Cougar Connect

Kennedy is partnering with the organization Rape Trauma Services (https://www.rapetraumaservices.org/) to provide bullying education and prevention to all of our students this week. Instead of doing a large assembly, we have elected to have students participate in the presentation during their PE class on Monday or Tuesday of this week. We are hoping that by providing a smaller setting this will provide more opportunities for the students to connect to the material, ask questions, and share experiences.

This week students will take the reading comprehension part of the placement test (35 minutes) during block day in their Language Arts class on Wednesday, December 5, or Thursday, December 6. They will take the second part (20 minutes), which focuses on vocabulary, on Friday, December 7, again in their Language Arts class. This is a timed tested. The math placement test will take place in January, although this past week students did some practice during the block day in their math class to start preparing.

To help prepare for the SBAC tests in April/May and to gather data to see where students' skills are currently at in Language Arts and Math, the District has required us to give what they call interim SBAC tests over the next three weeks. We will begin with Language Arts this week for 6th and 7th grade. 8th grade will take the test next week because we don't want to interfere with the high school placement testing. (8th graders going to Yosemite can make up the testing when they get back). This is not a full-length test. It is a small, focused piece of the test that will also give teachers the opportunity to teach the students the testing tools that are embedded into the test and review/teach test taking strategies. The general plan is that on Tuesday students will read one passage (the easiest one) and answer a few questions that relate to the passage. Teachers get immediate feedback once the students submit their test, which will allow them to do a little instructing prior to the students reading passages two and three on block day (Wednesday or Thursday).

Thank you for your patience and cooperation this past week with the changes to the front of the school. The parking lots were fenced off because demolition began in order to create our new combined Office/Family Center/Staff Room that will be located in these parking lots. This new building is expected to be done in early August. Rocketship was asked to clear their back area along most of Connecticut this past week because this coming week demolition will begin to create a new Kennedy parking lot.

This week is world-wide Hour of Code Week. Check out the link to many coding activities that your student can do with no experience needed. You can even try them, too. https://hourofcode.com/us

Many of our teachers are planning to do this with their students, although most will wait until the week before break because of all of the testing going on this week. I tried a coding activity this weekend from the Hour of Code website and it was quite fun and challenging!

Attention 8th Grade Parents! We need your help planning the 8th grade graduation party. The first meeting will be right before the PTO meeting on Tuesday, December 4, at 6 pm in the library.

Join us this Thursday from 8:30-9:30 am in the library for the monthly Principal's Coffee. We have a lot to cover! I will show the plans for the new combined Office/Family Center/Staff Room, exterior paint color options, as well as samples for the interior of this building. We will review first trimester data (STAR scores, grades, discipline, etc.) and discuss the upcoming RCSD changes that the Board just approved and how that affects Kennedy as well as the rest of the District. We will conclude by trying a simple coding activity on the Chromebooks and tour 8th grade classes and electives. The presentation will be added in English and Spanish to the Google Classroom.

Thank you to Mrs. Julia Federico-Youngs, Kennedy Music Teacher, our music students, and all of the parents, staff, students, and community members who supported our Winter Concert. It was wonderful to hear all of the different classes and groups perform and see a packed gym. We raised around $2,800 from food, apparel, and raffle ticket sales and donations.

Additionally, our Choir and String Quartet had the opportunity to perform yesterday at Hillsdale Mall. Below are some pictures from Saturday. I am working on getting footage from the concert to share and hopefully place in the Google Classroom.

Attached below is the December Music Calendar in English and Spanish.

REDWOOD CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT PARENT EDUCATION SERIES

SCREENAGERS: Growing Up in the Digital Age (Film)

Thursday, December 13, 2018, 7:00pm – 8:30pm

John F. Kennedy Middle School (Gym)

2521 Goodwin Avenue, Redwood City

Register: https://screenagers2018rcsd.eventbrite.com

Are you watching your kids scroll through life, with their rapid-fire thumbs and a six-second attention span?

Join us for a showing of SCREENAGERS, the powerful new documentary that reveals how tech time impacts kids’ mental, physical, and social-emotional development.

Physician and filmmaker Dr. Delaney Ruston offers solutions on how adults can help kids navigate the digital world and find balance. This award-winning film depicts the messy family struggles over cell phones, social media, video games, and academics.

Parents, students, educators, and community members welcome! Free admission and light refreshments. Spanish interpretation will be available.

Redwood City School District Parent Education Series events are sponsored by Unidos PTO, Adelante School, Kennedy Middle School, Sequoia Healthcare District, and Sequoia Union High School District.

