The Kenwood Courier

Our Read-A-Thon has officially begun!

📚Today marks our big kick-off, and the energy from our students is incredible! They are so exited to dive into their favorite books. A huge thank you to our PTA for their leadership in sponsoring this wonderful event for our 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 Precious Moments!

At Kenwood, we truly care about one another. Even during challenging times, our community, parents, and students come together support each other.

That is exactly what makes the Kenwood community so special.

• March 2-13: Read-A-Thon!
• March 3: ALC begins again
• March 5: K-1 Music Concert, 3:00 and 6:00 (families may attend either one or both)
• March 6: SPIRIT DAY: Hat Day
• March 6: Coffee with the Principal at 9:45 (Budget discussion)
• March 11-12: Scholastic Book Fair
• March 11: SPIRIT DAY (Wednesday): Spell It Out! (wear a message on your shirt)
• March 16-19: 5th Grade Trip to Camp Widjiwagan

• March 19: SPIRIT DAY: Reading Rainbow Day (pick a color and wear as much of it as you can!)

• March 20: Eid/No School for Students

• March 26: SPIRIT DAY! Pajama Day

• March 27: Teacher Record Keeping Day/No School for Students

Read-a-Thon has officially begun! This year Read-a-Thon runs from March 2nd to March 13th. It is a great way to get students excited about reading and is the PTA’s biggest fundraiser of the year. There was a kick-off assembly today and packets will be sent home.

Look for the packet in your child’s backpack today 2/27.

Happy Reading!

Registration Opened Sunday, Feb. 22 at 5 PM

We’re thrilled to welcome back the Kenwood Musical, returning with even more creativity, excitement, and opportunities for young performers to shine. And that’s not all — we’re expanding our lineup of high‑energy outdoor classes to keep kids exploring, creating, and soaking up the sunshine all summer long.

Registration went live Sunday, Feb. 22 at 5 PM, and spots fill fast!

👉 Parents can sign up here: Kenwood Super Summer

Explore more this summer with innovative, immersive experiences that inspire students to discover new possibilities inside and outside the classroom. This includes programs like…

• Summer Scholars

• Minneapolis Kids

• Super Summer

• Summer long-camps

• Freedom Schools

This summer, Minneapolis Kids Before and After Summer Scholars Care (grades 1-7) will not be offered. Our Summer Scholars program will run from June 29 to July 23 this summer, which is slightly shorter than previous years. We understand this may impact summer care for students, and we apologize for the inconvenience. These changes allow us to continue to offer quality programming while addressing budget challenges. Learn more about MPS Summer Programming!

We are excited to begin the spring session of ALC on Tuesday, March 3. If your student returned a form, they have been enrolled in a class. Look for the enrollment form which will be sent home on Monday, March 2. Keep this form for your reference. Also look for a Student Contract that needs to be signed and returned to your student’s ALC teacher. If your student requested bus transportation look for an updated tag with the ALC bus drop off location and time. The spring session runs through April 30.

Please join us for our Kindergarten and 1st grade music performance!

The Kenwood students will sing, dance and play instruments on Thursday, March 5 in the gym.

We will have two performances in hopes that all families can attend.

• 3:00 - 3:45 PM for families and 2nd through 5th grade Kenwood students
• 6:00 - 6:45 PM for all who can make it back to school that evening

It will be a joyful day and night listening to your wonderful children making music!

Help us make this year's book fair a success! Volunteer to help with set up or break down, or to help while students shop with their class or caregiver! Sign up here - https://signup.com/go/iVKZheN

Students will shop the book fair with their class on Wednesday, March 11th or Thursday, March 12th. Parents and caregivers are welcome to shop the fair after school on Wednesday, March 11th from 4 to 5:30 pm or during the school day on Thursday, March 12th from 9 am to 4 pm. The Scholastic Book Fair raises funds for the Kenwood Media Center/Library, benefitting all students. We appreciate your support! Cash, credit cards, and Scholastic e-wallets are accepted at the book fair.

The Yearbook ALC has been busy this winter creative directing a really special Kenwood Yearbook. And to finish off their process, they concepted, art directed and filmed this video to promote the yearbook. If you’d like to order a yearbook for your Woodchuck, please go here

Join the Family Directory via this Google Form. Those who opt in will have access to the directory to arrange playdates and connect with classmates' families. The directory cannot be used for business or political solicitations. The directory link should not be shared with people who are not in the directory.

Did you know you can subscribe to our Google Calendar to have PTA events added automatically to your Google Calendar? Click the link and simplify!? Click the link and simplify!

We sincerely hope you have enjoyed the PTA-hosted events you have attended this year. It is our goal to ensure that our PTA events are inclusive and welcoming to our entire school community. We would greatly appreciate it if you could take a few minutes to provide feedback to help us plan for the future. As much or as little perspective as you would like to share is much appreciated. Click here to share your feedback.

Are you looking for a small volunteer job at school? The PTA distributes a "library" of winter gear to each classroom for kids to use as needed. We could use help with the initial distribution, fulfilling occasional requests from teachers, and collection/cleaning/storing in spring. Contact Amy Sanborn at amysanborn18@gmail.com or 612-868-8664 if you would like to help.

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

Already have the app? Make sure notifications are turned on to get updates like arrival times, school arrival and more. Go to Settings in the app to enable notifications.

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

UMTYMP is a great opportunity for both students and schools. By offering a challenging and supportive environment, we aim to create rapid growth so your students can move more freely in their educational journey. Exam registration for the 2026-2027 school year is currently open. Students can learn more and register at our About UMTYMP page. I have attached a flyer to give students and parents a brief synopsis of the program with multiple language translations available. I am also happy to help you reach out to any potential students with details on the program or discuss materials I can create for you to reach out to your specific students.

We want to ensure Kenwood families are aware of the following food and nutrition resources. Every Meal works to fight hunger in our community by filling the food gaps children face during weekends, summers, and extended breaks. The program provides students with 4-5 pounds of food to take home in their backpacks every Friday. We have five different food bag options available to accommodate various cultural, dietary, and situational needs. If you are interested in receiving an Every Meal bag, please contact the Kenwood Family Liaison, Victoria Johnson [Victoria.Johnson@mpls.k12.mn.us or (612) 668-2760] to enroll or to ask questions.

Additionally, the Second Harvest Heartland Care Center helps people find free food through a network of food shelves and community resources. Find the best resource for you here You can also talk to a Care Center an advisor 8:00am-4:30pm Monday-Friday. The Care Center is free, friendly, and confidential. 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.

If you are in need of immediate assistance reach out to our school Social Worker, Alex Holzchuh [Alexandra.Holzschuh@mpls.k12.mn.us or (612) 668-2760]

Finally, if you are in the position to help, the Kenwood PTA is collecting monetary donations to purchase gift cards for our school Social Worker, Alex Holzchuh to distribute to families. If you can contribute, please venmo the Kenwood PTA at @KenwoodPTAMpls

When school is not in session, children can eat free meals and snacks at many

community sites, including Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board and Hennepin County

Library locations. Visit the MPS Culinary & Wellness Services community sites webpage for

details about no-cost meals. Contact a site for specific hours and meal types.

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.

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
• Kenwood Staff Directory