Kentfield School District

January 25th, 2021

Kentfield School District News

Dear Kentfield School District Community,

Today, we received an announcement from our state and local officials that the Regional and Local Stay at Home orders have been lifted in the Bay Area and Marin County. We are reviewing this new information to determine the adjustments needed to our current protocols.

Although this shift is positive, we must recognize we are still in Tier I - Purple of California's Blueprint for a Safer Economy. Safety and well-being are our top priority and we have all made sacrifices to get to this point. Our school environments have been adjusted to offer a controlled setting that mitigates transmission of the virus to the greatest extent possible.

In today’s press release, Marin County Public Health Officer Dr. Matt Willis stated, "As we move back into the purple tier, it’s critical to remember the virus is still very active in our community. We could easily backslide if we let our guard down." He reinforced that "face covering, physical distancing, frequent testing, and avoiding indoor gatherings are the best ways to prevent another surge."

In order to keep all our stakeholders updated as the situation evolves the KSD is developing a Local Dashboard to provide more real time data about exposure and notifications sent within our school settings. This tool will be released by the end of the week.

Thank you for doing your part in being vigilant and helping to decrease the COVID case-rate in our community!

Superintendent Signature



Raquel Rose
Superintendent
rrose@kentfieldschools.org


COVID-19 Update





Tier I - Permissible Activities:

The Bay Area Region and Marin County shift to Tier I - Purple and out of the Stay At Home Order allows for the following businesses and activities to proceed in Marin County.

Allowed to Operate Indoors

  • Hair salons and barbershops
  • Hotels, motels and short-term lodging
  • Retail stores and malls, at 25% capacity
  • Libraries, at 25% capacity
  • Personal services (nail salons, estheticians, massage studios, tattoo parlors, piercing shops)
  • Limited services (carwashes, dry cleaners, electricians, handypersons/general contractors, heating and air conditioning services, landscapers, laundromats, pet groomers, plumbing services, janitorial/cleaning services)

Allowed to Operate Outdoors

  • Restaurants (outdoor dining), Farmers markets, Wineries
  • Places of worship, Cultural ceremonies
  • Gyms and fitness/dance/yoga studios
  • Drive-in movie theaters, Family entertainment centers, Card rooms
  • Day camps
  • Campgrounds and playgrounds
  • Youth and adult recreational athletics (outdoor physical conditioning and practice permitted with six feet of physical distancing from others. No scrimmages, games or tournaments)
  • Small private gatherings
    • Masks and physical distancing required
    • No more than three separate households attend, including host
    • Gatherings should be two hours or less
    • Those with symptoms must not attend
    • Those at high risk of severe illness strongly encouraged not to attend
    • Singing, shouting, chanting, cheering, or exercising strongly discouraged

*Please see the Marin Recovers website for more information.


Vaccination Update:

The vaccination distribution continues to evolve locally and statewide. Educators are part of the Phase IB - Tier I group, and have been prioritized based on the below outline.

Prioritization for education-based employees is determined by four (4) levels of prioritization:

Priority I: All food service workers; in-person instruction and services in the Special Day Class including teachers and paraprofessionals/1:1 aides; bus drivers; custodial staff working in person and staff 65 years of age or older

Priority II: All other employees working in-person

Priority III: All other employees working remotely/distance learning

Priority IV: Trustees and all other ancillary personnel

Marin County is still in the Priority I phase for educators and will move to Priority II when the time comes. We are in the process of confirming how many of our KSD staff have been vaccinated, and as information is available we will continue to update the community.


Hybrid Adjustments

As shared last week, cohorts that are not currently full, i.e. less than 12, have begun inviting additional students as an intervention strategy to accelerate learning. This means that a student may be in Cohort A and B. Students invited to partake in both cohorts shall count this as two of the three permissible cohorts per public health. The identification of students to be “invited” is based on a very distinct criteria determined by classroom teachers. I ask that we trust the identification process of our staff.

Discover local case rates, trends, demographics, and resources to stay up to date with the status of COVID-19 in Marin at the Marin Recovers and Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Surveillance Update websites.

