The Kenwood Courier

We’re eager to connect and partner with you this 2024-25 school year in support of your children’s academic, social, and emotional growth. You can expect to receive the Courier monthly.

• On the top of the page, you will find ADA and Translation features. To translate, click on the Translate button and choose your desired language.
• En la parte superior de la página, encontrará funciones de ADA y traducción. Para traducir, haga clic en el botón Traducir y elija el idioma que desee.
• Dusha sare ee bogga, waxaad ka heli doontaa ADA iyo sifooyinka Turjumaada. Si aad u turjunto, dhagsii badhanka Turjumka oo dooro luqadda aad rabto.
  
• В верхней части страницы вы найдете функции ADA и перевода. Для перевода нажмите кнопку «Перевести» и выберите нужный язык.
  
• د پاڼې په سر کې، تاسو به د ADA او ژباړې ځانګړتیاوې ومومئ. د ژباړې لپاره، د ژباړې تڼۍ باندې کلیک وکړئ او د خپلې خوښې ژبه غوره کړئ.
  
• در بالای صفحه، شما ویژگی های ADA و ترجمه را پیدا کنید. برای ترجمه، روی دکمه ترجمه کلیک کنید و زبان مورد نظر خود را انتخاب کنید.
  

• Feb. 3: Woody Woodchuck's Birthday (observed) and New Playground Dedication; I Love to Read Month Kick-off; Quarter 2 Report Cards are sent home in backpacks
• Feb. 5: Winter Walk to School Day
• Feb. 7: All School Morning Meeting and Lion Dance to honor the Lunar New Year! Coffee with the Principal immediately following, 10:15-10:45 a.m.
• Feb. 8: Luminary Art Installation at Kenwood
• Feb. 13: Evening Conferences 4:15-8:15 pm (There IS school for students on this day)
• Feb. 14: Day Conferences, 8:15 a.m.-4:15 p.m. (No School for Students)
• Feb. 10-21: Book Fair
• Feb. 13-27: Read-a-Thon
• Feb. 20: K-1 Music Concert, 6:00 pm in the gym
• Feb. 27: Dining for Dollars at Punch Pizza on Lake St. 4:00-7:00 pm
• Feb. 28: No School for Students/Teacher Professional Development Day

Dear Kenwood Community,

As we prepare for the shortest and busiest month of the academic year, please know how delighted I am to be working in partnership with you to create a peaceful, safe, and loving school community. You make Kenwood an exceptional place to learn, grow, make new friends, and embrace the world for its beauty and its challenges. I want to emphasize that ALL are welcome here.

I'm pleased to welcome Iker Olivier Salas, our new Spanish Bilingual Program Assistant, to our school. He brings a wealth of experience in teaching, project management, and community outreach. We're very lucky he's joined the Kenwood Team. Please stop by the main office to say hello to him!

I will receive information related to Kenwood's 2025-26 budget allocation and our projected enrollment on Feb. 18. I'll keep you informed about our allocation and the decisions I'm able to make related to staffing and programming, in consultation with staff, Site Council, the PTA, and the broader community.

Looking ahead to February events, we'll launch I Love to Read Month and the Read-A-Thon in partnership with the PTA, celebrate Black Brilliance, meet with all caregivers about students' progress at conferences on Feb. 13 and 14, celebrate our kindergarten and 1st grade students' music learning at their winter concert, and so much more. Keep an eye on the Kenwood Courier (sent out every Friday moving forward) for important dates and details.

The week of February 3-7 is a busy one! The Winter Walk to School Day is on Wednesday, Feb. 5. Students who ride buses 1-6 will be dropped off several blocks away from school at 9:15 and will walk along the park to Kenwood with staff and parent volunteers. A winter walk is such a nice way to start the day! All are welcome to join us.

Also, to commemorate the Lunar New Year and the Year of the Snake (embrace wisdom, prosperity, and growth!), the Ha Family Lion Dance team will perform for us on Friday morning at 9:45. Caregivers are welcome to join us in the gym (standing room only), and then wander down to the lunchroom immediately following for a short Coffee with the Principal, from around 10:15 to 10:45.

I wish you a peaceful month. Thank you, as always, for being a part of this very special school community.

Warmly,

Heidi Johnson, Principal at Kenwood School

Groundhog Day also happens to be Woody Woodchuck's Birthday! We'll celebrate it on Monday, February 3 by having ribbon-cutting ceremonies for the new playground during recess time! Students will have their pictures taken to commemorate this fun addition to our school.

