Cougar Connect
Week of September 23, 2024
Principal's Message
Happy Monday, everyone!
Next week, we will begin our fall Goal-Setting conferences. This is RCSD's second year with student goal-setting conferences. These conferences allow students to take ownership of their learning and set academic goals.
On Monday, September 30, there will be no school for students. However, parents can still meet with teachers from 1:00-3:15 p.m. for conferences. Conferences will take up to 20 minutes, and students should be present for the conference. Students will lead their conference. At Kennedy, families will conference with their student's homeroom teacher. I will send emails and text messages to all families by Tuesday (tomorrow) afternoon. You will get a reminder and a link to sign up for conferences. If you have questions for a specific teacher, please email them directly. Teachers will be unable to have separate conferences.
Students will be on a super-minimum day schedule from Tuesday, October 1-Friday, October 4. samTrans public bus will still come to Kennedy at its normal time. They do not honor our super-minimum day schedules because it interferes with their bus schedule. If your student takes samTrans, please make a note of this. If your student takes Siena Youth Center or RCSD transportation, their buses will arrive at 12:00 p.m. noon.
Dr. Laney, assistant principal, will also contact students to have separate conferences for students who currently have ELD. Our goal this year is to make sure every English learner grows by at least one level or fully reclassifies.
At your student's conference, you will learn their current reading and math levels. You will also learn their scores from the 2023-24 CAASPP assessment. This year, every student should improve by at least 5%. Students will learn their scores and set goals in advisory this week.
Please plan to attend conferences; we look forward to connecting with you next week!
Listed in this week's updates are information about Homework Help in the Kennedy Library, free tutoring from Tutor.com and Brainfuse, sports practices for flag football and volleyball, pictures from our Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations, clubs at Kennedy, high school information for 8th-graders, a message from PTO, and information about the Kennedy Musical meeting this Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. (via Zoom). There is plenty of information this week!
Have a great week!
Mrs. Leonardo
Help Prioritize Services for Students
Your voice is needed to help our district prioritize services for our students. This fall, we will go through a process of deciding what services will continue in our school and across the school district. You can be a part of these decisions by joining the Budget Renewal Initiative Committee, which will help evaluate potential budget adjustments and ensure diverse perspectives are considered. The budget reductions will be implemented starting in 2025-26 due to additional COVID recovery one-time funds coming to an end next summer. Committee applications close Monday, September 30.
Kennedy Musical Meeting
Join Ms. Rosenbloom, our drama teacher, for a one hour virtual meeting on Zoom this Wednesday, September 25th from 6:00-7:00 p.m. to learn more about the Kennedy Musical. If your student is interested in singing, dancing, acting, or even learning more about being apart of the technical crew, please join us to learn more.
We will record this meeting and make it available to families in next week's Cougar Connect.
https://rcsdk8-net.zoom.us/j/85248499500?pwd=vkwJrpzNXIFbjmxlDMayrNfoCZAFb2.1
Meeting ID: 852 4849 9500
Passcode: KENNEDY
Clubs at Kennedy
- Intramurals Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays at lunch--sign up for soccer by Friday, Sept. 27
- Wellness Club 7/8th Grade Lunch Mondays Room 207
- Anime Club 7/8th Grade Lunch Mondays Room 314
- Photojournalism Club Mondays Room 532
- Calligraphy/Cursive Writing Club 7/8th Grade Lunch Mondays Room 318
- 6th-Grade Lunch Bunch 6th Grade Lunch Tuesdays and Fridays Room 207
- Chess Club 7/8th Grade Lunch Tuesdays Room 535
- Video Game Club 7/8th Grade Lunch Tuesdays Room 314
- GSA Skittles 7/8th Grade Lunch Tuesdays Room 315
- Italian Club Tuesdays After School Room 318
- 7/8th-Grade Lunch Bunch Wednesdays Room 207
- Environmental Club 7/8th Grade Lunch Thursdays Room 535
- Art Club 6th Grade Lunch Tuesdays Room 104
- Art Club 7th/8th Grade Lunch Tuesdays Room 526
- Badminton Club 7th/8th Grade Lunch Tuesdays and Wednesdays in the Gym
- Rock Band Club Wednesdays After School Room 314
- Book Club in the Kennedy Library Dates/Times TBD
- Board Game Club Thursdays in the Kennedy Library
- Video Game Club 6th Grade Lunch Thursdays Room 102
Hispanic/Latine Club 7/8th Grade Lunch Thursdays Room 315
Fantasy Leagues Thursdays at Lunch Room 104
Calligraphy/Cursive Writing Club 6th Grade Lunch Fridays Room 423
We encourage every Kennedy student to join and participate in at least one club this school year. Clubs are a great way to make connections, make friends, and create a joyful school environment. Clubs are created by students for students. Students need to find a teacher to advise their club. Clubs generally meet once a week. Students need to listen to the morning announcements for updates.
