Kennedy Middle School Update

• SEPT. 3RD - FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL - Welcome back!

• SEPT. 11TH - Key Club Meeting in the GAC at 2:45PM

• SEPT. 12TH - Cross Country Meet - Cowbell Classic at Port Washington

• SEPT.17th - School Picture Day (Retake day is October 21st)

• SEPT. 23RD - FBLA Meeting in Rm A-23 at 2:45PM

• SEPT. 26TH - Midtown A Cappella Auditions

• SEPT. 27TH - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS (Professional Development for Teachers)

Get ready for school picture day! Pictures will be taken during the school day on SEPTEMBER 17TH. If your child misses the initial picture day, our retake day will be October 21st. See below for more information:

• Information

• Network Photography Online Pre-Pay

The KMS Student Services team is here to support our students and families in multiple ways.

Our school counselors, Deni Topitzes and Becky Wittemann, help students transition to middle school, support positive peer relationships, teach problem-solving and conflict-resolution skills, and help students with the social and emotional challenges that often arise during middle school.

Our school psychologist, Kelsey Bayless, works alongside students, parents, and school teams to support students’ academic, social, behavioral, and emotional well-being. She supports students through collecting data and consultation to provide support within classrooms to address various student needs.

Our school social worker, Kat Hennekens, supports KMS, Rockfield, and MacArthur students and families seeking assistance with matters such as advocacy, attendance, community resource referrals, economic support (food, clothing, housing, and other basic needs), parenting support, special education services, and mental wellness.

We believe in a proactive approach and addressing issues early. If you have concerns about your child we encourage you to reach out.

Deni Topitzes - 6th Grade Orange and Purple House and 8th Grade - dtopitzes@gsdwi.org or (262) 502-7324

Becky Wittemann - 6th Grade Green House and 7th Grade - bwittemann@gsdwi.org or (262) 502-7314

Kelsey Bayless - School Psychologist - kbayless@gsdwi.org or (262) 253-3458

Kat Hennekens - School Social Worker - khennekens@gsdwi.org or (262) 253-3459

Academic and Career Planning (ACP) is a process all students engage in from 6th grade through 12th grade. ACP allows students to thoughtfully develop their post-secondary plans through lessons around employability skills, interest exploration, goal setting, and so much more. Starting this year in Advisory (Hour 9), all students will engage in these lessons through Xello. Below is a calendar of the lessons that will take place at each grade level.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Mrs. Fischer (6-12 Dean of Students & ACP Coordinator) at afischer@gsdwi.org.

Interested in Future City Club? Click on this LINK to fill out the Google Form!

A new season of Cross-Country starts this week! Here are a few important dates to keep in mind:

• Practice starts this Thursday 9/5
• Spirit Wear deadline is midnight Sunday 9/8
• Want more information about registration? Students can join the Google Classroom Page. Join with code omyoynu

Key Club will be meeting on Wednesday, September 11th, in the GAC from 2:45-3:45. Please join us and help make a difference in the community by volunteering to help others! We will have a snack and prepare for our first all school collection of canned goods.

FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America) will be having its kick off meeting Monday, Sept. 23rd in Mrs. Janke's room A-23 after school until 3:30. All grades are welcome!

Midtown A Cappella - Grades 6, 7, 8 (Tryouts Required)

Auditions start 9/26 at KMS, listen to announcement for more information in the upcoming weeks.

Learn a cappella (music made only with your voices) versions of popular songs to perform at various opportunities throughout the year. Open to all students. See Ms. Fichtner with questions.

As an extra incentive to order yearbooks early, our publisher, Josten's, is offering a back to school promotion thru September 13th. Everyone that orders early and chooses to add personalization to the cover of their book will receive up to four cover icons at no extra charge. Order now and cross "Order Yearbook" off of your back to school list!

