The Kenwood Courier

Our Circle of Peace is a testament to everyone's commitment to fostering a sense of peace and belonging at Kenwood School. Many thanks to Natalie Quinn and Daisy Simpson for the photos!

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.
  

Please reference these calendars throughout the year, or go to the Kenwood Website to take a look at the calendar in the "About" section there.

On Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025 from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM, enjoy a student-led and teacher facilitated evening of learning about school life at Kenwood. Pick up a map of Woody Woodchuck's dens in your child's classroom to find your way through the building and explore the learning and community-building that happens every day at Kenwood. Don't forget to visit:

• Your child's classroom
• The gym, media center, art room, and music room
• The lunchroom for the Kenwood Closet and a flu vaccine
• Your child's special education and English language teachers
• The outdoor classroom
• The playground, where you can pick up a bag of chips with proof of having explored all of Woody's dens!

Please join us!

Note: Back to School Night is intended for parents/caregiver and students attending Kenwood. If you need transportation to attend, please call the main office at 612-668-2760.

Throughout the school year, our community shows appreciation to teachers and staff at least once a month, often with special meals or snacks. For our first month back at school, we’re celebrating them with an apple or fall-themed snack day on Thursday, September 25!

These treats for the break room depend entirely on volunteer contributions of food, drinks, or funds. Families are invited to sign up using the link below to bring snacks, or contribute via Venmo at @KenwoodPTAMpls. Snacks/drinks can be dropped off at the teacher break room (green door) during drop-off that morning. Thank you for helping us show our teachers and staff some seasonal appreciation! September Teacher Treat Sign Up

Kenwood students have enjoyed learning time outside in physical education class and with their homeroom teachers in the Outdoor Classroom. Way to go!

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.

Is your Family Interested in the Weekly Every Meal Program?

We are exited to offer the Weekly Every Meal Program! This program provide 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. Our first delivery is schedule for Friday, September 26th.

Brochures were sent last week in your child's back pack. Caregivers can return the brochure enrollment slips to the main office, or contact Family Liaison Victoria Johnson to enroll or to ask any questions.

Who loves ice cream? Woodchucks do of course! During the month of September Sebastian Joe’s on Franklin Avenue will be selling our new ice cream flavor, Just Woodchucking Around, to benefit Kenwood School. Vanilla ice cream with a blue hue! Layered with blue & yellow m&m's, chocolate pretzel bark (made special by Cafe Latte) & a caramel swirl! Come get a scoop or a pint of this special collaboration!

The Kenwood PTA is proud to partner with Homeland Health to offer flu vaccines for students, family members, caretakers, and staff at Back to School Night on Thursday September 25 (6-7:30pm) and 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

Kenwood Caregivers:

We are looking for a few caregiver volunteers to help with the Kenwood Closet at our upcoming Back-to-School Night Thursday, September 25. We need a team to help us set up, tear down, and sort clothing in the Kenwood Closet before the event and put it away once the night is over.

If you are available, please email robin.manthie@gmail.com

Are you interested in a low-stress way to get involved in the Kenwood community? The following classes are still in need of a Room Rep: Ms. Grace (K), Ms. Emerson Martin (2), Ms. Fellows (2).

We are looking for Room Reps- a caregiver from each classroom who serves as the connection between the PTA, teacher, and classroom community. The time commitment is about 1 hour/month (with many opportunities for extra engagement if you'd like!) and involves sending emails to the classroom community alerting them of upcoming activities, recruiting volunteers for class events, and organizing staff appreciation efforts.

If you'd like to volunteer or have questions, please contact Emily Prager (emily.o.prager@gmail.com, 630-362-0500).

https://signup.com/go/YVEVcUK

The Weekly Every Meal Program for families who signed up is starting on Friday, September 26th. We need your help to distribute the food bags to the student lockers every Friday. If you are interested in helping, please contact Family Liaison Victoria Johnson. Thank you for your support.

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)

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