During February, our school is celebrating Black Brilliance Month! Each class will dive deep into the lives of inspiring contemporary Black leaders, innovators, and artists. Our beautiful Kenwood Elementary classes will have an opportunity to immerse themselves in the work of these incredible people and share what they learn in a variety of ways!

When you come to school for conferences, you will see the students' work on display. The students' work will demonstrate their understanding of these incredible people and their valuable contributions.

Get ready to bundle up and hit the streets! Kenwood School is joining the fun on Winter Walk to School Day on February 5th. No matter how chilly it gets, Minnesotans know how to embrace winter fun, and we’re excited our school is part of it!

Students who ride the bus to school will be dropped off at the corner of Douglas and Logan and walk the perimeter of the park to get to school. Caregiver volunteers can meet us at the corner at 9:00 to greet buses and walk with children to Kenwood. Walking keeps our students healthy, sharpens their focus, and gets them ready to learn. Join us for a frosty adventure and get ready for some prizes on the morning of February 5th.

HEY KENWOOD PARENTS!

JOIN THE FUN AND BE PART OF OUR WALKING CREW!

School Buses 1-6 will drop students at Douglas and Logan on Wednesday morning. We need your help to escort the students the rest of the way to Kenwood School. Please meet Principal Johnson and caregiver volunteers at Logan and Douglas at 9:00 am and walk with a group of students to Kenwood.

Please contact victoria.johnson@mpls.k12.mn.us with any questions.

Parents/caregivers are invited to have coffee with Principal Johnson on Feb. 7 in the lunchroom (immediately following the Lion Dance in the Gym, which caregivers are welcome to attend!) from 10:15 to 10:45 a.m. No RSVP needed. These open discussions cover updates, questions, ideas, feedback... anything that's on your mind related to the Kenwood community. Hope to see you there!

We would love to have families stop by February 8th from 5:30 pm - 8:30 pm. to see the student work. Stop by on your way to the Luminary Loppet on The Lake of the Isles!

Families are welcome to participate in the preparation:

• On February 7th (prep day) Between 9:30 am -10:30 am or 2:30 pm -3:45 pm. We have a need for parents to help students scoop the sand into the bags and place the candles in the bags.

• On February 8th, (Event day) People are welcome to come help set the luminaries out. We will meet by the rec center at 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm. Also, help turn on all the lights at 5:00 pm. Meet at the picnic tables.

If interested in helping, please reach out to nataliejoquinn@hotmail.com.

Minneapolis School District is facing a budget gap and needs your input! Your participation in the Caregiver Priorities Survey is crucial. Your feedback will help us make informed decisions about how to allocate resources and ensure our students receive the best possible education. Please take a few minutes to complete the Caregiver Priorities Survey. and share your priorities.

Please reference the MPS Budget website for more context.

Parent-Teacher Conferences are coming up in the evening on Feb. 13 from 4:15 to 8:15 pm and during the day on Friday, Feb. 14 from 8:15 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.

Please note there is no school for students on Friday, Feb. 14.

You should have already received a communication from your child's teacher with the link to sign up for conferences. If you have not yet signed up. Please do so as soon as possible. Conferences can be conducted in person, by phone, or virtually.

If you require an interpreter, please confirm with your child's classroom teacher.

Items from Kenwood Closet: We understand that times can be tough. During Parent/Teacher conferences we will have a table stocked with free hygiene products, winter gear, and school supplies in the atrium by Door 1. Please do not hesitate to take what you need!

If you need transportation to attend conferences, please call the main office at 612-668-2760 or email Family Liaison Victoria Johnson by Wednesday, Feb. 12.

• The fall/winter session of ALC ends on Thursday, February 6. Students who signed up for this session should continue to attend their class through that date—including the 3rd-5th grade robotics class.

• There will be 3 weeks with no after-school classes. Students will go home at 4:15 on the weeks of 2/10, 2/17, and 2/24

During the weeks off, students can sign up for spring classes. There will be registration forms ready to share with families at conferences. All students will need to fill out a registration form to enroll in a spring class.

Please contact Ms. Robyn Eller with any questions at robyn.eller@mpls.k12.mn.us

Our lost and found is overflowing with forgotten items! Could one of them be yours?

Stop by while you are here during Kenwood conferences or any other events and see if you recognize any missing items. Unclaimed items will be donated during Spring Break!

