Kennedy Parent Newsletter
February 2023
Principal's News
Parent Teacher Conferences will be held on Thursday, March 2nd & Monday, March 6th - you will be able to sign up for a time slot by mid February. You can go to the Kennedy Home Page and sign up by clicking on Search - Parent-Teacher Conference https://ptcfast.com/schools/Kennedy_Elementary
Tardy/Late Slips - Students can enter the building at 7:40 am. Instruction BEGINS at 7:55 am. Please make sure your child is on time for school. We need to have the lunch counts in by 8:45 or we will not have enough lunches for all students! A high of 12.98% of our students were tardy on one day.
Appointment Slips Please bring appointment slip to the office following any appointments (dentist, doctor, etc.).
In-door Recess Policy - Outdoor recess is canceled when the temperature and wind speed create a wind chill factor of 10 degrees below zero or colder.
School Start and End Times
School start time is 7:55 am and dismissal time is 2:17 pm. Doors will open at 7:40 am. Do not drop children off any earlier than 7:40 am to ensure that students are supervised.
Grades K - 2 enter through Main Door (6); Grades 3 - 5 enter through Gym Doors (7)
All doors will be available to exit.
Please see the School Visitation Policy below - If a parent comes to eat with their child at school, please bring a bag lunch or notify the office that you plan to eat the "hot" or "cold" entrée and pay upon your arrival. Parent can not charge their lunch to their child's account. When coming in to join your child for school lunch, parents need to bring the exact amount ($3.60). We do not have change at the school! Food purchased from a restaurant will not be allowed in the lunchroom. Parents who wish to eat restaurant food with their child can sign their child out of school and return their child after their scheduled lunch break. The Visitation Policy (AP 4650) will be followed.
POWERSCHOOL ATTENDANCE CONFUSION
Have you gone into PowerSchool and noticed your child has a large number of absences, but was really only gone a short amount of time??? Please don’t panic, our school day in PowerSchool is made up of 6 periods (1 for each hour of the school day.) For example if a student is out sick for the day it will show 6 absences for that one day instead of 1 absence for the whole day. If you have any questions regarding your student’s attendance please call the office at (701) 446-4200.
TARDIES
Our first bell rings at 7:40 AM. This is the time when students are allowed to go to their lockers and inside their classrooms. Students must be in their classrooms by 7:55 AM. The time from 7:40 to 7:55 AM is important for organizing, preparing for the day and getting a breakfast if your child would like. It is important for all of our students to be on time…meaning in the classroom and ready to learn by 7:55 AM. Attendance line: (701) 446-4206.
MCKINNEY-VENTO ACT
Is your current address a temporary living arrangement?
Is this temporary living arrangement due to loss of housing or economic hardship?
If you can answer “yes” to either of these questions, please contact:
Jan Anderson
Homeless Liaison
Fargo Public Schools
(701)446-3187
KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION FOR FALL 2023 - STARTS FEBRUARY 1st
Kindergarten Registration for Fall 2023 opens online on February 1 at www.fargo.k12.nd.us/registration. Your child must be age 5 by July 31, 2023 to attend school in the fall.
Registration is a two-step process:
STEP ONE: REGISTER ONLINE
Complete online registration forms at www.fargo.k12.nd.us/registration. For assistance, please contact your child’s school to schedule an appointment to complete in-person.
STEP TWO: SUBMIT DOCUMENTATION
Upload or bring the following documents to your child’s school by August 28 to finalize registration.
- Child’s certified birth certificate
- Child’s immunization record with 5-year shots
- Two Documents (i.e. current city utility bill or bank statement) that includes parent/guardian name and current address for verification
If you do not know which school your child will attend, call 701.446.1043 or check online at www.fargo.k12.nd.us/boundarymaps.
If you need help in PowerSchool (Fargo Public Schools online registration software), please call 701.446.1006
BIO: Beautiful Inside & Out. That is what BIO Girls is aiming to help girls believe they are! 6 in 10 adolescent girls battle low self-esteem. It's a crisis. Our 12-session program is proven through independent research to increase self-esteem. BIO Girls is on a mission too important to fail.
Clothing Needed
FASTPITCH SOFTBALL - Camp opportunity
Winter Throwdown Camp: Pass along to anyone you know in grades K-5
There is still time to register for the Winter Throwdown Camp held at Centennial Elementary School. To sign up for the camp please visit our camp webpage by clicking the following link.
Winter Throwdown Registration Link
Camp Information:
- Date: Thursday, February 9
- Time: 6:00 pm - 7:15 pm
- Grades: K - 5
- Where: Centennial Elementary School (4201 25th St. S)
- Cost: $10.00
If you have any questions, please call the Fargo Youth Baseball office at 701-232-9225, email at info@fargoyouthbaseball.com or contact me. 701-446-2041 or lundonm@fargo.k12.nd.us
DROP OFF PROCEDURES:
If you drop off your child or children at school, we ask that you be kind and patient to others in the drop off loop. If the loop gets congested, pull to the tennis court for extra parking and drop off space.
- Have your child ready to get out of the car once you are stopped. Have their backpack and device beside them, so they can exit the car as quickly as possible..
- All children being dropped off in the loop should get out on the passenger side door.
- Adults are to ALWAYS remain in the vehicle.
- If your child needs assistance in dressing or gathering their belongings, please park in the parking lot to assist them. Fast drop offs keeps the drop off line flowing. Please do not drop off your students in the south parking lot - it is not a drop off loop. This is very unsafe to have children walking through the parking lot. If you would like to pull into the south lot and park and walk your child to the crosswalk - that is great but no not just drop them off and and let them go on their own to the crosswalk.