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

Wednesday, January 27, 2021

Thursday, January 28, 2021

Saturday, January 30, 2021

Monday, February 1, 2021

Tuesday, February 2, 2021

Tuesday, February 9, 2021

Tuesday, February 10, 2021

February 15-19, 2021: Presidents' Day Recess - No School


District Announcements

2021-2022 District Calendar

Announcing 2021-22 Kindergarten Registration

Kindergarten/New Student Enrollment officially begins February 1st. If you have a current student enrolled in KSD with an incoming new sibling, please contact Lynn Bartha lbartha@kentfieldschools.org so she can guide you through the registration process and gather information about your child. kentfieldschools.org/families/student-registration/.

  • Incoming Kindergarten students will need to turn 5 before September 2, 2021.

Homeless and Foster Youth Information

  • Our website has been recently updated with information and resources for homeless and foster youth according to the McKinney-Vento Act, which defines homeless children and youths as individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence.

COVID-19 Decision Tree Guidance - English & Spanish Version

Know when to stay home and what to do when you or your family don't feel well or have engaged in what is categorized as a high-risk activity (e.g., any mixing of households, non-essential travel).

Marin County COVID-19 Testing Opportunities

Public Health Testing – Curative: Marin County Public Health offers five-day a week communitywide Curative COVID Testing opportunities. Appointments will be opened 4 days prior to testing day. For more information click here.

Whether your family is insured or not there are free and easy testing options in our county.

School Board & District Committees

Budget 101 Presentation – Part 1 Recording, December 16, 2020

Citizens Oversight Committee meeting: January 27, 2021, 5-6 p.m., Agenda

District English Language Learners Advisory Committee meeting: February 2, 2021, 6-7 p.m.

Safety Committee meeting: March 15, 2021, 10-11 a.m.

Safe Routes to School





Family Biking Live!

Want to share the joy and confidence of cycling with your kids?

Students, parents and guardians are invited to learn bike riding skills together at an INTERACTIVE, live webinar on Thursday, January 28, 6-7 p.m.

This free zoom workshop will help prepare students ages 7 through 11 for road riding, giving parents tips for how to ride with their youth. Families will learn bike and helmet fit, navigating the road legally and responsibly, and how to build confident, safe cyclists based on age appropriate development.

Sign up here.. Once you sign up, we’ll send you the zoom link. We look forward to seeing you. Questions? Please contact Matt@marinbike.org.

Learn how to get to school safely with these tips for Hybrid Instruction. (English | Spanish)

Bacich News

Bacich Library: Suggested activities for January and book suggestions for MLK Jr. Day

Bacich Library Check Out and Curbside Pick Up

  • Please email the titles you want to check out to Librarian Ms. Warnick (swarnick@kentfieldschools.org).
  • Curbside pick up available every Friday in front of the Bacich Office.
  • The books will be placed in plastic bags with your names on them on a cart.
  • See the library blog for instructions on how to access the Alexandria Library Catalog to look for books.
  • Please return books on Friday in the red plastic bin labeled, "Return Bacich Library Books Here" in front of the office.

Show us YOUR talent! 2nd/3rd/4th Graders!

We would like to remind you that the 2021 Bacich Talent Show signup is officially open online. As with last year, we will host a virtual event to showcase the wide ranging talents and creative pursuits of our 2nd through 4th grade students. This is a great way for the children to connect with each other across grade levels and to flex their creative and performative muscles.

Sign Ups Close February 12th.
Audition Video Submission due by February 26th.

Not sure what talent to showcase? Here are some ideas:

- Singing - Magic Tricks - Hula Hooping - Comedy

- Karate - Poetry - Yoyo tricks - Dancing

- Gymnastics - Bike Tricks - Instruments

- Surprise us!

For all information including sign up link, dates, times, and
guidelines please visit: www.bacichtalentshow.com.

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: Easily access resources to help navigate this challenging time. The Counselors at Kent Middle School are here for you!


Attention 8th Grade Families!

