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Kentfield School District Weekly News
Thursday, June 15
, 2017
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Para español haga clic aquí.
* El boletín se convierten utilizando Google Translate. Entendemos que esto no es una traducción perfecta, sin embargo, esperamos que sea útil para las familias de que hablan español. Si tiene alguna pregunta sobre la información, póngase en contacto con nosotros.
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News You Need
* Some email providers, such as Gmail, may clip the newsletter and readers must click "view entire message" to read the complete newsletter.
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- Last Day of School - early release at 12 pm
- 4th Grade Promotion, 8:30 am, Bacich Community Center
- Kent All School Assembly and Flag Lowering Ceremony, 11 am
- 8th Grade Graduation and Reception, 2:30-4:30 pm, Kent Field and Plaza
- 8th Grade Graduation Dance, 7:30-9:30 pm, Kent MP room
Back To School Events
Tuesday - 8/22/2017
Tuesday - 8/29/2017
- TK/Kindergarten Back to School Night, 6-7:30 pm, Bacich Community Center
Wednesday - 8/30/2017
- New to the District Family Welcome 1st-4th Grades, 6-7:30 pm
Thursday - 8/31/2017
- Kent New to District Students/Families and 5th Grade Orientation, 9 am-12 pm, students arrive at 9, parents' meeting at 11:15 am
Tuesday - 9/5/2017
- First day of school
- KSPTA Bacich Welcome Back Coffee, 8:15-9:30 am, Bacich Quad
Wednesday - 9/6/2017
- KSPTA Kent Welcome Back Coffee, 8:30-9:30 am, Kent flagpole
- 1st-4th Grades Back To School Night, 6-7 pm
Thursday - 9/7/2017
- Kent Back to School Night, 5:45 pm - 8:30 pm, please note: 0 period music class begins at 5:45 pm, all other classes begin at 6 pm
Friday - 9/8/2017
- Kent Minimum Day dismissal @ 1:13 pm
Sunday - 9/10/2017
- kik TK/Kindergarten Event, 10-11 am
Tuesday - 9/12/2017
Wednesday - 9/13/2017
- Bacich and 5th Grade Minimum Day - Parent Conferences
- kik Board Meeting, 7:30-9 pm, District Office
Thursday - 9/14/2017
- Bacich and 5th Grade Minimum Day - Parent Conferences
- KSPTA Bacich Family Pizza & Games Night, 5:30-7:30 pm
Friday - 9/15/2017
- Bacich and 5th Grade Minimum Day - Parent Conferences
View
Entire District Calendar
Download Board-approved 2
017-18 District Calendar
* Please note that February 2018 vacation is different than February 2017 break.*
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Superintendent's Update
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Our family doesn't take many big trips, but one of our most memorable was banging around the Kenai Peninsula and Kodiak Island in a 24-foot Winnebago. Even though our kids were just five and seven at the time, that was not a lot of room for four people to do all their living in for two weeks. We remember the trip as an idyll, of course, full of wildlife sightings and board games around the dinette table and hard-hat tours of the then-under-construction Seward Aquarium.
Such is the beauty of memory. Even the challenging moments are mostly recalled as hilarious: our son was fishing at the far end of a long dirt road from the main town on Kodiak Island when he hooked the back of his own head while swatting at mosquitos with his fishing pole in his hand. That wild ride in the Winnie back to the nearest hospital (24 miles) to get the barbed treble hook removed from his scalp is part of the family canon now, though it's a minor miracle we survived it with my husband at the wheel. That trip was a lot of work, and I likely didn't appreciate the full wonder of it at the time because of the kids' ages and needs. But those memories! The effort was obviously worth it.
We head off on another big adventure involving close quarters this summer. Celebrating milestone birthdays and a wedding anniversary, the four of us, along with two of the kids' friends, will be living on a boat together for a week. What is different this time around - and what you have to look forward to - is that my kids are doing all the organizing, planning, cooking and cleaning! I've lived long enough for the roles to reverse - at least for a week. The lessons learned from that long-ago trip to Alaska will be applied to this summer's trip, and the memories will pile on.
Whatever your plans are for the summer, I hope your family finds time to enjoy each other's company as often and fully as possible.
Thank you for a memorable school year,
Liz Schott
Superintendent
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Board Meeting Highlights - June 13, 2017
At its June meeting, the School Board honored its four newest tenured teachers and celebrated the retirements of eight veterans. The four Golden Bell award winners were also congratulated.