Clubs will begin after Goal-Setting Conferences. Badminton Club starts this week.
PTO Corner
Hello, Kennedy Community!
Please join us in-person at the KMS Library or via Zoom for our September PTO meeting on Tuesday, 9/24, from 7:00-8:30 pm. Agenda items include a budget review and updates from committees about electives and upcoming events. Everyone is welcome to join us!
Use this link to join us for the PTO meeting:
https://zoom.us/j/93119040816?pwd=aq7QW86bXugaq08Dswoavf3wTxcd0M.1
Meeting ID: 931 1904 0816
Passcode: Kennedy
Click here to review the August PTO meeting minutes: August 20th, 2024 Kennedy PTO - Minutes
Are you looking for ways to volunteer for our school? The PTO needs help with the Teacher Appreciation Team, Student Birthday Celebrations and Fundraising Team. If you’re interested in helping, reach out to info@kennedycougarspto.org
Remember that our Direct Drive is going on and our students depend on our community’s financial help to make their middle school experience the best it can be! We suggest a $500 donation per family. Payments can be made manageable by choosing to donate $50 a month through the school year! Click here to donate: PTO Direct Drive
Kind regards,
Jess Bryski
KMS PTO President
Homework Help: Mondays, Tuesdays, & Wednesdays
Students can get help with homework and assignments on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays after school in the Kennedy Library from 3:15-4:15 p.m. If students are enrolled in the Boys and Girls Club after school program, they need to sign in first.
Students must be actively working on assignments. Students should not come to Homework Help to hang out or be off task.
We look forward to helping students succeed!
Tutor.com Support
Students can also get support with Tutor.com. This is a free virtual service available to all students. Students can access Tutor.com through Clever using their Chromebooks. Find the logo that looks like th icon to the left. We will teach students about Tutor.com after Goal-Setting Conferences during homeroom.
Homework Support: Brain Fuse & Redwood City Public Library
Brainfuse is one of the most experienced online tutoring companies in the nation. HelpNow is a unique tutoring, homework help, and studying suite designed to assist patrons of all ages succeed. This is a service provided through Redwood City Public Library. Students can access Brainfuse by finding the Redwood City Public Library icon on Clever on their Chromebook. They should look for the icon like the one pictured on the right.
Buy an 8th-Grade Sweatshirt
Purchase Sweatshirts
8TH GRADERS - ORDER YOUR CLASS OF 2025 HOODIE TODAY! Please fill out this Google Form by Friday, October 11 so we have an accurate count and know what sizes to order! If you have questions, please reach out to krissie.h.rice@gmail.com.
Share Feedback with the New School Meal Director: Sept 25 @ 8 p.m.
Come meet the new director of Child Nutrition Services, Richie Wilim, and hear about what changes he has already started and what’s to come. It is also a great place to share feedback with him about what your priorities are and what you've been hearing from your students. Do your students have strong opinions about the new pizza? Do you hope to see more scratch cooking? Have you noticed the online menu doesn't always match what's served at school? This is all great feedback for Richie. Meeting details are below, or you can add the meeting to your calendar by clicking this link: https://calendar.app.google/hSu5yUctHUgAtWAc7
This event is hosted by the Healthy School Meals Coalition. Sign up for our email list here.
Here is the meeting info:
Topic: Healthy School Meals Coalition Meeting
Time: Sep 25, 2024 08:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89134491032?pwd=TlgxMuxxgP6ROEApd1vO0aD4YfK8VA.1
Meeting ID: 891 3449 1032
Passcode: 519643
Support Kennedy: Dine-Out at Curry Pizza House
Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month
Students and staff will celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15-October 15. Our student leadership class is planning a variety of events for students to participate in.
On Friday, students played Loteria and danced to music by Latine/Hispanic artists. We will continue to celebrate this Friday!
