Greetings Kent Families,

I’m pleased to share the Kent Middle School Summer Reading List for summer 2021. Kent’s teacher librarian, Rebecca Jelen, has curated some of the most current, high-interest texts for our Falcons to explore as a part of their summer reading life. The purpose of summer reading at Kent is to promote student choice, extend learning beyond the classroom, introduce students to new genres of literature, and to offer new perspectives on the people, places, and ideas that make up our world. Developing a reading life both inside and outside of school is an important indicator of future academic success, and general student wellness. Start preparing for summer, and grab some of these titles from a library or book store near you!

Eighth grader Tessa recently designed, created, and published a Volunteer Directory website for students and families in our Kent community. "Kids want to volunteer in their communities but can struggle to find organizations that will accept young volunteers," Tessa explains, "I want to make it easy for kids to find places to volunteer and encourage them to take action in their community. So, I have created a volunteer directory for middle and high school students."

Tessa’s website, The Bay Area Youth Volunteer Directory, is linked here and on our Kent Middle School Website. Students can pick a topic they are passionate about and find a variety of organizations that can benefit from volunteer services, including over 30 Bay Area organizations for students to select.

Perhaps reading and service to others will play a significant role in your Kent Falcon’s summer, thanks to these two helpful resources!

Be well,

Grant Althouse
Kent Principal
galthouse@kentfieldschools.org