Thalia Milano, Jenna Degan, Theresa Rogoff, and Jason Gatti were welcomed into the District as permanent employees having completed their two-year probationary period. Brad Widelock, Winnie Caulkins, Jessica Carroll, and Leonor Gloistein were again recognized for having been chosen as this year's Golden Bell Award winners. And, finally, our eight retirees were given a rousing send-off by several already-retired teachers who attended the meeting to welcome the newest members of their fraternity/sorority. We bid a fond farewell to Judianne Eynon, Geoff Chin, Mary Lynn Kirk, Winnie Caulkins, Louise Osterman, Leonor Gloistein, Peter Gavin, and Dan McCaw.
The Board gave its final approval to the 2017-18 LCAP and Budget following public hearings at the May 30, 2017, Board meeting, and the two-week public comment period since then.
The LCAP is a living document that is revisited and revised throughout the school year by administrators, teachers, and the Board. The Budget is updated twice during the school year and the Board receives reports on these interim adjustments.
Jill Golub of Whitehurst/Mosher, the District's political consultant, proposed a public outreach program designed to improve communication with the Kentfield School District community and work directly with residents to plan the District's future. Town hall meetings, online surveys, talking one-on-one with neighbors, and other outreach measures will provide opportunities to weigh in on the financial management and academic accomplishments of the District. The Board directed Staff to work with Whitehurst/Mosher to implement the proposal.
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D
ear Parents,
Summer months bring back fond memories for me as a child growing up in Minnesota. My sisters and I would step out the back door early in the morning and return late in the day when it was time for dinner. We would ride our horses, catch salamanders in the window wells, build forts in the woods, and eat frozen missile pops from the ice cream truck that would pass through the neighborhood. I still hold on to those feelings of freedom and self-reliance from my childhood.
I think most of us would agree that the landscape of childhood has changed a lot since many of us were elementary age. Two career families and over-scheduled children are commonplace. Busy schedules and hectic days are familiar and often unquestioned.
As I have crossed paths with parents during these last weeks of school, I have discovered that many of you are facing summer vacation with the same mix of excitement, anticipation, and a bit of dread. Knowing that the structured days are about to end, parents are rearranging work schedules, lining up play dates and childcare, and finalizing camp plans. The world as we have known it since September is about to come to an end and we are all getting ready.
As we depart for eleven weeks of summer, I encourage you to allow for your sons and daughters to experience real "down" time in their summer schedules and opportunities to find the value in being alone. Let them engage in ordinary activities like washing the car with the garden hose, taking the dog for a walk around the block, or building a fort with the left over cardboard boxes in the garage. Let them be bored and find something to do on their own. Let them discover resources that they did not know they had. Let them master the fine art of lollygagging that many of us remember as children.
Summer provides many perfect opportunities for adults to fade into the background of our children's lives. Try to erase the schedule a day or two each week and simply let them be, because a day without a schedule is a day of possibilities. Remember, they are on vacation.
Wishing you a safe and simple summer.
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I am a big fan of Steve Kerr, the coach of the Warriors' Basketball Team.
His motto, "Strength in Numbers" can be observed at Bacich on a daily basis.
We are so fortunate to have a parent community that readily steps up to volunteer.
- Many thanks to the numerous volunteers for Car Line each week. A special thanks to Michele Higgins for organizing Car Line throughout the year.
- Another round of thanks to those parents who come to Bacich weekly to oversee the Game Room! Many thanks to Raina Sobel for organizing Game Room!
Bacich is a special place as we are the true definition of
"Strength in Numbers."
We have so many parents who help each week in the office, classrooms,
art, library, garden, lunch - the list is endless.
Thanks for all that you do to help Bacich be a unique and special place!
I hope everyone has a safe and happy summer!
Katie Ward
Director of Student Success
and Parent Engagement
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Attendance Hotline to report a student absence: 415-
925-2222
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Dear Parents,
Well, we did it! We made it to the last day of school. We have had an incredible year with all our Falcons and will miss them dearly. But we are also just as excited to celebrate summer and renew our energy for another amazing year next year!
Here is this week's wrap up:
All grade levels have had wonderful celebrations this year to solidify the bonds they have made with their classmates. The eighth graders had a wet and wild time at Water World, the seventh graders kicked back and chilled out at McNear's beach, the sixth graders dove into summer with their CoM pool party and day of fun on our field, and the fifth graders got groovy with their Poetry Cafe before heading to their own pool party at CoM today. What a perfect way to dip our toes into summer!
Yearbooks were handed out today and they are a big success! From a new "Kent Kids" art page to sending off our wonderful Ms. Osterman and Mr. Gavin with a full dedication page, it appears we have another beautiful memento for our students to remember this year. There are still a few left for sale in the office if you missed purchasing one and would like to get one. They are $40 and can be paid for with cash or a check made out to KSD.
