Weekly Newsletter - Kenny School!

Weekly
Newsletter
October 29, 2008
5720 Emerson Avenue S
Minneapolis, MN 55419
Bill Gibbs, Site Administrator
Asst. Principal
[email protected]
Main Office: 612-668-3340
FAX: 612-668-3350
Nurse/Attendance: 612-668-3346
http://kenny.mpls.k12.mn.us
School Times: 8:05am-2:20pm
AM ECSE: (T-F) 8:05 am-10:35am
PM ECSE: (T-F) 11:50am-2:20pm
Minneapolis Kids: 612-668-3344
Dates to Remember
Fri 10/31
“Career Day”
sponsored by Student
Council
Fri 10/31
End of 1st Quarter
Sun 11/2
Daylight savings time
ends
Mon 11/3
No School all grades
Tues 11/4
Election Day (no
meetings after 6pm)
Wed 11/5
PTA Board Mtg. 5:30
Wed 11/5
Picture re-take day
Thu 11/6 &
Fri 11/7
Innisbrook distribution
Fri 11/7
Coffee with the
Principal
Tues 11/11
PTA Meeting-Turkey
Bingo
Wed 11/12
RIF Book Distribution
Newsletter submissions are due
by 6 p.m. Mondays.
Email to Michele Lieske at
[email protected].
Hello Kenny Families,
As I know you are well aware, Tuesday November 4 is election day. This day is
even more important for us at Kenny, as we are a polling place. There are
approximately 2,000 registered voters who could vote that day at Kenny. That
means we must be extra careful in regards to safety and security. It also gives
us the opportunity to showcase Kenny to the community.
The only door that will be unlocked allowing access to voting will be the front
door. The PTA will have a table in front of the office and there will be at least two
parents there the entire time the polls are open. They will be there to assure
that people do not enter student areas in the building as well as be a smiling
face ready to answer questions about our school and even offer a cup of coffee.
This is a great opportunity to share our programs. We will be able to highlight
recent Kenny positive public relations including the articles in the Southwest
journal about the changes at Kenny School as well as a visit from the Minnesota
Commissioner of Education, Alice Seagren. If families have preschoolers, I will
be available to show them the kindergarten rooms. Each program at the school
has been asked to prepare a presentation board to be displayed in the hall as
well. It will be a great time to show the community what Kenny is all about.
The Kenny families should also remember every vote matters! In addition to
voting for president and other elected officials, you will also have the opportunity
to vote on the Minneapolis Schools Strong Schools Strong City referendum,
which is on the same ballot. If approved, the referendum would provide funds to
help Minneapolis Public Schools increase achievement for all students.
Referendum money would support education essentials – such as early reading
skills, math, science, technology and textbooks – and help manage class sizes. If
it fails, we will need to cut $30 million from the school district budget. Learn
more at www.mpls.k12.mn.us/referendum. Remember to vote on November 4!
On election day, we will be asking families to enter the building through either
the kindergarten or Mr. Lee’s doors. The buses will drop the students off closer
to 58th street and students will enter through the kindergarten doors. Dismissal
will use these alternative doors as well.
It will be an exciting day at Kenny. We will show the neighbors what we are all
about. Remember to vote and let your family, friends, and neighbors know about
the referendum as well.
The Fall festival was a huge success. Special thanks to Angela Amundson and
John Shefchik. Please see the page dedicated to the festival in this newsletter.
See you at Kenny very soon. Remember, you are free to visit and observe
anytime, even if it is not a time you are actually volunteering in a classroom.
Bill Gibbs, Kenny Site Administrator
A huge THANK YOU to Angela
Amundson and John Shefchik
for planning a wonderful fall
festival!!!!
Picture Re-Take Day
Picture Re-Take Day is Wednesday, November 5th. If
you ordered a packet you should have received it last
week. If you would like this redone you will need to
return the entire packet on the picture re-take day.
If you did not have pictures
taken on the first picture day
you can also order a packet
on November 5th. A flyer was
sent home with students
today with the packet
information included. You
can also pick up an order
envelope in the office.
A fun time was had by all! See the attached flyer for
more information about the event.
Career Day
this Friday!
Don’t forget to dress up for
career day, sponsored by the
Student Council, this Friday,
October 31st.
Teacher’s Corner
Margaret Zimmermann-Swenson—Visual Arts
Hi, my name is Margaret Zimmermann-Swenson and I am the Art teacher here at
Kenny School. I will be here Thursdays and Fridays and I will see each class once a
week for 55 minutes. The Art program is based on the district’s standards. The
students will learn from the Minneapolis curriculum called, ―Art Connections‖.
Each grade level has a different textbook that we will go through over the course of
the year. Each text begins with the elements of art: line, shape, color, value, space,
form and texture. Then each text covers the principles of design: rhythm, balance,
proportion, emphasis, variety, harmony and unity. Each year the curriculum becomes
more advanced in the vocabulary, concepts, processes and techniques taught. In each lesson your child will
learn about one or more artists, time periods, cultures, styles and/or movements and the corresponding
vocabulary that goes with each. The lessons are accompanied by related art historical examples.
