The Kenwood Courier
In this season of light, I’m grateful for the many ways our school community shines brightly! When we started school in September, we welcomed more than 60 additional students than what our District had anticipated for this academic year. Thankfully, we were able to hire two additional classroom teachers to ease the stress of overly large class sizes and our class communities are thriving. In September, we launched our partnership with Playworks to support inclusive play and student leadership at recess. There are fewer physical conflicts and more students participating in organized games than in previous years, thanks to our Playworks training and collaboration. Our junior coaches (selected 4th and 5th graders) are demonstrating Kenwood PRIDE in beautiful ways and are lifting up the value and positive impact of multigrade interactions. Our brand new playground certainly inspires active and joyful play, too!
We’ve embodied Smarts+Arts this fall into winter as well. In addition to excellent instruction in math, reading, social studies, science, and writing, our students have learned about delicious, fresh foods, created art in the style of Gordon Coons, learned Spanish with a retired language teacher, tackled tricky math problems of the week, partnered with University of Minnesota students in literacy, and drummed with Brother Ghana. The first graders’ performance this week was fantastic!
Additionally, we are lucky to have added Spanish, Somali, Dari, and Pashto-speaking staff to our team this academic year. Their presence provides reassurance to and solidifies understanding among our new-to-country students and their families. We are fortunate to have cultural, linguistic, and racial diversity in our school community and are wiser, more curious, and more empathic people because of it!
The first four months of school have revealed the power of your generosity and compassion. With your help and the PTA’s coordination, we’ve secured more than half of our fundraising goal for our Outdoor Classroom, welcomed arts residencies, provided essential clothing and personal hygiene products to more than 20 families, and created more than 30 winter holiday gifts for Kenwood families. Thank you for embodying peace, respect, integrity, dependability, and engagement (Kenwood PRIDE!) in support of our amazing learning community, inside and outside the school.
I’m so proud to be your principal! I wish you all a wonderful winter holiday as you celebrate with loved ones. I look forward to seeing you in the New Year!
Warmly,
Heidi Johnson, Principal at Kenwood
Calling all Kenwood Woodchucks to get out your sketchbooks during winter break.
We need your help to fill our yearbook with Woody Woodchucks. Show Woody doing all the fun things that Woodchucks do at Kenwood.
What has Woody been up to so far this year?
Painting in the art room with Ms. Kara, hanging out on the new playground, reading books in the library, African drumming with Brother Ghana or in the gym shooting hoops with Mr. Kramka?
Please draw, paint, collage Woody participating in all things Kenwood!
Woody Artwork is Due: Friday, Jan. 31
Please turn in art to the office and place in the Yearbook Box. If you have any questions feel free to reach out to Natalie Quinn: Nataliejoquinn@hotmail.com.
Hello Woodchucks! As we shared last week, we’ve raised nearly $50,000 of our $80,000 goal! If family members are asking for any additional gift ideas, don’t forget that our kiddos want to get outside. We want to bring this home by spring. Click here to donate online.
We still need volunteers to work with the following classrooms: Ms. Elfering, Ms. Maupin & Ms. Tostenson.
While we're still a few months away from the start of in-class programming with Art Adventure from the Minneapolis Institute of Art (MIA), there are a number of upcoming opportunities for adult volunteers to attend an in person training at MIA in preparation. Art Adventure is an opportunity for students to experience art from MIA's collection across various cultures and periods, up close and personally through reproductions, technology, and props, encouraging creativity, critical thinking and global awareness.
Art Adventure relies on adult volunteers to introduce classroom students to a variety of preselected artworks from MIA. No art expertise is needed but past volunteers have found the in-person training sessions available at MIA very beneficial in preparation.
If you would like to volunteer or learn more, please email Marstal Aamodt at marstal.aamodt@gmail.com.
Center for Performing Arts (CFPA) Winter-Spring 2025
CFPA designs and oversees youth classes in a variety of art forms. CFPA is a non-profit organization committed to giving youth access to quality programs taught by established teaching artists. Classes emphasize technique and promote healthy bodies and creative minds. CFPA teachers resource the many traditions and techniques taught at CFPA and introduce students to a broad range of forms and styles with guest teachers.
Winter 2025 Sessions: 16 weeks Jan. 13-May 9, 2025
Creative Ballet | Afro-Cont-Igbo | Dance Composition
Scholarships are available for each of these classes. For the scholarship application, click here.
Email: keri.mabry@mpls.k12.mn.us
Website: https://kenwood.mpschools.org
Location: 2013 Penn Ave S, Minneapolis, MN, USA
Phone: 612-668-2760