🌊 FLOW FORWARD: SUMMER CAREER EXPLORATION PROGRAM 🌊

Give your high school student a head start on their career journey!

American Water’s Flow Forward is a FREE, three-day, hands-on summer program designed for high school students interested in exploring careers in the water and wastewater industry.

Students will get the opportunity to:

🔹 Learn from experienced industry professionals
🔹 Explore careers in operations, engineering, finance, human resources, and more
🔹 Build communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and project skills
🔹 Participate in interactive workshops and facility tours
🔹 Meet and learn from professional mentors
🔹 Build their resumes and gain valuable career experience
🔹 Work on team projects and presentations
🔹 Experience a safe, supervised professional environment

⭐ BONUS: Students who complete the Flow Forward Summer Exploration Program may be considered for a fall internship opportunity!

📅 WHEN & WHERE

July 27–30
📍 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., Charleston, WV 25302
⏰ 8:30 AM–3:30 PM EST

👩‍🎓 WHO CAN PARTICIPATE?

Rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors who are motivated, curious, and eager to learn.

💙 The program is completely FREE, including a daily lunch!

⚠️ Space is limited! Apply by May 6 by scanning the QR code on the flyer.

📧 Questions? Contact Miranda Dillion at Miranda.Dillion@amwater.com

#FlowForward #AmericanWater #CareerExploration #SummerProgram #HighSchoolStudents #CareerReady #WorkBasedLearning #CharlestonWV #WestVirginia #StudentOpportunities #CareerAndTechnicalEducation

👏 September was busy in our schools. Getting the newsletters out took a few days of October, too.

All eight September feeder-area newsletters are ready to explore! You’ll find classroom discoveries, student and staff celebrations, community connections, and updates on school improvements across KCS.

Starting with the October edition, newsletters will be published on the last school day of each month. That means October’s editions will be out Friday, October 30, 2026.

➡️ Find your feeder area’s newsletter, and take a look at the others, on the KCS website.
🔗 Use the link in the comments to go to the feeder-area newsletter section on our website!

🎃👻 TECH OR TREAT AT CARVER CTEC! 👻🎃

Looking for something fun to do before or after Parent-Teacher Conferences? Bring the family to Carver Career and Technical Education Center for our Tech or Treat event!

📅 Monday, October 5
⏰ 4:00–6:30 PM
📍 Carver Career and Technical Education Center

🍬 Trick or Treat Carver-style!
Students and families can tour our school, visit our career and technical programs, meet instructors, and discover the many opportunities available at Carver!

🍕 Come hungry! We'll have cash only dinner options available, including:
🍕 Frank's Pizza
🍔 Moshpit Munchies
🍧 Kona Ice

Whether you're stopping by before or after your Parent-Teacher Conference, make plans to swing through Carver and see what we're all about!

🎃 Tour. Explore. Eat. Discover your future!
We can't wait to see you at Tech or Treat!

#CarverCTEC #TechOrTreat #CareerAndTechnicalEducation #CTE #ExploreYourFuture #KanawhaCountySchools #ParentTeacherConferences #FutureReady

College plans. Career possibilities. Real conversations.

Interested high school students will visit the KCS College and Career Fair during the school day today.

✅ For the first time, parents, guardians and community members are also invited tonight from 6:00–8:00 p.m. at West Virginia State University’s downstairs gym.

Come meet representatives from universities and businesses, ask questions and explore what may be next. Your student does not need to be present to attend.

Yesterday, students and staff across Kanawha County Schools wore gold to raise awareness of childhood cancer and show support for children and families affected by it. 💛

We’re sharing a few photos from two of our schools, with thanks to everyone who wore gold for a meaningful reason.

💛 CARVER GOES GOLD 💛
Supporting Children and Families Affected by Childhood Cancer

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

Join us as we Go Gold to show our support for children and families affected by childhood cancer. Gold is the internationally recognized color for childhood cancer awareness and represents the strength, courage, and resilience of children fighting cancer.

💛 Show Your Support!
Wear Gold to show your support.
Share the message and help raise awareness.
Support childhood cancer research and organizations serving children and families.
Remember and honor children who have fought or continue to fight childhood cancer.
Together, We Can Make a Difference

Every child deserves the opportunity to grow, learn, play, and dream. By going gold, we help bring attention to childhood cancer and show children and families in West Virginia that they are not alone.