Redwood Open House and 8th Grade Info Webinar

Redwood High School’s Virtual Open House is next Thursday, January 28, 2021. Eighth graders and their parents can attend a meeting at 5:30 p.m. with Redwood counselors (see information below) and visit a variety of classes via Zoom or pre-recorded video from 6:00-8:00 pm. Detailed program information with Zoom and video links will be sent out next week and will be posted on the Redwood High School website, www.redwood.org. Please save the date and plan to attend if you can.

Redwood counselors will be hosting a webinar for rising ninth graders at 5:30 p.m., shortly preceding our Open House event. The purpose of the webinar is to inform prospective students/families of the required courses all students will take. Counselors will also discuss options for electives and address some frequently asked questions. There will be opportunities for questions during the webinar and also in subsequent Zoom sessions hosted during the regular Open House event.

Kent Library News

Author Visit Today!

Today, Monday, January 25th, we had a visit from the authors of our Kent All School Read, This Promise of Change- Jo Ann Allen Boyce and Debbie Levy. Be sure to ask your student about this incredible opportunity to learn more about the authors, their collaboration and to ask questions about Jo Ann's experience as one of the Clinton 12. I highly recommend this book for family reading and discussion.  If your child would like recommendations related to this book and the topics explored, please let me know! Here is a link to a documentary about the Clinton 12, narrated by James Earl Jones.

Books To Go!

If you need a new book just email me, Mrs. Jelen at rjelen@kentfieldschools.org. If you have books at your house you need to return, you can bring them to the same cart where you pick up books – right outside the Kent gate when it's not raining and right in front of the library when it is. There are so many great new titles to check out!

Squawk Talk Looking for Book of the Day Submissions!

Has your child finished a book they loved and would highly recommend? Ask your child to record themselves promoting this book for our daily podcast, Squawk Talk. You can use the voice recording app on any phone or device, or vocaroo, a free online recording site. Submissions should be about a minute and a half and can be emailed to rjelen@kentfieldschools.org.

Book Donations needed!

Our grade level book bags have been a huge success... so much so that we are in desperate need of more donations! If you have any new or gently used books to donate, you can drop them off anytime during school hours outside the Kent gate or in front of the library. If your child needs new books to read, have them come and grab a bag from the grade level boxes right in front of the Kent gate. Books can be kept, passed on or returned. Thank you for helping us keep our students reading throughout this crazy time!  


Kent Yearbook Information

www.yearbookordercenter.com - code 7587

  • For ordering help, call The Yearbook Order Center toll free at 866-287-3096 or email us at yearbookordercenter@herffjones.com. The Yearbook Order Center is open Monday through Friday, 8-a.m. to 5 p.m. (CST).
  • Llama al 866-287-3096 si necesitas un operador en español.

KIK News

For Installments or Matching Gifts, Print Donor Form in English and Spanish

FRI 1/29: OREN’S HUMMUS DINE & DONATE

KIK is partnering with Oren's Hummus — SF2BAY's Weekly Pop Up for our newest Dine & Donate. 10% of sales will be donated to our schools.

  • ORDER NOW until 1/27 at 4pm and select 1/29 pick up date
  • Use code KIKHUMMUS
  • Pick up at Mill Valley pop up tent on 1/29 from 4-6pm

Oren's Hummus, San Francisco and the Peninsula's best Meditteranean restaurant offers a full menu of family meals, kebabs, schnitzel, falafel, hummus, salads, and more. Check out our website for more information on this promotion. Thank you!

WHY GIVE NOW to KIK?

This Video explains in 1 minute why donations are critical!

ANNUAL COMMITMENT Status : $570,618 (net)

Get details on the $1M Annual Commitment.

WHAT’S AT STAKE?

Potentially $500,000 in exceptional enrichment programs could be cut from our district budget, which affects every Bacich and Kent student. Programs are at risk in the school year/s ahead without a healthy school foundation today that helps support them.

Learn how KIK has been Investing in Kids.

HOW DO WE PREVENT CUTS?

