Kentfield School District Newsletter January 17, 2023

Bacich Bears News

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Bacich Bears
Kent Falcons
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KSPTA

Dear Families,

Bacich Elementary School and the larger Kentfield School District is committed to being an inclusive community where all students and families feel welcome. We celebrate and support the diversity of our students, and believe that by doing this, we are modeling the collaboration and understanding that students will need throughout their lives to be successful in an ever-changing world.

Learning about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

This past week each class at Bacich participated in a lesson about the life and teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The lessons included teacher-led read aloud books, classroom discussions, and student projects. Each class made a poster to decorate their classroom door in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The posters included a Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr quote and student art work. We created an iMovie to capture the amazing work displayed on each poster! The link to the imovie is here: youtu.be/L7d0gZsZHFw.

Gender Identity Lessons

During the week of January 30th, each class at Bacich will participate in a grade level gender identity lesson. These lessons were designed by teachers during their grade level collaboration time. Teachers relied on past gender identity professional development training as well as resources from organizations such as Gender Spectrum and Teach Pride Elementary Educator Tool Kit. Each lesson includes a read aloud book and classroom discussion. Inclusivity is a key component to each lesson. Below is a short synopsis of each grade level lesson, including the title of the read aloud book:

Transitional Kindergarten (TK) - Pink is for Boys, Rob Perarlman - be who you are! All are welcome!
Kindergarten - Big Bob, Little Bob, James Howe - about open-mindedness, being accepting of others.
1st Grade- My Princess Boy, Cheryl Klodavis - everyone is unique.
2nd Grade- Red, A Crayon’s Story, Michael Hall - about labels, and how they are not your whole identity and there is more to me than you see.
3rd Grade- Julian is a Mermaid, Jessica Love - gender stereotypes, identity, and acceptance; being seen for who we are by someone who loves us.
4th Grade- I am Jazz, Jazz Jennings - about a person born with a “girl’s brain in a boy’s body;” gender identity and inclusivity.

It is also important to know what the lessons will not include. The lessons presented are not puberty or sex education; they do not specifically mention reproductive processes or terminology. These lessons are also not about sexual orientation, which is distinct and different from gender. Like disability, race, religion and nationality, gender is a form of diversity that is actually a “protected class” in the state of California. As with all types of diversity, it is important for students to not only understand their own experiences, but those of the peers and community members surrounding them, both currently and in the future.

Thank you in advance for helping Bacich be an inclusive community for all students and families. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me at mmartin@kentfieldschools.org or 415-925-2220.

Maria Martin
Bacich Principal
mmartin@kentfieldschools.org

TK / Kindergarten Registration opens January 30, 2023

Universal Transition Kindergarten Information Session Slides - Spanish and English

Incoming Kindergarten students will need to turn 5 years of age by September 1, 2023.
Incoming Universal Transitional Kindergarten students will need to turn 5 years of age between September 2, 2023 and April 2, 2024

Winter After School Classes at Bacich

This fall, we had a successful slate of after school classes offered by some of our community partners, including Kentfield FC Soccer, Ross Recreation, Larkspur Recreation, Skill Samurai, Viva El Espanol. In addition to these organizations, there will also be winter classes offered by The ArKIDecture Academy (see information in the Community News section), and Chelsea Hill Hip Hop. Please reach out directly to these organizations for information about after school classes offered at Bacich.

Bacich Library

The new Bacich Library Book Buzz January blog features book recommendations about Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement and the Lunar New Year.

Learn about how each grade will be utilizing the library in lessons aligned to their classroom curriculum during January. The library continues to celebrate equity and inclusion in the Kentfield School District as per the School Board Resolution and guidance from our Social Justice Committee. "Everyone is Welcome" in our library and the January blog shares the books we will be reading to recognize diversity this month.

January Library Displays: Stop by the library to see the wonderful birch trees, snowflakes, snow people, and winter scenes created by our talented third grade artists in their classrooms for our winter bulletin boards. Also, enjoy the Lunar New Year and Dr. Martin Luther King displays. Learn about and see previous winners of the Newbery and Caldecott Awards.

bacichlibrarybookbuzz.blogspot.com

Note to Parents: If while reading to your child, you discover torn or dirty pages, broken spines of books, etc. please ask your child to bring it to our attention when he or she returns it so we can have our book repair volunteer, Claire Tsuruga fix it. Thank you, Claire!

