Help Tickets and FAQs

*Additional information coming soon

Kairos partners with Beyond School and Gene Slay's Girls and Boys Club to provide free, daily after school care for both middle and high school students. Beyond School serves students directly at Kairos while Gene Slay serves students at their location in Soulard.

School attendance is required by Section 167.031 of Missouri state law. Kairos excuses absences for circumstances including, but not limited to:

• Personal illness or attendance in school endangers a student’s health or the health of others;

• A serious illness or death in a student’s immediate family necessitating absence from school;

• A court order or an order by a governmental agency mandating absence from school;

• Observance of religious holidays;

• Conditions rendering attendance impossible or hazardous to student health or safety;

• A student whose parent/guardian is in military service in the armed forces or the National Guard, and such parent has been called to duty for or is on leave from overseas deployment to a combat zone or combat support posting, shall be granted excused absences, up to a maximum of five school days per school year, for the day or days missed from school to visit with their parent prior to such parent’s deployment or during such parent’s leave.

Documentation is required for an absence to be excused. To be excused for an illness, families MUST provide a doctor’s note. Documentation may be submitted using our Help Ticket System. If you need assistance, you can also call the Kairos office at 314-252-0602 or email our Attendance Coordinator.

Kairos does not provide student transportation except to and from field trips. School bussing is not reimbursed by the state and takes money out of the classroom where it matters most. A number of our parents carpool–we encourage families who are able to be generous and help coordinate rides with neighbors and classmates. Some students from the surrounding neighborhoods walk to school. And MetroBus stops directly in front of the Kairos campus at Jefferson Ave and Miami St.

Kairos school and district calendars are posted at www.kairosacademies.org/calendars.

Google Calendars

Parents can subscribe to individual middle and high school Google calendars. These calendars are maintained by each schools leadership team. If you have questions about upcoming school events, please contact your school's Principal.

Academic Year Calendar

Our official board-approved school year calendar is available in PDF format. This calendar is the final word on holidays, breaks, and start/end dates. We encourage you to keep this calendar printed out to ensure you're aware of holidays, breaks, and cycle start/end dates.

Drop-Off/Pick-Up Location:

Middle School students enter and all students exit the school using the entrance on Miami St (look for the blue awning and Kairos sign). High School students enter the school on Indiana St (look for the metal stairs). Parents should pick up and drop off their students on Miami St along the sidewalk closest to Kairos–we do not want students unnecessarily crossing the streets during periods of busy traffic. During dismissal, students will walk down Miami St until they find their car. Staff is positioned along the dismissal line for safety.

Car Line Procedures:

Drivers should enter our car line beginning on Utah St. Once on Utah, turn south onto Missouri Ave; then turn right onto Miami St. All drivers should exit the line at Jefferson Ave and Miami St. This route has been coordinated with our neighbors to minimize traffic and maximize student safety. Click here to view our car line and campus map.

Any student arriving to school after 9am must enter the building through the Concordia Publishing House entrance on Jefferson Ave. Students press the call button inside the glass doors and a staff member will bring them to our school office. Students will sign in when they enter our office, will go through our security screening, and then will go straight to class.

Warning letters will be given for excessive tardies. Repeated tardiness will result in disciplinary consequences as allowed by the Student Code of Conduct in the Kairos Community Handbook.

Please call us immediately at 314-252-0602 to let us know you are running late. If we have not heard from you, your student will be instructed to call home at 4:30pm. Staff will remain with your student until you arrive. Kairos pays our staff overtime to stay after scheduled hours.

Kairos covers one complimentary late pick-up per student per you. After your first complementary late pick-up, Kairos will pass the cost of staff overtime onto you as a fee. If you have not picked up your student by 6pm, Kairos will drop them off at a local police station for safe supervision until you arrive.

