Kennedy Families,

We have been spending all week gearing up for a great school year at Kennedy! We can't wait to see all of our Cubs again! Listed below are the teachers and licensed staff at Kennedy this year.

Grade Level Teachers

Kindergarten: Molly Lout and Kelsey McConkey

1st Grade: Rachel Brennan and Dawn Dahline

2nd Grade: Sherry Imhoff, Kim Veroeven, and Sandy Wiste

3rd Grade: Lucas Meyers and Alex Wischnack

4th Grade: Carol Schulz and Parker Winning

5th Grade: Jessie Kelly and Calleena Uhrich

Special Area Teachers

Annie Fredlund (Art), Carma Carpenter (Music), Kristin Smith (Physical Education), and Kari Benson (STEM)

Intervention Teachers

Toni Fischer and Mandy Wittenberg

Special Education Teachers

Paige Burnham, Madison Hopkins, Becca Konz, Sadie Nelson, Lisa Stenzel, Linda Wensel, Jenna Resner

Student Support Services

Jenna Helget (School Counselor), Megan Schultz (School Social Worker), Veronika Rodriguez (Multi-Language Learners teacher), Jenna Harder (School Psychologist) and Brittany Ward (Mentor Coach)

This amazing crew of educators, along with our paraprofessionals, custodians, cooks, and secretary, are all so excited to get the year started with your students.

Together We Are Kennedy!

Steve Rustad

srusta1@isd77.org

BE SAFE

ENGAGE

SHOW EMPATHY

TOGETHER WE ARE KENNEDY!

Here are the steps to finding out your child's teacher and to sign up for entrance conferences.

1. Log into Parent Portal
2. Find out the teacher by checking your student's schedule. The teacher will be listed as the homeroom teacher.
3. Log into PTCfast system to register for conferences. Conferences are 8 AM to 6 PM on Tuesday, September 5th and 8 AM to 12 PM on Wednesday, September 6th.

We are so excited to welcome back our Cubs!! Arrival and dismissal times involve a large number of students moving through common locations, so we are adding safety precautions and staggering the times students should be arriving and leaving the building. To make this process as safe and efficient as possible, we rely on everyone doing their best to follow the times and locations for drop off/pick up.

Arrival

If walking or dropping off please follow the staggered arrival times by last name:

Last names A-H: 7:45

Last name I-P: 7:50

Last name Q-Z: 7:55

Students must enter and exit through the designated doors for their grade level. The only exception to this is that older siblings of kindergarten and 1st grade students may enter at doors 1 and 2 to drop off younger siblings.

*IF YOUR STUDENT ARRIVES BEFORE 7:45, THEY SHOULD GO TO DOOR #2. DOOR #2 IS OPEN AT 7:35.* Doors 1, 13, and 14 will be locked until 7:45.

All Kindergarten - Door 2 (Front of building by the flagpole)

All 1st - Door 1(Front of building by the flagpole)

All 2nd + 4th - Door 14 (Kennedy Street side of building)

All 3rd + 5th - Door 13 (Kennedy Street side of building)

Important Information

• PLEASE PARK ONLY IN THE DESIGNATED AREAS FOR DROP OFF (SEE MAP BELOW)
• DO NOT DROP OFF OR PICK UP IN THE BUS LANE BY DOOR 14.
• DO NOT DO U-TURNS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET.
• STUDENTS AND PARENTS SHOULD ONLY CROSS KENNEDY STREET AND MAIN STREET IN THE CROSSWALK EVEN IF THIS MEANS WALKING A LITTLE FARTHER. THE CROSSWALK IS THE ONLY SAFE OPTION FOR STUDENTS.
• PARENTS AND OTHER VISITORS WILL NOT BE ABLE TO ENTER THE BUILDING DURING DROP OFF AND PICK UP.
• PARENTS WHO ARE WALKING THEIR STUDENTS TO SCHOOL ARE ENCOURAGED TO STAY ON THE SIDEWALK DURING DROP OFF.

****PLEASE REMEMBER: NO PICK SHOULD HAPPEN BETWEEN THE STOP SIGN ON MAIN STREET AND THE BUS LOOP ENTRANCE. THIS CREATES A SIGNIFICANT TRAFFIC JAM. ADDITIONALLY, THIS AREA IS RESERVED FOR YMCA and MY PLACE PICKUP.

