KPF Newsletter 2/11/26

Hello Kenny Families -

This past weekend, I found myself captivated by performances of all scales—from the global stage of the Olympics and the Super Bowl to the local heart of my own kids playing hockey and attending the Southwest High School Performing Arts fundraiser. In each, I saw a recurring truth: the human spirit is resilient, and there is so much goodness happening around us. Thursday, Kenny will find joy and pride in the Variety Show at 2pm and 6pm. Kenny Kids are amazing and we get to see them take the stage!

Joy is an Act of Resistance: Finding moments of happiness isn't a distraction; it’s how we fuel our endurance.

As a yoga instructor recently reminded me, the initial adrenaline of the challenges we’ve faced has worn off, and we are realizing that this is no longer a sprint—it is a marathon. I am so grateful to all of the Kenny families for continuing to support our school and our families experiencing additional challenges during this time. As part of our work to focus on mental health, we are engaging in a one hour Grief Sensitive School Initiative on March 5 at 7pm, virtually. This will help direct our efforts, as well as a $500 grant.

Next week, we are anticipating the school budget for 2026-2027. While we don’t anticipate much change this year in our allocations, we would like some feedback from our families about priorities and the structure of specialists this year through our annual budget survey. This feedback will also be part of the School of Excellence application that is an additional survey. Site Council will come together to look at the budget before it is finalized on March 6.

We are moving in the right direction, but we must pace ourselves to get there together. Please take care of yourselves, look for the joy and find the quiet moments when you can.

In Partnership,

Dr. Jessica Busse

Principal, Kenny School

February 12: Kenny Variety Show, 2pm and 6pm (RSVP here)

February 13: Family Conferences 8am - 4pm

February 13-17: No School

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

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

March 4: Site Council Budget Conversation, 5-6pm (in the media center or on zoom)

March 5: Grief Sensitive School Initiative Training (Virtual)

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

March 12: March Student of the Month Assembly, 9:45-10:45am (RSVP here)

March 16-18: Book Fair Fair

March 17: Science Fair, 5-7pm

Upcoming Meetings: ALL Caregivers Welcome!

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

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

Planning ahead? View the entire calendar here

Get ready to laugh, dance, and be amazed at the Kenny Variety Show – an event you won't want to miss! This is a ticketed event so please reserve your spot today.

Get ready for a day filled with laughter, music, and entertainment. Join us for a showcase of talents from our Kenny Kids. Let's come together and enjoy a fun-filled event that will leave you smiling from ear to ear.

There are 2 shows-- the day show begins at 2PM and the night show begins at 6PM. Don't miss out on this exciting opportunity to support our talented performers.

See you there!

Get your tickets 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.

RSVP for Lunar New Year Potluck

RSVP for Kenny Community Circle

Purchase your March Magic Tickets

🎟️ Kenny March Magic Raffle & Silent Auction — we need your help!

We’re collecting raffle and silent auction items and there are so many easy ways to contribute:

Season tickets? Offer one game!
Gift cards sitting in a drawer? Donate them!
Want a simple way to give back? Pick up a gift card from a local restaurant or kid activity spot and donate it - great for grandparents, family, or anyone who wants to support Kenny and our community.
Have a craft, skill, or service you could turn into an item?
Work somewhere that donates products or services?
Know a hairstylist, barber, nail tech, or small business that might want the visibility while supporting Kenny?

Every item, big or small, helps us raise funds for our school and build a great night for families and staff. Thank you for supporting Kenny!

Submit your donation idea here

Volunteers needed! Sign-up here

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

Submit your photos for the Kenny Yearbook

Did you know the Kenny Yearbook is largely finalized by Spring Break? That means the yearbook team of parent volunteers will be particularly busy creating the special memory book throughout February and March. Do you have photos that you’d like to see included? Send them our way! If you have pics from milestone school events or other classroom-specific activities, please submit them to KennySchoolYearbook@gmail.com.

Send your photos to the yearbook committee

Kenny Summer Minneapolis Kids registration opens Friday, February 13 at 7am. More information here.

For more information visit the Mpls Kids Juniors Website, register online here starting 7am on January 30!

A huge thanks to the Kenny Community for the outpouring of love and support during these times. We are eternally grateful for all that you are doing to support those in need, as well as our own community. As we have no idea how long this will go on for, please pace yourself and navigate through the emotions that go along with what is happening on a day to day basis. The Kenny Families are well supported through the efforts of Kenny Parent Foundation and Kenny School.

Here are some options for sister schools that are in need of support: