Principal Message October 31st, 2022
Good Morning Kennedy Families,
Wow! What a week! Thank you families for helping us celebrate our October birthdays, helping prepare and send our 54 8th graders to their Yosemite trip, and for chaperoning a very exciting and fun Halloween dance with over 250 students attending!
We are almost at the end of the 1st trimester. Let’s remind our students to do the best that they can as the trimester ends November 10th. Also, please reminder our students to charge their chromebooks each night. Chromebooks are needed in nearly every class, and when students fail to bring charged Chromebooks to school, it is disruptive to the learning environment.
Below is the Cougar Connect for the week of (October 31st to - November 4th)
Super-minimum Day Tuesday, November 1st (Link)
Kennedy will be on a super minimum day schedule this Tuesday, Nov 1st. Students will be dismissed at 12:00pm. It is a staff professional development day district-wide.
This Tuesday Kennedy will be offering morning breakfast for students between 8:00 am-8:30 am in the Kennedy gym.
If your student needs a bagged lunch to take home Tuesday, please let us know by completing the following survey. This will help lunch staff prepare enough lunches for those who request them. Lunch Survey for Super-Minimum Day
Principal's Coffee 8:45 am -10:00 am Thursday, November 3
Families are welcome to join us for Principal's coffee this Thursday at 8:45 am in the Kennedy library.
After School Support Schedule this week
Homework support Monday and Wednesday 3:15 pm-4:15 pm in the Kennedy library
Math Support Monday, Wednesday, and Friday 3:15 pm-4:30 pm in room 534
Pride Group
Kennedy partners with San Mateo County "Pride Center" which provides counseling support for Kennedy students. If you are interested contact Mariela Lopez in the Family center.
mlopez3@rcsdk8.net or 650-4822409-3482
English (Link)
Spanish (Link)
COIVID/ FLU Vaccines Redwood City
Redwood City School District (RCSD) invites its community to vaccination clinic events the District will host this fall. The COVID vaccine or booster as well as the flu shot will be available for RCSD students and their families and for RCSD employees and their families. Either or both vaccines are available for children (5-11 year olds), youth (12+) as well as adults (RCSD employees and RCSD families).
The event details are as follows:
Date(s) of Clinic: Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2022 and Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2022
Location: Hoover School, 701 Charter St., Redwood City
Clinic Hours: 4-7 pm
Individuals interested can sign-up in advance via MyTurn using the following links:
Tardies - Students Late to classes 2-7th periods
Kennedy has "Academic Lunch" during lunch weekly for students who are late to class. Families are notified via text message if their student was late. If you have a student who is late to class, please follow up with him/her and encourage timely arrival to classes. We appreciate your efforts in this matter.
COVID-19
COVID-19 is still a concern for our staff, students, and families. We continue to recommend, but not require, students wear masks. If a student tests positive, parents should complete the district’s self-reporting form and inform the Kennedy office. This form is available on the “Quick Links” section of the RCSD website as well as all 12 school websites.
Also, if your student is sick or showing COVID-19 symptoms, please keep the student home and get them tested.
Let’s have a great week, everyone!
Go, Cougars!
Nikolaos Fanourgiakis
Principal
Kennedy Middle School
Book Fair November 14-18th
Book Fair Nov 14-18th in the Kennedy library
Students will be visiting with their ELA teachers and during some recesses and lunches.
Students enrolled in the after school program can also visit after school.
Parents can use the link to set up e-wallets or shop.
Student Store
The Kennedy Student Store opens this week for online purchases.
Store will be Open from November 1st- November to 10th
Items ordered can be picked -up the week of November 14th
Cougar Cash is awarded by staff via the Positive Behavior Intervention System (PBIS) app found in on students Clever Dashboard.
Halloween day Student-Expectations
Halloween day student-expectations were shared with all students the prior weeks.
Halloween costume Expectations
No costume masks
No fake blood or props and accessories (Ex: things you hold or carry like a wand a weapon etc).
Costumes may not have obscene language, hate speech or themes/references to drugs, alcohol, the occult, death/suicide, or violence.
Hair coloring must be applied at home and not at school
Candy leave at home
*Students do not have to dress-up
Grand Canyon Trip Update
We have collected more than 70 applications and, even though we set a deadline, will accept more if there are still families interested. We want to make sure that any student that wants to participate has the opportunity to do so.
We are currently working on collecting student information which includes feedback from admin and teachers, mile times from P.E. teachers, and GPAs for the 1st trimester.
We aim to post our "Go List" before Thanksgiving break.
Please email Maestro Alfredo Oropeza (aoropeza@rcsdk8.net) if you have any questions.
Trip Website (Link)
Musical 2022-23 School Year
Sara Rosenbloom, our drama teacher, will be leading our Spring Musical. We are excited to announce this year’s production will be Matilda The Musical Jr. This year we will be live and in person and we are looking forward to a fantastic production this spring! Students will work as a group to create a musical. This is a performance opportunity for students to build community, sing, dance, and act in a group and create a show we can all be proud of. Being part of a production is a lot of fun and a great way to participate in the school community.
If you are interested in being part of the musical and finding out more information, sign-up.
Important dates and information:
November 9th Wednesday, 6:00 pm-7:00 pm Informational Meeting (Zoom link)
Week of November 14th, Auditions
Rehearsals will be Monday-Thursday after school until 5:30 pm. Rehearsals will be once a week until January. (Specifics will be shared during our informational meeting on November 9th)
Show Dates are: March 17th,18th and 19th, 2022.
Contact Ms. Rosenbloom if you have any questions: srosenbloom@rcsdk8.net
Math Support
Two options for Math Support for Students
First: Ms. Le is beginning after school math support this week. All students needing support can pop - in when needed.
Schedule:
- Monday, Wednesday and Friday till 4:30 pm in room 534
Students can go directly to her classroom after dismissal
2nd: Families can still sign their students up for an extra math class. Currently around 70 students are registered. If you are a parent that wants your student to be part of this extra class or wants more information please email me directly.
Some specifics:
This is a graded class with students having to commit for the year.
The classes are 4 days a week M-Th
The classes are not specific for homework help; the staff will be working on the diverse math needs of these students.
Schedule:
6th and 7th Grade
7:45 am -8:25 M-Th
8th Grade
3:15-4:00 M-W
2:15-3:00 Th.
6th Grade Marine Science Institute Field Trips!
6th Grade Marine Science Field Trip has more trio to go!
Below is the schedule of classes going Canoeing in Sloughs in October (9am-2pm)
October 31st Monday, Period 4, Ms. Ruiz class and Period 2, Sergio’s class
*If you have any-questions check in with your science teachers
aruiz@rcsdk8.net, ssimarromartinez@rcsdk8.net, jvirnich@rcsdk8.net
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SEL Partnership Acknowledge Alliance
Project Resilience by Acknowledge Alliance will commence on Sept 30 in 6th-grade social studies classes and will run for seven weeks with the lessons on Fridays.
Project Resilience is a partnership where outside instructors work with our students on developing their social emotional skills, including identifying strengths, recognizing and managing emotions, demonstrating caring for others, coping strategies for dealing with feelings, establishing and maintaining positive relationships, making responsible decisions and working with others.
Please visit www.acknowledgealliance.org/services.
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Kennedy Middle School Redwood City