Cougar Connect
Week of February 12, 2024
Principal's Message
Dear Kennedy Community,
Well, the Super Bowl game was a good one! On the one hand, I'm disappointed because the results aren't what I wanted. On the other hand, I'm reminded about the importance of effort, dedication, and the beauty of striving towards a goal as a team. Let's continue to support each other regardless of the outcome. Also, if you're a Kansas City Chiefs fan--congratulations!
Here are a few reminders for the week ahead:
Mid-Winter Break February 19-23
There will be no school from February 19 through February 23.
Valentine's Day Reminders
Bears, balloons, flowers, and large gifts are not allowed in class. Items should not distract or disrupt the school day or learning environment. Students can leave these items in the office and they can pick them up after school. Students should be sure to label items with first and last names. Kennedy staff are not responsible for these items.
8th-Grade Information Night (Zoom)
I want to speak to 8th-grade families via Zoom to review expectations for 8th-grade graduation and answer any questions parents might have. Then, our 8th-grade parent volunteers will discuss 8th-grade events (Great America, promotion ceremony, dance, etc.). The meeting will begin at 6:00 pm and we should be finished by 7:00 pm.
Thursday, February 15
Zoom Link: https://rcsdk8-net.zoom.us/j/89354344333?pwd=NEgwUW1aamRKaEJEVS90bEs0ajhQZz09
Meeting ID: 893 5434 4333
Passcode: Kennedy
STEAM Field Trip: Tech Interactive
Students in Ms. Hernandez, Ms. Nienke, and Mrs. Virnich's STEAM classes will go to The Tech Interactive in San Jose on Tuesday, February 13 by bus. Permission slips were due on Friday.
Yearbook Update
Kennedy uses Treering to create and sell our yearbooks.
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.
If you want to create a custom page for your student, custom pages are due by April 11, 2024. You can use this page to learn how to create a custom page.
We will update families and students next week with details about submitting 8th-grade baby photos for the yearbook.
Reclassification Ceremony
Kennedy administrators are excited to recognize students who are now reclassified as English proficient. We will honor these students on Thursday, February 15 at 6:30 pm at Hoover School's gymnasium. Hoover Community School’s Gymnasium 701 Charter St. Redwood City, CA 94063 (Entrance on Stambaugh Street).
Congratulations, Luis A.C., Benjamin C.C., Amy C.M., Emily J., Geronimo M.F., Jennifer M.L., Azul O.E., Fernanda P.R., Brenda G.R., Wilson V.G., Valeria B.J., Gabriel E., Stacey O.R., Luis O.D.J., Annelise Q., Maylin R.G., Naomi S., Evelyn V., Ailen C., Orlando L.R., and Vanessa O.! We look forward to seeing these students and their families at Hoover on Thursday evening.
Student Council Updates
The last day for students to buy carnations is Monday, February 12. Carnations are $2 each or three for $5. Students can send carnations to friends. We will deliver the carnations 7th-period on Valentine's Day. Students must know their friends' seventh-period class. Carnations will be sold at lunch.
Kennedy admin will sell Valentine's Day candy grams beginning Tuesday, February 6 through Tuesday, February 12. Candy grams will be $1. Candy grams will be delivered to students on Valentine's Day during 7th period.
Kennedy Attendance Wars
Our Kennedy Attendance Wars have started! First-period classes are competing to win donated Starbucks drinks for the whole class. The classroom teacher will win a $100 gift card to the place of their choice. We are encouraging students to be at school every day and on time!
We had 30 classes improve their 1st-period attendance!
Most improved 1st period attendance from last week are:
Mr. Balogh 13% increase
Mr. Zinola 14% increase
Mr. Murillo 17% increase
Mrs. LaPaglia 19% increase
Current Top 3 Three Classes:
Ms. Xia, Ms. Collins, and Ms. Nolan
Check Grades
Have you checked your student's grades? Please log on to PowerSchool for the most up-to-date information. We are asking all Kennedy staff to make sure grades are updated by this Friday to ensure that you have a good idea about your student's progress. If you do not have access to PowerSchool, your student does. Ask them to log on to PowerSchool using their school computer. To get assistance with your own PowerSchool account, please visit the Kennedy Family Center from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm Monday through Friday.
Tutoring and Academic Support Opportunities
Students can get drop-in math support on Mondays and Wednesdays with Ms. Le, Mrs. Figueroa, and Ms. Paz in room 533.
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.
We also partner with Healthy Cities Tutoring. Students can get individual support from a volunteer once a week. Please contact our Kennedy Family Center for more information about Healthy Cities Tutoring. kennedyfc@rcsdk8.net.
New Student Mental Health Support Service
We're excited to offer a new mental health support service to all our students for out-of-school support! Sonar is a personal wellbeing companion for young people. Their certified peer counselors engage in text-based, 1:1 chats with kids - supporting them at any time during the day to cope with life's challenges and proactively identifying challenges based on a review of their social media and phone activity (with consent). You can learn more in this presentation. To get free access for your student(s), please fill out this consent form (English / Spanish). For more information and to refer your student, please contact Kathryn Lige, our lead mental health counselor: at klige@rcsdk8.net
Reminders for 8th-grade Families
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 contact 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.
Student Clubs Meeting This Week
Intramural Basketball begins this week on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays.
Math Homework Support after school on Mondays and Wednesdays in room 534
Rock Band Club after school on Wednesday in room 314
Jazz Club Thursday morning before school in room 312
Cooking Club Friday after school in room 107. The Cooking Club is full. We will announce our next sessions in March.
Have a great week!
Mrs. Leonardo
Kennedy Mandarin Immersion Students @ Orion
Our Kennedy Mandarin Immersion students were able to participate in Orion's Lunar New Year assembly and field day on Thursday and Friday of last week. Thank you to Ms. Cao and our wonderful parent volunteers who made sure students were driven to and from Orion.
