Kenny Community School: https://kenny.mpls.k12.mn.us/

5720 Emerson Avenue S., Minneapolis, MN 55419

Bill Gibbs, Principal: William.gibbs@mpls.k12.mn.us

Main Office: (612) 668-3340 Fax: (612) 668-3350 Attendance: (612) 668-3346 MPLS Kids: (612) 668-3344

Dates to Remember

Thursday,

November 19

8am-3pm—Supply

Pickup

Report Cards to be

picked up

Monday,

November 23

4:00-8:00pm—

Cooking Night Off,

Noodles &

Company, Edina

Wednesday,

November

25—Friday,

November 27

NO SCHOOL

Thanksgiving

Break

Tuesday,

December 1

9:00am—Coffee &

Conversation w/

Principal Gibbs via

Zoom

6:00pm—KPF

Meeting via Zoom

Monday,

December 14

5:00-9:00pm—

Cooking Night Off,

Chipotle, Edina

Thursday,

December 17

1pm-2pm—Winter

Option Fun,

Grades 4-5

1:30-2pm—Winter

Fun, Grades K-3

Thursday,

December

21—January 1

NO SCHOOL

Winter Break

Monthly calendar is the back page with:

Future Dates to Remember

Day A-B-C rotation

Specialist information

DISTANCE LEARNING ATTENDANCE LINE

MPS policy requires schools to take student attendance daily. If something

is preventing your child from participating in class, please contact:

Angie McCann—Kenny School Health Office:

angela.mccann@mpls.k12.mn.us

Or call Kenny’s attendance line at: (612) 668-3346 if you do

not have access to email

Hello Kenny families, I want to bring to your attention that next year, for the 2021-2022 school year, Kenny Community School will have a new bell (school start and end) time of 9:30am to 4:00pm. At their November 10 meeting, the MPS Board of Education voted to approve the proposed bell time schedule beginning school year 2021-2022. The Board of Education is confident the approved schedule can meet the goals of:

• Increasing participation in after-school programming particularly for those schools with a higher concentration of families receiving educational benefits as this has been shown to have a direct correlation to student achievement and sense of belonging.

• Reducing transportation costs so that savings can be reinvested into the classroom.

• Improving on-time arrivals at schools. If you have any questions about this change, please let me know. Two core pieces to the MPS distance learning plan include the Lexia Core5 and Dreambox programs. Over the week, children should be spending 60 minutes on each program. Most teachers are incorporating time during the students’ independent work time. We will be closely monitoring the use of the programs during distance learning. Both programs automatically adjust to your child’s instructional level. It is really important that the children do not get too much assistance when working with these programs. Teachers need to know which skills children are struggling with so they can give the appropriate mini-lessons. Report cards and Special Education progress reports will be in your student’s hanging folder to be picked up tomorrow. As always, thank you for all you do to make Kenny the amazing community school it is! Bill Gibbs, Principal

https://kenny.mpls.k12.mn.us/mailto:angela.mccann@mpls.k12.mn.us

The Scholastic Book Fair is OPEN!

Do you need to refresh your home library? You’ll find fantastic new books at our Online Book Fair. Shop now to support Kenny School (25% back in rewards!).

Wednesday, November 11 - Tuesday, November 24

https://bookfairs.scholastic.com/bookfairs/cptoolkit/homepage.do?method=homepage&url=kennyschool

Some amazing features of our online store:

• Over 6,000 items, including new releases, best sellers, and value packs

• A Virtual Fair shopping experience • All orders ship direct to home • FREE shipping on book-only orders over $25

We can’t wait to “see” you at the Book Fair!

If you need assistance participating in the Book Fair, please contact Susie Friederich: susan.friederich@mpls.k12.mn.us

Kenny Parent Equity Working Group

This is a parent-initiated group that is working to promote and advance

a culture of equity, inclusion, and anti-racist action within Kenny School

and in relationship with the broader Minneapolis community.

Please join us as we welcome Kenny staff Equity Team Lead

Ms. Rebecca Totzke to discuss what the staff is currently working on and

answer questions. All are welcome!

