The Kenwood Courier

Kenwood students participated in Woody Woodchuck's Fun Run 1K on Thursday, Oct. 23.

It was a wonderful event!

We’re eager to connect and partner with you the 2025-26 school year in support of your children’s academic, social, and emotional growth. You can expect to receive the Kenwood Courier every Friday.

• On the top of the page, you will find ADA and Translation features. To translate, click on the Translate button and choose your desired language.
• En la parte superior de la página, encontrará funciones de ADA y traducción. Para traducir, haga clic en el botón Traducir y elija el idioma que desee.
• Dusha sare ee bogga, waxaad ka heli doontaa ADA iyo sifooyinka Turjumaada. Si aad u turjunto, dhagsii badhanka Turjumka oo dooro luqadda aad rabto.
  
• В верхней части страницы вы найдете функции ADA и перевода. Для перевода нажмите кнопку «Перевести» и выберите нужный язык.
  
• د پاڼې په سر کې، تاسو به د ADA او ژباړې ځانګړتیاوې ومومئ. د ژباړې لپاره، د ژباړې تڼۍ باندې کلیک وکړئ او د خپلې خوښې ژبه غوره کړئ.
  
• در بالای صفحه، شما ویژگی های ADA و ترجمه را پیدا کنید. برای ترجمه، روی دکمه ترجمه کلیک کنید و زبان مورد نظر خود را انتخاب کنید.
  

Kenwood students have enjoyed 4,240 total minutes of learning this fall in the Outdoor Classroom, participating through both their physical education class and activities with their homeroom teachers. Way to go Kenwood Team!

Kenwood Families, we do not celebrate Halloween at school. Classroom teachers may plan math or reading activities that are associated with pumpkins, spiders, bats, or other interesting creatures, but please do not send candy to school or wear costumes to school. Thank you in advance for your support!

It has been reported to us that there have been cases of head lice at school. Please read the information from the CDC below for prevention and treatment guidelines.

Here are the current before and after school activities that are open to students who are registered to participate. Scroll down for more details or call the main office for details! 612-668-2760.

• Spanish: Tuesday and Thursday mornings, 8:30-9:20.
• French: Wednesday afternoons, 4:10-5:10, starting Oct. 22
• Chess: Friday mornings, 8:20-9:20
• Girls on the Run: Mondays and Thursdays at 4:10 through mid-November
• Kenwood Daisy Girl Scouts!: Biweekly on Wednesdays after school, 4:05-5:15, Started (10/22), next one is 11/5.
• Math Club: Monday Mornings at 8:20 for registered students in grades 3-5
• ALC: Starts on November 11

Join the Kenwood Daisy Girl Scouts! 🌼
We’re starting a new Daisy Girl Scout troop for 1st grade girls at Kenwood! Meetings will be held Wednesdays after school and will include fun activities, friendship, and community projects. Meetings are biweekly on Wednesdays after school, 4:05-5:15, Started (10/22), next meeting is 11/5.

If your child is interested in joining, please contact Emily Prager at emily.o.prager@gmail.com or 630-362-0500.

Lifetouch is our photographer that will be capturing each student’s portrait. There are two ways to order pictures:

1) use the paper order forms that were sent home and turn them in on Picture Day. Any orders turned in after Oct. 28 will be returned to you

2) place your order online using the Kenwood Picture Day ID: EVTMTPP6Z. Click here to order online.

We are also seeking a few parents/caregivers to volunteer to help it run smoothly. If you would like to volunteer, sign up here https://signup.com/go/iVKZheN

Join other Kenwood parents & caregivers for an evening out. The PTA is providing free childcare for children 5 & up at the Kenwood Rec Center from 6:00-8:00.

You must reserve childcare by Friday, October 24th. Children will enjoy pizza & a movie, while parents mingle at Red Cow Uptown & enjoy free appetizers provided by the PTA. Cash bar is available & there will be prizes! RSVP for childcare.

Parents/Caregivers are invited to have coffee with Principal Heidi Johnson on Friday, Nov. 7, from 9:45 - 10:30 a.m. in the lunchroom. No RSVP needed. These open discussions cover updates, questions, ideas... anything that's on your mind related to the Kenwood community. We hope to see you there.

Have you been to the new coffee shop & retail experience that celebrates Asian American & Asian Culture? Well now is your chance to check it out while supporting Kenwood School. Moona Moono has invited us to do a Kenwood Shop & Social on November 15th from 6-8 pm. Stop in for a drink, pick up a holiday gift or just socialize with others from the Kenwood Community. 10% of the proceeds from the event will benefit Kenwood.

Please keep your student home if:

• They have had a fever of 100.0 and above, in the past 24 hours. Keep your student home from school until 24 hours after the fever is gone, WITHOUT the use of fever-reducing medicine.

• They have vomited 2 or more times in the previous 24 hours.
• They have diarrhea and/or they are not feeling well and need to use the bathroom frequently.
• They have a rash of unknown cause. Please contact their healthcare provider before sending them to school.
• They have an illness that prevents them from participating in routine activities.

Please notify the Kenwood Attendance Line DAILY to report absences due to illness: 612-668-2766

Thank you for helping us keep our school community healthy and strong!

Minneapolis Kids is the district’s before/after school school-age care program for students in grades K-5. Register now! An important update for the 2025-26 school year, Mpls Kids will continue to offer its before-school program at Kenwood. For after-school care next year, the afternoon Kenwood program will be consolidated into Emerson Mpls Kids. This means that students who wish to participate in after-school programming will have the opportunity to join Mpls Kids at Emerson school. Families who wish to utilize after-school care may request transportation between Kenwood and Emerson to meet their scheduling needs.

