

KENNEDY ELEMENTARY
FEBRUARY 2024 NEWSLETTER
About Us
Main Office: 651-480-7221
Nurse: 651-480-7224
Kids' Campus: 651-480-7257
Hastings Bus Company: 651-437-1888
Dates to Remember
JANUARY
30 - Report cards available on Infinite Campus Parent Portal
FEBRUARY
5 - NO School - Staff Development
5 - Culver's Night - Special Education/Interventions Night 5-7pm
7 - Native American Winter Gathering, see below for more info and to RSVP
12 - PTA Meeting, 7:00 pm in Media Center
12 - Culver's Night - 3rd Grade & Mrs. Kerber (4th) 5-7 pm
19 - NO School - Presidents' Day
28 - Elementary Evening Conferences
29 - Elementary Evening Conferences
MARCH
1 - NO School - Elementary Morning Conferences
4 - PTA Meeting, 7:00 pm in Media Center *NOTE- 1st Monday due to Spring Break*
11-15 - NO School - Spring Break
27 - PTA Sponsored STEAM night - more info to come
29 - NO School - Spring Holiday
Featured Artists
Izzy S, Hazel L, Raelynn L, Ella S, Lacey K, Amelia B
Kennedy Cougars CARE
These students have been showing Cougar CARE in our building and were recognized in our biweekly drawings. Ask your students about how they can earn Kennedy Cougar CARE tickets.
2024-2025 Kindergarten Registration
SAVE THE DATE! Our Countdown to Kindergarten event will be held on Tuesday, January 23rd from 5-6:30 pm. More information on this event and 2023-24 Kindergarten enrollment will be mailed out to families in early January.
Enrollment is now open! Please visit our website to apply online!
Report Cards
Report cards will be available on the Infinite Campus Parent Portal beginning January 30th under Documents. If you do not have access to your parent portal, please email mhavard@isd200.org for your activation key.
2024-25 Classroom Placement
Class placement forms are available in the office if you wish to provide specific input into your child's 2024-25 classroom assignment. Please have these forms returned by Friday, April 12th. Please do not phone or email this information to us.
Parent Teacher Conferences
Elementary conferences are scheduled in the evening of Wednesday, February 28th and Thursday, February 29th and during the morning of Friday, March 1st.
Book Fair
Our book fair will be held in the Media Center during conferences
Wednesday, February 28th from 4:00 - 7:30 pm
Thursday, February 29th from 4:00 - 7:30 pm
Friday, March 1st from 8:00 am - 12:00 pm
Volunteers Needed!! Please sign up here to help at the book fair.
Remember, every dollar you spend will benefit our school directly (25% back in rewards!).
Online fair site: February 27th - March 11th
Kennedy Cougar PTA News
Upcoming Events:
- Culver's Nights - support your classroom by enjoying dinner at Culvers. A percentage of the sales will be donated to the grade/department that is volunteering that night.
FEBRUARY:
5th - Culver's Night from 5-7 pm - Special Ed / Intervention
12th - Monthly Meeting at 7pm - Kennedy Media Center
12th - Culver's Night from 5-7 pm - 3rd Grade / Mrs. Kerber
MARCH:
4th - Monthly Meeting at 7pm - Kennedy Media Center
27th - STEAM Night - more info to come
Check out the PTA Website for more information: https://www.kennedycougarpta.org/home
Upcoming Community Events
Hastings Reads 2024
Hastings Reads is a community-wide reading program that seeks to encourage reading and discussion of books and the ways in which they can help us understand the lives and experiences of ourselves and others. Everyone is invited to read the books and participate in the events. Let’s start reading and talking today!
Visit www.hastingsreads.com for more information
Native American Parent Winter Gathering
The Native American Parent Advisory Committee wants the Hastings community, including all students and families, to know they are welcome to attend the upcoming Native American Parent Winter Gathering. Included is the flyer for the event which is February 7th at 5 PM at Tilden Center. Here is the link to RSVP for the meal.
Winter Weather / E-Learning Information
Dress for the Weather
Please be sure your child is dressed appropriately for winter weather. Students spend twenty minutes outside for noon recess. Winter coats, gloves or mittens, and hats are required to make their time outside more enjoyable.