Finally, tomorrow we send off our eighth graders in style with a new tradition: "Graduation on the Green." We will be holding our graduation ceremony
tomorrow at
2:30 pm
(graduates should arrive at
2:00 pm
) on our own field. The graduation committee has done an incredible job making this new tradition incredibly beautiful and is sure to be successful. The graduates have been practicing all week and are ready to soak in all our praise as they take to our field one last time as current Kent Falcons. From here on out they will be alumni! Hard to believe. It may be warm so wear your hats and bring your sunscreen as we send off our kids in style!
For current fifth, sixth, and seventh graders, please review the summer reading list found on our website in the "news" section. It might be a nice time to start reading early while their focus is still on school.
Enjoy your summer and we look forward to another wonderful year. Remember we come back after Labor Day next year!
Woodlands Market Behavior
Unfortunately, a student was unable to participate at the end of the year activities today and is prohibited from setting foot on Woodlands property for one year after stealing a watermelon this week. It has been very disappointing to receive repeated reports of inappropriate student behavior at our neighbor Woodlands Market. Stealing, littering, and disrespectful behavior at Woodlands reflects poorly on our entire school district and tarnishes the support the market has given our schools. Parents, please have a long discussion with your child about proper behavior and speaking up when they see something wrong. Let's remember to Fly High Falcons
!
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Kent Parent Resources
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Attendance Hotline to report a student absence: 415-
458-5972
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Kent Counselors
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Corey Shaw
Tuesday-Friday
415-482-9852
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Heidi Longo
Monday-Thursday
415-482-9851
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It's h
ard to believe that this is the last week of school. I am so grateful to be the librarian at Kent this year. I am thankful for many who have made this job easier and more enjoyable. I want to give my heartfelt thanks to the incredible parent volunteers who give their time each day to make this place the well-oiled machine it is. Thank you to Nancy Mann, our coordinator of library volunteers, to Carlos Fassler, Caroline Wabl, Jenny Silva, Yumi Esaka, and Erika Wah for your tireless efforts and commitment to the library each week. I truly could not do it without you! The Kent staff has been amazing and so patient and flexible this year as I learn this new position. I appreciate how open our staff is to collaboration and I'm excited for more partnerships in the years ahead.
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Thank you to the amazing students who use the library each day, my wonderful Kent Library Council for your leadership and especially to our eighth graders who will be graduating this week. A few notable library patrons are among those who will be moving on next year, including Anna Silverman, who checked out 291 books during her time at Kent, Sam Pigott, who checked out 170 books, Ciara Tran, who checked out 169 books, and Maia Miglio, who checked out 157 books between fifth and eighth grade. I hope you will continue to visit the library frequently while you are in high school and beyond!
The last two weeks have been bustling in here as students work to wrap up projects and assignments and return those late books to the library. We have also talked a lot about summer reading. Sarah Butts, from the Corte Madera Library, spoke to fifth, sixth and eighth graders about the wonderful summer programs offered by the public library, and also recommended some great reads for our students. I saw the fifth graders last week and talked them through our extensive list of summer reading choices. All grades are encouraged to read at least 2 books this summer. Our main goal for students this summer is to enjoy reading by offering more choice than ever before. You can access the
summer reading lists here
.
This year, our most popular books were definitely graphic novels of all types, which students read while in the library during recess and lunch. Our top five circulated books of the year were
Pax
, by Sara Pennypacker,
The Wild Robot
, by Peter Brown,
The Hunger Games
, by Suzanne Collins,
Wolf Hollow
, by Lauren Wolk, and
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
, by J.K. Rowling. It's fun to see that the top books of the year include a mix of new and older titles.
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Finally, I'm excited to introduce our Kent Summer Reading Challenge! This summer I hope to "see" our Kent students reading as much as possible. My challenge to students is to read in any and all locations where you find yourselves this summer and to take a picture of yourself and/or your family while reading. Whether you are in a hammock in your backyard or dipping your toes into an exotic sea, take a picture! You can email me your picture(s) to rjelen@kentfieldschools.org or post them on Instagram tagging us @kentmiddleschoollibrary. Prizes will be awarded in the fall for the best summer reading pictures. |
Happy reading, wherever you go this summer!
Rebecca Jelen
Kent Librarian
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#summersuccess2017
Follow our Marin County Sheriff's Office Student Resource Officer Josie Sanguinetti at @srojosie on Instagram.
Hashtag your good deed with #summersuccess2017 on Instagram and you will be entered to win prizes and gift cards!
Ms. Sanguinetti will be posting regularly about where she is and the good deeds she sees in her job; here's your chance to be a part of #summersuccess2017 history!