Before You Arrive:

A student younger than 18 years old must have prior parent approval, either written or by a school-documented phone call, before that student may leave the school campus during school hours. If you need to pick up your student early, you may notify us using our Help Ticket System at least 3 hours in advance, or by calling the school office when you are on your way at 314-252-0602.

When You Arrive:

View our campus map, including the location of parking and our visitors entrance. Visitors must enter the building through the Concordia Publishing House lobby on Jefferson Ave. Visitors should enter the glass doors and then press the call button and identify themselves–a staff member will assist you. The Kairos main office is located past the reception desk and to the right. All visitors entering our school or picking up a student must present a government-issued photo ID.

Please note: Barring emergencies, Kairos does not dismiss students during the last 45 minutes of the school day–this is to ensure all available staff are able to focus on preparing for afternoon dismissal. Uninterrupted attendance is critical to student learning–repeated early pick-ups will trigger a family meeting with school leaders.

If it becomes necessary to start school late, dismiss school early, or not have school at all due to weather conditions or other emergency situations, Kairos will notify families no later than 5:00 am the morning of school. The primary method of communication to families will be via phone call, text message, and our Kairos social media pages. For our families' convenience, Kairos will aspire to align closure decisions with St. Louis Public Schools. Families will be notified if Kairos is required to make up the instructional time missed.

Parents who would like a copy of student records or transcripts may submit a request by emailing records@kairosacademies.org. For assistance, please contact our school office.

All visitors must enter the building through the Concordia Publishing House lobby on Jefferson Ave. Visitors should enter the glass doors and then press the call button and identify themselves–a staff member will assist you. The Kairos main office is located past the reception desk and to the right. All visitors entering our school or picking up a student must present a government-issued photo ID.

For Parents/Guardians:

Regardless of the circumstances, all absences (and any required documentation) should be reported using our Help Ticket System. If you need assistance, you can also call the school at 314-252-0602 or email our Attendance Coordinator at jasmine.kempf@kairosacademies.org.

For Students:

Students should email their mentor and teachers to request any classwork or assignments they missed. For all students, their mentor is their Advisory period teacher. Kairos mentors help students plan weekly goals and priorities in order to stay on track.

We keep our supply list short and simple:

1. Backpack

2. Headphones

3. 2 Notebooks

4. 1 Binder

5. Pencils and Pens

6. Water Bottle

Kairos student courses, assignments, grades, and teacher announcements all live in Gradient Learning. As a parent or guardian, you can monitor your student's progress using an observer account.

To Set Up Your Access for the First Time:

1. Visit our Kairos Family Portal at www.kairosacademies.org/families. Scroll down and click on the red "Gradient" button.

2. Have your STUDENT sign into their Gradient account FIRST. They will login with Google and will use their Kairos email and password.

3. Once logged in, your student will click "Account" on the green menu bar on the left. Then click "Settings"

4. Once they've click on Settings, there will be 3 gray buttons on the left. Click the button that says "Pair with Observer"

5. Copy the unique observer code

6. Log out of Gradient

7. Return to the Gradient login screen and this time click "Canvas" to login as a parent/observer (this is always the options parents will select to login in the future)

8. To create your account click the link at the top of the page that says "Need a Canvas Account? Click Here. It's Free!"

9. Click the small blue link that says "Parents sign up here"

10. Enter in your name/email and create a password. Paste your student's observer code into the student pairing code box. Click "Start Participating"

11. Now you can view all of your student's courses, assignments, grades, and teacher announcements.

12. Need to add additional students? They must each log in to their student Gradient account and generate an observer code. Copy the code(s) for each student and add them to your parent Gradient account under account settings.

To Log In to Gradient:

1. Visit www.kairosacademies.org/families and click on the red "Gradient" button

2. Once on the Gradient sign-in page, parents/guardians should click the "Canvas" button to login to their parent/observer account

Need support? Your student's mentor can walk you through the process and platform and individual teachers can walk you through their specific course materials. You may also email us at help@kairosacademies.org.

How We’ll Communicate

Text

Kairos uses DeansList to facilitate text messages to families.

