Leaders

At Kings Local, we're proud to implement the Sources of Strength program in our junior high and high schools. This evidence-based program takes an upstream approach to mental health by training diverse peer leaders to change unhealthy norms and culture, ultimately preventing suicide, bullying, and substance abuse.

What is Sources of Strength?

Sources of Strength is a best practice youth suicide prevention project designed to harness the power of peer social networks to change unhealthy norms and culture, ultimately preventing suicide, bullying, and substance abuse. The program focuses on eight key protective factors:

1. Family Support
2. Positive Friends
3. Mentors
4. Healthy Activities
5. Generosity
6. Spirituality
7. Medical Access
8. Mental Health
9. 
   

The Upstream Approach

Rather than focusing solely on risk factors, Sources of Strength uses an upstream approach. This means we work to strengthen multiple sources of support around young individuals so that when times get hard, they have strengths to rely on.

October Mental Health Initiatives

Our Sources of Strength peer leaders have exciting plans for this month:

• Positive Messages: Look out for inspiring sticky notes around the school, spreading hope and encouragement.
• Thankful Thursday: Every Thursday, students will have the opportunity to express gratitude, fostering a positive school culture.
• Trusted Adult Campaign: We'll be highlighting the importance of having trusted adults in students' lives.
• Mental Health Awareness Wristbands: Peer leaders will distribute wristbands to promote mental health awareness.

Kings High School Initiatives

At Kings High School, our students are taking mental health awareness to the next level:

• Work Groups: Students will be forming work groups to plan and execute various mental health promotion activities.
• Athletic Event Outreach: Look for mental health awareness initiatives at upcoming sports events.
• Social Media Campaign: Students will be creating and sharing content on social media platforms to promote mental wellness.
• Community Engagement: Various activities are being planned to promote mental wellness not just in school, but throughout our community.

These student-led initiatives demonstrate our commitment to fostering a culture of mental health awareness and support both within our school walls and beyond.

How You Can Support?

As parents and guardians, you play a crucial role in supporting your child's mental health:

1. Encourage open conversations about feelings and emotions.
2. Help your child identify their own sources of strength.
3. Model healthy coping strategies and self-care.
4. Reach out to school counselors or staff if you have concerns about your child's mental health.

Together, we can create a supportive environment that prioritizes mental health and well-being for all our students.

Pictured below are Kings High School and Kings Junior High School peer leaders and adult advisors during their retreat. These students are stepping up to support mental wellness, break stigma, and build a stronger community.

The Kings Local School District encourages all families to submit an application for free- or reduced-price meal eligibility regardless of family income. Students will qualify for free or reduced lunches if the household income falls within the limits of the Federal Income Guidelines.

Students who qualified last year are required to complete a new application each year to extend their eligibility. Parents or Guardians will be responsible for paying for any charges that incur until the free or reduced meal application is fully processed and notification of eligibility is determined. 

Free and Reduced Meal Applications can be obtained in the front office of each school building, as well as the Kings website. Parents can also apply for the program online at https://payschoolscentral.com. Check your eligibility by completing an application TODAY.

The Kings Kloset is open this Saturday, October 5 from 9:00 -11:00 a.m. The Kloset is in need girls' pants and tops. New or gently used donations can be dropped off during the Kings Kloset hours. The Kings Kloset is located on the second floor of the Kings Education Center.

The Kloset is open one Saturday per month. Click here for their schedule for this school year.

If you have donations, please email kingskloset@kingslocal.net. 

Don't forget that Kings Mills Road will be closed this afternoon.

Between the hour of 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., King Ave. will be closed between College Street and the Columbia Road intersection for the Kings Homecoming Parade.

Columbia Road shall be closed between the King Ave. intersection and the Kings Junior High School parking lot (Wilson Avenue). The parade shall begin at the Kings Mills Elementary School parking lot and then proceed to King Ave., then south on Columbia Road to the Kings Junior High School parking lot.

Additionally, Columbia Road and Mason-Morrow-Millgrove Road will experience long delays during the construction of a compact roundabout beginning Monday, October 14, 2024, (please note the date change) for four (4) weeks, weather permitting. 

No detour will be posted and it is recommended avoiding this intersection during construction. 

For more information, visit http://www.wceo.us/ or contact WCEO at (513) 695-3301.

Board Members

Kings Board of Education (L-R): Janelle Groff, Board Member; John Skerl, Board Member; Deb Cowan, Board Member; Stacie Belfrom, President; and Peggy Phillips, Vice-President.

The Kings Board of Education meets twice a month. They hold a Work Session on the second Tuesday of the month and a Regular Meeting on the third Tuesday of the month. All meetings are held at 6:00 p.m. and are livestreamed on the Kings Youtube channel.

Visit the Board of Education page on our website for meeting dates, meeting recordings, and agendas.

If you aren't following us on our social media channels, you are missing out! Don't miss one bit of news!

Make sure to follow us on social media!

Keep in the loop on Facebook, X (Twitter), and Instagram

In an effort to be "green," the District does not send paper flyers home. We use a platform called Peachjar that houses flyers of community programs and resources. 

Parents receive approved flyers via email, and they are posted on our digital flyerboard for easy retrieval. Any organization can distribute information to our community by creating an account!

We are looking to bolster our Kings Alumni database. Are you a Kings High School graduate or know someone who is? Please share the form with your fellow graduates. This will help our reunion committees and keep you updated on what is happening at your alma mater!

Please complete this Alumni Roundup Form.