Thank you for doing your best to follow our school's safety guidelines.  We appreciate your using the designated drop off and pick up areas and appreciate your efforts to avoid blocking critical street corners near the school, as well as not using the parking lot.  Please take extra care watching for students as they cross our streets.  

Kennedy begins its supervision outside in the morning at 8:15 am. Any student arriving before that is not supervised. It is important families try to get their children here as close to but not before 8:15 to ensure that they are being supervised.

It is also just as important that families pick up their children by 2 pm on Mondays, and 3:30 pm T-F, as that is when supervision is over after school.  We are also asking that families contact the office if there is a change to how the child is getting home no later than 2 pm Tues-Fri (1 pm Mon). Lastly, please do not pick up in the parking lot. This area is only reserved for those families with special circumstances that have been approved by the principal or assistant principal.

Before-school supervision reminders:

Breakfast is open and supervised starting at 8:15 am

School grounds are supervised starting at 8:15 am

Monday dismissal is at 1:55 pm

Tuesday through Friday dismissal is at 3:27 pm

With the start of the new school year, it is a good time to review the MMSD policy regarding absences.

An absence is considered to be  excused  if for the following reasons:

• The student is ill to the extent that they are not in proper physical or mental condition to attend school
• For observance of a religious holiday 
• Serious illness or medical condition of a member of their immediate family, and the student is needed at home
• Bereavement due to the death of an immediate family member
• The student has an appointment with a doctor, dentist, therapist, or other medical appointment, or is hospitalized
• Inclement weather, when there is a severe weather warning in place
• The student has their parent's or legal guardian's prior written permission   (see Pre-Planned Absences for more information)  

In keeping with this policy, please be sure to contact the attendance line at  204-3435  if your child will be absent. Or, new this year, you can report an absence online at  https://www.madison.k12.wi.us/attendance-information.

You must contact the school (or fill out the online form) every day that your child will not be in school.  

Any unreported absences are considered unexcused.

If a parent/guardian wants to release their child to go to an appointment, these procedures must be followed:

1. Parent/authorized adult must sign the log in the office and remain in the office until the child is released.

2. The adult must have the authority to pick up the child.

3. If the office does not know the adult, ID will be secured or verification procedures will be used.

4. The child's teacher will be notified by the office to send the child to the office.

5. Visitors should go to the office. No pick-ups are allowed from the playground.

Once school is in session, no non-school staff (including parents) will be allowed to go to a classroom unaccompanied to pick up a child. Phone calls are not acceptable to release a child and let him or her walk home or to an appointment. Parents are encouraged to say their good-byes in the office, once they sign their child(ren) in the log (if they are tardy or coming back from an appointment) and allow the child to walk to class unaccompanied.

Kids who come to school on time, every day:

- Do better in school

- Feel more connected to their classmates and their teachers

Tips for being on time:

- Mornings can be unpredictable. Build in time for the lost boot or un-signed permission slip.

- Start the night before with a consistent bedtime. 

- Wind down with books, not screens, which makes it hard to fall asleep. Kids need at least 8 hours of sleep.

Aim for under 10:

- Aim for missing no more than 10 days. If your child will be absent or tardy, please call the attendance line at 204-3435.

- Ask to speak with our social worker, Bridget Cremin, for support in getting your child to school on time.

We look forward to seeing you at our Literacy Success Night and Book Fair (formerly our Open House event)! 

Book Fair:  8:00am - 7:00pm

Classroom Presentations: 

5:15-5:30 Classroom Presentation Number 1
5:45-6:00 Classroom Presentation Number 2

Note that the information will be the same for each of the 15-minute presentations (5:15-5:30 and 5:45-6:00), so please choose the one that works best for your family's schedule.

When you are not attending your child's classroom presentation, please check out the Book Fair in the library - the proceeds from this will go right back into your child's classroom! 

You can also visit some of your student's specials teachers in the art room, gym or music room and you will also be able to sign up for Parent/Teacher Conferences at this event!

Included with our new renovations is an all-gender bathroom that is now available to students.  We are pleased to be able to offer this new option to our students.  Please click here for more details. 

Visit "Kennedy CougArt" on facebook for regular updates.

During the month of September and early October, all 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders are taking tests called Measures of Academic Progress (MAP). The Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) will give students MAP tests to determine their instructional level and to measure academic growth throughout the school year, as well as from year to year in the areas of Reading, Mathematics, and Language Usage. Your child will take the tests on a computer.

MAP tests are unique in that they adapt to the level of learning for each student. As a result, each student has the same opportunity to suc-ceed and maintain a positive attitude toward testing. And with MAP tests, we can administer shorter tests and use less class time while still receiving detailed and accurate information about your student's growth.

Early literacy screening is the key to providing effective literacy instruction and preventing future reading problems. The Phonological Awareness Literacy Screening (PALS) provides a comprehensive assessment of young children's knowledge of the important literacy fundamentals that are predictive of future reading success. PALS consists of three instruments, PALS-PreK (for preschool students), PALS-K (for kinder-gartners), and PALS 1-2 (for students in Grades 1-2). PALS also informs teachers' instruction by providing them with explicit information about their students' knowledge of literacy fundamentals. Beginning and end-of-year assessment allows for staff to monitor academic growth over the school year and to problem solve around students that have not met proficiency.

To learn more, please visit our   technology website.  

Stay tuned for more updates!

Kennedy is now using new Math curriculum, called Bridges.

Please click here for more info.

Dane County Department of Human Services 

242-6424 Wisconsin Works (W-2), FoodShare, transportation assistance, Medicaid, emergency assistance grants, & childcare assistance for individuals & families who meet set guidelines

Call 211 from any phone for area resources!

Before/After school care at Kennedy: 

YMCA 221-1571

After school pick-ups from Kennedy:

Playhaven -  1 Atlas Ct, 221-0110

Rings Karate -  1938 S Stoughton Rd, 221-9704

Campus for Kids -  4905 E Buckeye Rd, 221-1529