Your child will receive studio project assignments based on the expectations of the curriculum. During the year
students will use both two and three dimensional art materials. It is important that the students are exposed
to, experience and eventually master how to use different art materials and tools to best express their ideas
and practice what they have learned.
Some of the art materials are messy and can stain clothes. The students do wear smocks; also please
encourage your child to be careful with materials in Art in relation to themselves and each other. Lastly, when
possible, please have your child dress in older clothes on the day in which they have
Art class. I am very excited to be at Kenny School and I am looking forward to
working with your child.
If you would like to contact me, email is best:
[email protected] or you may leave a message on my
voicemail, (612) 692-1059.
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Innisbrook Distribution
Fundraising Opportunity with
earth-friendly toys
Innisbrook product distribution will
take place next Thursday and Friday,
November 6th and 7th.
The Green Goober is a new store opening with ecofriendly toys at 5411 Nicollet Ave S. The grand
opening is November 14th, 15th and 16th.
Look for information in next week’s
Wednesday folder about distribution
times.
Five percent of the subtotal for items purchased on
those days will be donated to the school of your
choice. Find out more at their website:
www.thegreengoober.com.
Remember to bring
in your Box Tops!
It’s time to bring in your Box
Tops so we can raise some
easy money for Kenny.
The
submission
deadline for
the first half
of the year is
October 31. Send in as many
as you can until then.
You’ll be surprised at how
much we can earn!
Strong Schools Strong City
Referendum Reminder
The Minneapolis Public Schools will have a Strong Schools Strong
City Referendum on the November 4 general election ballot. If
approved, the referendum would provide $60 million per year for
eight years to help Minneapolis Public Schools increase
achievement for all students.
Referendum funds would support education essentials – such as early literacy,
math, science, technology and textbooks – to raise student achievement, close
racial and income achievement gaps and help ensure every student who
graduates from the Minneapolis Public Schools is college ready. We want to
be sure all parents are aware of the referendum – you can learn more at
www.mpls.k12.mn.us/referendum.
Remember to vote on November 4!
The Foundation
Cornerstone
Remember to check with
your employers to see if
they participate in the
United Way Giving
Campaign or company
match program.
If you need any
information or have
questions, please contact
Tim Keehn at
[email protected] or
612-802-9559.
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2008 Kenny Fall Festival, “Kenny Kids on the Farm”
Well, we hope y’all had just as much coming to the festival, as we had creating it!
A quick shout-out special thanks to:
The amazing Kenny Parents, Volunteers and Kenny Teachers and Cleaning Staff – THANK YOU!
Kaia Kegley – Our amazing parent-photographer took appx. 200 photos of everyone at the festival!
Ross Sutter and Margo McCreary – our Musician and Puppeteer!
The MN Fiddlers – Wow, GREAT talent! The MN Honey Queen and MN Beekeepers Association Reps!
Kowalski’s Market on Lyndale Ave for their donation and Cub foods on Nicollet for their donation!
And a special thanks to Piper’s Grandma Shirley and Grandpa Roger for their help in hand-painting /
making all the homemade booth necklaces and trucking up loads of straw from “Down on the farm” in
Wisconsin!
VOTING BOOTH RESULTS:
Two candidates running for Kenny President: Cool-Cow and Kickin’ Chicken…one candidate promised “more
homework and less days of school”, while the other candidate promised “less homework and more days of school”.
55 votes for Cool-Cow
55 votes for Kickin’ Chicken
The results are in; yes we had a perfect tie, no joking! Next year, we will have a run-off vote!
GUESSING BOOTH RESULTS:
Here are the winners or more like accurate guessers:
163 Cheese Puffs:
Ian, room 112 guessed 164! WOW, Great guess Ian!
222 Candy Corns:
Daisy, room 116-guessed 227, Nice guess Daisy!
108 Peanuts:
Maggie, room 118 guessed 109! Way to go Maggie!
Nice work to everyone that participated!!
Your comments: “Down on the Farm Means…”:
“Horseback riding.” – Brianna
“Seeing and Feeding Animals” – Caitlin
“Cows, Sour Honey, A lot of poop, Fun and yum, Gross poo, It stinks, There are animals, Chickens.”
“Fun!” – Apollo
“Yum, Yum food and good honey + nice animals” – Bianca
“Can’t stop smelling the poop! Smelly pigs, seeing the piglets, John Deer Tractors, Pig Poop, Tractors, Old McDonald.”
“On the Farm.” – Gwen
“Being Responsible” – Ilsa
“Seeing the piglets” – Libby
Working Hard! Unicorns, Sheep, Dogs, Ponies, Corn, and Horse Manure and Chickens.
“Working!” - Phoenix
“Way down in the country where the farms are.” – Serena
“Stuff” – Daisy
Way down
4 in the country where there is a barn and animals.” – Emily
“Milk.” – Maggie
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