Cougar Connect
Week of December 13 2021
Principal Message Week of December 13th
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 13th. We have one week before Winter Break below are some updates for the week.
Weather
We are expecting some rain this week please remember that gates open each morning at 8:00 am so if you drop your students off earlier please make sure they are dressed warm.
Super- Minimum Day Friday December 17th
This Friday December 17th is a super minimum day which means school will be dismissed at 12:06 pm. (Link) Students will still go to all of their classes, they will just be shorter.
Honor Roll Notification:
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
Student of the Month:
Student have been selected by their teachers for showing "Cougar PAW" expectations. These students will be recognized during recess on Friday December 17th.
New Group Counseling:
The Boys and Girls Club (BGCP) partnered with the Child Mind Institute (CMI) to provide mental health services. CMI will be facilitating several groups after winter break. The groups will be available to all Kennedy students interested or referred.
The group trauma treatment is an evidence-based treatment for students between the ages of 8 and 18 who have experienced a traumatic event. Their Trauma Treatment Groups in Schools (TTGS) program teaches children skills to cope with various difficulties that arise from trauma exposure and provides a supportive environment for them to talk about their experiences.
If you have any questions, contact Liz Calderon-Garcia in the Family Center.
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
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 students that need to finish their assessment in either reading or math will be provided opportunities to finish M-W this week. Families will also receive a notification Monday afternoon as a reminder that your student has not completed the assessment.
*Admin will be pulling make-ups the week of Dec 13th
COVID-19 Testing
Testing for COVID will continue this week on Tuesday from 10:15 am -12:15 pm and again on Thursday from 1:30-4:15 pm. It may be a good idea to have your student tested prior to the Winter Break.
Public Health Travel Guidelines
Below is a document that gives district travel guidlines for Winter Break. Please take a look as Kennedy will be one of the school sites offering free testing to interested families during the break.
Winter Concert December 16th 7 pm
Kennedy Winter Concert update
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
Student Council update continued
- 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)
- Friday, Dec. 17th Pajama Spirit Day for all students
PTO NEWS - 12/12/21
Dine Out fundraiser at Canyon Inn in Redwood City this Tuesday 12/14/21. Support our PTO and a wonderful local restaurant!
Want to help our community? The PTO is doing a GIFT CARD DRIVE this season to benefit families supported by the Kennedy Family Center.
Any gift card donation helps! Sign up here to bring a gift card! https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040549AAAB2B0-donate
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 Pres) 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
Check us out on social media for the latest info! Instagram @KennedyCougarsPTO and Facebook at John F Kennedy Middle School Parent Teacher Organization.
Sports Basement 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!
Limited time only. Exclusions apply. * *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.
Volunteers are welcome on-campus at RCSD schools now!
Please fill out the volunteer form here. https://www.rcsdk8.net/Page/9629
KMS classrooms need Kleenex! Please bring tissue donations to the office. Thanks!
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 Last Week
Kennedy Art Elective (Ms. Segal)
During the past week, Kennedy art students have been learning about origami and the legend of 1,000 Paper Cranes. In Japanese tradition, 1,000 paper cranes are given to someone who is ill as a symbol of health and good wishes.
Kennedy art students have folded 1,000 paper cranes so far and will be giving them to one particular student.
They hope to have another 1,000 folded this week to give to another student.
Socratic Seminar 8th Grade ELA (Ms. Trangmar)
World Cultures Research Project 7th Grade SS (Ms. Skinner)
Orchestra Recording (Mr. Balogh)
6th Grade WEB Activity (8th grade Mentors)
6th Grade WEB Activity (8th grade Mentors)
6th Grade WEB Activity (8th grade Mentors)
December Calendar
- 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/