Kentfield School District News
Dear KSD Community,
The 2020-2021 academic year began with KSD teachers, support staff and administrators charged with redesigning the school experience in the face of an ongoing global pandemic. In a time of uncertainty — the staff jumped into the unknown to employ new instructional strategies, engage students, and adjust instruction based on observation and student outcomes. During the course of the year the KSD moved from Distance Learning only to Hybrid instruction, and we are now planning forward for a Full In-Person instructional program. As staff navigated these varied instructional approaches our students and families did their best to support this new way of learning. Let’s honor and appreciate how we all ventured through these obstacles while our environment continued to shift and present us with new information and data.
As months passed, comments were made grounded in emotion and at times statements did not always reflect our core values of respect, collaboration, and perseverance. Let’s rise above the discord and focus on leveraging the assets of the KSD — community, trust, and relationships. We must rebuild what has broken down during this pandemic and work together with a collective interest in doing what is best for the students and staff that make up the Kentfield School District.
We are at a pivotal point in which positive traction is being made. As students continue to engage in Hybrid Instruction, our site administrators, teachers, and support staff have come together in work groups to design and propose adjustments to Hybrid Instruction and a schedule for Full In-Person learning. A percentage of our staff have been vaccinated, and more vaccination opportunities are approaching. Case rates in Marin County are decreasing and Marin is projected to move to a less restrictive tier this week. All of these positive steps demonstrate the common commitment and interest to safely get us back to a more traditional way of providing school.
Our next steps in moving forward include a parent/guardian survey, KSD-KTA negotiators to meet to determine a mutually agreed upon timeline to expand instructional programming, and honoring the work being done to support the KSD school community. Let’s trust the process to move ourselves forward and unite together with a commitment towards positive outcomes for our students.
With Respect,
Raquel Rose
Superintendent
rrose@kentfieldschools.org
District Announcements
KSD Special Board Meeting: February 24, 2021 6:15 p.m.
As shared at the February 9th Board of Trustee meeting the KSD Board of Trustees will hold a Special Board meeting on Wednesday, February 24th. This meeting is intended to address necessary budget reductions that were outlined in the Finance Report due to a decrease of revenue and enrollment projected for the 2021-2022 school year. As reductions are made, the KSD stays committed to preserving student programs for our KSD students.
Technology Wellness: Blue Light Reduction for Chromebooks and Blue Light Reduction for iPads.
Instructional Schedule: February 22-26, 2021
The KSD is maintaining the past practice of offering Distance Learning only following an extended holiday break. Hybrid Instruction will resume on Monday, March 1 serving Cohort B and alternating to Cohort A the subsequent week.
KSD COVID-19 Dashboard
In an effort to keep the KSD community informed a KSD COVID-19 Dashboard has been developed to display levels of exposure notification in alignment with Marin County Public Health Exposure protocols. The KSD COVID-19 Dashboard will be updated regularly. See our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for more details about this Dashboard.
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).
- Please keep this decision tree in a handy place or refrigerator for reference (updated February 2, 2021)
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, February 23, 2021
- Equity & Inclusion meeting, 3 p.m.., agenda
- Family Partners meeting: 4-5 p.m.
Wednesday, February 24, 2021
- Special School Board meeting, 6:15 p.m.
Friday, February 26, 2021
- Bacich Talent Show Audition Video Submission Due. Visit: www.bacichtalentshow.com for more information.
March 1-5, 2021: Cohort B Resumes In-Person Instruction
Tuesday, March 2, 2021
- Kent Site Council Meeting, 3:30-4:30 p.m.
- District English Learners Advisory Committee (DELAC) meeting, 6-7 p.m.
March 8-12, 2021: Cohort A Resumes In-Person Instruction
Monday, March 8, 2021
- KSPTA meeting, 7-8:30 p.m.
Tuesday, March 9, 2021
- School Board meeting, 5-8 p.m.
School Board & District Committees
- Board Meeting Highlights: February 9, 2021
- Board Meeting Video Archive
- Board Statements and Community Letters
- Special School Board meeting: Wednesday, February 24, 2021, 6:15 p.m.
- Next Monthly School Board meeting: Tuesday, March 9, 2020, 5 p.m., Zoom
- All are welcome and encouraged to attend via Zoom.
- Addressing the Board
Board Meeting Highlights - February 9, 2021
The February Regular Meeting of the Board of Trustees featured a Third Grade Education Showcase facilitated by Grade Level Chairs Andrea Livengood and Jenna Maioriello. Ms. Livengood and Ms. Maioriello welcomed three third grade students to present their non-fiction animal reports. Students shared detailed facts about dolphins and starfish while displaying strong public speaking skills and a joy of research and writing.
Site principals, Mary Ann Spitzer and Grant Althouse, provided an update from the Bacich and Kent Work Groups respectively. Ms. Spitzer shared adjustments to hybrid such as increased chorts, In-Person PE instruction and In-Person ELD cohorts. She also shared the Bacich work group is still evaluating the best model for a full in-person instruction. Mr. Althouse shared the Kent Work Group launched with a focus on full In-Person instruction. The group shared the common interest of moving away from instruction over the computer and towards a more traditional manner of in-person teaching. There is great appreciation to the Work Groups for their commitment to this additional planning and to both Mary Ann and Grant for facilitating these teams.
In closing, Kirsten Starsiak, KSD Chief Business Official and Superintendent Rose provided a brief update on the District’s finances. Staff highlighted the decrease in student enrollment by 44 students and a decreased revenue of $325,000. These two key factors will lead to budgetary reductions for the upcoming school year. As we plan for these necessary reductions, the district is strategizing on how to preserve current programs in an effort to support a positive and rich experience for our KSD students.
Safe Routes to School
Marin County COVID-19 Resources, & Testing Opportunities
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.
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.