- The north loop is for buses and daycares only, NOT for parent drop off or parent pick up.
- Parents picking up Kindergarten & 1st grade students, please park on the south side of 44th Ave ONLY for the safety of your children. We do not want them crossing the street to get into your cars.
- Pull up as far as you are able.
- Be courteous to staff and others while dropping off - they are they are they to assist with the safety of dropping off and picking up of of your child/ren.
ATTENDANCE INFORMATION
ATTENDANCE – TARDINESS - ABSENCES`-See Administrative Policy 6220: Student Attendance
The Attendance Policy will be updated online in the Fall of 2022. It is important that parents and their student(s) develop the practice of good attendance and punctual behavior patterns early in their school years and continue to understand their importance.
Parents should call the school when a child is to be absent, so the school can account for all students. When a child is absent and the reason for the absence is not known, the school secretary will contact the parent/guardian as soon as possible to determine the reason for the absence. When school absenteeism (excused/unexcused and/or tardiness) becomes excessive the parents will be contacted to work with school staff on resolving the issue.
Commonly Asked ATTENDANCE Questions:
What if my my child refuses to go to school?
Parents can call the school for assistance in getting their child to school. Parents/guardians are responsible for getting their child to school.
Why do I have to notify the school by 8:30 AM if my child will be absent?
This is necessary to determine the safety of your child. If contact cannot be made, school administration may work with the Fargo Police Department to conduct a welfare check.
Can a school require a medical excuse for absences due to illness?
Yes, schools can ask for medical documentation for illness.
ND Century Code on Attendance 15.1-20-01:
All children between the ages of 7 and 16 are required by law to be in attendance every day that school is in session. Illness and certain other physical or mental incapacities are exceptions. Regular attendance habits require maximum cooperation of parent, students, and school. Parental responsibility is clearly noted in the North Dakota Century Code.
Six late slips = 1 absence / 3 absence = Tier 1 Attendance
Please help us with our daily attendance by calling the school if your child is absent. By calling the school we are able to insure that your child is safe and accounted for each day.
Please call the office (701-446-4206) or email Dawn Sanders at sanderd1@fargo.k12.nd.us.
If your child arrives at school after the bell rings at 7:55 AM, they will need to stop at the office to get a tardy slip before going to the classroom.
APPOINTMENTS: If you need to pick up your student for an appointment during the school day, come to door 6 and ring the security bell to enter the school. Your child will be called down to the office once you arrive and you may sign them out at that time. Please remember to bring your appointment slip back to school - we will attach it to your reenter slip.
Field Trips and In School Experiences Kindergarten - Grade 5
See Kennedy Calendar for Schedule - https://www.fargocalendars.org/public/genie/212/school/18/
For more Field Trip information Click Here
Note to Parents:
We are excited to offer these opportunities to parents. Parents have the choice to opt their student. If you wish to opt your student out of an opportunity, scroll to the last page of the above link and chose the Opt Out Form. Please fill out the form and return it to your building’s principal.
School Visitation Policy
The Menu’s this year are only going to be posted a week at a time because of the new system the kitchen is using and the supply of what is available. Parents can access the menus on the Fargo website under the quick links tab. I have included the link here as well https://family.titank12.com/menu/PZJCHY
Students that are eating breakfast at school should arrive by 7:40 to allow them time to eat before to the last bell at 7:55. They should enter through door 7 and get their breakfast before they go to their classrooms.
PTA NEWS
Join Kennedy PTA
We are only as great as our members, and need every family at Kennedy to join PTA. Memberships are only $15 per individual and gives you a formal voice in what the PTA does. Joining does not require you to volunteer, although our small army of dedicated volunteers always appreciate the extra help! You can join online on our MemberHub store: https://kennedyfargo.memberhub.com/store?category=Memberships.
PTA Volunteers
Just like joining the PTA does not require you to volunteer, volunteering does not require you to be a PTA member. We welcome all families and staff to support our events when possible. Many employers match volunteer hours with donations to the PTA. Our volunteering opportunities range from as little as one hour one time to organizing an event to serving as a Chair or Officer. Please visit with us at the next PTA meeting to learn more!
DATES TO REMEMBER
February 17 No School
February 20 No School-Teacher Professional Development
March 2 & March 6 Parent Teacher Conferences (a link will be sent out for parents to sign up)
March13-17-Spring Break (No School)
April 10-Storm Day Make up-there will be school on this date.
May 26-Storm Day Make up-there will be school on this date.
Boys & Girls Clubs of the Red River Valley (BGC)
The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Red River Valley (BGC) offers affordable and flexible youth development programs for before school, after school, and school-out days for youth K-5th grades, and The CLUB Teen Center at our BGC Midtown location after school and summer for teens 6th through 12th grade.
We’ve increased our capacity for after school activities at The CLUB Teen Center at BGC Midtown, cost is only $10 per teen annually!
And we’ve launched the Maris Academy, a year-long program designed specifically for grades 6-12 that provide exciting career exploration opportunities right here in our community!
Visit our website at BGCRRV.org for more information.
Boys & Girls Clubs of the Red River Valley
Scheduling, Registration, & General Information
701-235-2147 | schedule@bgcrrv.org | BGCRRV.org
The Fargo South Track and Field program
Kennedy Elementary School
Email: ragek@fargo.k12.nd.us
Website: https://www.fargo.k12.nd.us/kennedy
Location: 4401 42nd Street South, Fargo, ND, USA
Phone: 701-446-4200
Twitter: @KennedyFargo