Kentfield School District

October 26th, 2020

Kentfield School District News

Dear Kentfield School Community,

We continue to make strides in preparing our school sites for a transition to Hybrid instruction with a target of early November. Over the weekend we completed all the outside directionality and markings for physical distancing and our classrooms continue to be stocked with essential protective equipment as well as student learning stations physically distanced for instruction. To get a glimpse into the transformation of our school sites and classrooms click here.

On Tuesday, we will be touring schools with KTA negotiators and sharing additional procedures to demonstrate our preparedness for students and staff on campus. At the principal chats you will receive an update about the hybrid model, our weekly schedule and what a day may look like for a Bacich Bear or Kent Falcon during Hybrid instruction. Additional community updates about the transition will be provided on Thursday, Oct. 29 via ParentSquare.

As we head into the final week of October, we are reminded of the Halloween traditions our children and families look forward to during this season. We urge our community to continue to be vigilant and follow Marin County Public Health guidelines during this festive season. It is so important now more than ever that we join together as a community in doing our part as individuals to keep everyone safe in order to maintain the conditions necessary to offer site based instruction.

In closing, I want to take a moment to acknowledge the feedback received from various stakeholders, including parents/guardians, staff and students. As we reimagine school in our COVID-19 environment, our team of teachers, counselors, administrators and support staff are the same dedicated and hardworking educators our community has trusted to represent the acclaimed Kentfield School District. We know we will continue to work in partnership as we maintain our collective commitment to providing our students a safe and high quality learning environment where they can thrive.

Superintendent Signature



Raquel Rose
Superintendent
rrose@kentfieldschools.org

Hybrid Instruction Transition Timeline

October 21-25, 2020

  • Outside directionality and markings staged and painted at both school sites
  • Internal classrooms set up with desks physically distanced and floor markings

Monday, October 26, 2020

  • Administrative walk through of sites

Tuesday, October 27, 2020

  • KTA and KSD walkthrough of both school sites
  • School Site Principal Chats via Zoom Webinar
    • 4 p.m. Kent
    • 6 p.m. Bacich
    • 7 p.m. DELAC SSSPP Orientation

October 28, 2020

  • KSD-KTA Negotiations Session

October 29, 2020

  • District Communication Update via ParentSquare
  • Parent Handbook Recording Released

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, October 27, 2020

  • Kent Principal Chat, 4 p.m., Zoom
  • Bacich Principal Chat, 6 p.m., Zoom
  • DELAC SSSPP Orientation, 7 p.m., Zoom

Monday, November 2, 2020

Tuesday, November 3, 2020

Tuesday, November 10, 2020

Wednesday, November 11, 2020

Monday, November 16, 2020


District Announcements

Distance Learning and Transition to In-Person Instruction Planning

As we prepare for a transition to Hybrid Instruction please submit questions you may have related to Safety Protocols and Procedures KSD has put in place to keep our children and staff as safe as possible in a COVID-19 environment! Questions may be submitted HERE for review.

COVID-19 Update

Marin Health and Human Services website – Marin Recovers provides access to a breadth of resources to help the community stay up to date with the status of COVID-19 in our county. The website offers access to local case rate through the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Surveillance Update website that provides summary data, daily trends, demographics, other measures of COVID-19 Impacts and the State Blueprint Tiered system.


Halloween Event

Special THANK YOU to Kentfield Teachers Association for hosting the “Cans for Candy” event where up to 100 bags were filled with food to share with our community! Such a great opportunity for our team to highlight their Hallloween spirit and come together to support members of our school family!


Community Service Project: Raising Awareness

Book Donation to support Virtual Author’s Visit

Would you like to help spread the message of acceptance?

Please consider donating a copy of Michael Tyler’s picture book: The Skin You Live In

Drop off your book donation at the Bacich office by Dec. 2, 2020.

Learn more about the project.