Dismissal

Students will be walking out with their classroom teachers at the end of the day. Students will tell their teacher when they are leaving. Siblings should choose a meeting location on the sidewalks and let their teachers know about it. We will begin our dismissal process just before 2:30. If you are waiting for your child outside of a car, please wait on the sidewalks along the roads and your child can meet you there. Thank you for your help and cooperation to make this run as smoothly as possible. Let us know if you have any questions!

As we prepare for the upcoming academic year, we wanted to share some exciting news about a shift in our curriculum that we believe will greatly benefit our students. Starting this academic year, we will be transitioning from Media Specialist courses to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) courses, utilizing the renowned Project Lead The Way (PLTW) curriculum materials.

We understand that change can sometimes be met with mixed emotions, but we are truly excited about this shift and its potential to shape the future of education for our students. The decision to introduce STEM courses through the PLTW curriculum was made after careful consideration and a thorough evaluation of how we can best prepare our students for the ever-evolving world they will be stepping into.

The PLTW curriculum is designed to ignite students' curiosity, foster their creativity, and develop critical thinking skills that are crucial in today's fast-paced, technology-driven world. Through engaging projects and hands-on activities, our students will have the opportunity to explore real-world challenges, collaborate with their peers, and apply their knowledge in innovative ways. This approach aligns seamlessly with our goal to cultivate future-forward thinking in our students, enabling them to adapt and thrive in a rapidly changing landscape.

We believe that this transition to STEM courses will not only provide our students with a strong foundation in STEM subjects but will also enhance their problem-solving abilities, teamwork, and confidence in tackling complex challenges. These skills are not only essential for success in various careers but also for becoming well-rounded individuals who can contribute positively to society.

While we are excited about this shift, we want to reassure you that our commitment to fostering a love for reading and learning remains steadfast. Our school library will continue to be a vibrant hub of knowledge and imagination. Students will still have access to a rich selection of books, and we encourage them to explore different genres, cultures, and ideas. Our passionate librarians will be on hand to guide and support students in their literary adventures.

We understand that you may have questions or concerns about this transition. Please know that we are here to address any inquiries you might have. We value your partnership and are committed to working together to provide the best possible education for your children.

Thank you for entrusting us with the privilege of nurturing your child's growth and development. We look forward to embarking on this exciting journey of learning, exploration, and innovation together.

If you have any questions about the new STEM class, feel free to email Mr. Rustad.

Mankato Area Public Schools uses a variety of digital tools to support student learning. Technology vendors and software is utilized to support work as we help all students develop the skills necessary to succeed in an ever-changing world.

We have an inventory of our curriculum, testing, and assessment tools posted on our district website. Click here to view it. This list is maintained and communicated annually to all families at the start of the school year.

Please reach out to Mr. Rustad with any additional questions regarding the use of the specific digital tools in classrooms. Please reach out to MAPS technology department regarding data, privacy, and vendor inquiries of the specific digital tools.

Sincerely,

Steve Rustad, Kennedy Principal

Angie Potts, Director of Educational Technology

Kennedy families are encouraged to participate in the PTO. To learn more about it and to get the most current information, you are encouraged to follow the Kennedy Elementary PTO Facebook page. Click here to visit the official PTO website.

Kennedy is a schoolwide Title 1 School. In the past, Title 1 funds were available to

provide additional support to students who qualified based on their test scores. As a schoolwide Title 1 school we are now able to utilize those resources more flexibly to support any students that would benefit. This fits wonderfully with our small group instruction blocks when students receive acceleration or enrichment based on their specific needs. For further information, contact Steve Rustad, principal at Kennedy Elementary.

Principal:

Steve Rustad

Email:

srusta1@isd77.org

Mankato Area Public Schools (MAPS) is committed to working together equitably, with families and communities, so that each learner has the knowledge and skills to be a successful and contributing citizen in a diverse global society.

Email: ke@isd77.org
Website: https://ke.isd77.org/
Location: 2600 East Main Street, Mankato, MN, USA
Phone: (507) 387-2122
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ISD77MAPS/
Twitter: @ISD77MAPS