DONATE NOW

Give our kids a chance to return to the exceptional learning they deserve.

Help close the gap by donating today!


THANK YOU, 2020-21 DONORS!

Our community is grateful for your generous support in donating toward the $1M Annual Commitment to support over 1100 Bacich and Kent students.

See Current Donor Wall

KIK VALENTINE’S CANDY GRAMS

Surprise your friends this Valentine’s Day with a KIK Candy Gram! Each bag of treats is $5 and will be delivered (contact-free) to your friend’s doorstep the week of February 8.

This is a fun way for friends, parents, grandparents and more to bring a smile to someone's face. Plus you'll help raise money for our school district!

Order your KIK Valentine’s Candy Gram now until February 7. Don’t wait, we will sell out!

Questions? Email events@kikschools.org.

TUES 1/26: 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.

  • Jan 26: Coq Au Vin with mashed potatoes, green beans, salad verte

ORDER NOW for pickup on Tuesday. Select “KIK Family Meal.”

*Check out this NEW Left Bank promotion that also gives back to KIK!

Follow us on Facebook & Instagram for menu updates / reminders.

Opt in today to get a weekly email reminder to order.

Questions? Email events@kikschools.org.

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 Business Directory 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!

THANK YOU, 2020-21 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 generous support in donating toward the $1M Annual Commitment to support our schools and kids.

See Current Donor Wall

KSPTA News

Next General KSPTA Meeting: Monday, March 8, 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.

KSPTA Kids Closet

Saturday, January 30, 2021, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. in the Bacich Courtyard

KSPTA is excited to host our first KSPTA Kids Closet, an opportunity for our most in-need families to "shop" for new and extremely gently used clothing at no cost.

Clothing in sizes for K-8!

Thank You New PTA Members!

Thank you to those of you who joined during our Membership Month! There’s still time to join and support our schools.

Become a member today!

KSPTA is proud to support Be The Influence!

To get up to speed about adolescent substance use in Marin, consider joining Be the Influence (BTI). Be the Influence (BTI) is a parent education and support program on adolescent substance use in Marin. It started at Redwood High School and now has spread to all public and independent middle and high schools in Marin.

Check out their website and consider joining other Kent parents to be in-the-know and get effective parenting tips.

You can make an optional BTI Parent Agreement or simply sign up to receive their bi-monthly newsletters.

You may also follow BTI on Facebook. It’s never too early to get educated and start talking with your child about this important topic!

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

Mindfulness Seminar Series

The Marin County SELPA Special Education Advisory Committee is hosting a multi-part Mindfulness Seminar Series. The seminar is free for Marin County parents and Spanish translation services are available, upon request with registration. Please see details below and the flyers attached (English and Spanish) for more details.

This introductory mindfulness webinar series will consist of four (4), one-hour virtual sessions across a 12-week period. Each webinar will combine didactic and experiential learning about specific aspects of mindfulness so that participants may learn mindfulness tools to help reduce stress.

Presenter: Blair McElroy, LCSW, Psychotherapist

Date(s): February 11th, March 4th, and March 25th

Time: 7-8 p.m.

Register here

View flyer in English and Spanish

Parent Education: Teen Substance Use

Marin Healthy Youth Partnerships created Let's Talk: A Toolkit for Navigating Teen Substance Use in Marin County this past summer and sent it out to nearly 3000 local public high school freshman parents, pediatricians and therapists. In addition, we created a discussion series that focuses on each chapter in the book featuring experts in the field of parenting, development of the teen brain and information on nicotine, alcohol, cannabis, prescription pills, mushrooms, experimentation and finding support.

Below are recordings of the first three discussions that have already taken place, along with registration for the next three discussions beginning in February 2021.

Our online community discussions follow the chapters of the Let's Talk booklet. If you missed the previous events, they are available to view at the links below. And you can register for the upcoming events now.

Community Education: Confronting Antisemitism Virtual Workshops

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), Beyond Differences, Echoes & Reflections, Facing History & Ourselves, JFCS’ Center for Children and Youth, and the Marin County Office of Education.