Learn more about the library and search for books: sites.google.com/kentfieldschools.org/bacich-library

Susan Warnick
Bacich Librarian
swarnick@kentfieldschools.org

Upcoming Bacich Events

2022-2023 Bacich Bell Schedule

Thursday, January 19, 2023:

Bacich Class Pictures

Monday, January 23, 2023

Bacich Principal Chat, 8:30-9:30 a.m., IDEA Studio
Bacich Site Council meeting, 3:15-4:15 p.m.

Dear Kent Middle School Families,

The Kent Middle School campus is alive with the buzz of learning and connection as we work through the beginning weeks of 2023. This week in Advisory we guide students through an academic check-in where falcons will reflect about their progress so far during the second trimester of school, and name learning habits that are contributing to their success as well as learning habits to improve upon. With the halfway point in the trimester just one week away, it is an important time to monitor progress and to encourage and nurture positive school routines.

Study Session - Did you know that every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday students have a session after lunch to work on assignments and seek help from their teachers? Study Session is a 24 minute period built into our schedule 4 times a week to provide for protected time at school for children to catch their breath and catch up on work. If your child has a question about an assignment or about a skill they are learning in class, this is the perfect opportunity to seek help from a teacher. Maximizing time during study sessions can ensure that students manage their workload and receive additional help that they may need. Check in with your child about how they utilize their study session time each week!

Homework Club - Could your child benefit from a place at school to complete homework prior to coming home? Every Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday afternoon from 3:30 to 5 p.m. our Kent Library is open for Homework Club. Homework Club is facilitated by two Kent teachers, and provides a safe, warm, and supported environment for students to receive help on their homework assignments, and to complete their work. All students are welcome, and no sign-ups are needed, simply come to the Library in the afternoon for a snack and some quiet time to complete homework prior to going home for the day.

January Principal’s Coffee - Are you interested in learning more about Aeries gradebook and how to monitor your student’s progress with standards based learning this year at Kent? Please join us for this week’s Kent Principal’s Coffee where we will share the new updates in Aeries for the second trimester, and how to use Aeries to track your child’s academic progress. This week’s presenters will include Standards Based Grading Teacher on Special Assignment Jill Klima, KSD Data Coordinator Jim Bowlby, Assistant Principal Wendy Holmes, and me. Our presentation will focus on how to monitor your child’s assignment completion and their progress toward essential standards in each course on their schedule. Come for a warm cup of coffee and a helpful conversation this Friday January 20 from 8:45 to 10 a.m. in the Kent Library. We hope to see you there!

Let’s have an awesome week ahead!

Grant Althouse
Kent Principal
galthouse@kentfieldschools.org

The Lion King, our Spring Musical

Starting on January 31, Kent Middle School will partner with North Bay Theatrics to put on The Lion King for our school community. Registration is now open, through this live link. We welcome any 5th through 8th grade student to participate, free of charge! Participation includes singing and acting roles, as well as technical crew roles. Sign up soon, the program officially begins the week of January 31st with Tuesday (3:45 to 5:15 p.m.) and Wednesday (1:30 to 3:00 p.m.) rehearsals. Many thanks to Kentfield Invests in Kids (KIK) and North Bay Theatrics for making this program possible for our students, free of charge!

Kent Basketball Practice & Games Times - new schedules posted

8th Grade Schedule

8th girls- Mondays, 3:45- 4:45 p.m.
8th boys- Mondays, 4:45- 5:45 p.m.

7th Grade Schedule

7th girls- Thursdays, 3:45- 4:45 p.m.
7th boys- Fridays, 3:45- 4:45 p.m.

6th Grade Schedule

6th girls- Wednesdays, 3:45- 4:45 p.m.
6th boys- Wednesdays, 4:45- 5:45 p.m.

Kent Yearbook: Orders Now Open!

Kent yearbooks are now on sale for $42.

www.yearbookordercenter.com or call 1-866-287-3096

Kent's order number is 7587.

Learn more.

Upcoming Dates

2022-2023 Kent Bell Schedule

Tuesday, January 17, 2023: Basketball vs. Mark Day, (6th Grade Boys 4-5 p.m., 6th Grade Girls 5-6 p.m.)

Wednesday, January 18, 2023: Basketball vs Mark Day (7th Grade Boys 4-5 p.m., 7th Grade Girls 5-6 p.m.)

Thursday, January 19, 2023:

Kent Parents in Action meeting, 8:30-10:30 a.m., Room 11
Basketball vs Mark Day (8th Grade Boys 4-5 p.m., 8th Grade Girls 5-6 p.m.)