Time: Thursday, November 19 @ 7pm via Zoom

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81645513066?

pwd=K1krMGhLZm13VjI4bjdSTFB4Z08xQT09

Meeting ID: 816 4551 3066

Passcode: 127602

3rd Grade:

“Behind the

Mask…

Drawing My

Self Portrait

Ella, Rm 119 Francis, Rm 118 Evan, Rm 120

https://bookfairs.scholastic.com/bookfairs/cptoolkit/homepage.do?method=homepage&url=kennyschoolhttps://bookfairs.scholastic.com/bookfairs/cptoolkit/homepage.do?method=homepage&url=kennyschoolhttps://bookfairs.scholastic.com/bookfairs/cptoolkit/homepage.do?method=homepage&url=kennyschoolhttps://shop.scholastic.com/parent-ecommerce/as-seen-in-schools/360fair.html?fairId=4986559mailto:susan.friederich@mpls.k12.mn.us

Materials Pick-Up on Thursday!

**Kindergarten: Report cards, new learning materials, certificates

**Ist grade: Report cards, new learning materials, science kits

**2nd grade: Report cards, new learning material for Rm 108

**3rd grade: Report cards, Science materials plus folder items

**4th grade: Report Cards

**5th grade: Report cards, new learning materials (science, literacy, math)

The building is open from 8am—3pm

KENNY

November is American Indian Heritage Month

Let’s celebrate, acknowledge, and raise awareness of American Indian people and culture.

We are honoring American Indian Heritage Awareness Week by choosing the talented Lyz Jaakola as our

Musician of the Month (MotM)! Fun facts about Ms. Jaakola:

• She is Anishinaabe/Finnish American and a Fond Du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Member

• She studied music at the University of MN Duluth and is currently on faculty at Fond du Lac College.

• She sings many styles of music: opera, blues, and traditional Anishinaabe-Ojibwe music, to name some.

• She is a singer, drummer, composer, and music educator

• Visit our MotM page to hear music from Lyz Jaakola and to learn more!

Kenny kids are studying the different styles of dancing that takes place at a Powwow. We will be reading the book Bow Wow Pow Wow by author Brenda Childs (Red Lake Ojibwe).

Ask your child what their favorite style of dancing is!

Memphis, Rm 115 Eli, Rm 115

Rainy, Rm 116

Madelyn, Rm 117

4th Grade Line Movement

Collages

https://sites.google.com/mpls.k12.mn.us/mstotzkesmusicroom/more-music/musician-of-the-month

Calling all 4th-5th grade families...It’s winter options time!

Winter Options activities are a great way for families to connect with our students! Even though things look a little differently this year with Distant Learning, we can still make time for some winter fun!

We are looking for volunteers to lead a small group of students in a fun craft, game, or special interest

you may have.

Volunteers plan, gather the supplies needed, and lead a small group of students **The more leaders we have, the smaller the groups will be!**

All necessary supplies must be in hanging folders by WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9 to ensure all kits are received in time for the activities. Volunteers will receive further logistical information upon sign-up

WHEN: THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17 from 1:00PM-2:00PM

WHERE: Via Google Meets, links to follow

SIGN UP HERE or visit:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/409054cacaa22a2f58-2020

Thank you for helping to bring some winter fun to our students!

Questions? Contact Susie Friederich

susan.friederich@mpls.k12.mn.us

A BIG congratulations goes out to 4th grade

teacher Ms. Lisa Baier as she welcomed the new

addition to their family a couple of weeks ago.

Welcome to the world, little one!

Families in Room 116 should have received a

letter from Principal Gibbs announcing Ms. Abby

Woodruff as the short-call substitute until

December 3rd.

Ms. Abby has been a substitute at Kenny School

for many years and we are excited to welcome

her back!

Room 116

*Information for K-3rd grade celebrations will come next week!

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/409054cacaa22a2f58-2020mailto:susan.friederich@mpls.k12.mn.us

Thank you for joining us for our bi-weekly Coffee & Conversation chats with

Principal Gibbs!

There are no notes from this week’s chat

Beginning next month, we will move to MONTHLY chats!

Please join us on TUESDAY, December 1 at 9am via Zoom:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89776238048?

pwd=cGdFaWE0Q1A4ZGxNZDR1Sk94cXRKUT09

Meeting ID: 897 7623 8048 Passcode: 894062

Due to the Thanksgiving break, the meal and snack box pickup dates next week are:

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24

From 11am-3pm

Don’t forget to pick up your Super Snack Box while you’re there!

Mark Your Calendar!

MARK YOUR CALENDAR!

5th Grade families...Mark your calendars!

Southwest Parks Plan approved!

Plan includes long-term plans for 42 neighborhood parks, one regional feature, six potential parks,

and three park search areas in Southwest Minneapolis. See the full plan here.

