Dear Kennedy Community,
Thank you for your support last week! We had many current and future families come to our Open House event. Amazing! I am thankful to be part of a collaborative community.
We have seven school days left, so we have many loose ends to tie before we are officially finished for the year. I will send emails to 8th-grade families about reminders for the promotion ceremony. I will try to get this email sent out by Thursday. We will have our first promotion ceremony practice on Thursday morning. Please make sure your students are in attendance for each practice--especially June 10 and June 11. On June 10, students will receive their graduation tickets. On June 11, students will receive their gowns.
There are many updates for the week, so let's get started!
Here are additional updates for this week
Join us at Chipotle in Downtown Redwood City on Wednesday, June 5, for our last dine-out fundraiser of the year! We also want our incoming 6th-grade families to join us for a meet and greet. See the flyer below for more details.
Minimum and Super-Minimum Days This Week
Monday and Tuesday are regular days with regular dismissal times.
Wednesday, June 5: 1:50 pm dismissal
Thursday, June 6: 12:00 pm dismissal
Friday, June 7: 12:00 pm dismissal
Italian Club Fundraiser
The Italian Club is working hard to raise money for their club. They will make and sell candy leis for graduating Kennedy 8th-graders. The candy leis are $12 and can be pre-ordered by clicking this link.
Chromebook Collection Begins This Week
We will begin collecting Chromebooks on Monday. Students need to make sure they return a Chromebook and a charger. All students should notify their teacher and the staff collecting their Chromebook of any issues. Sixth and seventh graders will receive the same Chromebook next year, so it is very important that they speak up about any issues so the issues can be fixed over the summer.
You can find the details about Chromebook collection here.
Monday: 8th-graders return their Chromebooks
Tuesday: 7th-graders return their Chromebooks
Wednesday/Thursday: 6th-graders return their Chromebooks
Kennedy Field Day:
Our annual Kennedy Field Day will be held this Wednesday, June 5. Students will get to enjoy time playing games, eating treats, and hanging out with friends. We will have a bounce house and other inflatables for students to use. If you would prefer your students not use the bounce house or inflatables, please fill out this form.
Library Books are Due
We need students to return their library books as soon as possible. If a book is lost or damaged, students should talk to our librarian, Ms. Cooper, to make arrangements for a replacement. All 8th-graders must turn in their library books in order to receive their diploma.
6th and 7th Grades to Register for Classes
Our 6th and 7th graders registered for their classes last week. Please be advised: electives classes will be based on teacher availability and the number of students that select the class. Selecting an elective does not guarantee enrollment in that elective. We will try our best to give each student their first choice! Students chose their classes during first period last Monday. Elective choices do not require parental approval. Please review the elective handbook with your student. Elective Handbook Please make sure your student filled out the Google Form for their elective. The Google Form will let us know the priority of their elective choice. The Google Form is open to RCSD students and staff only, so parents will not be able to see the Google Form. However, please remind your student to fill out the Google Form for their elective.
6th and 7th-Grade Parents Needed to Chaperone 8th-Grade Dance
Parents of 6th & 7th Graders - We need your help to chaperone and help with the food tables at the 8th-Grade Graduation Dance on Tuesday, June 11th. Please sign up to help here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040549AAAB2B0-49631550-parents
8th-Grade Parents Needed for 8th-Grade Dance
Parents of 8th Graders - We need your help to set up/decorate the gym, donate food items, and clean up the gym for our students' 8th Grade Graduation Dance on Tuesday, June 11th. Set up happens from Wednesday, June 5 to Tuesday, June 11th.
WE NEED LOTS OF PARENT HELP TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN FOR OUR KIDS!
Please sign up to help here! https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040549AAAB2B0-49574374-8thgrade
8th-Grade Class Photo
The 8th-grade class photo is available to purchase here. The photo will ship to your house. Click the link to view The password is kms.
RCSD Mental Health Survey
To continue improving our mental health services, RCSD has developed three surveys to gather feedback from students, staff, and parents.
Here is the link to the parent survey: RCSD Mental Health Survey.
Report Cards
Report cards will be mailed home on June 13. However, for the most up-to-date grades and comments, please check PowerSchool.
Yearbook Update
Our yearbooks are here! They will be passed out to students on Tuesday.
There are no extra yearbooks. All yearbooks were preordered on the TreeRing website.
If you order your yearbook after the deadline, the yearbook will be shipped to a home address.
Kennedy uses Treering to create and sell our yearbooks.
In order for students to get their yearbooks in the school delivery, please purchase your yearbook by May 13, 2024. If a yearbook is purchased after this deadline, the yearbook will be shipped to students' homes.
Yearbooks can be purchased online by clicking this link. Make sure you select 2023-24.
If you are asked for a school code, please use Kennedy's code: 1015926081674110.