If the temperature is below 0º fahrenheit, or the wind chill is around that level, we will keep the students inside during recess.
"Snow Day" E-Learning Plans
Click here to learn more about our E-Learning Plan to understand the plan for days in which school may be closed due to inclement weather.
*Please note, the first inclement weather day will not have e-learning expectations in place. Students will use the day to catch up on anything they would like.
Don't wait until Winter ... Prepare for a "Snow Day"
It is important that you have accurate phone numbers on file for your student with the school district. Although we are using a calling system to contact families in case of inclement weather, the district will still continue to post school delays or closings in the following ways:
Official school closing announcements will be made on Hastings KDWA Radio 1460, WCCO-Channel 4, KSTP-Channel 5, KMSP-Channel 9 and KARE-Channel 11 television and Hastings Public School Website.
Click HERE for instructions on how to update contact information in Infinite Campus Parent Portal
Birthday Parties & Treats at School
Birthday Parties
Just a reminder that if your child is having a birthday party and wants to invite their friends from school, we are not able to give out names, phone numbers or addresses of the students. While we know it is exciting for children to have a birthday party and invite their school friends, we ask that you not send invitations to school with them to pass out. It can cause hurt feelings for those students who did not get invited to the party.
Treats at School
The district has adopted a wellness policy. We are still celebrating student birthdays; we are just not doing so with birthday treats. We ask that students not bring any treats in honor of their birthday.
Health Services
Illness and Keeping your Child Home
A student should not come to school (and may be sent home from school) if they have or have had:
a fever of 100 degrees F or more in the past 24 hours
vomiting or diarrhea in the past 24 hours
an undiagnosed skin rash
Reporting Absences
If your student will not be at school, please call and report the reason for their absence at 651-480-7220. If your student is ill, please report their symptoms and/or any diagnosed communicable condition like chicken pox, strep throat, cough and fever, influenza, or pink eye. It is recommended that you follow the MDH and CDC exclusion guidelines for communicable diseases.
Immunizations
In order to attend school, students must show that they're in compliance with Minnesota School Immunization Requirements (see the Minnesota Department of Health Link below for more Information). Hastings School's immunization policy states that students who are not up to date on their immunizations will not be allowed to start school until they provide the school with documentation that they have received the required immunizations.
Parents/guardians may check their student's immunization status by logging on to the parent portal in Infinite Campus. To see the immunization records, click on the HEALTH tab. If your student's immunization status says "current for grade" in ALL immunizations required by law, then the student is up to date and ready for the start of school. If your student is not current, they will need to get the required immunizations to attend the first day of school. Yearly physicals with their healthcare provider are strongly encouraged for students to have optimal health.
Parents/guardians may choose to decline immunizations for their students by filing a legal exemption with the school. Student Immunization Form
If you have further questions, please reach out to your building nurse.
School Safety
Your child's safety is of prime importance to us. There are a few procedure guidelines that help us maintain a secured building and limit the number of distractions to our classrooms. Our building is designed to have a single entry point during the school day. Please keep the following in mind:
- Always check in at the office whenever you are at school.
- We have a new secure entrance, please ring the doorbell and state your reason for visiting.
- When delivering things for your child (ex. snow gear), please drop them off at the office. We will deliver articles or call your child down to the office.
- When picking up your child early from school, please do so by signing them out at the office. The office personnel will contact your child’s teacher to dismiss them and meet you in the office.
Bring your ID
Please bring your driver's license with you when you are checking out your student, volunteering, or visiting at lunch.
Early Pickup for Students
Links
If the Hastings Public Schools are closed due to inclement weather conditions, the Kids Campus Program will also be closed. If school is delayed two hours in opening, Kids Campus will be open at the regular time (6:30 am).
If school closes two hours early, then Kids Campus sites will close two hours early
(4:00 pm). Parents will be called and notified by Kids Campus staff to pick up their child.
Please pick up your child by 4:00 pm or authorize someone else to pick up your child by that time. Please listen to the radio and TV for school closing announcements.