We’re eager to connect and partner with you this 2024-25 school year in support of your children’s academic, social, and emotional growth. You can expect to receive the Courier Weekly.

• 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.
  

• May 2: Coffee with the Principal
• May 7: Bike to School Day
• May 2- May 4: Plant Sale
• May 5- May 9: Teacher Appreciation Week
• May 8: Native American Affinity Group.

• May 15: Spring Picnic

• May 22: 4-5 Music and Band Concert 6:30 pm.

• May 23: All School Morning Meeting

• May 26: Memorial Day

• May 28: Track and Field Day Grades K-5

• May 29: Track and Field Rain Date

• June 4: Kindergarten Completion Ceremony 3:00 pm.

• June 5: 5th Grade Completion Ceremony 10:00 am.

• June 6: All School Morning Meeting/Last Day of School

Dear Kenwood Families,

Thank you to those who were able to join us for the 2nd and 3rd grade music concert last night! Our students sang and played instruments brightly and from the heart and it was joyful! We appreciate their hard work under the talented guidance of Ms. Sue, our music teacher.

We honored Earth Day, poetry, and Kenwood PRIDE Certificate winners at All School Morning Meeting today. We’re delighted that so many of our students consistently embody peace, respect, integrity, dependability, and engagement while at school. Not everyone brings home a certificate for their hard work, but we know that when Woodchucks contribute to a positive school community, everyone does better.

We also celebrated our parent and caregiver volunteers today. Our tiny token of appreciation in the form of coffee and cookies represents our MASSIVE appreciation for all that you do to make our school shine. You share your talents in many ways: tutor students in reading and math; distribute and care for shared winter gear; organize the math challenge of the week; fund and coordinate residencies, the outdoor classroom, basketball hoops, and more; make the trip to Camp Widjiwagan accessible to all 5th graders; open milk cartons; sweep the floors; play with students at recess; chaperone field trips; write grants, beautify the planters; share your perspectives at Site Council meetings; plan and make meals for staff appreciation days; promote Kenwood in your neighborhoods and workplaces; share MIA art; read books; provide snacks; write cheerful notes of encouragement; organize the yearbook; plan and implement the Read-A-Thon; bring llamas to school (ha!); encourage donations to Kenwood; organize the Plant Sale; store pumpkins on your porch; pick up trash on the school grounds; display students’ art; create and replenish the Kenwood Closet; distribute weekend meals; welcome new families; speak lovingly with our children; believe in who we are and who we will become. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

As we step into the last six weeks of school, we look forward to celebrating our students’ growth and many successes with you. I hope to see you at the Plant Sale, the Spring Picnic, Field Day, and at the completion ceremonies for our kindergarteners and 5th graders!

Warmly,

Heidi Johnson

Mark your calendar! Mpls Kids 2025-26 Registration opens Friday, April 18 at 7am for CURRENT families. NEW family registration opens Friday, April 25 at 7am.

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, we will be consolidating our afternoon Kenwood program 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. Families who wish to utilize after-school care may request transportation between Kenwood and Emerson to meet their scheduling needs. Visit the Before and After School section of our website for more information.

For questions contact: Anita Adams | Anita.Adams@mpls.k12.mn.us Mpls Kids Program Coordinator | Kenwood

Please bring your families and join the fun at our annual Kenwood Spring Picnic, Thursday, May 15 from 4:15pm - 6pm on the school playground. There will be a FREE dinner for all students and their families. There will be fun activities, music performances from students, and much more! We hope to see you there.

Volunteer to help for a short shift - it's fun! Click here or visit the link below to sign up. Thank you.

Spring Picnic Signup

This year's field day will be here sooner than we think! Our Super fun Field Day is on Wednesday, May 28th. Mr. K is starting to have students preparing for a day packed with fun and he needs your help to make the event amazing! SIGN UP at this LINK to join the awesome volunteer crew!

Volunteer Times:

• Set Up: 8:15am-9:15am (4 volunteers)
• Field Day for K, 1st, 2nd: 9:45am-12pm (10-12 volunteers minimum)
• Field Day for 3rd, 4th, 5th: 12:45pm-3pm (10-12 volunteers minimum)
• Clean Up: 3pm-4pm (4 volunteers)

Weather Backup Plan:

If Mother Nature throws us a curveball on the 28th, we will postpone our Field Day Fun to Thursday the 29th instead. If you are available to support on both days (just in case), please sign up for the same shift on each day.

Thanks a bunch for your support!

For questions contact: jonathan.kramka@mpls.k12.mn.us

J. Ryley Kramka, Physical Education Teacher

The Kenwood Plant Sale is coming up the weekend of May 2nd - 4th in the Kenwood school yard. Come shop for annuals, vegetables, herbs and pollinator friendly plants for your pots or garden. Proceeds from the sale benefit the 5th grade class trip. Questions: Amy Sanborn, amysanborn18@gmail.com, 612-868-8664

Please sign up to volunteer at the sale, it's a lot of fun!

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0A4FA8AF2FA0FD0-55721016-kenwood#/

Join us for Coffee with the Principal from 9:45 to 10:45 on May 2nd. There isn't a formal agenda; we discuss what's on your mind!