Friday, January 20, 2023: Kent Principal Coffee, 8:45-10 a.m., Kent Library

KIK News

KSD
Bacich Bears
Kent Falcons
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THE LION KING brought to you by KIK!

The circle of life is coming to Kent Middle School this spring! North Bay Theatrics will put on The Lion King, and any interested 5th - 8th grader is welcome to join:

REGISTER NOW
This program is free of charge!
Participation includes singing and acting roles, as well as technical crew roles.
Classes meet in the Kent MP Room 1/31 - 4/7:
- Tuesdays 3:45 - 5:15, and
- Wednesdays 1:30 - 3:00

Thank you to our 2021-2022 Donors who are making this FREE program possible for our Kent students!

KIK BUSINESS PARTNERS

Own Marin

Marin County’s #1 real estate team since 2015, Barr Haney, Whitney Potter, and their team have helped over 650 clients achieve their goals. Ranked #1 in Kentfield, OWN Marin makes buying or selling a home easy—Let’s go get your home.

Carey Hagglund Condy Team | Luxury Marin Homes

A Top 5 Marin County agent, Carey is known to be honest and discreet. She offers unparalleled knowledge of Marin’s unique neighborhoods and schools—of Marin Living Beyond the Four Walls.

FAMILY GIVING IS YEAR ROUND

Please Donate to Support Enrichments for Every Kid, Every Day!

How much should I donate?

Our suggested donation is $2,000 per child in the district. Some families donate more, and some families donate less. The important part is to participate at a level that is meaningful to you. Every dollar makes a direct impact on your child’s education, and will help us reach our goal.

Here’s how to Donate - THANK YOU!
The annual KIK $1M contribution to Bacich and Kent directly funds enrichment programs:
- Art, Music, PE, Library, Maker, Woodshop, Broadcasting and more.

Learn more about Family Giving and What KIK Funds.

We are committed to transparency and communication here at KIK. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to our Family Giving Co-Chairs:

Tiffani Broce - Maggie & Griffin’s Mom - tiffaniparkerbroce@gmail.com

Noah Wheeler - Jesse & Adam’s Dad - wheelernoah@gmail.com

KIK $1M ANNUAL GOAL — UPDATE

$1M Annual Fundraising Status : $786,931 (net) to date / $1M GOAL
Thank you to the 307 Family Giving Donors to date who are committed to our students and the programs they love! Can we add your name to this list?
Learn how KIK Invests in Kids

KIK CALENDAR

WINTER CONCERTS BROUGHT TO YOU BY KIK

JAN 31 - 5th Grade Band & Strings Winter Concert - 7PM

FEB 01 - 6th Grade Band, Strings & Choir Winter Concert - 7PM

FEB 02 - 0 Period Band, Orchestra, & Choir Winter Concert - 7PM

MAY 06 - Save the Date - School of Rock
KIK Spring Auction Event, Party at Bimbo’s 365 Club featuring Notorious

DINE & DONATE

ORDER EVERY TUESDAY - $50 Dine & Donate

Left Bank KIK Family Meals — 20% of proceeds go to KIK. Opt in for a weekly order reminder.

JAN 24 - Barbecue Chicken, Salad Verte, Mashed Potatoes, & Green Beans

CONNECT WITH KIK

KIKschools.org | Instagram | Facebook

KIK is committed to raising $1 million for our Bacich and Kent students for the 2022-23 school year.
For Installments or Matching Gifts, Print Donor Form in English and Spanish.

Print & Mail Donation

KSPTA News

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Bacich Bears
Kent Falcons
KIK
KSPTA

Learn more at kspta.org

Next Meeting: January 23, 2023 from 8:30-10:30 a.m. (the first 30 mins will be a coffee social). Location is TBD

Discover more parent education opportunities here.

January 18, 7 p.m. PST, Kent Library

Updates on the latest tech trends including popular apps, social networking trends, gaming, sexting, and more

Social media 101: Rules, settings, age limitation and healthy use
Privacy settings, location services, check-ins: Are your devices set-up safely? what does “private” really mean?
Advice for having real conversations with your child to foster a positive online experience for your family, with suggested restrictions and rules
Digital health check-in: Is your family doing a good job balancing life and technology? Most KIDS say “NO!”
Smartphones & Age: What’s the average age kids get smartphones? Are there alternatives? Is there a right age for kids to get smartphones?

