S.S. Kennedy
March 25, 2021
Dear Kennedy Families,
As you all may have heard. there is a proposal to "Repurpose" Kennedy K-5 to be an Early Childhood Community Center. If you have yet to read the email titled " Kennedy Early Childhood...from Julie Boyle, please take some time to read that.
We (here at Kennedy) do not know the details of this proposal. We don't know what families would have to attend what school or where staff will go. These are just a few questions that have come our way.
In order for you to have a better understanding I am encouraging you to plan to attend 1 of 2 meetings that will be taking place VIRTUALLY on March 30th and April 7th.
The sign-up for this meeting was sent out on March 24th. The link for these meetings are attached. Please, mark your calendar to attend to listen or ask questions.
Thank you for your continued support and commitment to our Kennedy students and community.
Kennedy Crew!!
Email sent about Meetings
March 24, 2021
Dear Kennedy Staff and Families,
Please join me for a conversation about the district’s proposal to expand early childhood educational opportunities for our community by creating an early childhood community center at Kennedy. If the school board approves this proposal April 12, the district would transition Kennedy K-5 students to neighboring schools with room to grow next fall. Kennedy staff would follow students.
KENNEDY CONVERSATIONS
(Held virtually)
5:30-6:30 p.m., March 30
6:00-7:00 p.m., April 7
Register at https://forms.gle/Kizh2ZsLBHdrzsTk8 to receive a Webex link to participate.
(You may use your district-provided device to access Webex.)
In addition to economies of scale, combining student enrollments would enable the district to maximize staffing allocations for providing consistency in the delivery of services to students instead of sharing staff across elementary schools. We know that high quality preschool experiences benefit children’s cognitive and social development and their success in school and beyond. Still, we see many children entering kindergarten without the benefit of a preschool experience. The early childhood community center will help to fill gaps in local services available to families and their young children at one location, Kennedy.
The district’s Budget and Program Evaluation Committee (BPEC) supports the proposal. The BPEC next meets at 4 p.m. March 31. Watch the meeting at https://bit.ly/3cjkTmn. The district’s Boundary Committee began discussing the proposal last week. Watch its March 18 meeting at https://youtu.be/nziNa2nsAwY. The Boundary Committee will continue its discussion at 5:00 p.m. March 29. You may watch that meeting at https://bit.ly/3d8GmO5. We will record both meetings and make those recordings available to you.
I appreciate that our staff and families love their schools and understand that changing schools can be emotional and challenging. If the board approves this proposal for the 2021-2022 school year, we will immediately begin planning with our staff how best to support Kennedy K-5 families during the transition and ensure that Kennedy students benefit from any changes made.
Please register to receive a link to join me for one of the Kennedy Conversations.
Share your questions and concerns on the registration form so I may be prepared to provide you with the information you need. I value your input and our continued partnership in your students’ achievement and success.
Sincerely,
Anthony S. Lewis, Ph.D.
Superintendent