Cougar Connect
Week of November 29th 2021
Kennedy Families,
I hope you all have a relaxing time-off and enjoy some time with friends and families. The past couple fo years have been challenging for all of us and especially for a lot of our students.
Thank you for all the work and support you have been doing supporting your students and your school.
Nick Fanourgiakis
Principal Message Week of November 29th
Kennedy families hope everyone is well. You will be receiving this Cougar Connect Tuesday November 23rd and Monday November 29th.
I hope you all had productive conferences. If you have any further questions please reach out to your teachers or to administration if necessary.
Below are some updates from last week and for the week to come.
Grades / GPA
We were able to look over all students grades for the 1st trimester and found some very positive information. 70% of all Kennedy students earned a GPA of over 3.0 and above. (B Average). We also had 35% of students receive a GPA of 3.75 and above which qualifies for Honor roll or Principal Honor Roll. This is a reflection of the hard work students have been doing as well as the support of families and staff. Let's keep it up.
Honor Roll and Principal's Honor Roll
Kennedy has historically offered a morning breakfast for all students that earned Honro Roll and Principal's Honor roll. Due to COVID-19 limitation we will instead have a celebration during Homeroom on December 16th. More details to come. Honor roll is any students that earned a GPA of 3:75-3.99 and Principal's Honor Roll is any student that earned a 4.0 and above.
Reclassified Students
Kennedy Currently has 147 students who qualify as English leaners and have yet to be reclassified. Based on recent scores 32 of these students were reclassified last week. This is a huge accomplishment and means these students are now categorized as fluent English proficient. Great job students, the district is scheduling a ceremony in January for all recently reclassified students.
Principal's Coffee
Are monthly principal's coffee is schedule for Thursday December 2nd at 8:45 am. See you then (Link)
Positive COVID-19 Case Protocol Review
Anytime there are COVID-19 cases that are on site there will be a school-wide notification, grade level notification and close contact notification sent via email. If your student was a close contact at Kennedy you will also receive a phone call with that information.
To help us please keep your student home if they are sick and please let us know by calling the school office if your student tests positive as soon as you know. (Case Notification went out on 11/23)
School Volunteers
Our Schools will begin welcoming back parent volunteers starting the week of November 29th. For volunteers interested and that qualify checkin with Kennedy administration and complete this district form. (Link)
Winter Concert December 16th
Kennedy Orchestra has begun planning its virtual winter concert. Students involved will get specific info from Mr. Balogh ebalogh@rcsdk8.net. We plan on broadcasting the showcase at the scheduled time of 7 pm on the 16th of December.
Minimum Day Friday December 17th
It is a little early but please put on your calendar that we have a superminimum day on December 17th which means school will be dismissed at 12:06 pm. (Link)
Yearbook
The Yearbook Club has begun. You can order your yearbook now. Books are $35 and the link is provided below.
code: 1015926081674110
Thank you, everyone!
Nikolaos Fanourgiakis
Principal
Kennedy Middle School
I-Ready Testing / Round Two
Round two of I-Ready Testing is coming up: (Student take it 3 times)
Kennedy School will begin administering I-Ready Assessment the next couple weeks. I-Ready is a district diagnostic assessment given to all students to determine what grade level content they have learned, and need to learn. It is a very valuable tool for teachers and allows for student to gain access to an I-Ready digital interface of lessons that target each students needs. Students will be using that digital interface in their Expository Writing and English language development classes. Families will receive a copy of their students progress with each report card.
*Also if you are an 8th grader the High Schools l will be using students I-Ready Reading test for class placement
Below is the I-Ready Schedule:
I-Ready Testing Schedule is below: (Block Days)
Dec 1-2 Reading Assessment in their English class and Friday 3rd if necessary
Dec 8-9 Math Assessment in their math classes and Friday 10th if necessary
*Admin will be pulling make-ups the week of Dec 13th
8th Grade Information
- High School Placement Test for Reading: 8th graders will be taking a reading test Dec 1-3rd next week that the High school will use to decide class placement next school year!!! Students do the best that you can.
- 8th grade students met with admin the week of Nov 15th. The focus of the conversation was 8th grade graduation expectations. See the link of the presentation. (Link)
- A letter will be also be sent to all 8th grade families Monday the 29th going over graduation expectations. I am providing a link to the letter here (Link)
-Third Sequoia unified school district transfer window opened.