Co-Sponsored by the Kentfield PTA and Corte Madera PTO

January 19, 2023, 6:30 p.m. PST

Free Virtual Screening of Disability/Inclusion related Film and Follow-Up Discussion -

Register here - Sponsored by the Marin County of Education
Learn more

DSE (Dedication to Special Education) and MCOE (Marin County Office of Education) in collaboration with Changing Perspectives are pleased to announce the second year of the Marin County Inclusion Inspiration series for the 2022-2023 school year. This series is a unique opportunity to engage, inspire, educate and empower all members of the Marin County school communities.

This workshop will consist of a free, virtual, live screening of Dan Habib's latest film, My Disability Roadmap, followed by a Q&A discussion moderated by Sam Drazin of Changing Perspectives.

About the Film:

Samuel Habib, 21, wants to date, leave home, go to college. But he drives a 350-pound wheelchair, uses a communication device, and can have a seizure at any moment. Determined to find his path forward, he seeks out guidance from America’s most rebellious disability activists.

January 26, 7-8:15 p.m. PST

The Stolen Year, How Covid changed Children’s Lives and Where We Go From Here with Anya Kamenetz

Learn more and register here

Anya Kamenetz speaks, writes, and thinks about generational justice, and how children learn, grow and thrive on a changing planet. She covered education as a journalist for many years, including for NPR, where she also co-created the podcast Life Kit: Parenting, in partnership with Sesame Workshop. Kamenetz is currently an advisor to the Aspen Institute and a Co:Generate fellow, working on a new initiative to end climate silence in children’s media. Her latest book is The Stolen Year: How Covid Changed Children’s Lives, And Where We Go Now.

Sponsored by The Vera and Harold Stein Lecture Series on Advancing Children’s Mental Health with The Center for Children and Youth.

Special Education Advisory Committee Parent Workshops

The Marin County SELPA Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC) is hosting several different workshops for parents in the new year. All workshops are free, translation services are available upon request, and registration is required.

Procedural Safeguards and Parent Rights

An online workshop designed for parents to learn more about their child’s rights and the protections in place under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). An opportunity for questions and answers will be provided at the end of the session.

January 26 and March 7, 2023 from 6-7:30 p.m.
Register for January 26tHERE and March 7 HERE

Special Education Eligibility & the Continuum of Services and Placements

An online workshop designed for parents to learn about special education eligibility determination and the factors considered in determining appropriate services and placement under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). An opportunity for questions and answers will be provided at the end of the session.

February 9, 2023 from 6-7:30 p.m.
Register HERE

Navigating the Pages of the IEP

An online workshop for parents to examine the pages of an IEP, one page at a time. Parents will have an opportunity to walk through the pages of an IEP and learn more about what specific information should be included in each section of the IEP document.

January 5, January 9, February 2, and February 16 from 9:30-11 a.m.
Register Here

Stay up to date with KSPTA!

Follow kentfieldschoolspta on both Facebook and Instagram

Community News

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Kent Falcons
KIK
KSPTA

Information, events, and news provided in our newsletter's "Community News" is offered as service to our community, and are not sponsored by the Kentfield School District. Placement does not represent an endorsement.

Field Hockey Winter & Spring 2023 Season Registration Open

Golden Gate Rippers, a North Bay field hockey and lacrosse club in the North Bay for grades 5-12 with all skill levels welcome.

Find out more:

Opportunities

The Homework Helpers program, created and run by high school interns and the Marin County Free library, is offering a free “homework help” program for English Learners and underserved students at the Corte Madera library every Saturday from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. Students are encouraged to sign up for specific time slots and communicate what they need help with. This is an excellent opportunity for students and families to get extra help, outside of school, from local high school students!

Homework Helpers Flyer in English and Spanish

Here’s the link to sign up.

Weekly Crafternoons and a once-monthly Lego Club: Thursdays 3:30 p.m. for ages 5-12.

Crisis Text Support Line

Marin County is offering our youth another means of confidential mental health support through a crisis text line that is available 24/7.

Text MARIN to 741741 for Support that Cares.

Marin Health Hubs

Health hubs, provides free and bilingual services such as food distribution, nutrition education, health screenings, and information about community organizations. Everyone is welcome to attend the health hubs food pantry and to help us run it!

www.marinclinic.org/health-hubs

Parent & Youth.Helpline

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

Table of Contents

Kentfield School District

January 17th, 2023

KSD News

District Announcements

2023-2024 District Calendar Now Available

The YouthTruth survey is coming soon!

Citizens Oversight Committee Solicitation

Interested in Becoming a Substitute Teacher?

KSD needs a Safe Routes to School Ambassador

When to Stay Home