Kentfield School District News
Dear Kentfield School Community,
Over the last few days I have received a number of communications expressing concern with the information the district has provided about the return to in-person instruction for KSD students. As we move through this transition, I am committed to providing clear and concrete information as soon as it is available, with regular updates via the district weekly newsletter and brief timeline updates on Thursdays via Parent Square.
Through the negotiations process this summer, administration and staff developed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that outlined conditions for distance learning and a transition to hybrid instruction (combination of remote and in-person instruction). The MOU was developed based on the impacts and effects of COVID-19 and what is allowable per state and local public health. In order to fully transition to hybrid instruction we must meet the conditions of the MOU, which includes training and an agreed upon date for full hybrid instruction to begin.
On October 5th, Kentfield's pilot program launches with a small subset of our population. We have invited up to fifty (50) students to participate and plan to operate nine (9) classes across our two sites. Our pilot students will receive in-person instruction and some virtual learning on site with an instructor available to assist, while their peers continue to learn remotely. This pilot will allow us to see if this approach can work for an effective hybrid program. The pilot will operate for two weeks, and during that time we hope to onboard additional classes so we may expand our hybrid the week of October 19th. KSD and KTA have not yet set the date for full hybrid operations. Once this date is set we will notify our community, so you may plan accordingly.
At this time we are launching our pilots, training our community – staff, students, and parents/guardians; and working with staff to determine the date for the full hybrid return to school. I have the confidence that our full school community is committed to bringing our students and staff back to campus safely while maintaining a quality academic program for our students. I recognize the urgency and interest to move more quickly, yet offering a transition plan that offers continuity while ensuring all safety and instructional conditions are met will provide the most effective experience possible.
Sincerely,
Raquel Rose
Superintendent
rrose@kentfieldschools.org
Communications Timeline
| October 1, 2020 | Pilot Parent/Guardian SSSPP Orientation 5-6pm Timeline Update via Parent Square (10/1) |
| October 5, 2020 | Launch Pilot Program |
| October 8 & 12, 2020 | Parent/Guardian SSSPP Orientations Time TBD AM/PM Options Timeline Update via Parent Square (10/8) |
| October 13, 2020 | Regular Meeting of the Board of Trustees |
| October 15, 2020 | Parent/Guardian SSSPP Q & A Site Specific Presentation Timeline Update via Parent Square (10/15) |
| October 19, 2020 | Parent/Guardian SSSPP Q & A Site Specific Presentation Expand Pilot Program |
| October 20, 2020 | Parent/Guardian SSSPP Q & A Site Specific Presentation |
| October 22, 2020 | KSD Office Hours (Tentative) Timeline Update via Parent Square (10/22) |
Upcoming Events
*For security, Zoom links and passwords for events are not posted on the District website, and are sent through ParentSquare.
Daily: Virtual Crossing Guard with Ms. Stephens, 7:55-8:30 a.m., Zoom
Tuesday, September 29, 2020
- School Lunch pick up, 12-1:30 p.m. at Kent
Wednesday, September 30, 2020
Monday, October 5, 2020
- Pilot Program Launches
- KSPTA meeting, 7-8 p.m. Zoom. All are welcome to attend.
Tuesday, October 6, 2020
- Kent Site Council meeting, 3:30-4:30 p.m., Zoom
- District English Language Advisory Committee (DELAC) meeting, 6-7 p.m., Zoom
Tuesday, October 13, 2020
- School Board meeting, 5 p.m., Zoom. All are welcome to attend.
Friday, October 16, 2020
- Staff Professional Development Day – No School
Monday, October 19, 2020
- Bacich Site Council meeting, 3 p.m., Zoom
Tuesday, October 20, 2002
- Parent Partners meeting, 4-5 p.m., Zoom
School Board
- Board Meeting Highlights: September 8, 2020
- Board Meeting Video Archive
- Next Monthly School Board meeting: October 13, 2020, 5 p.m., All are welcome and encouraged to attend.
Don't Miss These Announcements
District Committee Solicitation - Last Day to Submit Your Application
Kentfield School District maintains a variety of district wide committees, which include Communications, Equity, Finance, Safety, Technology, and Wellness. As we prepare to launch and/or reconvene our committees we welcome stakeholder participation to support diversified perspectives and interests.
- If you would like to participate in any of our committees for the 2020-2021 school year please complete this form by September 30, 2020.
Virtual Crossing Guard
Are your mornings missing some pizzazz? Are you feeling blue because you can no longer walk to school? If so, have we got the thing for you!
Every school day morning from 7:55 to 8:30 a.m. students can have a quick drop-in virtual crosswalk crossing with Ms. Stephens.
The Zoom link is available from any Bacich teacher or admin.
Tech Tip for Families
If your student's printed Clever badge is lost or damaged, you can download and print a new one yourself.
