KPF Newsletter 1/28/26

Hello Kenny Families -

After too many days of indoor recess, the Kenny kids got to get outside and play today. It was just what everyone needed - the fresh air, the movement and the playing. This also gave pause for us to think about those community members that do not have this opportunity right now. This is how most days go at Kenny School as we ride the waves of emotions and navigate a building full of emotions. There is lots of joy, mixed with sadness and waves of hope, and questions searching for understanding.

On Monday, students throughout the building created sunflowers of hope. Huge thanks to Karen Peterson, Janee Johnson, Lisa Baier and Paige Nygaard for putting this project together for us. Check out the sunflowers, as they face the outside the building to share our hope with the outside. There are messages of hope written on them to share with everyone who sees them.

"Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness." — Desmond Tutu

There are lots of helpers working during this crisis, and as this continues, hope stops being a "feeling" and starts being a job we do for one another. We have celebrated the unity that has been demonstrated over the course of this month, but that does not mean we all agree or believe in the same thing. Unity means that we are existing in this reality together and are working to support one another through the darkness. We have to celebrate the little things and find the joy in even the simplest tasks. I invite you to do the same for yourself and your family: find the sunflowers that thrive even in the bitter cold.

Thank you for your partnership and support.

Dr. Jessica Busse

Principal, Kenny School

February 4: BIPOC Family Dinner, 5-7pm (RSVP here)

February 12: Kenny Variety Show, 2pm and 6pm

February 13: Family Conferences 8am - 4pm

February 13-17: No School

February 19: Student of the Month Assembly, 9:45-10:45am (RSVP here)

February 19: Lunar New Year Pot Luck, 5-7pm (RSVP here)

March 8: Kenny Community Circle, 5-7pm (RSVP here)

Upcoming Meetings: ALL Caregivers Welcome!

Next KPF Meeting is Tuesday, February 3, 7-8:30pm (on zoom)

Next Site Council Meeting is Tuesday, February 10, 5-6pm (in the media center or on zoom)

Planning ahead? View the entire calendar here

Winter Conferences are coming up February 13th, from 8am - 4pm.

These conferences are an opportunity for teachers to touch base with families regarding concerns in math, reading, or work completion. Teachers have already requested a conference with any families they would like to touch base with to ensure they are on track to meet the standards for their grade level. The goal would be to meet and discuss your child’s current progress and to set goals for the remainder of the year. If you would like to meet with your child's teacher, please reach out to them by email to schedule. Conferences are restricted to February 13th, unless the teacher has requested otherwise.

Thank you for being partners in your child's education.

Temporarily, the little free library at Kenny will be a spot to drop cards/drawings/art showing our support for VA Hospital Staff. Feel free to drop off anytime between now and Thursday afternoon. Planning to drop off Friday with an assortment of sweet treats. There is a Kenny neighbor who worked closely with Alex Pretti, support from this community would mean so much!

RSVP Here - Space is Limited

We need parent volunteers for both the day show (2-3pm) and night show (6-7pm). Volunteer roles & duties are described on the sign up sheet. Please contact volunteer coordinator, Tully Jordan at kennyvolunteers@gmail.com with any questions. Thank you in advance for volunteering your time for this fun event!

Did you know that Dr. Busse is going to Sweden to learn from Swedish teachers and principals? Because of her absence, we are adjusting a couple dates.

Science Fair - March 17th from 5-7pm
March Student of the Month - March 12th 9:45am

Save the date for March Magic March 14th, 6-10pm

🎟️Help Make Our School Raffle a Success!

One of the highlights of our upcoming school fundraiser is the raffle, and we’d love your help in making it extra special.

If you’re able to donate an item, experience, or gift card, it goes a long way in helping us raise funds that directly support our students, families, and school programs. Raffle donations also showcase the incredible talent, generosity, and local connections within our school community.

Great raffle donations can include:

Gift cards to local restaurants, coffee shops, bakeries, or retailers
Your place of employment - swag, services, or experiences your company can offer
Services like fitness classes, personal training sessions, hair or spa services, photography sessions, or tutoring
Experiences such as sporting event tickets, theater tickets, museum passes, cabin weekends, or kid-friendly activities
Family favorites - themed baskets (game night, movie night, date night, kids’ fun night)

No donation is too small, and all contributions help make the raffle fun, varied, and accessible for everyone attending.

If you’re able to donate or have questions, please reach out to kennymarchmagic@gmail.com. Thank you for supporting our school and for continuing to show up for our kids and community in such meaningful ways!

We are beginning the process to apply for the School of Excellence. This is a statewide designation that highlights the great things happening at Kenny School, as well as helping to direct the work of our leadership team and site council for future years. The initial process is collecting data through surveys. While surveys are often overused, they are a good way to collect lots of voices in an anonymous forum.

We acknowledge that this is one more thing to do on already full plates, but the timeframe is long as we will leave this open until Spring Break. Please complete as you have time. There are no required questions, so if you are unsure, skip the question. Thank you for your participation and input as we look to improve and grow as a school and community.

School of Excellence Survey

Big thanks to everyone who joined us for the "Sing for Peace" event on Friday. With your help, we filled an entire school bus with donations for our neighbors and enjoyed performances from Kenny, Anthony, and Armatage choirs. This community is full of love and support!