Ad Hoc: Alerts you to an unexcused absence so that you can communicate with your child’s mentor accordingly.

Weekly: Updates you on academic progress, behavior, wellbeing, and important announcements.

Phone Call

Cyclically (Every ~7 Weeks): Allows for sharing Progress Reports, checking in on developments at home that affect your student’s schoolwork, and discussing attendance, behavior, or other important matters.

Email

Weekly Newsletter: Provides updates on major school-wide updates, events, deadlines, and celebrations

Weekly DeansList Report: Provides updates on grades, attendance, and behavior.

Emergencies

Ad Hoc: Includes text, robocall, and email in case of emergencies or unplanned school closure (e.g., snow day)

Need to Reach Us?

Early Dismissal

Contact the front office at 314-252-0602.

Everything Else

Email or Text Your Mentor: Your child’s mentor will get back to you within 24-48 hours to confirm the next best step for your child. Your coach’s email can be found at www.kairosacademies.org/team.

Our team is the most significant determinant of your child’s academic and social-emotional success. We’re committed to ensuring every single staff member at Kairos is an all-star professional. You can see our full staff directory, including bios and certification status (coming soon), at www.kairosacademies.org/team.

Kairos believes in mastery-based grading. This is an approach to student assessment in which student work is graded directly on whether it demonstrates mastery of a clear list of objectives. Rather than using points or partial credit, final grades are based on the degree of mastery each student has demonstrated of the objectives by the end of the course. Students at Kairos have multiple opportunities to demonstrate mastery of each objective. Mastery grading emphasizes learning, provides clarity for students, and encourages perseverance and a growth mindset.

This means that late work is not penalized. As long as students submit their work and demonstrate mastery, they have the opportunity to earn full credit.

Progress Reports and Report Cards

Kairos doesn't issue "report cards" because grades are never finalized until the end of the school year. Instead, we issue "progress reports"—updates on a student's progress towards realizing the Kairos mission (becoming a self-directed learner, leader, and citizen).

Families receive a progress report at the end of each cycle. These progress reports allow students, their family, and their coach to step back and review the cycle, discuss what went well, and plan to improve in the upcoming cycle.

Restorative Justice (RJ) is an alternative avenue of disciplining students that seeks to educate instead of discipline. Restorative Justice at Kairos centers around resolving conflicts and restoring relationships, serving as a wrap-around service. Ed Week (2016) explains that this powerful approach focuses on “repairing harm through inclusive processes that engage all stakeholders.” All parties are empowered to voice their opinions and share their perspectives when a situation arises peer to peer, peer to group, peer to staff, or peer to school.

For Restorative Justice to be successful, we must:

1. Intentionally create a community that is anchored in shared values. Our values at Kairos include collegial, inquisitive, responsible, and intentional.

2. Make participation in the community a requirement, not an option. We have everyone’s back, but in return, everyone must show up as a full participant.

3. Model and teach community values. We leverage our house time to teach, role play, discuss, and practice.

4. Enforce the values and be willing to hold students accountable. There must be real, felt consequences along with the opportunity to make amends and learn from mistakes.

Learn more

Assistance with Medication

Kairos does not administer over-the-counter medication. Employees designated by the CEO may assist with prescription medication only if all of the following requirements are met:

1. Prescription drugs must be in the original container, bearing the student's name, the physician's name, and the pharmacy filling the prescription.

2. The appropriate approval form for medication must have been completed and signed by the parent or guardian for each medication.

3. The designated employee(s) shall keep a written report of medication taken by the student.

Refusal to Administer Medication

Kairos reserves the right to refuse to administer certain types of medication (at the discretion of the school nurse or other employee authorized by the CEO or their designee) when such administration could prove harmful to staff or students without the proper training or direction of a doctor.

Self-Administration of Medicine for Life-Threatening, Respiratory Illnesses

Kairos may permit students with asthma or other potentially life-threatening respiratory illnesses to self-administer medicine.

