KHS Update

Somali | Spanish

Hello, Kennedy families!

We are midway through the second trimester and proud of the growth and accomplishments our students have made so far. Winter activities are thriving, and we remain focused on health and wellness during the cold and flu season.

Students in grades 9-11 have started the registration process for next year. This video was shared during Advisory on January 15 to help them prepare, and they will register for classes in Advisory on January 29. Please review the Registration Guide with your student and encourage them to choose courses aligned with their goals. Questions can be directed to your student’s counselor.

Senior families: Information about Kennedy’s graduation ceremony on Wednesday, June 4, at 2 p.m. at the Minneapolis Convention Center will be shared soon.

Looking ahead: Finals for trimester two take place on Thursday, March 6 & Friday, March 7. There is a special schedule on both days, so please plan for early dismissal times. Trimester three starts on Wednesday, March 12.

Thank you for your ongoing partnership in fostering belonging, support, and excellence!

In partnership,

Molly Hollenbeck

Principal

952.681.5050

mhollenbeck@isd271.org

• February 7 - No school
• February 17 - No school, President’s Day
• March 6 & 7 - Trimester 2 finals, early release 12:15
• March 10 & 11 - No school
• March 12 - First day of trimester 3

Kennedy offers amazing opportunities for students to get involved, which can boost their sense of belonging and academic success.

Explore all clubs and activities on our Activities and Athletics website, and encourage your student to participate. Follow us on Instagram @bloomingtonkennedy for real-time updates and highlights! All athletic games for the week can be found on the Tri-Metro conference website.

Some highlights include:

• Kennedy Boys Hockey’s Farewell Tour is underway. Celebrate 60 years of Kennedy hockey at an upcoming home game at Bloomington Ice Garden (BIG).
  
  
• Kennedy Show Choir, Rhythm in Gold, wowed the crowd at their preview show and is now competing with their stunning set, “The Diamond of the Season.” Save the date for the RIG Annual on March 21-22 at Kennedy. Follow their season and get tickets here.
  
  
• Congratulations to our DECA students heading to state, including Senior Emma Skibbie (1st place in Sports and Entertainment Marketing) and Seniors Ruben Java Lara and David Wurst (3rd place in Franchise Business Plan). DECA builds future leaders in marketing, finance, and management.
  
  
• Shout-out to Senior Macie Miller for scoring her 1,000th point in girls basketball and Addison Wendt for placing 4th in Congressional Debate at the MSHSL Tournament!
  
  
• Welcome to new boys varsity basketball head coach, Troy Bell—we’re excited to have you!
  
  
• Spring sports registration opens January 29. Contact Athletic and Activity Director Jon Anderson at jranders@isd271.org for more information or go to our website.

Kennedy’s Career and College Counselor, Mrs. Jennings (fjenngings@isd271.org) is always available to support students and families with anything directly related to post high school planning.

Free FAFSA or MN Dream Act Support: Help is Here!

Filling out the FAFSA or MN Dream Act application can feel overwhelming, but you don’t have to tackle it alone! Whether you're just starting or need help with confusing questions, these two resources provide free support to guide you through the process:

Option 1: Normandale Community College

• Open to everyone—no need to be a future Normandale student!

• Get free 1:1 help through online chat, virtual appointments, or in-person sessions.

• Free workshops available multiple times per week.
  Learn More and Book an Appointment

Option 2: College Possible

• Free personalized support with 1:1 meetings and helpful resources.

• Includes multilingual guides and step-by-step FAFSA walkthroughs.

• Alerts for 2024–2025 FAFSA issues and solutions.
  Explore College Possible Resources and Schedule a Meeting

Each Thursday during Academic Seminar, students have the chance to learn about exciting career paths through our Career Spotlight Series! These engaging presentations feature professionals from a variety of fields, giving students insight into what it’s like to work in different industries.

If your student is interested in attending, they can sign up through Naviance.

Here’s the lineup of upcoming career presentations:

• January 30: Careers in Nursing and the Health Sciences

• February 13: Careers in Environmental Science

• February 27: Careers in Aviation

• March 20: Careers in Marketing and Engineering

• April 10: Careers in Education

• May 8: Careers in Manufacturing

• May 15: Careers in Law

More presentations will be scheduled throughout the rest of the year, so encourage your student to continue checking Naviance for new opportunities.

AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) is an elective designed to help students succeed in school while preparing for life after high school. It is especially beneficial for first-generation college students, teaching key skills like organization, time management, and critical thinking, while also guiding them through the college application and financial aid process. With college visits, career guest speakers, and a supportive learning environment, AVID equips students with the tools they need to achieve their goals. Encourage your child to sign up for AVID and take an important step toward a bright future!

High school students and their families are invited to join our Career and College Readiness team virtually at 7 p.m. February 11 to learn about the different ways high school students can earn college credit while in high school. The team will discuss Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) courses and explain the differences between Postsecondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) and College in the High School. They will provide information about some benefits of the different programs and courses, eligibility requirements, and how to access these options. Hmong, Spanish and Somali interpretation will be available. Share this registration link with high school students and their families who may be interested in learning more about opportunities to Earn College Credit in High School.

Postsecondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) is a program that allows 10th-, 11th- and 12th-grade students to earn college credit tuition free while still in high school, through enrollment in and successful completion of college courses. These courses are generally offered on the campus of the postsecondary institution; some courses are offered online.

Most PSEO courses are only open to high school students during their 11th- and 12th-grade year, with each participating college and university setting their own requirements for enrollment into the PSEO courses and programs. Students may take PSEO courses on a full- or part-time basis. Students must meet the PSEO eligibility requirements.

Please review this presentation for details and talk with your student’s Counselor to see if PSEO is a good fit for your next student next year.

The ACT will be given at school on Wednesday, April 16th. All juniors are automatically registered for this and will be the only students at school that day in order to provide the best possible testing environment. Start preparing today! This document has numerous free resources for you to be ready for test day.

One fee-based highlight: Flying Colors Prep (formerly Breakaway Test Prep) is excited to offer a boot camp for Bloomington Public School students, designed to help your student prepare for the in-school ACT on April 16th. The boot camp will be held on Saturday, April 12, from 9:00 am-11:00 am at Jefferson High School. During the boot camp, expert instructors will focus on key concepts frequently tested on the ACT. They will also teach valuable test-taking techniques and time-management tips to help students approach the ACT with confidence. English, Reading, Math and Science will be covered in the two-hour session. Register here.

Have a question? If it is class related, start with your student’s teacher. If you need another place to start, our student support team members are here to help.

We made positive progress on our school improvement goals in the first trimester this year compared to last year. 76.97% of all grades for trimester 1 were As, Bs and Cs, which is a 6.52% increase from trimester 1 last year. We also saw an 11.17% reduction in failing grades.

Attending school regularly is critical for student success. All grades surpassed our goal for trimester one but we are seeing a decrease in school attendance in trimester two. Please encourage your child to attend school each day they are healthy. To excuse your student from school, please call the attendance line at 952.681.5002.

How you can help: Please review your student’s attendance and grades on a regular basis. Students know how to look at both of these areas on their phones or computers, so if you don’t have the Canvas (grades) and Campus (attendance) apps on your phone, they will be able to show you!

Directions to dowload the Canvas and Campus apps are listed below. Email kennedytechhelp@isd271.org for support!

Report cards for trimester one will be available in Campus.

To find Report Cards on Infinite Campus Parent Portal on a browser:

1. Login.isd271.org on a browser

2. Infinite Campus Portal

3. > Documents > Report Card

To find Report Cards on Infinite Campus Parent Portal on the app: