KP Newsletter

As we head into fall, there’s plenty happening at KP!

• Picture Day is October 5.
• Walk & Roll to School Day and Carmen's Dine Out Fundraiser are October 7.

Looking ahead to next week:

• KP Open House | October 12
• In-Person PTA Meeting | October 13
• No School | October 16

CONGRATULATIONS to our PTA Membership Winners:

• Amanda Goldfab won the Basket of Cheer!!
• Emily Stafford won the Banana Bowl tickets!!
• Wendy Weiss Eder won the KP PTA membership because she read our Membership email all the way through and found the surprise of a free membership at the end!

It is still not too late to join. Click here! We will have more fun raffles and giveaways throughout the year!

This is an opportunity to come into your kid’s classroom and observe their learning environment in real-time. We haven’t had this type of event in a few years, and wanted to bring it back this school year as we know many parents have questions about what their kid is doing in school and how they are learning.

Our teachers and administrators are valuable partners in explaining the "why" behind our daily practices and the objective of the Open House is to see them in action and help shed light into what a “day in the life” of a KP student looks like at school.

LIVE from Kensington, MD... It's Tuesday Night PTA! 🍎Join us in person for an engaging evening of learning, connection, and community.

We'll hear from Ms. Wert about the school's counseling services and supports, followed by a presentation from Dr. Suzan Song, who will share practical strategies for helping children manage stress and anxiety at home. We'll wrap up the evening with PTA updates, announcements, and important reminders.

• Date: Oct 13th
• Time: 7:30 pm
• Location: Media Center, KPES
• Free Childcare: Sign up here!

The Latino Heritage Month Art Contest is happening now through Oct 7th!

The Student Assembly took place on October 1 and featured Semilla Cultural, a nonprofit organization dedicated to celebrating Puerto Rican culture, history, and the arts through dance, education, and community engagement. Students had the opportunity to learn about Puerto Rican heritage through an interactive and engaging presentation.

Check out the PTA board if you come to the school! Board is decorated for Latino History month and festive flair and representative flags are in the main hallway.

We would like to invite all interested 4th and 5th grade students at Kensington Parkwood Elementary School to try out for a musical theater production being put on this school year.

Erika Cogliani (Olivia's mom) and Deep Shah (Juliet's dad) are volunteering to help direct/run the show. There is no cost to join. Details and interest form link below.

• Interest Form Link - Register here if interested: https://forms.gle/WKQ3FWwbG9oC45yF6
• Performance - we will be doing a musical revue performing hit songs from popular Broadway musicals! Kids will be singing and doing choreographed dancing.
• Tryouts - we will hold tryouts in October or November. Please use the form to register if your child is interested and we will email once the tryout date is set.
• Practice - we will practice from Dec - Mar at Kensington Parkwood. The practice schedule is still pending and may be after school or in the evenings.
• Show - we will hold the performance on March 19-20, 2027. The first show will be Friday at 7pm and the second show will be Saturday at 7pm. Arrival time will be 5:30pm. The show will last around 30-40 minutes. Please ensure your child is available for both shows.
• Volunteers - we will need all parents to help volunteer in some aspect, either with directing, crew, or production (concessions, fund raising, etc).

Please contact Deep Shah at deepshah@gmail.com if you have any questions.

As we have seen in our inboxes and on ParentSquare, MCPS has started sharing information about the potential closure and consolidation of schools. I know many families are eager to learn more about what this process means for KP.

MCPS is currently in Phase 1, which focuses on reviewing elementary and middle schools countywide and considering potential closures and consolidations. This year is focused on those decisions. Phase 2, the countywide elementary and middle school boundary study, will take place next year.

The first round of community listening sessions begins October 19, with a virtual session from 12 -1 pm, followed by nine more sessions, both in person and virtually, over the following two weeks. We will share the Zoom link and in person session locations and times as we get closer, and I will of course provide the PTA with an update following the meetings. We encourage all KP families to stay informed and engaged throughout this process and participate in the listening sessions whenever possible. The more informed and engaged the KP community is, the better prepared we will be to advocate for our school and students if necessary.