Your child deserves a school that partners hand-in-hand with you for their success. That’s why Kairos takes our family engagement policy so seriously. We believe parents and guardians deserve various ways to become involved in school functions, procedures, and policies (including this one). Every year, we reach out to you to see how we can improve the Kairos experience for families, and in particular, we can better include you. Together, we know we can build a community where everyone has a voice, and none are left behind. How To Get Involved Here are a few ways you can stay involved on a day-to-day basis:

• Respond to your student’s mentor's communications (weekly emails and cyclical calls)

• Track progress through Summit Learning (academics) and DeansList (behavior and attendance).

If you want to do more (and we hope you do!), here are a few more options:

• Join the Kairos Family Council, a parent-led volunteer organization where you can support and direct Kairos through collective parent power. Email Lauriel.bristol@kairosacademies.org for details about joining.

Student immunization records are submitted as part of your registration or re-enrollment packet in PowerSchool. You may also email an electronic copy to enrollment@kairosacademies.org or drop off a physical copy at our school office.

Immunization Policy

To learn in a general student population, Missouri law requires that you provide “documentation of up-to-date immunization status, including month, day, and year of each immunization.” If you are underinsured, you can get your student vaccinated for free (more information in English and Spanish).

You can claim certain exemptions, but Missouri law may require that your child be excluded from our mainstream educational program. (i.e., it can prohibit non-vaccinated students from interacting with vaccinated students)

• Religious Exemption: “Actively choosing not to immunize a child by claiming a religious exemption is a parent’s right; however, it carries significant responsibility. To protect inadequately vaccinated individuals and the entire community, unimmunized children could be excluded from school during disease outbreaks. This can cause hardship for the child and parent. No exceptions are made, regardless of the circumstances.”

• Medical Exemption: “These individuals are at greater risk of exposure to any vaccine-preventable disease that can be life-threatening. To protect those who cannot be vaccinated and the entire community, unimmunized children could be excluded from school and child care during disease outbreaks. This can cause hardship for the child and parent.”

• Children in Progress: “According to Missouri regulation, children who have not received immunizations required for child care and school attendance cannot attend until their immunizations are up-to-date. However, a child is allowed to attend if the required immunization series has begun and an appointment for the next dose is scheduled. This immunization appointment must be documented on an in progress card and filed with the child care facility or school.“

Students attending Kairos Academies must comply with state laws surrounding immunization against specific diseases. Students without appropriate immunizations may be excluded from Kairos as required by law or at the discretion of the CEO or their designee.

The CEO oversees procedures for the maintenance of health records, which are to show the immunization status of every student enrolled or attending Kairos Academies and for the completion of all necessary reports in accordance with guidelines prepared by the Department of Social Services-Missouri Division of Health.

Middle School

At Kairos Academies Middle School, we believe that appropriate attire fosters a positive learning

environment. The following dress code guidelines have been established to ensure that all students

dress in a manner that is respectful and conducive to academic success:

General Guidelines

• Clothing should be neat, clean, and in good repair.

• Undergarments must not be visible.

• Footwear must be worn at all times; house slippers are not permitted.

Prohibited Items

• Midriff-baring Tops: Shirts and tops must cover the midsection at all times, even when arms

• are raised.

• Spandex or Lycra: Spandex shorts, leggings, or other tight-fitting clothing made of spandex or

• similar materials are not allowed unless worn under skirts, dresses, or long shirts that provide

• appropriate coverage.

• Short Shorts and Skirts: Shorts and skirts must reach at least mid-thigh length.

• Inappropriate Graphics: Clothing must not display inappropriate, offensive, or vulgar images or

• language, including references to drugs, alcohol, or violence.

• Tank Tops and Sleeveless Shirts: Tank tops and sleeveless shirts must have straps that are at

• least two inches wide and should not expose undergarments or excessive skin.