Bacich students will have the opportunity to attend a school wide webinar on Dec. 3, 2020 with the author Michael Tyler. Students will create bookmarks to be delivered along with the donated books to underfunded schools in our community and the bay area.

Thank you for your help and support!

The Bacich Social Justice Team


PGE Public Safety Power Shutoff

PG&E PSPS Watch Information

Over the weekend and into the week, members of our school community may continue to experience Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) by PG&E. Whether Distance Learning or in Hybrid instruction we will follow the guidelines of our local public agencies and attempt to minimize school closures to the greatest extent possible.

Site principals are ready to provide guidance for your student/s if you have a power outage and school is in session. Below is how the District intends to respond to these PSPS events as they occur in our County.

Regarding power outages in the Kentfield School District when Distance Learning:

  • If there is a confirmed power shutdown scheduled for a subsequent school day at one or both schools, the District will close both schools and communicate the closures as soon as possible.
  • If power is turned off for either school site while school is in Distance Learning, instruction will conclude for the remainder of the academic day
  • If power is restored prior to 5:00 a.m. on a school day when a closure has been announced the day before, the District will open the schools and communicate that news as soon as possible.
  • All information related to school closures and reopening will be posted to our District and school websites, and will be communicated through ParentSquare and direct feed.
  • If one school is scheduled not to have power, both schools will be closed.
  • If school is in session, but a KSD family has a PSPS power outage please contact your site administrator for guidance regarding your child's learning for the day.

Alerts Page: This link can provide information specific to our area. Scroll down the page and choose Marin (at the county selection button) as it provides specific information on many areas of Marin. You can also enter a specific address on the landing page.

Map Site: This map allows you to focus on specific streets and neighborhoods. Be patient as you enlarge as it takes a few moments to load. It provides information on streets that are in the potential shutdown area.

School Board & District Committees

Bacich News

Bacich Librarian Susan Warnick

Check Out Books with the Bacich Library

If you would like to check out library books, 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 Yearbook

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.

Kent News

Kent Counselors Wellness Hub: Many of us in our community are navigating very challenging times right now and as the Counselors at Kent Middle School, we want you to know that we are here for you. We created this hub so you can easily access resources.

Kent Library News

Born a Crime Book Club, Thursday, October 29th at 1:45 p.m.

If you would like to borrow a copy of the book, please email Ms. Jelen at rjelen@kentfieldschools.org. If you have already emailed me about it, your book will be ready to pick up on Monday after school on the cart outside the office.

Curbside Book Pick Up and Book Bags

Students may email Ms. Jelen the titles of books that they would like to read, and the book will left on a cart in front of the gate for them to 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!

Got Books?? If you are cleaning out your bookshelves, bring them to Kent for our Book Drive! We have lots of wonderful grade level bags just waiting for you to exchange your old books for! You can drop them off by the mural near the parking lot!

Happy reading,

Rebecca Jelen
Kent Librarian
rjelen@kentfieldschools.org

KIK News

KIK BOO-GRAMS: SOLD OUT!

Thank you to everyone who purchased the KIK Halloween Boo-Grams–our promotion has been so successful that we are now sold out. Thank you to our KIK Board for donating candy and volunteering to assemble and deliver the Boo-Grams. The money we raised for this promotion will help fund vital resources and programs at our schools.

Boo-Grams will be delivered starting today through Halloween, we hope it brings joy to the children and teachers in our community.

TUES 10/27 - KIK FAMILY MEALS WITH LEFT BANK, 20% TO KIK

Every Tuesday Left Bank will create a special family dinner for $50 and donate 20% back to KIK. Order early before it sells out!

  • Oct 27: $60 meal: Beef bourguignon with mashed potatoes, acme bread and butter, broccoli
  • Nov 3: Fried chicken, mac and cheese, brussel sprouts, green salad
    Order online and select “KIK Family Meal”.

The menu for November is posted on our website.

Follow us on Facebook & Instagram for updates on menus and reminders.

