Cougar Connect

Dear Kennedy Community,

As we remember the work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., I am reminded of one of my favorite quotes from him: "Life's most persistent and urgent question is, What are you doing for others?"

I am encouraging our Kennedy students to take the time time to think of someone else in honor of Dr. King. This is especially important as we begin to prepare for the Great Kindness Challenge during the week of January 22.

As a middle school educator, there are some days that I ask myself, "What is going on here?!" Then, there are days when I watch a 6th-grader greet a friend with a flower, I see an 8th-grader comfort someone after they fall playing basketball, and I see several peers assist a new student on campus. Yes, I want every Kennedy student to graduate from 8th-grade prepared for high school, but I also want your student(s) to know how important it is to be a part of a community that helps others. I hope you and your student can connect during this extended weekend and find the time to do something positive for someone else. We'll ask students to share what they did later in the week.

Listed below are updates for the week ahead:

No School Monday, January 15 (TOMORROW)

No school on Monday, January 15 due to the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.

Principal's Coffee Rescheduled

Our monthly Principal's Coffee has been moved to Thursday, January 25th.

Second Harvest Food Distribution

Second Harvest will distribute food to the community in the Kennedy gym parking lot on Tuesday, January 16. The gym parking lot will be closed in the morning.

Reminders for 8th-grade Families

• If you have not yet finished your Online Registration for Sequoia Union High School District, SUHSD staff will be at Kennedy from 5:00 to 7:00 pm in the Kennedy library this Wednesday to support you. Please make sure you bring all of the documents listed here. Your future ninth-graders will be unable to get their schedules until the online registration is finished. The deadline is February 1. Please make this a priority. bit.ly/SUHSD-OLR

• Please be reminded that your 8th-grade students were given a letter in November that explained Kennedy's expectations for students to participate in 8th-grade activities and the promotion ceremony. The letter was supposed to be read by students and their families. Then, a signed acknowledgment form was to be submitted by December 1. We will reach out to families this week if we do not have this signed form on file. 8th-Grade Letter

• Our 8th-Grade Promotion Ceremony is Tuesday, June 11, 2024, at 6:00 pm on the Kennedy field.

• A cumulative GPA of 2.0 is required to participate in all 8th-grade activities and the ceremony. Please be sure to check your student's grades each week.

• The MIRA math assessment will be administered to 8th-graders during math class on Wednesday, January 24 and Thursday, January 25. The results of this assessment will determine if your students will need additional support in high school. All students must take this assessment. IEP and 504 accommodations will be followed.

Student Clubs Meeting This Week

• Math Homework Support after school on Mondays and Wednesdays in room 534

• Book Club after school on Tuesday in the library

• 6th-Grade Student Council Reps Tuesday at lunch in room 103

• Italian Club Tuesday after school in room 318

• Makerspace and Robotics Club Tuesday during 6th-grade lunch in room 104

• Wellness Club Tuesday during 7th/8th grade lunch in room 636

• K-Pop Club Wednesday during 7th/8th grade lunch in room 208

• Rock Band Club after school on Wednesday in room 314

• Chess Club Wednesday during 6th grade lunch in the library.

• 7th-Grade Executive Council Thursday at lunch in room 314

• Art Club Thursday during 7th/8th grade lunch in room 527

• Jazz Club Thursday morning before school in room 312

• Photography Club Thursday during 6th-grade lunch in room 425

• GSA Kennedy Skittles Thursday during 7th/8th grade lunch in room 315

• GSA Kennedy Skittles Thursday during 6th-grade lunch in room 102

• Chess Club Thursday during 7th/8th grade lunch in the library

• K-Pop Club Thursday at 6th-grade lunch in room B-9

• 6th-Grade Lunch Bunch Friday during 6th-grade lunch in room B-6

• Environmental Club Friday during 7th/8th grade lunch in room 535

• Anime Club Friday during 6th-grade lunch in room B-7

As always, our Kennedy staff members are here to support your student's learning and growth. Your involvement is essential to your student's success. I look forward to connecting with you at our Principal's Coffee later this month.

I hope you have a great week!

Mrs. Leonardo

January rehearsals will be Wednesdays from 3:30pm-6:30pm in the drama room (room 417).

There will be rehearsal on Saturday, January 20th with Ms. Rosenbloom from 9am-4pm.

Not all students will be called for the entirety of any rehearsal. Ms. Rosenbloom will email more details to families.

Cell phones are to be turned off and placed in backpacks from the time students get on campus until they exit the campus. If you need to get a hold of your student, please avoid texting or calling during the school day. Please call the office and let us know you would like to speak to your student and we can have them come to the office and call you directly.

We have too many students using and accessing their cell phones during the school day in order to use social media. This is a waste of instructional time.

If your student is caught using their cell phone during the school day, they will be required to check their phone in and out of the office before and after school each day.

We need your continued support with this rule, so we thank you in advance for your help.

Join SEPTAR's association meeting on Tuesday, January 16 at 7pm on Zoom to learn all about dyslexia, presented by Ashley Koedel, M.A., Director of Educational Services at Morrissey Compton. Learn what warning signs to look for, what strategies parents and teachers can use to support students, and when to seek assessments. All families are welcome! Spanish interpretation is provided. Register: bit.ly/SEPTAR116

The Kennedy school calendar is now on the PTO website and has been updated with school events and activities for the year! You can add it to your personal calendar by going to https://kennedycougarspto.org/calendar and clicking the +Google Calendar button on the bottom right of the calendar.

