The Kennedy Howl

November Newsletter
Dear Kennedy Family,
As we continue to learn and practice the 7 habits at Kennedy, I am
reminded of Habit 3, Put First Things First. This habit is all about finding
balance and intentionally scheduling time for the big rocks in your
life before the pebbles rob you of your time. For me, one of my
big rocks is my family. This time of year can always get very hectic
as the holidays approach. Therefore, I am going to commit to
prioritizing my time to be with my family making memories. I hope
that you can find the time, in the coming months, to do the same!
Sincerely,
Dream it, Believe it,
Achieve it!

Christy Free
Principal of Kennedy Elementary

Upcoming Events
Kennedy Food Drive going on

Parents/Guardians of Kennedy Elementary School Students,

NOW!!

Our school has partnered with BrightBytes - an educational research

organization - to explore our use of technology for learning.

November 16th Rada Orders Due

We invite you to answer a few questions about your technology use.

It should take less than 5 minutes to complete on any device with
internet access.

November 20th Kennedy

Walk-A-Thon

November 24th at 6:00 Family

Movie Night

Follow this link to participate:

http://www.BByt.es/AB4JP
Thank you for taking part in this important initiative!
Sincerely,
Lori Smith

A look at the KCS Guiding Tenets:

The KCS Guiding Tenets drive the work we do at Kennedy every day! The Guiding Tenets are
made up of the KCS Mission, Vision, Core Values, Goals, Core Competencies, Key Practices and
Guiding Questions.
The Core Values are what we, as a school system, believe in. We have six core values for our
district; exemplary student learning, guaranteed and viable curriculum, collaborative professional
learning communities, engaged families and the community, data-driven decisions for
continuous improvement and culture of shared leadership.
At Kennedy, teachers, instructional assistants and administration meet regularly to review
assessment data such as DRA, writing assessments, math assessments, and intervention weekly
probes. After reviewing the results we discuss individual student needs and create a systematic
plan for how to better support every child at our school move to proficiency and beyond. This is
one way we make data-driven decisions for continuous improvement at Kennedy Elementary.

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The Kennedy Howl

A Note from PTA

Hello Kennedy Family,
There are a few things going on this month with PTA. We have Rada orders out. Those are due
November 16th. If you are writing a check, please make those payable to JFK PTA. Also we have our
movie night happening this month. We will be watching Free Birds. There will also be snacks and
drinks free of charge. The movie will be on the 24th at 6:00pm. We hope to see you there!
Thank you
JFK PTA

Kennedy Walk-A-Thon
On Friday, November 20, 2015 our students are going to participate in a Walk - A - Thon.
This activity is to raise coins and cash for Kennedy Chromebooks.
More information will be sent home with your child this week.

When can the school excuse an absence?

You are allowed 8 parent days per school year. These are days that your child's absence can be
excused by a parent or guardian writing a note, emailing, or calling the school. Unless you have a
medical excuse (doctor, dentist, therapist, etc.), all other absences are unexcused. It is a violation of
state law to have more than 5 unexcused absences in a school year. We encourage you to take
advantage of our Telemedicine Program if you are unsure whether or not to send your child to
school. A nurse practitioner is available to see your child at school. Forms can be found online at
www.k12k.com under Parents and Health Information.
Late arrivals to school and early dismissals from school are not excused without a medical excuse.