Several Southwest parks have NPP20 funding allocations in the near future, including 28th Street

Tot Lot, Fuller, Kenny, Lynnhurst, Painter, The Mall and Whittier. Check the interactive

Park Project Map online to see funding allocations for park projects over the next six years.

KENNY PARK PLAN:

LOCATION AND HISTORY: Kenny Park is sandwiched between Anthony Middle School and Kenny

Elementary School on West 57th Street and Girard Ave South. The land for Kenny Park was acquired

in 1948. Half of the land was purchased, and the other half was received free from the state, which

had acquired it for failure of the previous owners to pay taxes. The park is named for Sister Elizabeth

Kenny, a renowned advocate for fighting polio and the founder of the Sister Kenny Institute. In the

1940s polio scares were so prevalent that playgrounds were practically empty. Parents were afraid

that their children would contract the polio virus if they played on public grounds or swam in city lakes.

The first attempts to acquire the land for a park were in 1928, a year after Minneapolis annexed about

a mile of northern Richfield from Fort Snelling to Edina, which created the challenge of providing parks

and schools for the newest parts of Minneapolis. However, the Park Board abandoned plans for a

park at this site in 1932 when property owners began to voice their objections to being assessed for

the acquisition; understandable given the economic toll of the Great Depression.

In 1948, with the economic recovery and population growth following World War II, the Park Board ac-

quired Kenny Park with plans to make it a children’s playground. Property owners agreed to the as-

sessments and in 1953 the Park Board began grading the park. Fill was hauled in to level the fields;

some of it was excess material from Armatage Park, eight blocks to the west. Construction of the park

was largely completed by 1955. The shelter was enlarged in 1928, then remodeled again in 1982. The

playground was rehabilitated in 1997. The Park Board experimented with 18-inch high pond hockey

boards on the Kenny Park skating rink in 2007. In 2009, tennis courts were resurfaced, and in 2012

the neighborhood raised funds to help pay for the addition of three shade structures installed near the

playground and pool. Excerpted from history written by David C. Smith

EXISTING CONDITIONS AND CHARACTER: Kenny Park serves as the primary outdoor space for

schools on both sides, especially during recess. A very small neighborhood center sits in the center of

the park with ball diamonds and field space to one side and tennis courts, play areas, half-court bas-

ketball, and a wading pool with picnic areas on the other. The park is often bubbling with activity and

the tiny park building runs a number of popular activities.

The park sits in a large open bowl between the two schools. Two multi-use diamonds, one diamond

with grass infield, and several multi-use fields next to it also host a skating rink and pond hockey in the

winter. Kenny’s natural sloping hills on three sides make excellent sledding hills in winter.

Next to the play areas are a small grass area and a popular gaga pit. These areas are heavily used,

as evidenced by erosion in the turf which becomes quite muddy after it rains. School staff, parents,

and neighbors have all expressed interest in a refresh of this area to manage drainage and erosion

concerns. A well-used half basketball court sits at the south end of the play area. Continued on next page...

https://www.minneapolisparks.org/project_updates/southwest-parks-plan-approved-by-minneapolis-park-and-recreation-board-of-commissioners/https://minneapolisparks.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=4bf83201e604494c8587e7832898ae42

Continued on next page...

IT’S ALMOST

SCHOOL REQUEST TIME

December 5, 2020 through February 7, 2021

This is a time when new students—especially those making the transition

to elementary or middle school—request a school for next year!

Before December 5, 2020 the District will mail letters to families of currently enrolled students

explaining the status of your current school for the 2021- 2022 school year based on

changes in the Comprehensive District Design (CDD). The information in that letter will help

you decide if that school is still right for you, or if you’ll need to request a new school.

Look up your community school for the 2021-2022 school year:

Comprehensive District Design (CDD) Community School Lookup

For more information, please visit https://schoolrequest.mpls.k12.mn.us/

Can students outside of the Kenny neighborhood request Kenny School? Yes, if there is

space after Kenny neighborhood enrollment, a family can apply for out of area enrollment.

As true with every year, requesting a school does not guarantee enrollment. The district also

reserves the right to limit the number of open enrollment seats at any school.

If we get an out of area placement at Kenny School, will the district provide transportation?

No, out of area students are not eligible for transportation and would have to provide their

own transportation.

If we are a current Kenny School family, will we receive priority? No. The district is not able

to give priority status for current Kenny School families seeking to stay at Kenny.

What is the 2021-2022 request timeline? Requests will be accepted for the initial

placement lottery beginning December 5th, 2020 through February 7th 2021. The District will

mail placement Notification Letters out at the end of March or early April. Virtual tours of

individual schools will be available beginning December 5th.

