Cougar Connect

Dear Kennedy Community,

Save the date: on May 29, Kennedy will have its annual Open House! Open House is a time for our community to unite and see all the great things happening at our school. This year, we will have a showcase event in our gym at 5:00 pm. Our Mandarin Immersion students, international teachers from the Phillippines, our dance and music students, and a Polynesian dance group will have performances and presentations in honor of Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

Then, at 6:15 pm, I will have an information session in the Kennedy Library for incoming families. If your friends or neighbors missed my parent tours this year, please invite them to Open House. Our Cougar Leaders will offer school tours as well. You'll also be able to visit your students' classrooms from 6:00 to 7:15 pm.

Stanford Health will also be on campus from 4:30 to 7:00 pm in room 211, offering a TDap clinic. The TDap vaccine is required for all students entering 7th grade. This clinic is for families and students with Medi-Cal, no insurance, or unhoused. Our Family Center coordinator and admin assistant will reach out to Kennedy families this week. This clinic is open to anyone; students must be accompanied by someone 18 years or older. I've included the flyer below. Here is the link to sign up: click here.

Please note: Wednesday, May 29 will be a minimum day dismissal. Students will be dismissed at 1:50 pm.

I look forward to connecting with you on Wednesday, May 29!

Here are this week's updates:

No School Monday, May 27, 2024

There will be no school on Monday, May 27 in observance of Memorial Day.

Kennedy Mural

Kennedy Middle School's vibrant mural came to life last week thanks to the incredible talent of artist Elizabeth Greer, Mrs. Segal (our art teacher), Hugo (our lead custodian), our Kennedy students, & volunteers! Thank you to the Redwood City Arts Commission, Hassett Hardware, Pam Swint, and the Kennedy PTO for making this artistic vision a reality. I have included pictures below.

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.

Please Check Your Student's Grades

Please log on to PowerSchool this week to view your student's progress. The end of the trimester is June 11. Ensuring your student completes nightly ELA, reading, and math homework is essential. Students need to make sure they submit assignments on time. They should also ask for support when they need it. Teachers have office hours by appointment, so please contact each teacher with questions. If you need support communicating with teachers, please visit our Kennedy Family Center from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. If your student says their work is turned in, ask them to show you their finished work. If you do not have PowerSchool access, you can always ask your student to show you their grades at least once weekly on their Chromebook. All students have PowerSchool access.

School Site Council Meeting

• We have a School Site Council meeting this Wednesday, May 22, at 5:00 pm.

• Here is the proposed agenda.

May Family Challenge

Listen to May's podcast here. Join us for our last family challenge! We invite all families to participate in our upcoming school event on May 29th, where we will be hosting an Open House extravaganza!

Get ready to capture precious memories with your loved ones at our special photo booth! Strike a pose, showcase your smiles, and create lasting moments together. Plus, by joining in, you'll have the chance to win fantastic prizes!

Take advantage of this fantastic opportunity to bond, laugh, and celebrate together! Save the date and get your family ready for a day of fun-filled activities at our school's Open House on May 29th.

See you there!

If you cannot make it to OPEN HOUSE, you can still participate in our Family Challenge by joining any of our other school events. Check out our Calendar of Events for more information.

Send us your photographs to KennedyFC@rcsdk8.net or text (650) 656-0501.

Yearbook Update

• Kennedy uses Treering to create and sell our yearbooks.

• We are working to finish up our yearbook!

• 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.

• If you are asked for a school code, please use Kennedy's code: 1015926081674110.

• The yearbook price before taxes is $38.29.

• Yearbooks will ship to Kennedy. We will then distribute the yearbooks to students in late May or the first week of June.

Tutoring and Academic Support Opportunities

Students can reach out to individual teachers to schedule a time to meet during teacher office hours.

Students with IEPs and identified learning disabilities can get targeted intervention and support from

College Advising Prep (CAP). Please reach out to Michelle Fryer Phan for additional information at mfryerphan@rcsdk8.net.

Missing Assignment Study Hall (MASH) is held after school once per week in the Kennedy Library for any student who is currently earning an overall D+, D, D-, or F in any class. We will have time dedicated to support students with missing assignments, test corrections, essays, etc. Our Kennedy admin team will support students during this time. Students will meet in the library after school from 3:15 to 4:15 pm.

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

• The Great America field trip will be this Friday, May 24. Details about Great America can be found using the link above.

• 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. 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

The last day for all clubs will be Friday, May 31.

• Writing Club during 7th/8th grade lunch on Monday in room 318

• 6th-Grade Gaming Club Monday at lunch in room 102

• Book Club Tuesday after school in the library

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

• Italian Club after school in room 318 on Tuesday

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

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

• 7th & 8th-Grade Lunch Bunch Wednesday 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

• D&D Wednesday during 6th-grade lunch in room 102

• Missing Assignment Study Hall after school on Friday 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

• 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

Have a great week!

Mrs. Leonardo

All high schools encourage students to read during the summer vacation. If your high school is not listed below, contact the school directly to find out about any summer reading assignments.

Click here to get more information about SUHSD's summer reading requirement for all high schools. Please reach out to Cynthia Cardona, our community school coordinator, if you need assistance with purchasing a book from the reading list.

Do you have an 8th grader heading to Woodside High School in the fall considering options for a fall sport/activity? Join us for an informational meeting about the Woodside High cross-country program with new Head Coach Nate Bowen. Coach Bowen will introduce himself, his training philosophy, and information about summer training, and will be there to answer any questions you might have. We will also have current athletes and parents available for questions as well. Our Cross Country team is a great way for incoming freshmen to make friends, feel like they are a part of the high school community, and participate in athletics - as well as cross-train for a winter or spring sport.

All levels of experience (including NO experience) with running and levels of personal fitness are welcome on the team. The meeting will be held at 7:30 pm on Thursday, May 23, at 900 Fallen Leaf Way, Emerald Hills. [[Street parking only; please do not park in the parking lot for the preschool across the way - THANKS!]]

You can also follow the team's Instagram (@woodside_xc) for updates.

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.

Yosemite Brochure

Hello, Kennedy Community!

As a community, we will be focusing on the continued financial support of our amazing elective programs, the Family Center, and caring for our teachers and staff. Here is a link to the draft budget for 2024-25: PTO Budget 2024-25

Please look it over and join us for our final PTO meeting of the year, which will include a discussion and vote on the budget, a guest speaker about a possible city parcel tax to enhance school funding, and a chance to celebrate our accomplishments! There are also open PTO leadership positions for next year. Consider joining our team of dedicated individuals in any of the following roles: PTO Secretary, Teacher and Staff Appreciation, and Student Celebrations. We will meet again on Tuesday, May 28, at 7:00 pm in the Library and simultaneously over Zoom. Everyone is welcome to join us!

Simply put, Kennedy’s elective programs, Drama, Music, Art and STEM, wouldn’t be as robust and incredible without PTO support. This is why the PTO takes our financial stewardship role seriously. We strive to maximize your donation’s impact and depend on our community’s generosity to keep Kennedy’s programming strong! There is still time to make a contribution, so keep those donations coming! Remember, no amount is too small, and all funds directly support KMS students, faculty, and staff. If you are able, DONATE HERE! Donate – KMS PTO

Don’t forget to follow the KMS PTO on Instagram and Facebook, @KennedyCougarsPTO.

Check out www.kennedycougarspto.org for more info.

Kind regards,

Jess Bryski