Kennedy News
🐾 March 10, 2025 🐾
Kennedy Families,
Spring is rapidly approaching! The snow from last week's blizzard is melting away and the temperatures keep going up. It is fun to see the students enjoying the warmer temperatures outside. As we keep moving towards spring, I encourage parents and guardians to consider sending an extra pair of clothes and shoes to school. Students can keep the extra set in their backpacks or lockers. The ground is muddy and wet and it is not unusual for student get really dirty while playing outside. Additionally, I encourage students to be ready for dramatic shifts in the weather. Today it might be 70 degrees but tomorrow it could be 40 degrees. Please encourage your Cub to come to school with winter gear ready to use when the weather takes a turn.
With spring approaching, it is also almost time for conferences. We hope to see all of the Cubs at a conference later in March. Conferences are a great time for parents and guardians to catch up with the teachers to find out how things are going academically and socially.
As always, thank you for your partnership and support!
It’s great to be a Cub!
Steve Rustad
Kennedy Principal
Sign up now for conferences!
There is also a sign up for each special area teacher. If you would like to check in with one of them, feel free to sign up for a time slot so that they know you are coming.
The timing of Progress Reports has changed this year to enhance our communication with families about student achievement. Progress Reports will now be issued in January and June, while Parent-Teacher Conferences will still take place in November and March. This change will allow families to receive updates on their child's progress four times a year, providing a clearer understanding of their achievement by the end of the school year.
Families will be able to access their child's Progress Report through the Parent Portal in Infinite Campus. If you are unable to access it online, please feel free to request a paper copy by contacting your child's school office.
Here are the key dates for the 2024-2025 school year:
January 29, 2025: Fall Progress Reports are ready
March 2025: Winter Parent-Teacher Conferences
June 10, 2025: Spring Progress Reports are ready
Additionally, our Special Education teachers will report on progress toward IEP goals and objectives in January and June, aligning with the same timeline as general education reporting.
January and February Students of the Month were recently celebrated. Students of the Month are selected by their teachers for showing Kennedy B.E.S.T. It is our goal that each and every Cub gets recognized throughout the school year.
Did you know that if your Cub misses 17 or more days of the school year that they are considered chronically absent by the state of Minnesota? We know that students miss school for many reasons such as illness, vacation, or family emergencies. It is expected that a student will miss a few days throughout the year. However, when students start to miss more than a few days of school, it can be detrimental to their academic growth. Research shows that students who miss 7 or more days of school are more likely to struggle to be at grade level academically. Here at Kennedy, we want to see our Cubs in school as often as possible so that they can continue to get what they need to succeed in school.
Here are some important things to know about how we will be approaching attendance for the remainder of the year:
- Stay below 17 Days Absent: Mr. Rustad will be sending a message out to all families who have students on pace to miss more than 17 days of school this year. We have about 10% of students who are at this point. Our school goal is to have less than 5% of our students missing 17+ days this year. If you receive that message from me, know that we are looking to partner with you to make a plan for better attendance for the remainder of the year.
- 7 Sick Days=Med Letter Needed: If you have had a student who has missed up to 7 days because of illness, we will be requiring a doctor's note to excuse any further absences for illness. If your child isn't feeling good but they seem like they could be at school, I encourage you to bring them to school and have them checked out by our school nurse, Ikzela Estrada. She will let you know if your student should stay at school or go home for the day.
- Doctor's Note Needed: Every time your student goes to an appointment (doctor, dentist, therapy, etc.), they must come back with a note from the visit excusing them from the time they were absent. If they have no note and it is just called it, it will be marked as unexcused until a note comes in verifying the absence.
- County Involvement: When a student has 8 or more unexcused absences, our school partners with Blue Earth County to support families with a plan to get their students to school more often.
Thank you for your partnership around attendance. If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at srusta1@isd77.org.
Kennedy is currently looking for a playground supervisor. We have one supervisor and she is amazing. Her name is Stacey Schulz Pope (or Mrs. Stacey to the Cubs). Stacey has been working at Kennedy for the past 5 years and loves supporting our Cubs. We are looking for someone to partner with her from 10:45 AM - 1 PM each day. It should be someone who loves working with kids and enjoys being outside. The job is perfect for someone looking for a just a few hours a day. It could be a parent, a college student, or a retired member of our community.
If you or anyone you know is looking to work at a great school with amazing kids, send them our way! Click here to email Principal Steve Rustad for more details. Click the link below for the official posting on the district website.
Are You on Facebook? Follow the Kennedy Facebook Page!
The Kennedy PTO is a great committee that supports our school by hosting events that celebrate the school community and connect families to each other. Learn all about the PTO through the Kennedy PTO Facebook page. Click the button, give the group a like, and follow the group to stay up-to-date on the latest happenings at Kennedy!