💛 GO GOLD. SHOW SUPPORT. RAISE AWARENESS. 💛

The express lane to becoming a Mountaineer now runs through Kanawha County! 💙💛

WVU President Michael Benson recently stopped by Capital High School to meet with students as WVU launches WVU Express. Through this new pilot program, qualifying KCS seniors can be admitted to WVU without a traditional application or application fee.

We’re proud that KCS students are among the first in West Virginia to have this opportunity. Interested seniors should talk with their school counselor to learn more.

Country Roads just got a little shorter!

🗓️ Calendar Reminder!

Schools and offices are closed, Monday, September 7th in observance of Labor Day. We'll see everyone back on Tuesday, September 8th.

👟 4,300 pairs of shoes made their way to KCS schools this year thanks to Kids of Kanawha...that is double the number donated last year!

Kids of Kanawha raised the funds to provide shoes to every KCS middle and high school, along with 28 elementary schools. A huge thank-you goes to the local businesses, companies, and individuals who gave to this shoe drive to help make it happen.

Things like this matter. It’s a reminder to our students that people all across Kanawha County are in their corner. Rooting for them and supporting them. We’re so thankful for Kids of Kanawha and for a community that continues to show up for our schools.

🚌🚨 Bus number or route number? Start with the letters.

Every KCS route begins with a **two-letter abbreviation** identifying the high school feeder area. The numbers that follow identify the specific route.

🔴 Example route magnets (one from each feeder area) are pictured below.

SA - St. Albans High School feeder area
RH - Riverside High School feeder area
NH - Nitro High School feeder area
SH - Sissonville High School feeder area
CH - Capital High School feeder area
HH - Herbert Hoover High School feeder area
GW - George Washington High School feeder area
SC - South Charleston High School feeder area

This applies to every route in that feeder area, even if your child attends an elementary or middle school.

📍 **The KCS route number tells students which bus to board.**
🚌 **The bus number identifies the physical vehicle.**

➡️ On the right side of the bus, the passenger-door side, the permanent bus number is displayed near the front. Directly behind that number, students will see one or more **white KCS Route Number magnets.**

Every route magnet has a **white background.** The route’s letters and numbers are printed in a color representing the high school for that feeder area. The color is an additional visual cue, but students should match their complete route...both the letters and numbers.

🔢 The permanent bus number must remain visible, which is why both numbers appear on the bus.

👀 What if a bus has several magnets?

That means routes have been combined or the bus is transporting students to another bus. Students should look for their assigned route among the displayed magnets and follow directions from school staff.

Why did KCS make this change?

The bus number stays with the physical vehicle, but the route number stays with the route. If a different bus is needed because of maintenance, a breakdown, or another transportation need, students can continue looking for the same route instead of having to learn a different bus number.

This reduces the number of afternoon changes students, families and staff must track and helps dismissal run more smoothly.

The easiest reminder:

🔵 Start with the letters. Find the white magnet. Match the complete route. 🔵

Let’s talk all things KCS! Parents and guardians are invited to join KCS Superintendent, Dr. Paula Potter and school leaders for a town hall meeting from 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. at the high school in their feeder area.

📅 Monday, August 24, 2026 - Sissonville Feeder Area
📅 Tuesday, August 25, 2026 - Capital Feeder Area and Chandler
📅 Wednesday, August 26, 2026 - St. Albans Feeder Area
📅 Tuesday, September 1, 2026 - Herbert Hoover Feeder Area
📅 Wednesday, September 2, 2026 - George Washington Feeder Area
📅 Wednesday, September 9, 2026 - Nitro Feeder Area
📅 Monday, September 14, 2026 - South Charleston Feeder Area and Ben Franklin
📅 Tuesday, September 15, 2026 - Riverside Feeder Area and Carver

Bring your questions...we hope to see you there!

First assignment of the year: walk through the door. ✅
Next assignment: discover just how far you can go. 💙

We spent the morning at Lakewood Elementary, South Charleston Middle and Nitro High, where the smiles were bright and that unmistakable first-day energy was everywhere.

