From the Principal

Welcome to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Collegiate Academy!

Welcome to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Collegiate Academy - King Collegiate Academy for short!  As the principal, I am thrilled to extend my warmest greetings to each and every one of you.  Each year is a time for fresh starts, new friendships, and exciting challenges. Whether you are returning to familiar hallways or stepping into our school for the first time, I am confident that each year will be filled with opportunities for growth, learning, and success.  

At King Collegiate Academy, we are committed to creating an environment where students feel supported, challenged, and inspired to reach their full potential with many opportunities for growth, leadership, and academic success.  I am confident that together we will make the most of them.

I look forward to partnering with our students, families, and staff as we work toward years filled with learning, achievement, and pride in our school community.

End of Year Closeout

As we wrap up another school year, we want to thank you for your partnership, support, and trust. Your encouragement makes a lasting difference in your child's education and our school community.

Helpful tips for a strong finish to the year

We wish you and your family a safe, restful, and joyful summer!

Fueling Teen Success: The Power of Protein

March is National Nutrition Month, making it the perfect time to focus on one of the most important nutrients for growing teens—protein! As parents, we know teenagers are constantly on the go, balancing school, activities, work, and social lives. But did you know that what they eat plays a major role in their energy levels, focus, and overall health?

Protein is essential for muscle growth, brain function, and even mood stability. Teens are in a critical stage of development, and their bodies need enough protein to support everything from strong bones to a sharp mind. A diet rich in protein helps sustain energy throughout the day, improves concentration in class, and aids in quicker recovery after exercise.

Encourage your teen to fuel up with lean meats, eggs, dairy, beans, nuts, and even protein-packed snacks like Greek yogurt or peanut butter. Balancing protein with healthy carbs and fats will keep them feeling full and focused—something every student needs to thrive!

This National Nutrition Month, let’s help our teens make smart food choices that set them up for success. Small changes can make a big difference in their health, both now and in the future!

A great resource for students and parents to learn more about protein and teen nutrition is the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics' "Eat Right" website:

www.eatright.org

They have science-backed articles on healthy eating for teens, protein needs, and meal planning tips. Another excellent resource is MyPlate by the USDA, which provides easy-to-understand guidelines for balanced nutrition:

www.myplate.gov

Both sites offer practical advice to help teens make smart food choices and understand why nutrition is key to their success in and out of the classroom!

Learning Disabilities - Information for Students & Adults

Learning Disabilities Association of America is a great starting point for learning about the rights and responsibilities of students with learning disabilities.

• Be sure to check out the links at the bottom of each page for additional resources and to dig deeper into the topic.
• Take a listen to this 24 minute podcast for what comes after high school.

It is important to know that a student’s K-12 plan for accommodation and modification of instruction based on their 504 or Special Education qualification ceases to exist and is no longer legally binding after high school graduation.  Between Kindergarten and 12th grade, schools are required by law to seek out students with disabilities and implement plans to help level the playing field for those students.  After graduation, whether the student is entering college, the military, or the workforce, the responsibility shifts to the student to ensure their needs are met.  The Learning Disabilities Association of America is a great starting point for students with disabilities to become their own best advocate.

Are you an adult with a learning disability?

Is it affecting your work?

Check out the LDA information for adults.

Additional information online:

• Elizabeth C. Hamblet (the lady in the podcast with LDA) is a recognized author and speaker who offers advice drawn from her 20+ years as a college learning disabilities specialist.  Her website - https://ldadvisory.com/

And her YouTube Channel

Family Literacy & Parent Involvement

There is a major initiative on campus that we are very proud of and that is Reading Bingo!  

• At the start of each month our Librarian, Ms. Johnson, prepares a Reading Bingo card that students in Family try to fill.  
• Parents can help by reading a book during any month, but we encourage all parents to start this month!  Talk to your student and their Family teacher about how you can get involved.

We also want to share great information from the National Centers for Families Learning.  Parents can learn easy and fun ways to get involved with reading alongside their students and engaging with their learning.  One easy way to start is by checking out Wonderopolis every day for the Wonder of the Day.  A simple suggestion is to have this pulled up on your phone and pass it off to your student to read to you.  Parents will begin to learn about their student's strengths and weaknesses with literacy.  Approximately 40% of our students are one or more grade levels below where they should be with their reading skills.  This skill is like any other, it will not grow and strengthen if it is not practiced EVERY DAY.

Bullying Prevention 

What is it, how schools work to prevent it, and how can stakeholders report it when it happens?

Follow the link below for resources from the Texas State Safety Center.  Please take time to watch the video that can inform parents and students about the dangers of bullying and how to report it when it happens.  In addition to the video, parents can view state law, school resources, and the checklist that is used by school administrators to determine if an action is bullying.

Click the link below to access the resources.

https://txssc.txstate.edu/videos/prevent-bullying-6-12/

Reporting - it’s everyone’s responsibility.

• Download the P3 Crime Stoppers app to report to law enforcement.
• Go to www.bmtisd.com and scroll to the bottom of the home page.
• Email the campus principal or a trusted adult to help report.

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Suicide Prevention

Call 988 for the suicide lifeline.
What is the number one thing students lie to their parents about?

According to Joshua Wayne, when asked if they have ever seriously considered suicide, one third of all teens surveyed stated that they lied to their parents and said "No."

It is a long video, but well worth your time.  Listen to this nationally certified counselor talk about helping kids thrive in difficult times.

https://txssc.txstate.edu/videos/helping-kids-thrive/

Contact our school counselor for more information about local resources.

Vaping 

Vape devices were originally developed as a way for current smokers to have a replacement for cigarettes.  They were not developed with children and young adults in mind, but the reality is that they are often targeted in advertising.  According to the CDC and NIH (Center for Disease Control and the National Institutes of Health), 10%-15% of middle and high school students vape daily and 60% that do vape daily have tried to quit at least once in the last year.  Please check out the resources linked below to be informed of the facts about vaping, how to talk to your student about vaping, and where to go to help them quit.

After the state updates in early 2024, BISD has updated vaping and e-cigarette policies to address the changes.  Starting in the 2023-2024 school year, the State of Texas required that any student caught vaping be sent to a Disciplinary Alternative Education Placement (Pathways).  It did not matter if it was tobacco related or THC/marijuana related.  That has since changed to allow schools to address tobacco-related vaping differently from THC/marijuana vaping.  If a student is caught with a THC/marijuana vape, they will still be sent to Pathways since that is a mandatory action required by the state.  If a student is caught with a tobacco vape, the student, parent, and school administrator will develop a vape cessation plan that will include a requirement for the parent to pay for a class from VapeEducate, an online resource to help parents educate themselves and their students about the dangers of vaping. 

Please take time to review this Parent Tool Kit from the Texas PTA Vaping Presentation, A Matter of Life and Breath!  Vaping

Additional Resources

• Truth Initiative Information (non-profit committed to preventing youth and young adult nicotine addiction)
• FDA National Youth Tobacco Survey
• Johns Hopkins Medicine - 5 Truths About Vaping
• American Heart Association - The 101 on e-Cigarettes

If you or your student need help quitting, one place to start is with your family doctor!