Series II: Taking a Stand: Rescue and Resistance During the Holocaust

This series will explore heroic individuals who stood up to Nazi discrimination during the Holocaust. These “upstanders” serve as an inspiration for our community. Holocaust survivors will join the workshops for families and teachers and school administrators via Zoom as guest faculty to inspire the participants with their first hand experiences.

  1. Wednesday, January 27, 2021 More information
    Student Workshop 10 – 11:15 a.m.
    Facilitated by the JFCS Holocaust Center
  2. Thursday, February 3, 2021 Register here >
    Family Workshop 5:30 – 6:45 p.m.
    Facilitated by the JFCS Holocaust Center
  3. Thursday, February 25, 2021 Register here >
    Teacher and School Administrator Workshop 3 – 4:30 p.m.
    Facilitated by the JFCS Holocaust Center

Online Author Event

New York Times bestselling Grace Lin author/illustrator of Year of the Rat and Year of the Dog

Saturday, January 23, 2021, 11-11:45 am

Learn more!

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

Annual Car Raffle to Benefit Special Education in Marin

The parent volunteers of Dedication to Special Education announce the 16th Annual Benefit Car Raffle! This year Toyota Marin has fully donated a 2021 Hybrid RAV4!

This raffle raises money for teacher grants, giving teachers the tools they need to improve access and learning opportunities for students receiving special education services.

Please go to www.specialed.org/raffle to reserve your tickets! The winning ticket will be pulled on Saturday, February 6th, 2021 at 3 p.m. All transactions must be completed by the drawing date and time: Saturday, February 6th, 2021 at 3pm.

Each ticket is $25 (suggested donation) and every dollar helps Marin County’s special educators and their students. Thank you for your support! (415) 491-6636

¡Los padres voluntarios de Dedication to Special Education anuncian el 16o Sorteo Anual de Auto a Beneficio de los estudiantes de educación especial! ¡Toyota Marin ha donado por completo un RAV4 híbrido 2021!

Esta rifa recauda dinero para becas para maestros, brindándoles a los maestros las herramientas que necesitan para mejorar el acceso y las oportunidades de aprendizaje para los estudiantes que reciben servicios de educación especial.

¡Visite a www.specialed.org/raffle para reservar sus boletos! El sorteo será el sábado 6 de febrero de 2021 a las 15:00 horas.

Cada boleto cuesta $ 25 (donación sugerida) y cada dólar ayuda a los educadores especiales del condado de Marin y a sus estudiantes. ¡Gracias por tu apoyo! (415) 491-6636

Sir Francis Drake Boulevard Project Update – Work Winding down in the Bacich area!

Starting January 18 through the end of the month, new traffic signal poles will be installed at Laurel Grove and Wolfe Grade and once done, the old traffic signals will be removed. The pork chop island at Wolfe Grade will be removed and some medians on SFD will undergo curb improvements once the old signal poles are out. Once completed (by end of January/early February), the majority of the construction work will be moving out of the Bacich area for an indeterminate (but long) time. The water main line work will continue, moving east from College, but should not affect pedestrians/sidewalk access. Please continue to take care, allow for extra time, and pay attention to any detours.

To receive updates throughout the construction process and for more information on Upgrade the Drake, please visit the project website atwww.upgradethedrake.com.

  • 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.

Learning Resource Center Town Hall

We would like to invite you to join our community Town Hall on February 2 at 6 p.m. During the meeting the Design Team will share a brief summary of the Round 1 Design Values input, present Emerging Design Concepts and Interior Design Values, and close with Q&A.

Meeting details:

February 2, 2021

6-7 pm

https://g4arch.zoom.us/j/96956113432?pwd=REpyblduS1dBOEZxYlpnVU5HVnd4Zz09

Meeting ID: 969 5611 3432

Passcode: COMth

One tap mobile +16699009128,,96956113432# US (San Jose)

Please join the discussion and let us know what you think! If you have any questions please reach out to Isidro Farias at ifarias@marin.edu.

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