The yearbook price before taxes is $38.29.
Reminders for 8th-grade Families
8th-Grade Update: Please click the links that follow to get all 8th-grade updates about Great America and the promotion ceremony. English version
Our first graduation practice will be Thursday, June 6. We will practice in the morning on June 7, June 10, and June 11.
If their student is ineligible to participate in the promotion ceremony, families will be notified by Wednesday, June 5.
Remember 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. 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 for all 8th-grade activities and the ceremony. Please be sure to check your student's grades each week.
Please refer to this newsletter with information from the 8th-grade information night in February.
Student Clubs Meeting This Week
Clubs are finished until next year!
Have a great week!
Mrs. Leonardo
Your future Kennedy 8th-grader has an opportunity to attend the 8th-grade Yosemite field trip this fall. Here are important details:
Payment for the trip is due July 1st. The cost is $950. A deposit of $500 is due on July 1st, with installment payments due by September 9th. Installments are due August 5th and September 9th ($225 each). If you require financial assistance, you must make the $500 deposit by July 1st.
We accept two forms of payment:
1. Electronic transfer through the ZELLE® portal
2. Paper Check, Cashier’s Check, or Money Order
We do not accept cash.
To make a payment through ZELLE®:
1. The first step is to initiate the payment process. Please sign up for the ZELLE® platform by either downloading the application or using your online banking portal to register. To enroll in Zelle®:
If your bank is listed with Zelle®: Log into your bank’s app and look for Zelle®, then follow the instructions.
If your bank is not linked to Zelle®: Download the Zelle® app in the App Store or Google Play and enroll an eligible Visa® or Mastercard® debit card. After you enroll, you can send and receive funds.
2. Once enrolled, add John F Kennedy Middle School Expeditionary Education Foundation (or JFKMSEEF) as a recipient. Our account uses our email address: kennedyyosemitetrip@gmail.com
3. Send us your deposit, and we will confirm receipt via email. YOU MUST LIST YOUR CHILD’S NAME IN THE MEMO LINE of the ZELLE® transaction.
By Check:
· Make your check payable to JFKMSEEF.
· Write your child’s name in the memo line and “YOSE.”
· Hand deliver the check to JFKMSEEF, 1943 Kentucky Ave., Redwood City, CA 94061
Cancellation Policy: We are a non-profit with a mission to provide Kennedy students with the opportunity to discover their national parks in an immersive environment with dedicated instructors and parents who enthusiastically embrace the outdoors. We organize these experiences with cost in mind and must cover our expenses and financial commitments. Your fee is non-refundable because we sign binding contracts according to your commitment to participating.
Your student will have weekly assignments starting the first week of September. The weekly assignment includes walking a certain distance, compiling items on the Packing List, and doing research and writing. Without these assignments, your child will not be prepared to participate in the field trip and will risk being removed from the field trip. Each participating student must be physically prepared to walk 5-7 miles a day at 4,000-6,000 feet above sea level. By packing their own clothing and equipment, they will know what they have with them and will be responsible for tracking it, as we change locations during the trip, and they are required to carry some equipment with them during the day. Lastly, the research done prepares them for the outside environment: being in the wild and having an understanding of the historical and cultural aspects of Yosemite National Park. Each weekly assignment must be submitted through Google Classroom or by email.
In addition, there is a mandatory Practice Hike on Saturday, November 16th, from 8:00 to 11:00 am, starting and ending at Kennedy Middle School. Every participating student and chaperone is expected to attend, with no exceptions. Your students will have no physical issue with the hike, this is not the purpose of this hike. The hike is for the chaperones to meet and gauge their trail group abilities and behavior. Hiking boots, water, and a snack will be required for the hike.
Parent responsibilities will be communicated through email regarding the legal forms that need to be submitted, as well as issues regarding medications, food accommodations, and missing student assignments. Before the end of this school year, you will be provided with a pack list so you can start purchasing clothing and equipment now. A sleeping bag, hiking boots, water bottle, and outdoor clothing are necessary for this program. Redwood Trading Post (1455 Veterans Blvd., Redwood City) provides a 10% discount for purchases when you mention “Kennedy Middle School Yosemite Trip discount.”
Lastly, the field trip requires adult chaperones. If you are interested, please let Mrs. Leonardo know. All expenses are paid; you cannot be in the same trail group as your child; you sleep in the adult cabins; you are on duty 24 hours during the trip; and are required to participate on the practice hike, the chaperone meeting, at bag check-in, and at trip check in.
Please email kenndyyosemitetrip@gmail.com with questions. Please copy Mrs. Leonardo on all communications cleonardo@rcsdk8.net.
We are incredibly grateful for your support! Thank you!
Our wishlist contains items requested by teachers at Kennedy.
Kennedy Middle School
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