Please follow these instructions to get back up and running with Clever: How to Print a New Clever Badge
Discover solutions and tips for technical issues. Submit a technical help request.
Bacich News
Check Out Books with the Bacich Library
We have started checking out books to students and families. Please email me the titles you want. I will check them out to you and place them in plastic bags with your names on them on a cart. They will be available for pickup every Friday curbside in front of the office. See the library blog for instructions on how to access the Alexandria Library Catalog (to look for books). You can also return books every Friday as well. There will be a plastic bin labeled, "Return Bacich Library Books Here" in front of the office for your convenience. That way I can keep the books in the bin for the weekend and check them in during the week for safety purposes.
Thank you!!
Ms. Warnick
swarnick@kentfieldschools.org
Bacich Art News
September 2020 Distance Learning Art Blog
Learn more about Ms. Libby's creation of the “Love Not Hate – Better Together" artwork and how students are creating art during virtual learning.
Bacich Yearbook
Please continue to capture candid (not-posed) moments of your student of anything that happens in your home that connects back to our school (whether virtually or in-person), no matter how “boring” you think it might be!
- Photos can be submitted to bacichyearbook2021@gmail.com. Please follow the instructions below when sending your photos.
- The images must be .jpg, .png, or .tif files and must be at least 300ppi resolution.
- Please provide the following information with each image:
- FIRST NAME and LAST NAME for the main student featured in the image (or the left-most person).
- Grade of student(s) in photo.
- Description.
- Additional names separated by commas.
We'll do our best to include as many as possible. Thank you in advance!
Kent News
Kent Library News
Upcoming Author Visit on October 8th: Torrey Maldonado will visit Kent virtually. I would like to encourage students to read his books Tight and What Lane, which can be checked out of the library or bought from the Book Passage! Here is a video of him reading from What Lane.
Grab-A-Bag of Books Ready for Pick Up!
Thanks to the donations of many Falcons and their families, we have book bags for every grade level to pick up and enjoy! You will find these bags in boxes marked by grade level in front of the Kent office. Feel free to read, keep or pass on your books OR donate them right back to the book drive for another life!
Happy reading,
Rebecca Jelen
Kent Librarian
rjelen@kentfieldschools.org
KIK News
DONATE ONLINE NOW
For Installments or Matching Gifts, Print Donor Form in English and Spanish
TUES 9/29 - KIK FAMILY MEALS WITH LEFT BANK, 20% BACK TO KIK
Every Tuesday Left Bank will create a special family dinner for (4) for $50 and donate 20% back to KIK. Order early before it sells out!
- Sept 29: Get ready for Taco Tuesday*! Chicken and carnitas tacos with a house salad, mac & cheese and french fries
- Oct 6: BBQ ribs* with mashed potatoes, coleslaw and french fries. The BBQ ribs will be a $60 meal.
Order online and select “KIK Family Meal” or call Left Bank 415-927-3331.
*Vegetarian paella is always an option, please call in to place the order.
*You can also add on other restaurant menu items, including wine and beer.
Please follow our social media pages for reminders and updates on menus:
For any questions, please email events@kikschools.org.
FAMILY FUN DAY: KIK IT YOUR WAY!
OCTOBER 9, 10, 11
Let’s “KIK” off the Bacich and Kent school year with some Family Fun your way: Submit a photo of how your family is “KIK-ing” it together the weekend of October 9-11—officially KIK Family Fun Days!
Building a birdhouse? Baking a cake? Tackling Mt. Tam? Simply take a pic and share it! You can share it by emailing images to foundation@kentfieldschools.org.
This is a FREE event and ALL entries will be entered into a drawing to win one of (5) available KIK Family Meals from Left Bank or one of (5) Mag’s Local Yogurt $20 Gift Cards!
FAMILY GIVING : LET’S KIK THIS TOGETHER!
Family Giving donations help support a large number of educational programs, safety and wellness plans, as well as enrichment programs at Bacich and Kent. It contributes the largest portion of the $1M Annual Commitment to our schools.
Learn how KIK is Committed to Kids.
FAMILY GIVING Fundraising Status : $159,250 / $1M GOAL
THANK YOU, FAMILY GIVING DONORS
Together, we are investing in over 1100 Bacich and Kent students and ensuring they receive a top quality education for the 2020-21 school year. Our community is grateful for your commitment and generous support.
FUND-A-NEED COMMUNITY GRANTS
KIK is the funding arm of the 2020-21 Fund-a-Need program and has partnered with the Kentfield Schools PTA (KSPTA) to administer these grants, which help support our school community.
Thank you Fund-a-Need Donors!
See a list of Round 1 awarded grants.
Deadline Extended! Round 2 Grant Applications are now due October 12. Download application.
