The Kenwood Courier

The Kenwood Fall Festival was a wonderful evening full of joy, with community spirit, and packed with smiling faces! PTA, you are rock starts.

Thank you for making magic happen!

Kenwood participated in the fall National Walk & Roll to School Day! To promote healthy movement, our students who ride the bus were dropped off a few blocks from school. They walked, biked and rolled to school. Way to go, healthy Kenwood students!

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 3,730 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!

Dear Kenwood Families,

As we prepare for a long MEA weekend, I want to take a moment to celebrate the joyful activities and events that have brought our community together in the last week. Walk and Roll to School Day inspired Kenwood kids to ride their bikes, scoot, and race from the other side of the park to Door 1 in beautiful autumn weather. We appreciate the parent volunteers who helped our students travel safely to school.

The Fall Family Festival on Oct. 9 couldn't have been better! So many activities, pumpkins, delicious foods, a special reading by Justice Alan Page, and festive autumn treats made the well-attended event fun, memorable, and reflective of what makes our school community shine. Many thanks to the PTA for its sponsorship, and especially to organizers Michelle Kemp and Natalie Quinn for their careful planning, preparations, collaboration with community partners, and attention to all details. A special shout-out to Natalie for sharing the beautiful photos in this Kenwood Courier from last week's events.

We look forward to welcoming you at teacher/caregiver conferences tomorrow, Wednesday, Oct. 15. The past six weeks of school have laid the foundation for the rituals and routines that help all students thrive, and now we get to shift into deeper academic engagement in the months ahead. We have initial data to share with you about your child's areas of strength and growth and the plans we have to stretch and support them this school year. It's our goal to confer with at least 80% of all Kenwood families this year because we know our partnership with you is critical to our students' success. Thank you for signing up for conferences and taking time to meet with us. If you still need to make an appointment, call the main office at 612-668-2760.

I look forward to seeing you at conferences, and I wish you a wonderful long weekend!

In partnership,

Heidi Johnson

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
• Math Club: Monday Mornings at 8:20 for registered students in grades 3-5
• ALC: Coming Soon!

Join us tonight at Red Cow Uptown! Feed the crew dinner or join friends for happy hour, all while raising money to support Kenwood School. Dine-in or Take-out between 4:00-10:00pm & 10% of the proceeds will be donated to Kenwood.

Friendly reminder about our upcoming Caregiver-Teacher Conferences tomorrow Oct. 15th.We hope that you signed up for Parent-Teacher Conferences. This is the best opportunity to meet one-on-one with your child teacher to talk how your child is doing in school, celebrate your child's achievements and set goals for the rest of the school year. Kenwood School offers flexible options: In Person, by phone or in a virtual appointments

Note: There will be No School for Students from October. 15th - Oct. 17th.

Throughout the school year, our community shows appreciation to teachers and staff, often with special meals or snacks. For October we'll provide a hearty lunch during conferences on Wednesday, October 15th to fuel our teachers through the busy day.

This meal and treats for the break room depend entirely on volunteer contributions of food, drinks, or funds. Families are invited to sign up to bring items or contribute via Venmo at @KenwoodPTAMpls. Food/drinks can be dropped off at the teacher break room (green door) between 10-11am on Wednesday, October 15th. Thank you for helping us show our teachers and staff some love during this extra-busy time! If you have any questions please contact Elyse Colpitts (elyse.erickson@gmail.com)

Sign Up here

A fall tradition, apple cider mini donuts & frozen cider slushies are coming to Kenwood Elementary after school on Oct. 21. Enjoy an autumn treat after pick-up!

Join us for an energizing 1K around Kenwood Park that brings the students together for fitness & fun! Run, waddle, walk or gallop just make every step count towards Woodchuck wellness! This fun run is an awesome opportunity for all of our young athletes, whether they’ve walked or run a 1K before or not (yet)! Students will walk by grade level around the perimeter of Kenwood Park. If you would like to volunteer to help go to our volunteer sign up page: https://signup.com/go/iVKZheN. All are welcome to cheer on the runners!

Lifetouch is our photographer that will be capturing each student’s portrait. Look for order forms in backpacks by today. We are seeking a few parents/caregivers to help on picture day & 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.

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.

The Kenwood PTA is proud to partner with Homeland Health to offer flu vaccines for students, family members, caretakers, and staff at the Fall Festival on Thursday October 9 (4:15-6pm).

Both flu shots and FluMist will be available and will be administered by trained nurses to individuals age 6 months or older. If you have health insurance, please bring your card. If not, the PTA will cover the cost of your vaccine.

Use this link to sign up and reserve spots for you and your family! Space permitting, walk-ins will also be welcome at both events. Please contact Meg (megan.j.montgomery@gmail.com or 919-423-2409) with questions.

https://signup.com/mobileweb/2.0/vspot.html?activitykey=893094008049#choose_event_page

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.

For October, 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. And finally, teacher/caregiver conferences are coming up! The PTA coordinates a hot meal for staff during their very long conference days. Please sign up to contribute and help show our appreciation for our amazing Kenwood staff! We also need help for Photo Day & Woody Woodchuck's Fun Run!

https://signup.com/go/iVKZheN

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

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