For questions contact: Anita Adams | Anita.Adams@mpls.k12.mn.us Mpls Kids-Kenwood Program Coordinator

If you requested MPS transportation, bus stop details are now available in the My Ride K-12 app.

Get the My Ride app!

My Ride K-12 is the new GPS app that lets you:

• View your student’s bus in real time
• Get notifications
• Access bus stop details

Need transportation this year but didn’t request it yet?

• Complete a Save Your Seat form in the My Ride app, or Contact your child’s school directly to set up transportation
• Families will be notified once their students are assigned to buses.

More Information can be found here: https://www.mpschools.org/departments/transportation/myridek12

• The Application for Educational Benefits (formerly known as Free and Reduced-Price Lunch) lets families know if they qualify for certain benefits and is one of the ways funding is determined for schools. Families of all income levels should complete the application regardless of perceived eligibility.

  Applying matters! This information helps to:

  • Determine benefits for students and families (e.g., no-cost school meals, free bus cards, discounted internet, PEBT)
  • Generate about $100 million in district funding each year;
  • Qualify schools and community sites to serve no-cost food to youth 18 and under after school and in the summer months.

  • The Application for Educational Benefits can be completed through SchoolCafe

    1. Visit the SchoolCafe
    2. Click on Complete the Application for Educational Benefits Online (login not required but preferred);
    3. Follow the instructions to complete your online application.

Volunteers needed! Please click here (with the link below embedded) to see all the upcoming volunteer opportunities with the PTA at school. Many hands make light work - give as much or as little time as you can. We will add any new events and signups to this link throughout the year, so you can always check back and see what is needed if you have time to spare.

We are still looking for caregivers to help in the lunch room. Unlike in years past, you don't have to sign up for a consistent rotation. Have an upcoming day off work? Stop in for an hour block during your student's lunch and help keep lunch running smoothly. We also need help for Picture Day & Woody Woodchuck's Fun Run!. We also need Room Rep for Ms. Maupin Class.

https://signup.com/go/iVKZheN

Are you interested in a low-stress way to get involved in the Kenwood community? The following classes are in need of a Room Rep: Ms. Maupin (1).

We are looking for Room Reps- a caregiver from each classroom who serves as the connection between the PTA, teacher, and classroom community. The time commitment is about 1 hour/month (with many opportunities for extra engagement if you'd like!) and involves sending emails to the classroom community alerting them of upcoming activities, recruiting volunteers for class events, and organizing staff appreciation efforts.

If you'd like to volunteer or have questions, please contact Emily Prager (emily.o.prager@gmail.com, 630-362-0500).

Bonjour! Introduce your children to the French Language! Alliance Francaise is partnering with Kenwood to offer French classes to your child.

As a fall fundraising event, Kenwood PTA has reserved a block

of discounted tickets for the Saturday, November 15 at 1 p.m.
performance of A Christmas Carol at the Guthrie Theater.
For every adult ticket purchased at $40, Kenwood Elementary School will
receive $14.50. Youth tickets (ages 5–17) are $25.50 each. To purchase tickets,
complete this request form and submit payment to Elizabeth Deacon by Wednesday,
November 12. Cash, check or Venmo (@EDeaconMpls) accepted.
To learn more about this beloved Twin Cities tradition celebrating 51 years this
season, visit guthrietheater.org/carol.
NOTE: Everyone must have a ticket and children under 5 are not admitted.

Minnesota Institute for Talented Youth (MITY) is now accepting applications for its fall session. Advanced learners in grades 1 - 5 take two unique classes each Saturday with peers from around the Twin Cities area who share their interests. Parents are invited to attend free speakers while students are in class. Go here to learn more.

Two great Opportunities for students who love math:

• Saturday Morning Math enrichment program for 5th - 7th graders
• Talented Youth Mathematics Program (UMTYMP)

Do you need help with rent, utilities, or a security deposit? Funding is available to support families who are experiencing financial hardship and need assistance maintaining stable housing.

If you are in need of support, please reach out to:

Ciara Graham, Stable Homes Stable Schools Site-based Lead
📧 ciara.graham@mpls.k12.mn.us

Let us help ensure your family has the housing stability it needs.

The Second Harvest Heartland Care Center helps people find food through our network of food shelves and community resources, as well as assistance with applying for SNAP. The Care Center is free, friendly, and confidential. Talk to an advisor 8:00am-4:30pm Monday-Friday, and help is available in English, Spanish, Hmong and Somali with interpreters available for other languages. Call or text 866-844-3663, or visit 2harvest.org/carecenter for more information.

United Way 2-1-1 provides free and confidential help 24 hours a day, 7 days a week on many topics; housing, childcare, mental health, employment, transportation, and more! Call 211 or toll free 800-543-7709. Visit https://211unitedway.org/ for more information. Interpreters are available for all languages.

Click here to find a step-by-step guide to finding the right place for your child's care.

HelpMeConnect is a groundbreaking interagency collaboration between Minnesota’s Department of Children, Youth, and, Families; Education; Health; and Human Services. Click here to explore HelpMeConnect and find the support you need.

• School Secretary: Danielle.Sanders@mpls.k12.mn.us
• Family Liaison: Victoria.johnson@mpls.k12.mn.us
• Main Office Number: 612-668-2760
• School Website