Russ Nuffer of GrowFit MultiSports Camps in Redwood City has agreed to donate 5% of registration fees for camps back to our KMS PTO. This is an on-going offer throughout the school year using the code.

GrowFit is located at Sports House in Redwood City. Check out the winter camps available for students by clicking here. This is a great offer, so don't miss out!

The 2024 Bay Area Pathways Academy™ (BAPA) Spring Break and Summer Program is now open for registration! BAPA is an in-person comprehensive academic, enrichment and fitness summer program for students entering grades 6 to 9, with some new options for younger students (clink on BAPA Jr for more info).

Academic classes are taught by credentialed teachers using a Project Based Learning (PBL) approach that incorporates interactive learning activities designed to make learning enjoyable, while enrichment and fitness classes are taught by instructors.

Register before April 22nd to receive early bird pricing. Visit our website for more information.

NEW CAMPS FOR 2024

• BAPA Spring Camp (11- 14 years old): Your child can choose from our BAPA Spring Break ART CAMP or CODING CAMP during the weeks of 4/1 to 4/5 or 4/8 to 4/12 from 9am to 1pm.
• BAPA Summer Coding Academy (11-14 years old): Three 2-week half day sessions from 9am to 1pm. Session 1: 6/17-6/28. Session 2: 7/8-7/19. Session 3: 7/22-8/2.
• BAPA Jr. Summer Camp (6-7 & 8-10 years old): Three 2-week half day sessions from 9am to 1pm. Session 1: 6/17-6/28. Session 2: 7/8-7/19. Session 3: 7/22-8/2.
• Online STEAM Courses (8-14 years old)

Please check the High School Shadow Programs & Informational Event Links document.

• TIDE and Woodside posted their shadowing request links.
• Carlmont posted links for campus tours and the Chat with a Carlmont Student event.
• Sequoia will open the shadowing request link on 9/13/23.
• Menlo-Atherton will open the shadowing request link within the next ten days.

High School Information Website

Woodside High School will hold their annual Open House on Saturday, January 20 from 9 AM to 12:30 PM.

Join us for student-led one-hour tours that will showcase our fabulous campus. You will get the chance to meet our teachers and get answers to many prospective students’ questions about attending Woodside High School. Tours begin every 15 minutes.

Come join the Wildcat Family!

Click on the link below to reserve a time:

WHS Walk on the Wildside registration Saturday, January 20.

Kindly,

Woodside High School Administration

www.woodsidehs.org

The Online Registration (OLR) process is required for all students enrolling at SUHSD (even if you have already completed it for an older sibling). OLR opens annually on October 15 and closes on February 1. Learn more here: bit.ly/SUHSD-OLR

Padres de Kennedy 2023 WhatsApp Group

If you prefer to receive information in Spanish and by text, click on the link to join the Kennedy Family Center's WhatsApp group “Padres de Kennedy 2023"! You will receive updated Kennedy Middle School information in Spanish and reminders of our school events.

https://chat.whatsapp.com/KOQ9MIJsmY9DDyFX8FFord

Cynthia Cardona, Community School Coordinator ccardona@rcsdk8.net

Maria Segundo, Admin Assistant msegundo@rcsdk8.net

Kathryn Lige, Lead Mental Health Counselor klige@rcsdk8.net

Contact the Kennedy Family Center by phone: (650) 482-2110

We now look forward to soccer in the spring! Registration will open on Monday, November 20 and run through Wednesday, February 14. We highly encourage players to register early and online! Here is the link to online registration - Online Registration - Redwood City After School Sports Soccer

Parents can also go to our website to find additional information and download forms - Redwood City After School Sports (teamsideline.com)

Book Club has started! We meet on Tuesdays after school. If you are interested in joining, come by the library to sign up or sign up here.

Get more details from Ms. Cooper and the awesome Kennedy Library by visiting the Kennedy Library Website.

In order to make our handbook for students and families more accessible, we have digitized it. Please know that the information in the handbook will be continually updated to ensure families are informed. Students received planners during the fourth week of school, and included in the planner is the student handbook.

Click to view and save the Kennedy Student & Family Handbook.

We are incredibly grateful for your support! Thank you!

Our wishlist contains items requested by teachers at Kennedy. It now contains items we need for our STEAM and art electives.

Thank you to the Bowen family for purchasing Lego sets for our STEAM classes!

Kennedy's Amazon Wishlist

January

• Martin Luther King Jr. Day ~ No School Jan 15
• PTO Meeting Jan 23 Zoom 7:05-8:30 pm
• Principal's Coffee Jan 25 8:45-9:45 am
• Site Council Jan 30 Zoom 3:30-4:30 pm
• ELAC Jan 31 Zoom 4:00-5:00 pm
• 8th Grade Activities Parent Meeting Jan 30 Zoom 7:00-8:00 pm
• High School Placement testing for 8th grade happens in the month of January; dates to be determined.

Click here to view the most up-to-date version of the Kennedy Calendar of Events.

With a commitment to excellence, Kennedy Middle School engages, encourages, and empowers students in challenging and creative learning opportunities while preparing them for their futures in high school and beyond.

Email: cleonardo@rcsdk8.net
Website: https://kennedy.rcsdk8.net
Location: 2521 Goodwin Avenue, Redwood City, CA, USA
Phone: 650.482.2409
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kennedymiddleschool