There are questions waiting to be asked, goals waiting to be set, talents still to be discovered and memories no one knows about yet. That’s the best part of a first day: so much of the year is still full of possibility.

Welcome back, KCS. We can’t wait to see what comes next. ✨

The night before school has finally arrived
For some, it’s tomorrow; for others, close behind.
But all across KCS, a new year is in sight,
And first-day excitement is building tonight.

Backpacks are packed, or soon they will be.
There are teachers to meet and old friends to see.
The countdown is on, and plans are taking shape
For a year full of moments just waiting to be made.

Familiar hallways will fill once again
With footsteps and laughter and old and new friends.
There will be questions, discoveries and more,
With brand-new possibilities behind every door.

So rest up, KCS. This year is brand new,
With memories to make and great things to do.
Tomorrow or soon, when your first day begins,
We’ll be ready and waiting to welcome you in. 💙

That feeling when the attendance excuse is submitted and you can get on with your morning. 🕺

When your student is absent, you have an online option...no early-morning phone call or paper note to keep track of.

📱 Find the attendance excuse form in the KCS app on your device.

💻 Or visit your child’s school website and select Attendance Form in the top-right corner of the homepage.

One less thing to handle before the coffee kicks in. ☕

🎟️ KCS 65+ Tickets

Kanawha County residents age 65 and older can receive free admission to many school sporting events, concerts, musicals, plays and art shows with a KCS 65 and Older Club Card.

Applications and additional details are available on the KCS website. Some exclusions apply, including postseason playoffs and banquets.

⏰ School Start and End Times for 2026–2027

Most KCS schools will follow the same schedule as last year, but start or dismissal times have changed at a few schools as part of updates to help bus routes flow more smoothly across the county.

Before the first day, please find your child’s school in the graphics below and double-check its start and end times...even if the schedule was the same last year.

Please note that these are school bell times, not when doors open for students. We’ll see our students Wednesday! 💙

Have questions about exceptional student services? Today is a good day to get answers.

The Office of Exceptional Students Open House is happening today from 2–6 p.m. at the Edison Staff Development Center, 157 2nd Avenue in South Charleston. Families can find information about IEPs, 504s, transportation, speech services, OT/PT, behavioral support, technology and more.

Childcare is available, and free homework supplies will be offered while they last. Can’t attend in person? Use the QR code on the flyer to schedule a virtual appointment.

🚌 What is my student's bus route number?

We received this question a few times after yesterday’s bus post. The quickest way to find your student’s route is through the KCS Bus Route Finder.

Just:

📍 Enter your home address
🏫 Select your student’s school
🔎 Click Find Bus

The results will show the available route, bus stop location, pickup/drop-off times for that address, and your student's bus route number. Be sure to review both the morning and afternoon information, they may not be the same.

The route number is listed in the results, such as CH06 in the picture below. The bus number may change, but the route stays the same.

🔗 Find your student’s bus route here: https://findmyschool.us/kanawhawv

The bus number is still there. We’re just asking everyone to mostly ignore it. Simple enough, right? 😅

Beginning this school year, KCS students will be assigned to a bus route instead of a specific bus number.

Each route has a two-letter abbreviation for the high school feeder area followed by two numbers, such as HH01. The letters will appear in that high school’s colors, and the route number will be displayed on the side of the bus next to the bus number.

🚌 What does that mean?

If your student’s route is HH01, look for the HH01 sign. It could be attached to bus 1908 today, bus 2101 tomorrow or bus 1911 next week. If the bus displays HH01, it is covering your student’s route.

The bus number identifies the vehicle. The route number tells you where it is going.

📱 What about the Where’s the Bus? app?

The app will also identify your student’s bus by the route number. Instead of looking for bus 1908, families will look for their student’s assigned route, HH01 in this example.

🔔 Why are we making this change?

In the past, about 90% of transportation’s bus-change notifications simply told families that a different bus was covering the same route. Assigning students to routes will eliminate most of those notices.

That means fewer notifications such as “bus 1908 will ride bus 2101 this afternoon” and more room for the updates families actually need to see.

The bus number has not been fired. It just has a much smaller role this season. The route number is the one to remember.