Get Ready to Roll and Stroll! Bike and Walk to School Day is coming on May 7th!

Live close? Put on your walking shoes or hop on your bike!

For students who ride the bus, get ready to walk around the park to get to school! We need caregiver volunteers to greet students at Douglas and Logan and chaperone their walk around the perimeter of the park to school that day.

If you are able to volunteer for that day please contact: Victoria.johnson@mpls.k12.mn.us

Interested in knowing more about how Kenwood Elementary’s budget and curriculum are set? Want to have a voice and seek other caregivers input on what happens at the school? Join Site Council!

Site Council is looking for new members for the 2025-2026 school year. Goal of the council is to support school based decision making and increase academic outcomes for students.

Site council includes caregivers, teachers, staff, and a community member. Council is co-led by Principal Johnson and a caregiver. Time requirement is one meeting per month (3rd Tuesday of the month 4:15-5:45pm) and work in between gathering input or hosting events as desired.

Reach out to Principal Heidi Johnson heidi.johnson@mpls.k12.mn.us or caregiver Robin.Manthie@gmail.com for more information. Next meeting is May 27th if you’d like to observe.

In partnership with Communications, the Transportation department has created a toolkit for schools to use to share information about My Ride with their families. Included is social media post and graphic, a newsletter item, ½ page flyers and a user guide. We’ve also included some talking points to help answer questions from families about this GPS change.

The toolkit can be found on the Transportation Technology Updates site.

We have also included additional information on My Ride K-12 website for families to access.

Reach out with any questions or if I can be of assistance in any way.

Kenwood Closet: Free clothes for Kenwood kids

Kids grow fast! Kenwood Coset has been set up to help families share clothing amongst the Kenwood Community. We have lots of spring and summer kids clothes and shoes ready for new homes. It's all free to Kenwood families.

Want free clothes: Clothing will be available to all Kenwood families during the Spring Picnic on May 15th from 4:30-6pm in the school atrium.

Want to donate clothes: Drop off your donations in the bin located in the main lobby of the school. See the flyer below for more details.

Questions: contact Victoria Johnson at Victoria.Johnson@mpls.k12.mn.us

• School Gardens: Coordinate planning, planting with kids and maintaining the vegetable, rain, and pollinator gardens.
• DNR School Forest: Support Kenwood teachers in utilizing the forest.
• Oriole feeding site at Cedar LakeAnnual spring plant sale

If interested, please join this dynamic and fun group of volunteers in helping build on the tremendous work of others toward an enhanced Kenwood School environment for all.

Contact Amy Sanborn at amysanborn18@gmail.com with any questions or to sign up. https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://kenwood.mpschools.org/families-community/green-team__;!!MxD8lHs9xPYQ!Nnezyx3Ggxjs2TUGjLwSbny8NZbVB0bpfkD4l6caA5ThQqO9VQnTRJ-yH30VM1IyxbKv3hMGTEnyWKr8bE4oz2SCArqJOE8LzNg$

Kenwood Super Summer camp registration is just around the corner—starting Sunday, February 23 at 5 PM! We’re excited to invite Kenwood families to join us for a summer filled with amazing camps. Whether your child is interested in fishing, horseback riding, or even a Taylor Swift camp, there’s something for everyone. Plus, we’re offering several brand-new camps this year!

We can’t wait to see your child enjoy a fun, memorable summer filled with new adventures. Be sure to mark your calendars and get ready to register!

Registration for summer school.

1-5 GEMS-GISE STEM APPLICATION.pdf

1-5 GEMS-GISE STEM APPLICATION-SOMALI.pdf

1-5 GEMS-GISE STEM APPLICATION-SPANISH 1.pdf

This Saturday, April 26

10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Debut of the Kenwood Cougar aka Lowry Hill Mountain Lion
Kenwood Rec Center, 2101 West Franklin Avenue, Minneapolis, MN

Remember how back in December 2023, a mountain lion (aka cougar) appeared near Kenwood Park in Minneapolis but unfortunately perished when it tried to cross I-394? The Minneapolis Park Board and local residents pooled funds to have him taxidermied so that his story can live on.

You're invited to the Park Board's debut of the taxidermied cougar: this Saturday, April 26 starting at 10 am at the Kenwood Rec Center, 2101 W Franklin Ave., MPLS.

Program at 10:30 am featuring naturalist/taxidermist Meadow Kouffeld and Park Board Commissioner Elizabeth Shaffer.

Family fun to continue until 12 noon: kids can make cougar ears, have their faces painted, have a balloon animal made by a balloon artist, and visit a naturalist table.

Yum: Enjoy puppy dog tails, juice, and coffee from Isles Bun & Coffee and ice cream donated by Sebastian Joe's.

Bring your family; spread the word; hope to see you there! No need to RSVP.

Attached is a flyer for the MPRB's Nature Day camps that are happening at Wirth, Minnehaha, and North Mississippi regional parks this summer. Registration opens on 3/5 at noon and there is a sliding scale fee option for Minneapolis residents that goes down to $0.

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