Staff Appreciation: Soup and Snacks for Conference Day, Feb. 14

Throughout the school year, our community shows appreciation to Kenwood’s teachers and staff, often through meals coordinated by the PTA. In January we provided coffee & pastries along with some winter survival goodies (lip balm, tissues, etc.). This month we’ll provide lunch during the second day of conferences, Friday, February 14. Staff can pop in and grab lunch and snacks as their conference schedule allows.

These meals depend on volunteer contributions of either food, drinks, or funds. We need your help! Please either sign up to bring items via this link (also below) or support the efforts with funds sent via Venmo to @KenwoodPTAMpls.

Please bring all items to the school Staff Lounge by 11 a.m. Friday, February 14.

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0A4FA8AF2FA0FD0-54678232-soups#/

Our students love playing outside during recess! To ensure they can enjoy the fresh air and sunshine even in cooler weather, please send your kids to school with winter gear: hat, gloves, snow pants, snow boots and coat. If you need assistance with winter gear, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. Call the main office at 612-668-2760 and ask for Ms. Victoria.

We love to read at Kenwood every month, but especially in February! Mark your calendars for the Scholastic Book Fair, Spirit Days, and the Read-A-Thon, an exciting opportunity to increase our reading minutes while fundraising to support arts residencies at Kenwood!

The Scholastic Book Fair returns to Kenwood, February 11 - 20. The Book Fair will be open for student preview with their classes on Tuesday (2/11) and Wednesday (2/12).

Students and families may return to buy books during Teacher Conferences on Thursday (2/13) from 4-7 pm and Friday (2/14) from 8:30 am - 12:30 pm.

The Book Fair will also be open for student shopping during the school day on Wednesday (2/19) and Thursday (2/20) and for parents, caregivers and community members to shop after school hours, Wednesday (2/19) from 4 - 5 pm and Thursday (2/20) from 5 - 6 pm before the K-1 Music Concert. Cash, Check, Credit Cards and Scholastic eWallets will be accepted.

Volunteers are needed to help make our book fair a success - please sign up for a slot to help with set up or clean up, or to work during the book fair, assisting with preview and shopping days. We are especially seeking bilingual volunteers to help students. We appreciate your support. Look for more information in your student's backpack the first week of February and if you have additional questions, please reach out to Marstal Aamodt marstal.aamodt@gmail.com

Get ready to read for your school! All students are invited to participate in the Kenwood Read-A-Thon from February 13 through February 27. Students are asked to read (or be read to) for an average of at least 20 minutes per day and track their minutes on their reading calendar. Every student who turns in their forms will receive a participation prize. Those who meet the goal of 20 minutes a day win a mini prize and grand prizes will be awarded for the most minutes read per grade. Additionally, classes that reach their reading goal will win a special class party. Students will learn more about the Read-A-Thon during book fair preview days. Look for materials and more detailed information in the Read-A-Thon packets going home in backpacks next week!

Mark your calendars for a fun night of music with our Kindergarten and 1st graders! The concert will be in the gym, starting at 6 PM and ending by 6:45. We will sing some of our favorite songs for you and play some instruments too.

Please contact Ms. Sue Pehrson with any questions at Suzanne.pehrson@mpls.k12.mn.us.

Please read Mr. K's and Ms. Parker's updates on all the great things happening in PE and Media!

The University of Minnesota's Talented Youth Mathematics Program (UMTYMP) has been one of the nation’s only accelerated mathematics programs for middle and high school students. Entrance exams are coming up this February!

UMTYMP is a 5-year program for gifted and excelling students who love math. Students in grades 5 to 7 can qualify via our UMTYMP Algebra Qualifying Exam. Once enrolled, the class meets on campus once per week learning the typical middle and high school curriculum in two years. Then take the college-level calculus for 3 years and earn college credit.

UMTYMP offers a challenging and supportive environment for rapid growth. Students completing the program can jump into high-level courses in their undergrad years. Exam registration for the 2025-2026 school year is open. Learn more and register here.

Please see the flyer for a brief synopsis of the program and information linked on our website.

HelpMeConnect is a groundbreaking interagency collaboration between Minnesota’s Department of Children, Youth, and, Families; Education; Health; and Human Services. Click here to explore HelpMeConnect and find the support you need.

Minneapolis Kids Jr is a full-day, school-year childcare program for 4-year old children entering kindergarten the following school year. Led by our experienced and caring staff, children have opportunities to pursue interests, develop friendships, independence and confidence.

Registration opens Friday, Jan. 31 at 7 a.m.