November 15 - February 1 .
So if you are interested in transferring to a different school you must make that request with Sequoia unified.
If you are not sure what school you are assigned you can check here (Link)
Information on all schools in Sequoia Unified here (Link)
Online Tutoring
Tutoring options for Families:
Option #1 (Kennedy resource)
Healthy Cities Tutoring is a non-profit organization that recruits, trains, and matches volunteer tutors to work one-on-one with students who have been identified by a teacher as needing a little extra help. There is no cost to your family for participating in this tutoring program.
Typically, students and tutors meet one day per week for 45 minutes during the regular school year, in person at a school campus. If, due to the pandemic, your personal circumstances do not allow for in person meetings, we will support remote tutoring via zoom. All remote tutoring will take place after school and once your child has returned home. Parental or caregiver support is required.
If you would like for your child to be tutored through this program this year, then please complete this permission form so that we can begin the process to match your child with one of our tutors.
Option #2 (District Resource)
Our District just purchased Tutoring.com and has made it available for all students in grades 6-8 who would like to benefit for online homework help.
Students can access the homework help by clicking on the "Waffle" menu on their Chrome browser. They will scroll down and click on the Tutor.com icon . (Note that they need to be signed in to Chrome using their RCSD accounts.) They are also working on having a link in students Clever accounts in the future.
Once students are logged in, they can follow the steps in this video to sign up for help. Online tutors are available in English and in Spanish.
Tutor.com has also provided these resources for families.
Top 10 Facts for Families (English pdf)
Top 10 Facts for Families (Spanish pdf)
PTO NEWS - 11/30/21
Join us via Zoom for our next PTO Meeting on Tuesday, 11/30/21 from 7-8pm.
Volunteers are welcome on-campus at RCSD schools starting on 11/29/21!
Please fill out the volunteer form and find volunteer requirements at the link here. https://www.rcsdk8.net/Page/9629
KMS classrooms need Kleenex! Please bring tissue donations to the office. Thanks!
Want to help our community? The PTO is doing a gift card drive this holiday season. Kennedy Family Center will be giving away gift cards to KMS families during the holidays. Please bring gift cards for local grocery stores (Safeway, Lucky’s, Chavez Market, Key Market and others) and retails shops (Target, Ross, Marshall’s and others…) in any amount to the Kennedy Family Center (in the front office building) between November 29 and December 15th. Any gift card donation helps!
Open PTO Leadership Roles-
Communications Rep - help with parent/school communication
Music Dept Liaison - help with Music teachers, events & fundraising
Drama Dept Liaison - help with Drama productions
Safe Routes Rep - work with community to ensure safety to and from school
Student Activities Liaison - work with KMS staff & students to plan activities
Fundraising Coordinator - plan and facilitate fundraising efforts for PTO
Grade Level Parent Leaders - communicate with parents at your student's grade level, plan parent connections
Counseling Request form / Please click on image Below
After School Program info Click on image below
Chocolate Tasting
6th grade students have been reading The Jaguar and the Cacao Tree by BIRGITTE RASINE, A.P.E.
Ms. Rasine Presented to our 6th grade students on Friday the 19th and then led them in a chocolate tasting activity that was organized by our 6th grade ELA teachers Ms. Marinos, Ms. Sanchez and Ms. Fernando
It was. a lot of fun.
*Something we learned, students really didn't like turmeric and black pepper chocolate
November / December Dates
- November 29th Classes resume
- November 30th Site Council / PTO 6:00-8:30 pm
- December 1-17 I-Ready Testing Window
- December 2nd Principal's Coffee 8:45 am
- December 9th WEB Activities for 6th Grade During Homeroom
- December 16th Honor Roll Activities during Homeroom
- December 16th Virtual Winter Concert 7 pm
- December 17th Superminimum Day
- Winter Break December 18th-January 3rd
- January 3rd / Tuesday Classes Resume
Kennedy Middle School Redwood City
Email: nfanourgiakis@rcsdk8.net
Website: https://www.rcsdk8.net/kennedy
Location: Kennedy Middle School, Goodwin Avenue, Redwood City, CA, USA
Phone: 650-482-2409
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kennedymiddleschool/