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Teen Poster Contest
Marin youth, ages 12-18, may enter this local poster contest to advocate for change and to educate and inform the community about their hopes, concerns, and social justice vision for our world. The contest is now open and runs through August 16th.
Great prizes will be awarded to winning students and their schools!
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Teen Volunteers at Bacich
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Bacich students have had the pleasure of having several Marin Catholic students volunteer on Friday afternoons and to assist with
Homework Club. These teen volunteers were dependable and eager to help students either in small groups or with one on one assistance.
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Often, when these volunteers enter the classroom, our students run up and throw their arms around them. Our classroom teachers appreciated having another person offering guidance to students who were seeking extra help.
We wish Kaylin Boyle, Elise Minami, Ashley, and Lilly Bell all the best as they begin college in the fall! Many thanks for your dedication and enthusiasm each week!
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Safe Routes to School Updates
KSD Safe Routes to School program would like to share an exciting update on some of our 2016-2017 accomplishments.
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1. Installation of a new crosswalk and sidewalk with a crossing guard at Stadium / McAllister.
2. Repaving and safety enhancements planned for McAllister are set to begin June 19th and finish in early September 2017. See the recent
Marin IJ article and the
County Press Release for more details.
4. Three well-attended and locally sponsored district events - International Walk & Roll to School Day, Holiday Go Green Day, and National Bike to School Day
On behalf of the KSD Safe Routes to School Program and our team of 21 Volunteer Parent Neighborhood Captains, thanks for your support this year as we worked together to keep our students safe traveling to and from our schools!
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Support Kentfield Schools
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Our kids are counting on
all of us this year!
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Your last chance to be a hero.
Before you start looking ahead to the summer months - with the kid camps, family trips, countless BBQ's, and sun-soaked afternoons - we wanted to give everyone who hasn't contributed one final chance to toss some money in the
kik hat to support your local schools.
Our parent volunteers have worked tirelessly all year to help raise the funds needed to shore up the gap between what it takes to provide a quality education to our kids and funds we get from the government - knocking on the doors of local businesses, throwing fundraising parties, making hundreds of phone calls, and spending countless hours organizing.
Now we need a few minutes of your time. Just click on over to the
kik
donate page
and chip in whatever feels comfortable. We'll accept any amount, so there really is no reason not to donate.
Your donation will directly help to sustain critical school programs (computers, art, music, PE, etc.) and help pay the salaries of key staff (teachers, specialists, classroom aides, librarians, etc.).
Thanks for your contribution to the community. Together we're helping to make a big difference in the lives, and futures, of our children.
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Thank you to all of the businesses that support kik!
Please support the businesses that support our community!
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Thank you for all your support of the KSPTA! Our students and schools benefitted every day from volunteers working in the library, art class, during lunch, and at special events, including the annual Book Fair and our first-ever Kentfield Music Festival. In addition to your helping hands on campus, over 500 community members joined KSPTA. Their dues and other fundraising programs paid for classroom supplies, books, musical instruments, PE equipment, dance at Bacich and Kent; a new audio book program for students and teachers; the English Language Development (ELD) program; and supported enrichment classes, such as Maker, drama, art, and woodshop.
Many thanks to our community and local businesses who supported new family socials and back-to-school coffees welcoming families to Kent and Bacich. Throughout the year, KSPTA events, such as Bike-to-School Day, Crafts Fair, Chinese New Year Celebration and Family Maker Night, gave all of our families a chance to enjoy time on campus and get to know other members of our community.
School families also participated in KSPTA Parent Education events to discuss important topics: Staying Connected to Your Teenager, Social Media Risks and Best Practices, Vaping and Prescription Drugs, and Mindful Parenting. With your input and assistance, KSPTA can provide these opportunities for our community to connect and work together to support our students.
As the school year came to a close, KSPTA celebrated our teachers and staff with a community-sponsored lunch and notes of appreciation from students. Volunteers worked on the Bacich garden, and the Kentfield Music Festival showcased "home grown music" performed by local students, parents, and teachers. These successful community-building events wouldn't exist without the families, students, and teachers who share their talents with our schools.
Thank you for a wonderful 2016-17!
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Marin County Foster Care
Marin County has 87 children in foster care and just 35 approved homes. Of those children, 20% were placed within the same city of removal, 52% were placed within Marin County and 28% were placed out of county. We want to be able to keep children in their school and community and to do that we need to have more homes available.
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Learn More About Foster Care Meeting
July 20, 2017
7-8:30 pm
3240 Kerner Blvd. Room 110, San Rafael
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Quick Links
Download the KSD Mobile App
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Kentfield School District | 750 College Avenue, Kentfield, CA 94904
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