CONNECT WITH KIK
NEW Website : kikschools.org
Instagram : kikinvestsinkids
Facebook : Kentfield Schools Foundation - KIK
KSPTA News
Next General KSPTA Meeting: Monday, October 5, 2020, 7-8:30 p.m.
- Kentfield families and members will receive the Zoom link and password. If you do not receive the link, please contact info@kspta.org.
New School Lunch Program with School Foodies
Order online, pick up at Kent for the week. Choose which weeks you order, and order for the whole family!
- Sign up at schoolfoodies.com, registration code “bacich” or “kent”
- Find out more
- School Foodies pick up time: Mondays, 12-1:30 p.m. at Kent, except for when Monday is a holiday.*
*Monday, September 28th was a holiday, so lunch pick up will be on Tuesday, September 29 from 12-1:30 p.m. at Kent
Coming Soon!
Monday, November 2 through Wednesday, November 11, 2020
Join Kentfield Schools PTA!
100% of membership dues fund school activities and programs such as P.E. equipment, library books, and more
- Access parent education workshops and resources.
- Discounts at Urban Sitter, Academy of Sciences, and Legoland to name a few.
- Everyone is welcome to join—multiple family members, grandparents. and caregivers.
- Learn more about KSPTA benefits and opportunities.
Become a member today!
Distance Learning Resources at KSPTA
We are committed to supporting the Bacich and Kent communities with programs like the expanded Buddy System and more.
Visit the distance learning resources page to learn more. Suggestions and ideas are welcome at info@kspta.org.
Connect with KSPTA!
Website: kspta.org
Twitter: @KentfieldPTA
Instagram: kentfieldschoolspta
Facebook: Kentfield Schools PTA
Community News
Confronting Online Antisemitism Webinar
Please join us for this very meaningful and important interactive webinar.
Wednesday, September 30th from 5-6:30 p.m.
Please email questions you’d like addressed to: superintendentsoffice@marinschools.org. We will do our best to answer/discuss all questions.
Please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85146858659?pwd=MHdFejdDS1Yyd1hNckR6RTdzS0M1UT09
- Dial: +1 669 900 6833
- Webinar ID: 851 4685 8659
- Passcode: 614174
The webinar will be presented in English with live Spanish translation and will be recorded.
Public Meeting Announcement:
October 7th, the College of Marin will be hosting a public scoping meeting via Zoom for the proposed Jonas Pedestrian Bridge Project. This public scoping meeting will allow the public to learn more about the Proposed Project and to solicit public comment regarding the type and extent of environmental analysis to be undertaken.
Below are the details for the meeting:
October 7, 2020, 6:00-7:30 p.m., Zoom: https://cccconfer.zoom.us/j/96885526217
The information can also be found on the Measure B website: measurebcom.org
We hope you will join us. If you have any questions please reach out to Isidro Farias at ifarias@marin.edu.
College of Marin and Sir Francis Drake Blvd. Construction Project Updates
- When using the crosswalk on College Avenue, please remember to activate the flashing signals. It is the only way the large construction vehicles exiting the driveway know that there are pedestrians in the crosswalk.
While the Corte Madera Library building is currently closed, you may request and return items, and find details about Curbside Service at marinlibrary.org.
Curbside Hours:
- Tuesday & Wednesday 11:00-3:00
- Thursday 3:00-7:00
Call our “Talk with a Librarian” number: 415-473-2272 Monday-Friday, 9-6 p.m. English and Spanish with any questions and information.
Book Bundles for Emerging Readers
We know many families are missing the ability to browse library shelves, so we’ve created a way to get some "surprise" books to you based on your child’s interests.
Each Book Bundle includes 10 books and you can choose the reading level that is right for your child. Get up to 3 bundles per family!
How to Request Book Bundles
- To request Book Bundles, please fill out this form , or call 415-473-2272, Monday-Friday, 9-6 p.m.
- Please allow 3-4 days for your request to be filled. You will be contacted by the branch when your order is ready for curbside pickup.
- Find out more: marinlibrary.org/book-bundles-for-kids
Audio Books
In case you have families or students asking about downloadable audio books, here is a short video tutorial that demonstrates how to use the Libby app to browse our online catalog and download titles. youtu.be/E0E_FPMl4m8
Discover local options for Learning Hubs and Childcare during distance learning.
This free helpline provides free trauma-informed, evidenced-based emotional support to parents, children and youth in any language via calls, text, live chat, and email.
- Available 7 days a week from 8 a.m.-8 p.m.
- Parents can join a Weekly Online Support Group through the website: caparentyouthhelpline.org.
- Helpline #: 855-427-2736
When shopping in-person or online at Book Passage, please remember to mention your school – a portion of every purchase goes directly to our schools!
- For online shopping, enter your school name in the comments field.