Greetings Kent Community,

It was a pleasure to welcome our Kent Falcons back to campus after what I hope was a winter break that created positive memories for you and your loved ones. Our campus buzzed with reconnection and stories from our students’ time away, and classrooms heated-up with conversations around the content and learning that lies ahead. If your child was not able to come back to campus due to a positive Covid-19 test or close contact, you should have received this letter from me this morning outlining the process to access work and activities from your child’s classes. If your child has tested positive for Covid-19, please be sure to notify our school district nurse, Laurel Yrun, as soon as possible (lyrun@kentfieldschools.org).

We hope you can join us for this month’s Kent Principal’s Coffee from 8:45 to 10 a.m. via Zoom on Friday, January 7. Please join assistant principal Wendy Holmes, school counselors Diana Bokaie, Heidi Longo, and Corey Shaw, and me for a presentation and discussion around our approach to Social and Emotional Learning at Kent. We will also discuss the many ways that our counseling team supports students at our school. This month we will hold our meeting via Zoom rather than in person, so please mark your calendar for Friday at 8:45 a.m., grab a cup of coffee or tea, and join us for this important conversation!

As a Kent faculty, we continue to partner with professional developer Dr. Lori Watson to support our efforts to meet, reach, and teach every learner at our school. Starting in January, Dr. Watson will partner with a team of staff advisors and a group of 6th through 8th grade students to create SLAM! (Student Leaders’ Anti-Racism Movement). Students that participate in SLAM! will work on their own personal development, which will foster collaborative action designed to lead impactful change at our school. I’ve been impressed time and time again this year with the insightful perspective and advocacy our students have shared in a variety of contexts as it relates to equity, inclusion, and culture at our school. SLAM! Is sure to empower participating students to continue to develop and enhance the Kent school environment! Thanks Students interested in participating will receive the SLAM! application today or tomorrow, and we will be finalizing student participants by the beginning of next week.

2022 is sure to hold many positive developments for our students and our school, and I look forward to your ongoing partnership as we navigate what lies ahead together!

Mock Newbery Club: meets Mondays at lunch outside the library. The club reading list can be found here.

Newspaper Club: meets on Tuesday during study session.

Need Book Recommendations?

Email me at rjelen@kentfieldschools.org and follow us on Instagram @kentmiddleschoollibrary.