• Ripped or Torn Clothing: Clothing with excessive rips, tears, or holes is not permitted.

• Pajamas: Pajama pants and tops are not allowed.

High School

Our goal is to ensure that all students are treated equitably regardless of race, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion, cultural observance, household income or

body type/size.

Specific Restrictions

• Full Coverage: Chests, stomachs, bottoms, and private areas should be covered at all times.

• Accessories: Chains, spikes, and other accessories that could be considered dangerous or

• inappropriate are not allowed.

• Sagging Pants: Pants must be worn at the waist, and undergarments must not be visible.

• Ski Masks: Ski masks are not permitted to be worn on faces anytime. Students' faces must be

• visible at all times.

View our complete dress codes in our Middle School and High School Kraken Guides.

Online:

Kairos utilizes PowerSchool to manage student enrollment and registration. Once you've created an account, you can submit your initial registration packet and annual re-enrollment forms entirely online.

In Person:

Paper applications and registration forms are available in our main office during school hours. Visit our school office at 2315 Miami St on weekdays from 9am-4pm.

Need Support?

Have a question or need assistance completing the documentation? Contact our Enrollment Team at enrollment@kairosacademies.org or by calling/texting 314-944-5626.

Kairos zealously protects student and family rights, including the right for parents to file a grievance.

1. Mentor – Raise your concern with your student’s mentor. They’ll do anything in the power to resolve the issue or connect you to the right resource.

2. School Principal – Unhappy with the solution? Escalate the issue by contacting our Middle School or High School Principals.

3. Administration – Need additional support? Escalate the issue to our Managing Director of Schools.

4. CEO – Still unsatisfied? Let our Chief Executive Officer know about the situation so we can look into it further.

5. Board – Appeal by emailing our Board President or writing to 2315 Miami St., St. Louis, MO 63118.

Click here to find a staff member in our directory.

If you have a complaint about Kairos’ treatment of a statute or regulation of the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015, please follow the procedure outlined here. Unsure how to do any of the above? Don't hesitate to call our main office (314-252-0602) to get help or schedule an appointment.

Parents should complete a help ticket at www.kairosacademies.org/help to inform us that their student will be withdrawing from Kairos. A member of your school's leadership team will follow up with you to make transition plans and to understand how we can better serve families like yours in the future.

Success in school is synonymous with regular attendance. Students with good attendance records

are more likely to achieve higher grades, enjoy school life, and have more opportunities to succeed

after graduation.

At Kairos Academies, our attendance goal is 90% for each academic year. Regular

attendance is essential for academic success and personal growth. This policy ensures that students

have the necessary classroom instruction and participation to achieve their educational goals.

Excused Absences

Excused absences are permitted for the following reasons:

• Illness: A note from a parent or guardian is required. For absences of more than three days, a

• doctor's note may be requested.

• Medical Appointments: Whenever possible, medical appointments should be scheduled

• outside school hours. A note from the medical provider is required.

• Family Emergencies: In case of a family emergency, parents or guardians must inform the

• school as soon as possible.

• Religious Observances: Absences for religious observances are considered excused. Parents

• or guardians should notify the school in advance.

• School-Sanctioned Activities: Participation in school-sanctioned activities, such as field trips

• or athletic events, will be considered excused absences.

Unexcused Absences

Unexcused absences include, but are not limited to:

• Skipping class or leaving school without permission.

• Family vacations during school time without prior approval.

• Absences without a valid reason or proper documentation.

Notification of Absences

Guardians must notify the school office of a student’s absence on the day of the absence. Written

documentation explaining the reason for the absence must be provided upon the student’s return to

school. There are three ways to report/correct absences and submit documentation:

• Help ticket: Visit www.kairosacademies.org/help and click the “Records” help ticket.

• Phone: Call our school office at 314-252-0602.

• Email: jasmine.kempf@kairosacademies.org

View our full attendance and truancy policies in our Middle School and High School Kraken Guides.