My child has an IEP, how do I go about choosing a school? The above information will also

apply to students with “resource” Special Education services (Federal Setting 1 or 2).

Students in “citywide” Special Education programs (Federal Setting 3) should be in

communication with their school social worker regarding their assignment for next school

year.

What are the new priorities for school requests for community schools?

1. Live in attendance area

2. Siblings in attendance area already attending the school

3. Live out of area

4. Live out of district

https://schoolrequest.mpls.k12.mn.us/cddhttps://schoolrequest.mpls.k12.mn.us/

MPS Meal Distribution Sites

OPEN TO ALL CHILDREN 18 AND UNDER

NEXT WEEK:

Meal Box pick up dates

due to the Thanksgiving break!

**Super Snack Boxes now available!!**

MPS Culinary & Wellness Services

https://nutritionservices.mpls.k12.mn.us/

The closest site to Kenny School is Windom School (5821 Wentworth Ave S)

Hours: 11am—3pm Monday through Friday

Youth need not be present, but be prepared to be asked to show a student id

For meal box Q & A visit: https://cws.mpls.k12.mn.us/smb_faq

Food Resources In Hennepin County:

• Hennepin Healthcare: https://www.hennepinhealthcare.org/support-services/food-resources/

• Give Me The Mike: https://givemethemike.com/2020/03/15/a-growing-list-of-programs-and-restaurants-offering

-food-to-families-in-minnesota/

Housing:

• First Call For Help: 211 or (651) 291-0211 (available 24/7) for resources in your area

• Shelter Hotline: (888) 234-1329

Hennepin County Mental Health Resources:

• 911 if the child or someone else is in immediate or physical danger.

• Mobile crisis team: Call (612) 348-2233. They provide support when a child 17 years or younger is in crisis. (For a

crisis involving someone 18 or older, call (612) 596-1223. We will go where the child is located to provide a risk

assessment, help to de-escalate crisis, develop a plan to keep the child safe at home, and offer resources and

referrals. Telephone consultation and stabilization services are also available.

Children who have serious and long-lasting mental health needs can receive mental

health case management services to help them and their families navigate the mental

health system. Mental health case managers help children and their families obtain and

coordinate therapeutic and supportive services that address the child’s mental health

issues and related social, recreational, health, educational, and vocational needs.

Mental health case management services are provided by community agencies as well

as county social workers.

https://nutritionservices.mpls.k12.mn.us/https://nutritionservices.mpls.k12.mn.us/https://cws.mpls.k12.mn.us/smb_faqhttps://www.hennepinhealthcare.org/support-services/food-resources/https://givemethemike.com/2020/03/15/a-growing-list-of-programs-and-restaurants-offering-food-to-families-in-minnesota/https://givemethemike.com/2020/03/15/a-growing-list-of-programs-and-restaurants-offering-food-to-families-in-minnesota/

Crisis Text Line

• https://www.crisistextline.org/

• Text Home to 741741

Suicide Prevention Lifeline

• https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

• Call (800) 273-8255

Hennepin County Services

• Call (612) 348-2193

MPS Community Resources Guide

• https://multilingual.mpls.k12.mn.us/uploads/family_engagement_community_resource_guide_2.pdf

Hennepin County Resource List

• https://www.caphennepin.org/community-resources/

Hennepin County Youth Resource List

• https://www.hennepin.us/residents/human-services/resources-youth

Talking With Children About CORONAVIRUS-19

As public conversations around coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) increase, children may worry about them-

selves, their family, and friends getting ill with COVID-19. Parents, family members, school staff, and other trusted

adults can play an important role in helping children make sense of what they hear in a way that is honest, accu-

rate, and minimizes anxiety or fear. CDC has created guidance to help adults have conversations with children

about COVID-19 and ways they can avoid getting and spreading the disease.

General Principles For Talking With Children

• Remain calm and reassuring: Remember that children will react to both what you say and how you say it.

They will pick up cues from the conversations you have with them and with others.

• Make yourself available to listen and to talk: Make time to talk. Be sure children know they can come to you

when they have questions.

• Avoid language that might blame others and lead to stigma: Remember that viruses can make anyone sick,

regardless of the person’s race or ethnicity. Avoid making assumptions about who might have COVID-19.

• Pay attention to what children see and hear on television, radio, or online: Consider reducing the amount of

screen time focused on COVID-19. Too much information on one topic can lead to anxiety.