Questions? Contact Charlene Margot, M.A., Director, The Parent Education Series, cmargot@csmconsulting.net.

All Academic Subjects:

Tuesday-Friday, 7:45-8:15 am, Library

Monday-Wednesday, 3:10-4:10 pm, YELL Room, (Old REACH Office)

Thursday, 1:35-2:35 pm, YELL Room (Old REACH Office)

Math:

Monday-Wednesday, 3:10-4:10 pm, Room B4 or 637

Art Club: Tuesdays & Thursdays, 7:30-8:20 am, Room 526

Book Club: Thursdays, Lunch, Room 534

Dungeons & Dragons: Fridays, Room 528

Jazz Band (Audition Only): Mondays, 3:30-5:30 pm, Room 312

Maker Space: Mondays, Lunch, Room 531

Photography & Writing Club: Tuesdays & Thursdays, Lunch, Room 314

Robotics Club: Tuesdays, 3:10-4:10 pm, Room 530

Total Drama Club: Tuesdays, Lunch, Room 417

Shakespeare & Improv Club: Mondays & Fridays, 3:10-4:10 pm, Room 417

Walker Library Club: Tuesdays & Wednesdays, Lunch, Room 417

Woodside High School will hold its annual Open House on Saturday, January 26, 2019, 9 am to 12 noon. Student led one-hour tours will showcase our fabulous campus and answer many prospective students’ questions about attending Woodside High School. Tours leave every 10 minutes from the PAC (Performing Arts Center) and end at the MUR (Multi-use Room) to speak informally with academic and athletic program staff. You must pre-register to guarantee your tour spot.

http://www.woodsidehs.org/PARENTSCOMMUNITY/8th-Grade-Events/index.html

Are you interested in having your child attend a small, diverse, personalized, college preparatory high school? We are proud to report that 100% of Summit Prep graduates were accepted into a 4-year college last year, continuing a long tradition of excellence. Please come learn more at our Open House on Tuesday, Dec. 4th at 7 pm at Summit Prep (890 Broadway, Redwood City).

Additionally, the application for next school year is now live! If you have a current 8th grader who would like to apply to attend Summit Prep for the 2019-20 school year, please visit the "Enroll" page of our summitprep.summitps.org website.

Application deadline is January 25, 2019 at 3PM

Random Selection Lottery will be held February 1, 2019

Monday, December 3: Bullying Workshop, PE Classes

Tuesday, December 4: Bullying Workshop, PE Classes; 6th/7th Grade ELA Interim SBAC Testing; 8th Grade Graduation Planning Meeting, 6 pm, Library; PTO Meeting, 7 pm, Library

Wednesday, December 5: School Tour, 8:30 am, Library; 6th/7th Grade ELA Interim SBAC Testing; 8th Grade ELA High School Placement Testing

Thursday, December 6: Principal's Coffee, 8:30 am, Library; WEB Leader Meeting, Room 535, Brunch; 6th/7th Grade ELA Interim SBAC Testing; 8th Grade ELA High School Placement Testing

Friday, December 7: WEB Pizza Lunch and Winter-Themed Trivia Competition, B-Quad; 8th Grade ELA Placement Testing

Monday, December 10: 6th/8th Grade Yosemite Trip

Tuesday, December 11: 6th/8th Grade Yosemite Trip; 8th Grade ELA Interim SBAC Testing

Wednesday, December 12: 6th/8th Grade Yosemite Trip; 8th Grade ELA Interim SBAC Testing; 6th/7th Grade Math Interim SBAC Testing

Thursday, December 13: 6th/8th Grade Yosemite Trip; 8th Grade ELA Interim SBAC Testing; 6th/7th Grade Math Interim SBAC Testing; Screenagers Movie, Gym, 7 pm

Friday, December 14: 6th/8th Grade Yosemite Trip; Basketball Lunchtime Competition (Rescheduled), Outside Room 535

Monday, December 17: December Birthday Celebration, Lunch, Room 535

Tuesday, December 18: School Tour, 8:30 am, Library; 8th Grade Math Interim SBAC Test

Wednesday, December 19: Modified Schedule, Music Assemblies & Extended Lunch; Site Council, 3:15 pm, Library

Thursday, December 20: Modified Schedule, Sports Assemblies, Regular Minimum Day Dismissal, 1:30 pm

Friday, December 21 - Tuesday, January 8: No School - Winter Break

Wednesday, January 9: School Resumes

Email: sadler@rcsdk8.net
Website: www.rcsdk8.net/kennedy
Location: 2521 Goodwin Avenue, Redwood City, CA, USA
Phone: (650) 482-2409
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kennedymiddleschool