The Kenwood Courier
Dear Kenwood Families,
It was a great day to walk and bike to school on Wednesday! Thank you to our parent volunteers, Kenwood Staff, and bus drivers for making it possible for our students to enjoy the fresh spring air and early morning exercise. Our bus riders were dropped off at the edge of the park and, with adult supervision, they walked and sprinted to school, enjoying the tree blossoms along the way. At least fifty children rode their bikes to school! Thank you to Natalie Quinn for sharing her photos of the event with us!
Thank you to the Kenwood PTA, and especially Amy Sanborn, for another successful Plant Sale last weekend. The dollars raised will support our 5th graders' trip to Camp Widjiwagan next year. Also, thank you to all parent volunteers, and especially Karin Olson, for a delicious Staff Appreciation Lunch on Tuesday. We feel nourished and loved!
Many families have expressed curiosity about staffing changes for the 2025-26 academic year. I'll be able to share news about staff who are moving on to new opportunities in the next Kenwood Courier. I'm interviewing candidates for classroom and special education teachers next week, but won't have finalized decisions until the end of the month. As a reminder, we'll have three classrooms in kindergarten, first, and second grades (three in each grade) and two classrooms in third, fourth, and fifth grades (two in each grade). I'm confident that we'll have an excellent team of educators who will help our students learn, grow, and thrive in this beautiful school community.
I'll be in Portland, Oregon at the end of this week through the weekend to celebrate my son's college graduation. It's hard to believe he's reached this important milestone already! His first day of kindergarten truly seems like it happened yesterday.
I wish you all a wonderful weekend and a very happy Mother's Day. See you at the Spring Picnic on Thursday afternoon!
Warmly,
Heidi Johnson
Principal at Kenwood School
- Create a reading environment: reduce distractions and interruptions
- UFLI home practice
- Play Roll & Read
- Listen to your child read decodable text
- Read and write irregular words
- Partner read with your child: alternate reading word by word, sentence by sentence, paragraph by paragraph; ask your child to reread the sentence/paragraph to practice fluency
- Echo read: you point and read, your child “echos” you by pointing and rereading
- Choral read: read aloud together with your child
- Read aloud to your child
- Read side by side: you read your book, your child reads their book
- Lexia Core 5 (online resource for students- access through Clever)
- Reading tutors at the library (letsread@hclib.org)- free in-person reading support for K-5 students; homework help during the school year; literacy games and practice in the summer (drop in)
- Enroll your child in a MPS Summer Scholars program-, free, transportation available
- Discovery and Learning (math and reading focus)-- Folwell Elementary
- GEMS- GISE STEM Academy ( Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics)- Sullivan Elementary *wait list as of May
Use this QR code to learn more about the MPS Summer Scholars programs and to register your child.
Dear Kenwood Caregivers:
Please use our new school App to complete the Save Your Seat on the bus form for your child's transportation. New Students: You'll need your child's Student ID (received after enrollment) to access the form in the app.
Action Items:
- Find the App flyer and guide here.
- Existing Students: Log in and find the "Save Your Seat on the bus" form.
- New Students: Once you have the Student ID, log in and complete the form.
We also have a backup Form:
A backup transportation form is available here.
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
Attention Kenwood Community! The Kenwood PTA wants to hear from you. Please take the Kenwood PTA Caregiver and Staff Survey to express your preferences and share your ideas. Haga clic aquí para acceder a esta encuesta en español. The survey should take less than 5 minutes and you will have the opportunity to enter your information to participate in a drawing- 5 lucky winners will receive $20 in Kenwood Spiritwear Credit!
Interested in knowing more about how Kenwood Elementary’s budget and curriculum are set? Want to have a voice and seek other caregivers input on what happens at the school? Join Site Council!
Site Council is looking for new members for the 2025-2026 school year. Goal of the council is to support school based decision making and increase academic outcomes for students.
Site council includes caregivers, teachers, staff, and a community member. Council is co-led by Principal Johnson and a caregiver. Time requirement is one meeting per month (3rd Tuesday of the month 4:15-5:45pm) and work in between gathering input or hosting events as desired.
Reach out to Principal Heidi Johnson heidi.johnson@mpls.k12.mn.us or caregiver Robin.Manthie@gmail.com for more information. Next meeting is May 27th if you’d like to observe.
- School Gardens: Coordinate planning, planting with kids and maintaining the vegetable, rain, and pollinator gardens.
- DNR School Forest: Support Kenwood teachers in utilizing the forest.
- Oriole feeding site at Cedar LakeAnnual spring plant sale
Tree Stewardship: Ensure the health of the playground trees.
If interested, please join this dynamic and fun group of volunteers in helping build on the tremendous work of others toward an enhanced Kenwood School environment for all.
Contact Amy Sanborn at amysanborn18@gmail.com with any questions or to sign up. https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://kenwood.mpschools.org/families-community/green-team__;!!MxD8lHs9xPYQ!Nnezyx3Ggxjs2TUGjLwSbny8NZbVB0bpfkD4l6caA5ThQqO9VQnTRJ-yH30VM1IyxbKv3hMGTEnyWKr8bE4oz2SCArqJOE8LzNg$
Tinker + Nudge is a process-based art studio for kids located in South Minneapolis. What do we mean by "process-based" art studio? It just means we focus on the creative process - not the final product. Every project that goes home is as individual as your kiddo(s)! We offer art classes, workshops, playdates, birthday parties and camps where kids are encouraged to explore a wide range of materials and techniques including sculpture, printmaking, collage, drawing, and painting. We love to say, "I don't know, let's try it!"
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