Cougar Connect
Week of December 6th 2021
Principal Message Week of December 6th
Kennedy families hope everyone is well.
I hope you all had a great week. Below is is our Principal update for the week of Dec 6th.
Principal's Coffee:
Thank you families for joining us last Thursday morning. It always fun to check in and share with you school news and events. Remember Principal's Coffee is usually the first Thursday of every month. (Slide Deck from last week)
Honor Roll Notification:
All families and students were sent Honor Roll notifications last week. We will be celebrating these students during Homeroom December 16th
Below is criteria for Honor Roll:
Honor Roll are students with 3.75 -3.99,
Principal's honor roll is 4.0 and up
Kara Grief support Group:
We are excited to collaborate with KARA to bring a Grief group to Kennedy in January.
Kennedy is partnering with Kara this year to provide a grief group for students who have experienced the death of a family member or close friend. These students will have a chance to participate in a weekly group for 8-10 sessions that will take place during the school day. This group will be held on-site and will be free-of-charge to the family and school. In the group, students will have a chance to grieve in a supportive environment with other students their age who have experienced the death of a relative or close friend. This helps reduce the feelings of isolation they may experience and normalize feelings and thoughts they may have surrounding the death. Both a Kara trained volunteer and school staff person will help administer and co-facilitate the groups each session. The school staff co-facilitator will be present during the duration of each session and offer any follow-up support as needed.
If you are interested in having your student participate in this opportunity please contact Mariela at mlopez3@rcsdk8.net
Lockdown Drill:
We had a lockdown drill last Tuesday morning. We have these drills periodically in order to be prepared and to make sure our school is a safe place for students and staff. If you have any questions please let us know.
School Volunteers
Our Schools have begun 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)
Super- 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
650 482-2409-ex 3111
Kennedy Middle School
I-Ready Testing Continued
Round two of I-Ready Testing Continued: (Student take it 3 times)
Kennedy began administering I-Ready Assessment this week focusing on Reading. Testing will Continue next week with the focus on math. Please remind students not to rush during the test and to come to school with a fully charged computer.
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
Kindness Week 6th Grade
Schedule of activities or lessons will look like this:
Monday-Wednesday - Lessons in English Class
Thursday - WEB Activity with me and their 8th grade mentors during Homerroom
Friday- Kindness project in their science classes
* 7th and 8th grade weeks coming up in January
Winter Concert December 16th 7 pm
Kennedy Winter Concert update that was shared during Principals Coffee:
- Kennedy Orchestra has begun rehearsing and will continue next week.
- They will be recording Dec 13th and 14th during school with students having to dress formally for school those days. (Mr. Balogh will be sharing specific instructions for those students next week)
Principal will complete recording / editing Tuesday (14) and Wednesday (15)
Winter Concert will air on Youtube live at 7:00 pm Thursday (16) (Link will be sent the day of to students and families)
Email Mr. Balogh or admin if you have any questions ebalogh@rcsdk8.net
Grand Canyon 2021-22 Update
Attention 7th grade families. The 7th Grade Grand Canyon Field Trip list was posted on campus this past Friday. Students received acceptance letters to take home with more information.
The next event is our Mandatory Practice Hike next Saturday, December 11th from 8:00 am to 11:30 am. Students meet at Kennedy gym @ 8:00 am.
Please contact Maestro Alfredo (aoropeza@rcsdk8.net) if you have any questions or concerns.
Student Council update
1. Socks & Underwear drive for Samaritan House Thursday, Dec 2nd to Friday, Dec 10th. Students can bring in new and unopened packages of socks or underwear that would fit kids & teens. (Kid sizes 4 to 16/18) Students can bring their donations to room 103. Each package they donate students will get entered into a raffle for prizes provided by the Student Council.
2. Winter Grams sold December 6-10 sold during brunch & lunch. $1 for a note and a candy-flavored candy cane to be distributed during homeroom on December 16th.
3. Gingerbread house/person decorating contest December 6-10. Students will decorate their choice at home and submit a picture to Ms. Virnich. (jvirnich@rcsdk8.net) Winners will get a prize provided by the Student Council.
- If students want to participate and need supplies contact our office
4. Winter themed door decorating contest - Homerooms will have until Tuesday, December 14th to decorate their door (the part that is visible when open). The top 3 best doors will win a prize to be awarded during homeroom on Dec. 16th or a homeroom when we come back in January. (As decided by the winning homerooms)
5. Friday, Dec. 17th Pajama Spirit Day.
PTO NEWS
PTO NEWS - 12/5/21 (12/5-12/10)
Want to help our community? The PTO is doing a gift card drive this holiday season to benefit Kennedy Family Center. The KFC will be giving away gift cards to families during the holidays. Please bring gift cards for local grocery stores and retails shops in any amount to the Kennedy Family Center (in the front office building) between 11/29 and 12/16/21.
Any gift card donation helps! Sign up here to bring a gift card! https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040549AAAB2B0-donate
Volunteers are welcome on-campus at RCSD schools now!
Please fill out the parent volunteer form and find volunteer requirements at the link here. https://www.rcsdk8.net/Page/9629
We need parents to help out! The PTO is going to lead fun games on December 16th at lunchtime! Come help us! Email Stacie Ciraulo (PTO President) at info@kennedycougarspto.org for more info.
Kennedy PTO Needs your end-of-year donations! Click this link to donate today! https://kennedycougarspto.org/donate-now
Sports Basement in Redwood City has offered Kennedy a week of discounts! You’re invited to a special shopping event from 12/11-12/18/21
Head to Sports Basement for: 20% off for Basementeers (Basementeers take 11% off then add their 10% for a total of 20% off. Because math!)
* *Non-Basementeers still get 11% off Can’t join us in-store? Shop online with code: 2050011535785 Valid from 12/11/21 to 12/18/21. Not valid on bikes, services, trips or rentals. See website for exclusions. Limited time only. Exclusions apply.
Kennedy School Virtual Tours (Current 5th Grade Families)
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)
Counseling Request form / Please click on image Below
Pictures
Click on picture- 6th grade Chocolate tasting continued
Click on picture - Mandarin Program Kennedy
December Calender
- December 9th WEB Activities for 6th Grade During Homeroom
- December 11th Grand Canyon Hike 8:00 am @ Kennedy gym
- 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 4th / 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/