| The family newsletter for J.F. Kennedy Elementary School |
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Dear Kennedy Families,
I hope this finds everyone doing well and staying warm! Thank you for being an important partner in our home-school collaboration. Together we can work to support your students' success both academically and in their social-emotional development. Both are so important!
As winter approaches, I want to remind families we are outside almost every day, and so it is critical that your student(s) dress appropriately for the weather. We have extra winter wear available for students who have not yet had time to stock up for this winter. Please contact Bridget Cremin, our school's social worker, and she will help with your student's needs. Thank you to so many families who have donated gently used clothing. We are always looking for donations, snow pants, boots and gloves/mittens.
Respectfully,
Nancy C
aldwell, Principal
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Kennedy Students are experiencing a new math curriculum this year. Click here to find out more details, and ways you can help your child.
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Did you know that Kennedy has a Positive Support Team? The team includes the following people - Ms. Caldwell (principal), Mrs. Mullen (assistant principal), Ms. Bridget (social worker), Ms. Becky (psychologist/positive behavior support coach), Ms. Tammy (behavior education assistant), Ms. Lynn (behavior education assistant), and Ms. Paquette (positive behavior support coach).
In addition to supporting student behavior, the team plans school wide behavior education. Our first focus was Walk Strong. Students learned how to walk respectfully through Kennedy's halls to make sure the hallways are safe and all students are able to learn. Students earned footprints that led to a bonus recess for each classroom in the school. Our next focus is on sportsmanship.
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221 Meadowlark Dr.
Madison, WI 53714
Office Phone:
(608) 204-3420
Office hours: M-F 8-4
Safe Arrival:
(608) 204-3435
School cell phone:
(608) 843-9483
(only if main phone
is not working)
Nancy Caldwell, Principal 204-3428
Karen Mullen,
Asst. Principal 204-3433
Bridget Cremin,
Social Worker 204-3472
Becky Fellman, Psychologist 204-3472
Laurel Cornelius,
School Nurse 204-3432
Amy Hagen,
Secretary 204-3420
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Meadowlark/Agate
7:45-8:45 AM
1:30-2:30 PM Mondays
3:00-4:00 PM Tues-Fri
Milwaukee/Meadowlark
7:30-8:30 AM
1:45-2:45 PM Mondays
3:00-4:00 PM Tues-Fri
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Fri, Nov 10
Early release @ 11:35 AM
Thurs, Nov 16
Early release @ 11:35 AM
Parent/Teacher Conferences
Wed-Fri, Nov 22/24
NO SCHOOL
Fri, Dec 8
NO SCHOOL
Fri, Dec 22 to Tue, Jan 2
NO SCHOOL
Winter Break
Wed, Jan 3
School Resumes
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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
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| Parent / Teacher Conferences |
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Kennedy's parent/teacher conferences will be held Thursday afternoon, November 16. If you have not yet scheduled a conference time, please contact your student's teacher to do so.
We are looking for 100% participation this fall!
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Grade K-3 require snow pants/double pants and boots to play in the snow. Students must also wear coats, hats and gloves/mittens.
Grade 4-5 students must wear coats/hats/gloves and are encouraged to wear boots and snow pants when in areas with snow. 
No throwing snow, snowballs or ice chunks.
Students are not to slide on ice.
Students need to wear coats in weather 55 degrees or cooler.
Additional winter gear is available. Please contact a teacher or Bridget Cremin, our Social Worker, if needed.
Snow and snow objects are shared by all students.
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 Please join us at these PTO sponsored events:
Wed, Nov 8, 6:30-7:30 PM
PTO Meeting in Library
Wed, Dec 13, 6:30-7:30 PM
PTO Meeting in Library
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Click
here for details about this exciting after-school opportunity!
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 We do collect items that are lost at school. Clothing, shoes, boots, etc. are stored in a cabinet in our cafeteria. Small items, like jewelry, are stored in our office. If your student has lost something, please ask them to check those places during their school day. Parents are also welcome to come to school and look for lost items.
Please be sure you have looked for any lost items before Winter Break, because any items left will be donated at that time. Thank you!
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 We are happy to welcome the Celebrate Smiles team to Kennedy this year! You should have received a form in your child's backpack inviting you to take advantage of this opportunity for dental care for your child(ren).
Even if you have dental insurance, fluoride treatments, sealants and other services are offered at no cost to you.
Please note: you must check YES or NO on the form and return it to school. |
| News from the Health Office |
Welcome back and congratulations to Laurel Cornelius, our school nurse, who has been out on maternity leave.
When should my student stay home with an illness?
It is MMSD policy that a student should not return to school until they are fever-free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medication. If a student v
omits, they should also remain out of school for 24 hours after vomiting stops. Students with diarrhea should wait 24 hours after their last incident to return to school. Students will be sent home if diarrhea is causing soiled clothing.
Our ultimate goal is to keep kids healthy, in school, and in their classrooms. Sometimes our students won't feel 100%. However, if your student has been free of a fever, diarrhea or vomiting for 24 hours, we encourage them to be in school.
If your student has been on antibiotics for 24 hours with diagnosed strep throat, then we encourage them to be at school.
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On Wednesday, October 11, we hosted three guests from our community for Kennedy's "A Principal Experience." They included Kyle Wojta from Associated Bank, Neal Stake from SPi CRM marketing, and Pastor Jeff Vanden Heuvel from Messiah Lutheran Church. Throughout the day, these community members helped in classrooms, met with some of our students, and even went on a field trip to our local garden! It was wonderful to have them with us.
