3 Spring Pictures

8 Parenting Class

10 PTO Movie Night

14 Valentine Parties

17 No School

21-23 Book Fair

22-23 Parent-Teacher

Conferences

23-24 No School

KENNEDYPRIDENEWSLETTER Kennedy Elementary February 2017

February Dates

It was quite a duel as two top spellers battled 21 rounds Jan 9 at the Kennedy Spelling Bee. Great job to all 21 participants. Thank you to Jayhawk Breakfast Rotary for judg-ing, and the help of preschool teacher Trisha Wills, Library Media Assistant Karilyn Kennedy and Librarian Meredith Holland. The winner, who correctly spelled “algae” and the championship word “varsity,” will compete Feb 4 at Southwest Middle School. Email mholland@usd497.org to see a video of the spelling bee.

Kindergarten

Roundup April 19

Kennedy has scheduled Kindergar-

ten Roundup for April 19.

Children who will be 5 years old on

or before Aug 31, 2017, and live in

our attendance area should plan to

attend one of Kennedy’s scheduled

roundup sessions. We will have at

least two time slots available that

Wednesday: 8 am and 1 pm.

Please call Mrs Walthall in the of-

fice to have a Kindergarten Round-

up packet mailed, learn about

online enrollment, OR to let us

know about an eligible child. Our

number is 785.832.5760.

Current Kindergarten students

will NOT have school on

Wednesday, April 19, so the

teachers can host roundup for

incoming students.

Parent Teacher Conferences are Feb 22-23. You probably have a lot you want to

talk about in your 20-minute schedule! Unless we hear otherwise, we will use the

same two-day schedule used for Fall Parent Teacher Conferences. Please contact

the teacher or the office if we need to reschedule. Teachers will send home re-

minders of dates and times. Child care is available.

Some ways to prepare include: Read report cards that are sent home before the

conference. Plan some questions for the teacher. Topics could include academics,

strengths and areas for growth, work habits, social interactions, or assessments.

Continue to build a relationship with your child’s teacher. You know your child best,

so share any information that will help him or her be successful!

Plan to arrive a few minutes early as the schedule is tight. Be courteous of parents

conferencing after you. Update any contact information with the teacher and office

staff. The book fair will be in the new addition Flex Space (by second and third

grade classes) during conferences, so be sure to stop by and check it out!

If you have questions or need help, please call Kennedy at 785-832-5760.

Conferences set for Feb 22-23

Yearbook Order Deadline is Feb 22. Order online at Strawbridge.net. Your online code is 112175

Price is $13.

Spring is a great time to join Watch D.O.G.S.

The Watch D.O.G.S. program

at Kennedy has had an awe-

some start! The Watch

D.O.G.S. (Dads of Great Stu-

dents) encourages male role

models to sign up to volunteer for a day or part of a

day at Kennedy. Men will get a schedule based on

the schedule of their student(s) and help in class-

rooms, at recess and in the cafeteria. A hot lunch

from school is provided. Interested? Contact Sta-

cie Jackson at 785-330-1656 or email her at

smjackso@usd497.org.

Ph

on

e n

um

bers

Kennedy School 832-5760

K-5 Attendance Michelle Walthall 330-4909

Preschool Attendance Marcia Fisher 330-2591

School Clinic 330-4761

School Counselor Catherine Bolton 330-4911

K-5 Social Worker Deena Wilson 330-2136

Preschool Social Worker Andrea Funk 330-4615

Spanish Translator Astrid Mier y Teran 330-2202

Communities in Schools Stacie Jackson 330-1656

BGC Manager KeKe Jarrett 393-3313

First Student Bus Company 841-3594

Third Grade: March 7

Second Grade: April 11

First Grade: May 2

Kindergarten: May 9

Details: Performers meet

on the risers 6-6:15 in the

gym on night of the con-

cert. Programs begin at

6:30 pm.

K-5 Concert Dates I’m the new Early Child-hood Secretary. You’ll see me sitting at the front desk. I’m excited to be a part of the Ken-nedy family and I look

forward to meeting you!

— Marcia Fisher

Save those Box Tops & receipts

Keep saving Checkers and Hy-Vee receipts and

all those Box Tops for Education! Students may

turn them in to the office or Mrs Kennedy in the

library. Ask your family and friends to help too!

We also collect Best Choice and Campbell’s

UPCs. Those donations add up to cash for

Kennedy kids!!

Mrs Powell’s second graders learn about Hannu-

kah in class before Winter Break.

Little Lion Dance Clinic The Lawrence High School Spirit Squads would like to invite you to attend the

“Little Lion” clinic. You will learn a dance routine and perform at halftime at

the Feb 7 Lawrence High School basketball game. We are looking forward to

your participation and joining the spirit of the Lawrence High School Lions.

Who: The clinic is open to all children in Preschool through Grade 5.

Date: Sunday, Feb 5

Time: Registration - 12:30 p.m.

Walk-ins Welcome

Clinic: 1:00-2:30 p.m.

Location: Lawrence High School East Gym (Main Gym)

Fee: $30.00 payable to LHS Spirit Squad (includes a LHS Spirit T-Shirt and

Pom Pons) Poms are dancer’s ticket to the game. Shirts passed out on game

night Feb 7. Registration forms are available at Kennedy.

PTO MOVIE NIGHT

All Kennedy movie night Feb 10 will show Finding Dory. Doors open at 6 pm; the mov-ie starts at 6:15 pm in the gym.

SPRING BREAK SIGNUPS

Spring Break BGC

will be March 20-24

at Cordley. Sign-

ups begin 7:30 am

online Feb 13, or on paper during reg-

ular club hours.

There will be NO Boys & Girls Club on

March 10 or March 17 when school is

not in session.

Spring Running

Marathon club resumes this month!. Runners meet 3:10-4 pm on Mon-days (weather permitting) on these dates: February 27 March 6, 13, 27 April 3, 10, 17, 24 May 1, 8, 15. If your student participated in Mara-thon Club in the fall you DO NOT need to sign another form. New-comers must sign up by March 1. See Mrs Jackson or the office for a sign up form.

Communities in Schools at Kennedy Elementary assists students and families with supports to help students achieve at their highest potential. For more information please contact: Stacie Jackson Site Coordinator – Kennedy Elementary Phone - 785-330-1656 Email – smjackso@usd497.org

School website: http://www.usd497.org/Domain/12

Second Graders in Ms Becker’s class

made Olaf snowmen at their Winter Party

Spring Break March 17-24

Kennedy Store

March 15

What is Kennedy doing to address the district equity goal?

Kennedy Staff is actively prac-ticing using this compass (to the left) to guide our conversations about race. We are practicing labeling where we are on the compass before we continue our thoughts with each other. We are also practicing four agreements as we have conver-sations with our colleagues.

The four agreements are:

Speak your Truth

Stay Engaged

Experience Discomfort

Expect and accept

Non-closure

Kennedy’s own 5th graders, Azura Clark and Lauren Seybold, were presenters at the ONE DREAM MLK event at South Middle School on Thursday, January 19th. Lauren Seybold and Avi Carter were also finalists in the Heart of Ser-vice Award category. We are so proud to have these three represent what is happening at Kennedy!!