Don't Miss These Announcements
Upcoming Events
District News
Dear Kentfield Community,
"A day on, not a day off." That is the slogan for Monday's Martin Luther King, Jr. federal holiday. The third Monday of January was designated the MLK Day of Service by Congress in 1994. Participation in this national day of service has grown to hundreds of thousands of Americans strengthening communities, bridging barriers, and solving social problems through simple acts of service to others.
Kent and Bacich students are involved in service learning projects throughout their tenure in our school district. Mr. Althouse describes what is happening at Kent in this arena in his letter this week. The MLK Day of Service offers the opportunity for families to work together toward Dr. King's vision of a "Beloved Community." For ideas on what to do, this is a good place to start: https://www.nationalservice.gov/serve-your-community/mlk-day-service
Liz Schott
Superintendent
School Board
Board of Trustees Open Seat Information
- Information Session: Tuesday, January 22, 2019, 6-7 p.m. at the District Office.
- Applications due to the District Office by noon on Friday, January 25, 2019.
- Interviews will be during open session of a special board meeting on February 7, 2019 at 4 p.m. at the District Office.
School Board Information
Special Board Meeting for Board of Trustees Open Seat Interviews : February 7, 2019, 4 p.m.
Next Regular Meeting: February 12, 2019
Technology and Innovation Programs highlighted at February Board Meeting - 4:00- 5:00 p.m.
- Join the Board of Trustees to learn more about technology and innovation in our district from 4:00 - 5:00 p.m.
- Regular meeting: 5 p.m. in the District Office.
- The Agenda will be posted by 5 p.m. the Friday before the meeting.
Safety Committee Meeting
- Wednesday, January 30, 2019, 9-10 a.m., District Office
Parent Partners Meeting
Tuesday, February 5, 2019 9–11 a.m., District Office
Communications Committee Meeting
- Monday, February 11, 2019, 1-2 p.m., District Office
Bacich News
Dear Parents,
One of the most important school related factors that influence our students’ achievement and love of school is an inspiring and an informed teacher. Putting it simply; great teachers help create great students.
Just as professionals in medicine, architecture, and law have opportunities to learn through examining case studies, learning best practices and participating in collaborative professional development; teachers need time to grow, stay current, and improve their craft.
Wednesday minimum days provide an opportunity for inspiration and information sharing. We often invite outside experts into our meetings and our classrooms, and teachers attend professional conferences and workshops throughout the school year.
In recent months, we have begun the process of preparing to pilot a new science curriculum. We have several Grade K–4 teachers at Bacich who will be working with the curriculum representative from the Amplify science program and with our math and science coach, Fran Yang, to explore, examine and implement this state adopted science program. Over the next few months, both the science facilitator and Ms. Yang will continue to answer questions and support the teachers and grade level teams, as they delve into this new material to determine if it meets the needs of our students.
Professional development and professional learning is one of the hallmarks of our District. Even during lean times of the past, the Kentfield School District has been committed to ongoing growth opportunities for our teachers and staff members because we know it makes a difference in the quality of the education for our students.
We recognize the importance of being the best that we can be, and we know that continuing to learn from each other and other experts is essential to this process.
Thank you,
Sally Peck
Bacich Principal
Bacich Announcements
Bacich Events
- Fourth Grade Families: Rancho Day is Friday, February 15, 2019. Volunteer information will soon be available.
- Third Grade Concert: Thursday, February 28, 2019, 6:30–7:30 p.m., Bacich Community Center
New Student Registration
- Kindergarten registration will open Friday, February 1, 2019
Bacich Site Council
Next Meeting: February 4, 2019, 3-4 p.m., Bacich Library. All parents are welcome to attend.
- Please visit our Site Council page for meeting dates, agendas, and minutes.
Bacich Resources
Please visit our Bacich Families page for information such as the Bell Schedule, Parent Handbook, and other important resources and forms.
Follow Bacich on Instagram
Bacich Elementary School @bacichelementary
Bacich STEAM Projects @bacichsteam
Bacich Library @bacichlibrary
Bacich Construction
Kent News
Greetings Kent Community,
As parents and educators, we want to do anything in our power to ensure that our children thrive, though it’s not always clear to us what our children need to set up for success in school and beyond. In the late 1990s the Search Institute published the Developmental Assets Framework that identified 40 positive supports, strengths, and qualities that young people need to succeed. Ongoing research and extensive work with youth since then suggests that working to intentionally build assets in our children can have powerful, lasting results. Increased assets in kids correlates with greater academic success, social engagement, resilience, confidence, and general life happiness.
