Kennedy Cougars

Dear Kennedy Families and Caregivers,

Big congratulations go out to our super star creative writer and artist, Giana Macchiano. Giana wrote a wonderful speech and drew a gorgeous sketch to go with it. She will be presenting her masterpiece on Monday, January 16th at Kennedy Middle School at 10:00am. Please come check out all of the amazing student work. You can see the picture of her work below in the picture section of the newsletter.

I just came down from the gym where I was watching some of the Kennedy Girls Basketball game against Wellesley. WOW, what a close game! And, so exciting to watch. The crowd was great and I loved the positivity from both sides. I'm very proud of our team and the coaches, Mr. Gallivan and Mr. Hornecker, who have lots of experience on the court. Go COUGARS!!!

Positivity Project News

This week our school community will be focusing on the character strength of Creativity. Creativity means you come up with new and original ways to think about and do things.

Creative people can look at the world in original ways. They are open to new experiences, and have an imaginative and independent thought process. They generate lots of different ideas and can pursue them with energy and enthusiasm. Creativity is a process that takes courage. Anytime you share your original ideas with the world, you risk being criticized or even ostracized.

To practice and encourage the character strength of creativity with your child, please visit the Positivity Project’s P2 for Families (password: P2) where together you will watch a video, read a quote and talk about the answers to three questions.

Here is the CREATIVITY parent letter for this week's character strength.

Information notification letters about math placement

22-23 6th to 7th opening placement letter

22-23 7th to 8th opening placement letter

From the Nurses Health Clinic:

If your student tests positive for Covid-19, they must stay home for 5 days. The day they started symptoms is Day 0, the next day is Day 1, then Day 2, etc. They may return to school on Day 6 and must wear a mask for an additional 5 days. A headache, scratchy throat, congestion/runny nose, cough, and/or fever are some of the more common symptoms of Covid-19.

Siblings and close contacts do not need to quarantine and can come to school as long as they are not having symptoms of illness. However, they must wear a mask for 10 days when around others following exposure.

Click for more information from the Massachusetts DPH: Covid-19 Isolation and Exposure Guidance

Athletics Update:

Girls basketball

• Kennedy defeats Wellesley 36 - 17
• Kennedy defeats Wellesley 29 - 24

Boys basketball

• Kennedy defeats Wellesley 44 - 41
• Kennedy defeats Wellesley 45 - 42

Warm regards,

Jodie Cohen, Principal

“You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.”

- Maya Angelou

Twitter - @KennedyMSNatick

Instagram - @KennedyMSNatick

#weR1Kennedy

#hearusROAR

#cougarpride
#positivityinaction

1 - iDecide Survey Notification - Week of 2/6/2023

iDECIDE (Drug Education Curriculum: Intervention, Diversion, and Empowerment), is a drug education curriculum developed to provide behavioral support and psycho-education for middle and high school students. The program is designed to serve as a secondary prevention effort for youth (grades 6 -12) at risk for escalation to problematic substance use and as an alternative to suspension, expulsion, and other exclusionary practices for school-based substance use infractions. iDecide provides schools and communities the resources to empower students to engage in healthy decision making. iDecide is not a cessation program, and is not meant to be used in lieu of treatment. Natick Public Schools was chosen to work in partnership with iDecide, a program produced by Mass General Hospital and Harvard Medical School.

For more information about the iDecide program and its brief survey for students, USE THIS LINK.

2 - Depression Screening Notification letter

Depression screening notifications were sent home to all grade 6 and 7 families via school messenger this week. Here is the link to the letter that was sent. Please read this letter for more information.

3 - 2023 Annual Community MLK Celebration Writing/Art/Performance Piece Contest

On Monday January 16, 2023, in Natick, MA., the Greater Natick Interfaith Clergy Association, Natick Is United, the Natick Board of Health, Natick 180, Town of Natick, Natick Public Schools, METCO, and SPARK Kindness will host the 18th Annual Community MLK Celebration from 10:00-11:00 at Kennedy Middle School (more details to be announced closer to the date). See event page for more details.

Students at Wilson and Kennedy Middle Schools and Natick High School are invited to submit an essay, poem, creative writing (400 words or fewer) OR performance OR presentation of an art piece. Both Middle Schools and Natick High School will select the winning submission(s) to represent the school at the MLK celebration. The creator of each winning entry will win a $100 prize; additionally, other submissions will be featured in the event program and/or in an event recording.

For more details about the event and/or writing contest, follow this link for information.

4 - Grade 8 to 9 Transition to Natick High School Timeline

Here is the link to the Grade 8 to 9 Transition Timeline.

5 - UPCOMING SCHOOL EVENTS for your calendar

• Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday - Monday, January 16th - No school
• Professional Half Day - Wednesday, January 25th - Dismissal at 11:30am
• Trimester 2 ends - Friday, March 17th
• Trimester 3 begins - Monday, March 20th
• Trimester 3 ends - TBD (depends on last day of school based on snow days)

Natick Public Schools is excited to announce our partnership with Paper for on-demand tutoring for NHS students. Paper is a secure, online tutoring service that provides students with unlimited, 24/7 academic support. Whether they’re stuck on homework, studying for a test, or need someone to read and make suggestions to their essays, there will always be experts available online to assist students in over 200 subjects and more than 4 languages.

Paper tutors have been specially trained to conduct expert, academic support in a secure, chat-based platform. With a commitment to helping students learn, they’ll never give students answers, but rather interact with them in an encouraging tone to lead them forward.

This is a free service that we’re providing, so students are encouraged to use it as much as they need, whenever they need. Our teachers also have accounts and will be able to review all student activity to see what they’re working on and provide more targeted instruction as needed.

If you’d like to learn more about Paper you can sign up for a Paper hosted Parent Info Session, available in both English and Spanish.

To see Paper and the help it offers firsthand, we encourage you to login with your students. To get started, simply visit PAPER’s student login page, type your school’s name, and log in via Google using your school credentials

We’re thrilled to offer our students the unlimited, 24/7 support that Paper provides and we can’t wait to see what we’re able to accomplish together.

Our Kennedy Middle School PTO works hard behind the scenes to support our school in a variety of ways. They are working diligently to bring great activities to our school community. Please check out their website for more information.

Natick Public Schools does not discriminate in employment nor its educational programs, services, and activities based on race, creed, color, age, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions, physical and intellectual differences, immigration status, homeless status, or any other basis prohibited by law. Please be aware all electronic communication to and from Natick Public Schools is public record and subject to public disclosure per Massachusetts General Law Chapter 66, Section 10.

• Title I: Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990Title II
• Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990Title VI
• Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964Title IX
• Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972
• MGL, Ch.76, Section 5: Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 76, Section 5