This week our Mandarin Immersion students will invite Kennedy Cougars to learn about and celebrate Lunar New Year. Our Mandarin Immersion students will assist with morning announcements and then our students will share a variety of activities for students to participate in: a chopstick competition, bamboo brush writing, and other engaging artistic handcrafts.
On February 14, our Mandarin Immersion and Mandarin language elective students will have the opportunity to make rice balls.
Black History Month at Kennedy
Each day students will learn a fact about Black Americans in the United States in the morning announcements and their school email. We started this on Friday, February 2.
We will take 50 students to Downtown Redwood City's Black History Museum (890 Jefferson Avenue) this Friday, February 16. We will transport students by bus to the museum. Then, we will come back to Kennedy where students will get to eat a soul food lunch catered by Backayard Caribbean Grill.
On Thursday, February 29, we will have a Black History Month assembly. We plan to have a few local individuals volunteer their time to educate students about Black history. We also plan to have the Kennedy Jazz Band perform and have students present their research projects and recite a poem. Thank you to Ms. Camara and her students for being willing to participate in the assembly.
January Students of the Month
Congratulations to our January Students of the Month!
Brett N., Sofia I., Enrique P., Isaac M., Jayden E., Lily W., Vivian L.,
Michael K., Penny R., Brianna V., Bruno C., Michael T., Brody P., Eliana S., Kimberly M.D., Irene L.M., Samantha B., Raphael H., Hazel D. A., Aliyah C.R., James S. Jr., Emely G.S.,
Jayden E., Patricia V., Natoma K., Ryan S., Marcel K., Leah C., Julian L., Ismael P.C., Mariana O.D., Jillian O'Y., Maddy V., Holland Y., Minali G., Diego N., Amelia V., Astrid A., Juniper K., Camila V., Anjali F., Virgilio M. L., Jose L.L., Waelyn L.T., Violet Y., Natalia L.P., Ava B., Abigail L., Gregory H., Steven N., Natalia J.S., Daniel V., Akari V.S., Richard L., , Alejandro A. D.
Kennedy + Sequoia=Music!
Kennedy musicians played with Sequoia High School musicians last Wednesday evening. Thank you to Mr. Balogh for organizing the event. Our students did a wonderful job!
7th-Grade Grand Canyon Trip Update
Reservations for this year's Grand Canyon field trip have been confirmed! Students attending the Grand Canyon field trip received a flyer with information about upcoming events and the payment process.
Before the Mandatory Parent and Student Meeting on February 27th, the fee must be collected NO LATER THAN FEBRUARY 16th. You can pay via Zelle® or pay by check. These are the only two forms of payment accepted.
For Payments By Check:
- Make your check payable to JFKMSEEF.
- Write your child’s name in the memo line and “GCT”
- Hand deliver the check to JFKMSEEF, 1943 Kentucky Ave., Redwood City, CA 94061 OR
- Drop in the JFKMSEEF Dropbox in the Kennedy School office.
For Payments By ZELLE:
Make payment to John F Kennedy Middle School Expeditionary Education Foundation (or JFKMSEEF) as a recipient. Our account uses our email
address: kennedygrandcanyon@gmail.com PLEASE NOTE YOUR CHILD’S FIRST AND LAST NAMES IN THE MEMO.
Please review the information and email Maestro Alfredo (aoropeza@rcsdk8.net) if you have any questions or concerns.
Addams Family Play Practice
Rehearsal Reminders for February
- Tuesdays and Wednesdays 3:30 pm-6:30 pm
- One Saturday (Date Coming Shortly)
- One Friday: February 9
Tuesday, Feb. 6, Wednesday, Feb. 7, Friday, Feb 9., Tuesday, Feb. 13, Wednesday, Feb. 14, Tuesday, Feb. 27, Wednesday, Feb. 28
Please read the parent newsletters sent to your email for more details. Email Ms. Rosenbloom or Kennedy PTO for any questions or concerns: srosenbloom@rcsdk8.net or drama@kennedycougarspto.org
Cell Phone Reminders
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.
PTO Calendar
Donate to Kennedy
Join WhatsApp
GrowFit MultiSports Camps
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!
2024 Bay Area Pathways Academy
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)
High School Information for 8th-Graders
High School Event Updates
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.
Kennedy Family Center Updates
Congratulations Juan Jose A. in 7th-grade! JJ won tickets to an escape room!
February Podcast
Cynthia and Kathryn are back with this month's podcast. Be sure to watch by clicking here.
Padres de Kennedy 2023 WhatsApp Group
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
Sports Updates
Sign Up to Play Soccer with Redwood City Parks and Rec
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)
Speaking of the Spring, we are launching a new Girls Flag Football Program for girls! Registration can be done online - A League of Their Own - Girls Flag Football Program or in person at Red Morton Community Center.
In addition, we have Redwood City Parks and Rec offers their traditional Spring Programs (Tennis, Run Club, Skateboarding, Watersports, Golf, and Pickleball). Please visit our website for more information - Redwood City After School Sports (teamsideline.com).
Library Updates
What's Happening in the Kennedy Library?
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.
Student & Family Handbook
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.
Kennedy's Amazon Wishlist
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.
Upcoming Events
February
February 14th Valentine's Day
February 15th 8th-Grade Events Overview 6:00 pm Zoom
February Break ~ No School Feb 19-23
February 27th PTO Meeting Zoom 7:05-8:30 pm
February 28th School Site Council 3:30 - 4:30
February 29th Black History Month Assembly
February 29th ELAC 4:00 - 5:00 pm
Click here to view the most up-to-date version of the Kennedy Calendar of Events.
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