The framework categorizes these 40 assets into internal assets, the social-emotional strengths, values, and commitments that are nurtured within young people; and external assets, the relationships and opportunities youth need in their families, schools, and communities. A sample of important internal assets include achievement motivation, learning engagement, bonding to school, reading for pleasure, cultural competence, sense of purpose, honesty, and responsibility. Some important external assets include positive family communication, other adult relationships, caring school climate, service to others, school and neighborhood boundaries, and high expectations. While it is not necessary for children to have all 40 assets, the language of the framework is helpful for parents and educators to understand as we decide which areas of emphasis are likely to support our kids to thrive.
Let’s zoom in on asset #9, service to others. Volunteering and community service do more than allow children to help the community — these activities also provide children with positive experiences, relationships, and connections, a gateway to increasing many other internal and external assets! Opportunities to serve others provides great benefit to the one serving as well as the people that person serves.
At Kent, we appreciate and value those students who have chosen to serve their community, and we will celebrate these students at our upcoming community service assembly on Tuesday, January 22nd. During this assembly we will also introduce Together We Can, a new collective impact community service approach open to all Kent students. Together We Can participants will research areas of need in our community and plan a service project for each grade level to complete this year. Anyone can participate and it’s completely voluntary, and we hope that many students will join us in this effort. More information will be coming home soon, and if you or your child have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Kids who engage in community service tend to enjoy higher academic performance, increased self-esteem, better problem-solving skills, and increased community involvement as an adult. And, service can be super fun. Join us, because together we can improve our community and help our kids.
All my best,
Grant Althouse
Kent Principal
Kent Announcements
View Kent Daily Announcement on Kent website.
Yearbook Are Now On Sale!
Don't miss out on this important memento for your Falcon! Just go to this link: www.yearbookordercenter.com. Our school code is 7587.
- Nameplate options will only be available through January, so get those requests in early.
Attention Current Sixth Grade/ Incoming Seventh Grade Parents - Tdap Requirement
- Tdap vaccine proof due by January 25, 2019.
- Students who do not provide the updated proof of immunizations will be unable to register for seventh grade enrichment classes.
Eighth Grade Graduation Information
- Check this page for graduation fundraising events, committee meeting dates, volunteer sign-ups, graduation events, and forms.
Kent Events
- Friday, January 18, 2019: Sixth Grade Rosicrucian Museum Field Trip
- Tuesday January 29, 2019: 5th Grade Band - Winter Concert, 7-8 p.m., Kent MP Room
- Wednesday, January 30, 2019: Intermediate & Advanced Band Winter Concert, 7-8 p.m., Kent MP Room
- Thursday, January 31, 2019: 6th Grade and Advanced Choir - Winter Concert, Kent, 7-8 p.m., MP Room
Kent Site Council
Next Meeting: February 5, 2019, 3:30-4:30 p.m., Main Office Conference Room
- All Kent parents are welcome to attend Site Council meetings. Please visit our Site Council page for meeting dates, agendas, and minutes.
Kent Resources
Please visit our Kent Families page for information such as the Bell Schedule, Parent Handbook, and other important resources and forms.
Follow the Kent Library on Instagram
Safe Routes News
Upcoming Walk & Roll Wednesdays
| January 23, 2019 | January 30, 2019 |
- Walk & Roll Wednesday Welcome Table Volunteers Needed - Please sign up to host the table and hand out “trinkets” to the kids who walk or carpool to school. The kids really love getting these. This is a great way to encourage foot and bike travel to and from school. It’s an easy volunteer job and does wonders for awareness of the importance of carpooling, walking and rolling to school.
The Kentfield School District encourages all families to actively participate in our nationally-recognized KSD Safe Routes to School Program, a neighborhood-focused initiative to advocate green travel alternatives, and address traffic safety at our schools.
A team of Neighborhood Parent Captains provide suggested safe route maps and carpooling options all customized by neighborhood. We also advocate for traffic safety concerns on behalf of the families in our district's neighborhoods.
- Locate "Safe Routes," "Park and Walk" spots, visitor parking, bike/scooter racks for Bacich and Kent. Note in particular that the designated parking lot for your neighborhood at Bacich. Determine your neighborhood and contacts with our zone map, then visit the neighborhood map for Berens Route Plan, Greenbrae Route Plan, Kent Woodlands Route Plan, Laurel Grove Route Plan, Murray Park Route Plan, and SFD Firehouse Route Plan.
- Public bus option for middle school students: The Marin Transit Bus 29 has a morning route that can work for Kent Middle School students. The bus picks up on SFD and Eliseo at 8:12 a.m. and drops off at College of Marin at 8:17 a.m. It's a short walk to the crosswalk and then to Kent. It costs $1 per child.
