Dear Kennedy Families,

What a way to start 2023! Families, I hope you have power and that you have been able to endure the weather.

We are excited to have students back and look forward to seeing everyone on Monday.

Attendance

Attendance is very important, no matter what time of year, as every instructional minute counts. If students are sick, please keep them home. However, when possible, please schedule vacations and appointments when school is not in session. See link for the correlation between student achievement and chronic absenteeism: (Link)

Parents and guardians should be notifying our office staff when students are absent. Truancy and attendance letters will be sent home to students who have excessive absences. Doctor’s notes are required for three or more consecutive absences.

Progress Reports

Progress Reports will be mailed to you on Friday 1/13. Student progress can also be found digitally through the parent portal using PowerSchool. If anyone still needs assistance gaining access to the parent portal, please call our office and we can assist. Also included with your progress report are the results for your students I-Ready diagnostic exams. I have made a short video explaining some of the details within the I-Ready Report you will receive. I-Ready Report.

COVID Testing over Martin Luther King Holiday:

Students will be given COVID tests on Thursday or Friday 1/12-1/13 to be administered Monday 1/16. If students test positive keep your students at home and complete this RCSD COVID reporting (Link). If you student test negative no action is needed.

All the best,

Nikolaos Fanourgiakis

Principal

Kennedy Middle School

nfanourgiakis@rcsdk8.net

8th Grade Families your students have 5 months left as 8th graders at Kennedy school! Let's make the next 5 months their most memorable.

See Link of information sent to all families on 1/6/2023 (Link)

Teen Talk Jan 23-Feb 3rd

Kennedy 7th grade students will be participating in Teen Talk in their science classes Jan 23-Feb 3rd. Science teachers will be sending further information on January 9th which will be added to the Cougar Connect. Please reach out to our 7th grade science teachers if you have any questions:

Irma Aguilar Figueroa, ifigueroa@rcsdk8.net

Chelsea Strangman, cstrangman@rcsdk8.net

Parent Information Session January 17th 7:30 pm (Register here)

Also, in preparation Kennedy will be hosting an information session that provides parents and guardians with information about the comprehensive sexual health course, Teen Talk Middle School. Information about the CA Healthy Youth Act, key content, and rationale, will be provided. There is also an opportunity for Q&A.

Thank you to the families that joined us in December.

The meeting went well so we will be offering it again on January 26th 6:00 pm in the Kennedy library (In-Person)

Goal of Meeting:

• To provide families resources in order to support math at home

• To give some general grade level math expectations for families

If you are interested in attending please complete this short ticket. (Link)

Thank you to the families that joined us for our Screenagers viewing. For families that would still like to watch use the link below. You can watch anytime from now till January 13th.

To Watch use this Link (Register and then the video get emailed to you to watch)

We will be hosting 2 other educational documentaries with Screenagers in February and March

More information https://www.screenagersmovie.com/

Project Resilience by Acknowledge Alliance will commence on January 13th-March 3rd with our 7th grade students and go for 7 weeks

Students will receive weekly lessons in their social studies classes on Fridays.

Project Resilience is a partnership where Acknowledge Alliance facilitators 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 use the link below to access the Matilda Jr. Newsletter #3-Rehearsal Schedule.

Sara Rosenbloom srosenbloom@rcsdk8.net

Below is the schedule of practices and games through February. If there are any changes we will announce it during morning announcements and coaches will inform families.

Practice Schedule (Link)

Game Schedule (Link)

If you have practice questions contact your coaches or Recreation Coordinator Michael Smith <msmith@redwoodcity.org>

Kennedy school provides a variety of academic support for students. Some of the academic support are provided in person but there are also many that are online. Attached is a document that provides details of some of these supports. If you have questions please contact me or our family center director Elizabeth Calderon.

Elizabeth Calderon, ecalderongarcia@rcsdk8.net

Nick Fanourgiakis, nfanourgiakis@rcsdk8.net

Step #1 School (Link)

Step #2 School Passcode 1015926081674110

Price $35

Deadline April 5th

Official Flyer with information (Link)

See Link for most recent Student Council information (Link)

Visit the Student Council website

https://sites.google.com/rcsdk8.net/kmsstuco/home

Check out www.kennedycougarspto.org for more info.

Kennedy Student / Family Handbook

Calendar 2022-23