Flag Football & Volleyball Games This Week
6th-Grade Volleyball
- Mon 9/23 Kennedy Cougars White vs. Kennedy Cougars Green 4:00 p.m. in the Kennedy Gym
- Thu 9/26 Kennedy Cougars Green vs. Clifford Dolphins 4:45 p.m. in the Kennedy Gym
7th-Grade Volleyball
- Mon 9/23 Kennedy Cougars Green vs. Roy Cloud Thunderbolts 4:45 p.m. in the Kennedy Gym
- Thu 9/26 Kennedy Cougars White vs. Roy Cloud Thunderbolts 4:00 p.m. in the Kennedy Gym
Thu 9/26 Kennedy Cougars Green vs. Clifford Dolphins 6:15 PM in the Kennedy Gym
8th-Grade Volleyball
- Mon 9/23 Kennedy Cougars White vs. Hoover Huskies 4:00 p.m. in the Hoover Gym
Mon 9/23 Kennedy Cougars Green vs. MIT Bulldogs 5:30 p.m. in the Hoover Gym
- Thu 9/26 Kennedy Cougars White vs. Roy Cloud Thunderbolts 5:30 p.m. in the Kennedy Gym
Thu 9/26 Kennedy Cougars Green vs. Connect Wolves 5:30 p.m. in the MIT Gym
6th-8th Grade(s) Flag Football
Mon 9/23 Kennedy Cougars Gold vs. Hoover Huskies 5:00 p.m. at the Hawes Field
Wed 9/25 Kennedy Cougars Gold vs. North Star Gryphons 4:00 p.m. at the Hawes Field
LET'S GO, KENNEDY COUGARS!
Los Ayudantes Tutors Needed to Volunteer in the Classroom
Are you looking for an easy volunteer opportunity that makes a real difference? Then why not consider being a Los Ayudantes (The Helpers) tutor and make a difference in the lives of English Learner students at Kennedy? At the direction of Mrs. LaPaglia, you will work one-on-one with students, helping them read articles, books, and other texts. You’ll also help the students think deeply about the subject matter, making personal connections to the text. Most rewardingly, however, you can become an important, trusted adult and mentor in the students' lives when you make this commitment to tutor them throughout the remainder of the school year. You can volunteer once a week or more! Training is provided, and you can shadow one of our volunteers before you decide to volunteer. For more information and to volunteer, visit our website, http://www.losayudantes.org.
RCSD Chromebook Policy
High School Information for 8th-Graders
Homework Reminders
Your students should have homework Monday through Friday. Our English language arts and math teachers will assign homework nightly. Here are the general homework guidelines for each grade level:
6th Grade: 30-45 minutes
7th Grade: 45-60 minutes
8th Grade: 60-75 minutes
These times may vary depending on the assignments and projects, but students should have some math or reading assignment each night. If your student says they do not have homework, please make sure they show you their assignments in Google Classroom. You can also check PowerSchool for grades. If your student says they finished their assignments at school, make them show you their finished work.
If students are finished with their assignments, they can still:
Read their independent reading books.
Practice reading or math i-Ready or Khan Academy lessons.
Review notes from classes to make sure they understand their lessons.
Create flashcards for key vocabulary terms and review them.
Clean out or organize their backpacks, binders, and folders.
The Week in Photos
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.
Click to view and save the Kennedy Student & Family Handbook.
Kennedy's Amazon Wishlist
We had a few anonymous Kennedy community members purchase Kleenex and glue sticks for staff. Thank you! We appreciate you thinking of our teachers.
Thank you to the Yezerski & Tawaratsumida family for donating painter's tape, wipes, glue sticks, and lined paper. What an awesome surprise!
An anonymous donor also donated sanitizing wipes and pencils. Thank you!
Calendar of Events
SEPTEMBER
- PTO Meeting Sept. 24 Library/Zoom 7:00-8:30 p.m.
- Staff Development ~ No School Sept. 30 All Day
- Fall Goal Setting Conferences Sept. 30-Oct. 4 Campus 1:00-3:15 p.m.
- i-Ready District Assessment in ELA-Math Sept. 4-30
Kennedy Middle School
Website: https://www.rcsdk8.net/kennedy
Location: 2521 Goodwin Avenue, Redwood City, CA, USA
Phone: 650.482.2409
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kennedymiddleschool