- Safe Routes to School Safety tips in English and Spanish.
kik News
Save the date for the kik A Night in Hollywood auction, Saturday, May 11th.
Can you help out the auction team by donating an item? Vacation homes, wine, golf, special experiences like talk shows and concerts make the most money for our school. Contact mandy.willian@gmail.com and wagner1130@gmail.com if you can help.
Any contribution at any level makes an impact on our schools.
Help us reach 100% participation for our schools.
kik Speaker Series
Save the Date! kik Auction | Dinner | Dancing
May 11, 2019
KSPTA News
Next KSPTA Meeting
January 28, 2019, 8:30-10 a.m., Kent Library
KSPTA Lunar New Year Celebration: Year of the Pig
Please join your KSPTA to celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year with a morning filled with Korean Drummers, Taekwondo Performance and a Chinese Lion Dance.
- Date: Saturday, February 2, 2019
- Time: 10:30 a.m.–12p.m.
- Cost: $5 per person*, includes light food
*Additional food and cultural items will be available for purchase. All are welcome, despite ability to pay.
Parent Education Free Event
High: Everything You Want to Know About Drugs, Alcohol, and Addiction.
- Date/Time: January 29, 2019, 7 p.m.
- Location: Book Passage in Corte Madera
- RSVP: highbooktalk.eventbrite.com
Join KSPTA and Book Passage for a book talk by bestselling father/son team David and Nic Sheff discussing High: Everything You Want to Know About Drugs, Alcohol, and Addiction. David Sheff is the author of Beautiful Boy (2008), and Nic Sheff is the author of Tweak: Growing Up on Methamphetamines (2008), and their latest book is the ultimate resource for learning about the realities of drugs, alcohol, and addiction for middle grade readers and draws on their experiences.
Bacich Yearbooks Now On Sale
See your kids smile in pictures, then see them smile at your in real life because you ordered one.
- Order deadline: March 25, 2019
- Cost: $28.00 Order here.
Want to get more involved with you KSPTA?
We are now forming our Nominating Committee. Please contact Christy Chandler at christyhchandler@gmail.com for details
Connect with KSPTA!
Community News
These programs are not sponsored by the Kentfield School District. Distributing flyers and information is a community service and does not imply endorsement.
Model UN
- California YMCA Youth & Government has offered the Model United Nations (MUN) program to middle school students throughout the state since 2001. Middle school students (delegates) participate in the program with their peers. They are given the opportunity to discuss international issues, discover other cultures, develop life-enhancing skills, and make new friends. The program culminates when delegates from around the state meet at the annual Model United Nations Summit in Los Angeles, California.
- Meetings will be Thursdays, at Kent from 3:30-4:15 p.m., January 17- May 9, 2019
- View Flyer
Incoming Kindergarten Families: Sign up for Kinder Camp!
This class has been specially designed by Marin County Kindergarten teachers to help your child make a smoother transition into kindergarten. The 2 week's class curriculum is based on what they will experience in the upcoming year. This gentle, stress free introduction occurs as they have fun in the actual kindergarten classrooms with experienced teachers. The ratio is 1:15 maximum, plus each class will have an incredible teen aide to ensure your children have a fun, positive experience. The students will enjoy a lively, sunny experience with tactile projects in arts, crafts, listening, nature, building, and laughter. We even try to put them in a class with a buddy of their choosing!
Dates:
- Session I June 17- June 28, register here: larkspur.recdesk.com/Community/Program/Detail?programId=1606
- Session II July 1 -July 12 (no school on July 4,) register here: larkspur.recdesk.com/Community/Program/Detail?programId=1607
- Both sessions run from 8:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m.
Courageous Conversation Parent Workshop
- Tuesday, January 29, 2019, 5-7:30 p.m., San Rafael High School Library
Dr. Lori Watson will guide us through a thoughtful, compassionate conversation about race and racism and will give insight into the work that the Kentfield School District administrative team has been doing with the Pacific Education Group.
Prius Raffle To Support Special Education in Marin
The parent volunteers of Dedication to Special Education announce the kick-off of our 14th Annual Prius Raffle. We fund supports that special education students need in the classroom throughout Marin’s public schools. Look for our volunteers at The Village Shopping Center every weekend through February 10th at shopping centers and farmers markets around town selling chances to win. Special Education families at your school should have tickets available.
Jenny Novack at (415) 812-5366 can provide more information or get tickets to you. Go to specialed.org for more details.