Kennedy News
🐾 January 20, 2026 🐾
Kennedy Families,
January weather is a roller coaster—filled with warm-ups, cool-downs, ice, and snow. While we can’t control the weather outside, things are truly heating up inside with our learning!
Our Cubs have been cruising this month, diving deep into their studies through many exciting opportunities. Our students are rising to the challenge and showing Kennedy BEST by tackling difficult tasks with confidence. It is wonderful to see the significant gains they are making.
Just as we cannot control the weather, we cannot always control events in our community. There has been an uptick in local unrest over the past couple of weeks, and I want to reassure you that we will always prioritize the safety of our students and staff. I firmly believe our primary job as educators is to keep students safe, which creates the foundation for them to learn at their highest level. We understand that if a student doesn't feel safe, they cannot fully engage.
We remain committed to providing a secure environment for every learner, regardless of what is happening outside our doors. If you have specific questions regarding our safety plans, please feel free to email me at srusta1@isd77.org.
Thank you, as always, for your partnership and support. Kennedy is an amazing school because of the shared commitment of our students, staff, and families.
It’s great to be a Cub!
Steve Rustad
Kennedy Principal
Our Cubs worked hard last fall raising money during our all school PTO fundraiser and last week we celebrated in our brand new Kennedy shirts! They look great!
Did you know that if your Cub misses 17 or more days of the school year that they are considered chronically absent by the state of Minnesota? We know that students miss school for many reasons such as illness, vacation, or family emergencies. It is expected that a student will miss a few days throughout the year. However, when students start to miss more than a few days of school, it can be detrimental to their academic growth. Research shows that students who miss 7 or more days of school are more likely to struggle to be at grade level academically. Here at Kennedy, we want to see our Cubs in school as often as possible so that they can continue to get what they need to succeed in school.
Here are some important things to know about how we will be approaching attendance for the remainder of the year:
- Stay below 17 Days Absent: Mr. Rustad will be sending a message out to all families who have students on pace to miss more than 17 days of school this year. We have about 10% of students who are at this point. Our school goal is to have less than 5% of our students missing 17+ days this year. If you receive that message from me, know that we are looking to partner with you to make a plan for better attendance for the remainder of the year.
- 7 Sick Days=Med Letter Needed: If you have had a student who has missed up to 7 days because of illness, we will be requiring a doctor's note to excuse any further absences for illness. If your child isn't feeling good but they seem like they could be at school, I encourage you to bring them to school and have them checked out by our school nurse, Ikzela Estrada. She will let you know if your student should stay at school or go home for the day.
- Doctor's Note Needed: Every time your student goes to an appointment (doctor, dentist, therapy, etc.), they must come back with a note from the visit excusing them from the time they were absent. If they have no note and it is just called it, it will be marked as unexcused until a note comes in verifying the absence.
- County Involvement: When a student has 8 or more unexcused absences, our school partners with Blue Earth County to support families with a plan to get their students to school more often.
Thank you for your partnership around attendance. If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at srusta1@isd77.org.
Looking to get some Kennedy gear for your Cub? Now is the time to shop! All orders will be shipped directly to your home and 10% will come back to our Kennedy PTO. Stay warm and cozy this winter with some new Kennedy gear!!
Shop Now: https://1stplace.sale/49843
Are You on Facebook? Follow the Kennedy Facebook Page!
The Kennedy PTO is a great committee that supports our school by hosting events that celebrate the school community and connect families to each other. Learn all about the PTO through the Kennedy PTO Facebook page. Click the button, give the group a like, and follow the group to stay up-to-date on the latest happenings at Kennedy!