For any questions, please email events@kikschools.org.

INTRODUCING KIK PARTNERS FLIPBOOK DIRECTORY!

We’re excited to share the new KIK Business Partners Flipbook—an e-directory showcasing the local businesses that support our Bacich and Kent schools through KIK.

Check out the KIK Flipbook when looking for a market or restaurant, real estate, service, or retail business. Simply click on a business recognition ad to get directly to its website. Please support local businesses that support our kids!

BACICH PLAYGROUND UPDATE

KIK and KSD have secured the remainder of the funds and nailed down a timeline for construction of the new Bacich Playground. Thank you to our community for patiently awaiting the status of the project!

Read more about playground plans on the KIK website.

ANNUAL COMMITMENT REPORT

KIK raises dollars toward the $1M Annual Commitment to help fund our Bacich and Kent schools. Various fundraising initiatives combine to fill this commitment to our students and schools including Family Giving, Spring Auction Event, and Partners for Education.

Get details on the $1M Annual Commitment.
Learn how KIK is Committed to Kids.

ANNUAL COMMITMENT Fundraising Status : $244,100 / $1M GOAL

THANK YOU, 2020-21 DONORS!
See Current Donor “Wall”

CONNECT WITH KIK

KSPTA News

Next General KSPTA Meeting: Monday, November 2, 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.

October is KSPTA Membership Month

Help us reach our goal of 100% participation!

  • Show your support of our kids, teachers, and fellow parents.
  • Memberships available: Individual ($25), Family ($100), or Teacher/Staff ($15). Donations can be made too.
  • Join by October 30 to be entered to win a $50 gift card to Gott's!
  • Learn more about KSPTA benefits and opportunities.

Become a member today!

Help our schools get ready for in-person learning when the time comes!

As our district strives to bring more students back on campus, there will likely be tasks that parent volunteers can help complete. If you are willing to help out, please fill out the volunteer form (English and Spanish), and you will be put on a list that the school staff will tap for jobs as they come up. The majority of to-do's will be done at home on the volunteer's own schedule, but there may be some opportunities to help on campus at designated times.

Thank you in advance for raising your hand to help get our students back to school!

Coming Soon!

Monday, November 2 through Wednesday, November 11, 2020

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!

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!

Community News

Education Resources

Join us for this timely series of virtual workshops for parents, students, educators, administrators, and community members. Led by the JFCS Holocaust Center in partnership with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and the Marin County Office of Education.

From Discrimination to Deportation

These workshops will introduce anti-bias lessons to stop the escalation of hate in our community and provide a safe space to ask questions about recent antisemitic incidents locally in Marin County and around the world.

Training opportunities for parents, students, educators, administrators, and community members to deepen our understanding on confronting antisemitism and resources discussed are available at the new website Confronting Antisemitism by the Marin County Office of Education in partnership with the JFCS Holocaust Center in partnership and the Anti-Defamation League (ADL).

Reach Out for Emotional Support

For people of all ages who have been impacted by incidents of antisemitism, JFCS is here to provide counseling and emotional or spiritual support.

If you or someone you care about needs help, please call us at 415‑449‑3700 or visit www.jfcs.org.

Parent Education

Making Worriers into Warriors: Helping Your Child Conquer Fear in Uncertain Times: A presentation with Dr. Dan Peters, sponsored by North Bridge Academy. Speaker Dr. Dan Peters is a psychologist, author, co-founder and executive director of the Summit Center.

Tuesday, November 10, 2020 from 6:30-8 p.m., Zoom

Public Meeting Announcement

The next phase of design is beginning for the New LRC on the Kentfield Campus.

On November 4th, the College of Marin will be hosting a town hall meeting via Zoom. Our architect partners, Group 4 and HMC, will be asking for community input on building and landscape design values. Your input as we move through these phases is critical.

Below are meeting details:

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 a.m.-3 p.m.
  • Thursday 3-7 p.m.

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.