Bridget (social worker), Neal, Kyle, Karen (asst. principal), Nancy (principal) & Jeff
The companies that these community members represent have "adopted" us this year. Learn more about their businesses by clicking on their names below.
 
These businesses offer our school tutors, food & clothing drives,
fundraising for specific needs, and so much more. Thank you!
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On Friday, November 3, staff from Kennedy and SPi CRM,
competed in the Madison School District's lip sync competition.
This event was a fundraiser for the Foundation for Madison Public Schools.
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"This smells like life!" -Kennedy fourth grader smelling the Youth Farm's shiitake mushroom harvest, grown on logs inoculated by Kennedy students in 2016
The above quote makes me remember exactly why I love working with kids on the farm so much - especially in the fall. The farm is a living buffet full of incredible colors and flavors, ready for the picking. I love seeing kids get so excited about eating healthy food, and I love the look on their faces when they realize how rewarding it is to work hard and hold the results in their hand. The whole farm really does smell like life in the fall, and I enjoyed all the kids' reactions during Kennedy field trips! Don't forget to ask your student what recipe they harvested, cooked, and tasted at the farm this season!
Some things to talk about with your kids if you walk through the farm this time of year:
- The blanket of green covering the garden beds (assuming we don't already have a blanket of snow!) is our fall cover crop - oats, peas, daikon radish, and winter wheat. Kennedy students helped scatter the seeds during their fall field trips after bringing in armloads of leeks, radishes, carrots, and other garden goodies. Our cover crops will be mixed into the soil next spring to replenish nutrients in the soil, so our 2018 harvest can be as abundant as 2017.
- Underneath the mulched bed, garlic is sending down its roots. Fifth graders planted cloves in late October. Look for green shoots coming up in March or early April!
- Our scarecrows (a popular sight this fall) are taking some time off for the winter. We hope they will be back on the job next summer!
Jennica
Goodman Youth Farm Manager |
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We have 2 new part-time P.E. teachers this year, teaming with Mrs. Hellenbrand. Here are some comments from them:
Ms. Sorensen
Hello! My name is Ms. Sorensen and I am a part time physical education teacher this year at Kennedy. I am a first year teacher and I graduated from the University of Wisconsin- River Falls this past Spring. I look forward to sharing my passion of physical activity with all the cougars this school year!
Thanks!
Sarah
Ms. Whiting
Hey! I am Ms. Whiting or Ms. W and I am the PE teacher in the afternoons at Kennedy this year. I am from southern Illinois and this is my second year teaching. I look forward to getting to know all of my Kennedy Cougar students as well as their families.
Thanks!
In November, our Kennedy Cougars will be jumping rope and learning how to bump and serve a volleyball.
In December, our students will be starting gymnastics. |
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Did you know there's an app for our school district?
Download the IC app to your phone or mobile device.
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Thank you to many of you who contributed toward our new Kennedy informational sign. We are still waiting to be approved by the City of Madison before it can be installed. Hopefully we'll see it soon!
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Many families choose to thank their teacher with a gift at some point in the year. As kind as it is, the staff at Kennedy has instead requested you to consider giving to the school in, perhaps one of the following ways:
- Gift card of "volunteer time" for a certain number of hours helping out in the classroom, shelving books in the library, or working at one of the PTO events like Family Fun Night
- Classroom gift of various school supplies (post-it notes, glue, tape, pencils, markers, folders, notebooks, etc.)
- Books for the classroom library or fun games for rainy/extreme cold days
- Making a donation to Kennedy Elementary School through the Foundation for Madison Public Schools |
We have new Cougar clothing available for purchase!
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 In November we will be hosting a food drive for Second Harvest Food Bank. We will have collection barrels for non-perishable items at Kennedy.
Please click here to find out what items are needed most, and what items cannot be donated.
Thank you for your generosity! |
The following staff have joined us at Kennedy this year:
Lauren Leffingwell - 2nd Grade Teacher
Dexxie Bankhead - 3rd Grade Teacher
Breah Lieberman - Cross Categorical Teacher for 5th Grade
Chris Powers - Music Teacher
Maureen Mensing - Advanced Learning Specialist
Brendan Loula - Bilingual Resource Specialist, Mandinka
Andrea Fairweather - Program Support Teacher, Special Education
Lisa Rust - Instructional Coach
Katie Griffiths - Art Teacher, part-time
Ken Stancer - Music Teacher, part-time
Welcome! |
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Job, financial and housing resources. Food and Clothing pantries on site.
Housing Resource Hotline - (855)510-2323
Joining Forces for Families
Emergency problem solving, job seeking, health care & housing resources, case management, advocacy with the human service system, school services, participation in resident advisory board, neighborly support
3030 Darbo Dr, Fabiola Hamdan 246-2967 and Bridget Rogers 240-2045
Family Enhancement
2120 Fordem Ave, 241-5150
(workshops, classes and groups)
Dane County Job Center
1819 Aberg Ave, 242-4900
One-stop access to employment & training programs for both employers and job seekers housing Dane County Human Services, DVR, Employment & Training Association, Forward Service Corp, & Job Service
Centro Hispano
810 W Badger Rd, 255-3018
Housing & job assistance, translation services, transportation, advocacy, educational programs, English as a second language
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
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Kennedy Elementary School | 608-204-3420 |
221 Meadowlark Dr.
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Madison, WI 53714
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Copyright © 2017. All Rights Reserved.
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