• Responsible care of Chromebooks is an integral part of life at KMS. Please ensure students are plugging their Chromebooks in to charge overnight and bringing them fully charged to school each morning. This will help set everyone up for success each and every day at KMS!
• Having issues with Skyward? Parents and students can now use the email skywardsupport@gsdwi.org for any issues related to Skyward access or login, etc... These emails go straight to our Skyward-knowledgeable staff!

Welcome to the 2024-25 School Year! See below for helpful attendance information:

• School starts at 7:20AM, if your child will be absent or miss school for any reason please email the office at kmsoffice@gsdwi.org.
• If they are leaving school early, prior to 9AM, send your student to the office with a signed note. If the student is leaving after 9AM, alert office staff via email (kmsoffice@gsdwi.org) with the time your child needs to leave school, the reason for leaving, who will be picking up, and whether or not they will return for the day.
• If your child will be missing more than 2+ school days due to vacation or other family plans, you must provide notice in writing of this pre-planned absence, via email or note. Office staff will provide a missed homework sheet to the student.

Students who are attending after school sporting events, without a parent, need to report to the designated location immediately after school. Students are encouraged to quietly work on homework or other academic tasks during this time. If students have completed all their school work they are allowed to quietly socialize with their peers. If students do not want to stay after school but would still like to attend the sporting event, they will need to be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

During the sporting event, students are expected to sit in the student section which is supervised by KMS staff. Students will not be allowed to sit in other areas of the gym unless they are accompanied by an adult. Spectators are not allowed to sit on the players side of the gym. If a student is attending a sporting event with an adult that is not their guardian or parent, that individual is responsible for supervising that student during the event.

Cell Phone Use - We are aware that students will need access to their cell phones during these events for a variety of reasons including but not limited communication with parents when they are to be picked up, change in plans, and or for emergencies. Students' cell phones should be stored in their backpacks, which will be placed next to the bleachers, and if they need to use them they will be allowed to with the supervision of a KMS staff member. Students are allowed to come to the Gold Office throughout the day to contact parents so that plans can be made or clarified. If students are not following cell phone expectations or using their cell phones in inappropriate ways, KMS supervisors do have the right to confiscate the phones and give them to parents when the student is picked up. Students who are not following expectations for after school sporting events will meet with KMS administrators and their participation in future sporting events will be discussed.

Students who receive school-based consequences (such as an in-school suspension) during the day may not be allowed to attend after school events for that day.

Please be kind and efficient while dropping off your child in the morning. There are two locations for drop off in the AM. You can drop off your child in the Main Office loop (south side) or the Student Services loop (west side). Here are a few reminders when dropping off students:

• You may not stop or park in the Main Office loop or Student Services loop between the times of 6:45am - 7:20am and 2:43pm - 3:00pm. If you want to stop or park, please use the south parking lot.
• When dropping off students, please pull all the way through the loop (by the bike rack) before dropping off.
• Remind your child to be ready to exit the car upon drop off so other families are not waiting too long.

As always, be kind and courteous, thank you!

During the week of September 16th-20th, the district will be celebrating Deaf Awareness Week (DAW)! Each day, a flyer will be sent sharing important information to spread awareness of Deaf Culture, Deaf History, and people who are Deaf, Hard-of-Hearing, and Deafblind. On Friday, September 20th, those that participate are invited to wear their Deaf Awareness t-shirt in solidarity. If you would like to purchase a t-shirt, you may do so by completing this form: ORDER FORM no later than Wednesday, September 4th at 5:00pm. See the image below of this year's shirt designed by the Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing/Deafblind Department of Germantown School District.

DAW 2024 THEMES:

- 9/16 Monday Mythbusters

- 9/17 Tech Tuesday

- 9/18 Wednesday Storytime

- 9/19 Theater Thursday

- 9/20 Friday Signed Languages & DAW T-shirts!

Thank you for your support! We wish you an excellent start to the school year!

Principal: Jessica Gieryn

Assistant Principal: Brandon Kohl

Website: https://www.gsdwi.org/o/kennedy
Location: N118 W15860 Williams Drive Germantown, Wisconsin 53022
Phone: 262-253-3450
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KennedyGSDWI