Provide information that is honest and accurate: Give children information that is truthful and appropriate for the

age and development level of the child. Talk to children about how some stories on COVID-19 on the internet

and social media may be based on rumors and inaccurate

https://www.crisistextline.org/https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/https://multilingual.mpls.k12.mn.us/uploads/family_engagement_community_resource_guide_2.pdfhttps://www.caphennepin.org/community-resources/https://www.hennepin.us/residents/human-services/resources-youth

http://kenny.mpls.k12.mn.us/ Bookmark the Kenny Website

for quick access to the Staff Directory, the school

schedule, meeting times, and new information.

Join us on Facebook & keep up with all the latest Kenny news

https://www.facebook.com/KennyCommunitySchool/

http://www.facebook.com/kennypta

Help...Who do I CONTACT?

Angie McCann, Health Services Assistant

• angela.mccann@mpls.k12.mn.us or (612) 668-3346

• Attendance and reason out (sick, vacation, appointment, etc)

Rebecca Richardson, School Nurse

• rebecca.richardson@mpls.k12.mn.us

Karen Shannon, School Social Worker

• kshannon@mpls.k12.mn.us

Ruth Chaffee, School Psychologist

• ruth.chaffee@mpls.k12.mn.us

Christine Broder, Academic Assessments and Data

• christine.broder@mpls.k12.mn.us

Trudie Sable, Food Service

• trudie.sable@mpls.k12.mn.us

Susie Friederich, Community Resource Liaison

• susan.friederich@mpls.k12.mn.us

Linda Halverson, School Secretary

• linda.halverson@mpls.k12.mn.us or (612) 668-3340

William Gibbs, Principal

• william.gibbs@mpls.k12.mn.us or (612) 668-3340

http://kenny.mpls.k12.mn.us/https://www.facebook.com/KennyCommunitySchool/http://www.facebook.com/kennyptamailto:angela.mccann@mpls.k12.mn.usmailto:rebecca.richardson@mpls.k12.mn.usmailto:kshannon@mpls.k12.mn.usmailto:ruth.chaffee@mpls.k12.mn.usmailto:ruth.chaffee@mpls.k12.mn.usmailto:ruth.chaffee@mpls.k12.mn.usmailto:ruth.chaffee@mpls.k12.mn.usmailto:linda.halverson@mpls.k12.mn.usmailto:william.gibbs@mpls.k12.mn.us

Nov 15 - Dec 19 Kenny Main Office: 612-668-3340 Kenny Attendance Line: 612-668-3346

K-2 Specialist

Schedule Day A Day B Day C

10:35 - 11:30 K-Art McGovern K– Music Totzke K-PE Johnson

1-Music Totzke 1-PE Johnson 1-Art McGovern

2-PE Polland 2-Art McGovern 2- Music Totzke

3-5 Specialist

Schedule Day A Day B Day C

8:00 - 8:55 3-Art McGovern 3-Music Totzke 3- PE Johnson

4-Music Collins 4-PE Johnson 4-Art McGovern

5-PE Johnson 5-Art Nelson 5- Music Collins

Specialist Google Meet

information

Go to: https://

meet.google.com/

Press enter then click ‘Join a

Meeting’ and type the code for

the class that day.

Art: kenart

Music: kenmusic

PE: kenpe

Specialist will also help in

classrooms during the day.

Noon-12:30 and 1:40-2:10pm

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

15 Scholastic

Bookfair

November 11-24

16 Day B 17 Day C 9-10am Coffee with Principal Gibbs via Zoom

18 Day A

19 Day B

8-3 Supply Pick-up

7pm Kenny Parent Equity Group via zoom

20 Day C 21

22 Scholastic

Bookfair

November 11-24

23 Day A

4:00-8:00 Cooking Night Off - Noodles & Company Edina

24 Day B

Scholastic Bookfair ends

25 26 27 28

29 30 Day C DEC 1 Day A 9-10am Coffee with Principal Gibbs via Zoom 6-7pm KPF Meet-ing via Zoom

2 Day B 3 Day C

8-3 Supply Pick-up

4 Day A 5

6 7 Day B 8 Day C 9 Day A 10 Day B

8-3 Supply Pick-up

11 Day C 12

13 14 Day A 5:00-9:00 Cooking Night Off - Chipotle in Edina

15 Day B

16 Day C 17 Day A

8-3 Supply Pick-up

1-2pm All School Winter Fun

18 Day B 19

NO SCHOOL - THANKSGIVING BREAK

November 25, 26 & 27