Kentfield School District

February 28th, 2022

KSD News

Dear KSD Community,

Today, Dr. Mark Gahly, California Health and Human Services Secretary, announced adjusting the masking mandate for all schools from mandatory to strongly recommended effective March 11 at 5 p.m. This means that masking indoors for students and staff will be “strongly recommended,” especially for those who are unvaccinated.

This announcement is a significant change to school operations – although as a community we are committed to aligning to local and state Public Health Guidance. Marin Public Health has not yet changed local school guidance. As we receive additional updates this week, the KSD will further inform the community of how we plan to address this adjustment.

Stay tuned for additional updates in the days ahead.

Superintendent Signature



Raquel Rose
Superintendent
rrose@kentfieldschools.org

District Announcements

Thank you to all the parents/guardians for your participation in the KSD's Youth Truth Survey. We are pleased to report that we had 65% participation rate!

Announcing - Kentfield Schools Readathon

Bacich – Wednesday, March 23, 2022

Kent – Week of March 21, 2022

The KSPTA is excited to sponsor the first district-wide Readathon – a fundraiser that supports our students’ reading development while also raising money for our treasured Kentfield Schools. Look for updates in this week’s Friday Folders.

Love to read and want to get involved? Please email readathon@kspta.org.

March Menus Now Available

Families may order three days ahead to select a meal of their choice.

View and order: schoolfoodies.schoolbitez.com/#/signup

Overview of Comprehensive School Safety Plan - Newsletter

The KSD’s 2021-2022 Comprehensive School Safety Plan (CSSP) was approved by the Board of Trustees at their February 8th meeting. Required by CA Education Code and updated annually by March 1, CSSPs are designed to ensure school districts prepare for emergencies, address potential risks to campuses, and create safe, secure, and peaceful learning environments for students and school staff. The CSSP is the overarching safety plan for our district, and it includes 10 key components, including the Bacich and Kent emergency preparedness plans, along with other documents and policies that outline how we foster social, emotional, and physical safety for all members of our school communities. We are proud of how comprehensive and thorough our plan is in an effort to ensure the safety and well-being of our students and staff.

Governors Newsom, Brown and Inslee Announce Updated Health Guidance, recorded February 28, 2022

Dr. Mark Gahly, California Health and Human Services Secretary, update February 28, 2022


If your child tests positive for COVID-19, please report it to our school nurse, Laurel Yrun at lyrun@kentfieldschools.org immediately.


Submit Student vaccination verification

KSD COVID Information – Dashboard

KSD Universal Transitional Kindergarten (UTK) Information

Registration is now open!

Learn how the KSD is designing and planning the UTK program beginning Fall 2022.

  • Universal Transitional Kindergarten Presentation Slide Deck: English and Spanish
  • Universal Transitional Kindergarten: Recording Jan. 27 and Jan. 28

2021-2022 District Calendar & 2022-2023 District Calendar

KSD, KSPTA & Community Parent Education Opportunities Calendar

Tuesday, March 1, 2022

Wednesday, March 2, 2022

Friday, March 4, 2022

  • Kent Principal Coffee, 8:45-10 a,m., Zoom

Monday, March 7, 2022

Tuesday, March 8, 2022

Wednesday, March 9, 2022

School Board Information: video recordings of meetings, community letters, minutes, trustee contacts

District Committees

Bacich Bears News

Mary Ann Spitzer

Dear Bacich Community,

I’m so pleased to be back among the Bacich students! This morning I had the golden opportunity to join a 3rd grade art class with Mrs. Barbara Libby. The lesson was on ‘Mindful Mark Making’ and Mrs. Libby invited staff to join in one of her classes to create community, to breathe, to slow down and to ground ourselves. What a wonderful way to start the week!

Walk and Roll to School

This Wednesday is Bacich’s Walk and Roll to School Day! Please consider having your child arrive at school in some other way besides a car. There will be recognition for those who choose to walk or roll to school.

Read-a-thon

Wednesday, March 2 is Read Across America day. Although we celebrate the love of reading and the creation of diverse readers all the time, Read Across America day gives us the excuse to really highlight reading in March. This year, we have a special day on Wednesday, March 23 - a readathon sponsored by the KSPTA! All day, students will be participating in reading activities while the KSPTA is getting sponsors for minutes read to raise funds to support our district. Everyone wins! Look for more information coming home this Friday in your child’s Friday folder about how you can support this great event.

March Mathness

It's not a typo! March is not just about college basketball! It is your chance to have some fun with math each day with your child. Our super Math Committee led by Mrs. Lindsay Zerzan has created "March Mathness" calendars filled with lots of great activities that will support your child’s growth in math while having a good time. Math can be fun! Click on the links below to view your grade level calendar. Second graders can use either one!

2022 K-2 Bacich March Mathness Calendar

2022 K-2 Bacich March Mathness Calendar in Spanish

2022 Grades 2-4 Bacich March Mathness Calendar

2022 Grades 2-4 Bacich March Mathness Calendar in Spanish

Please don’t forget to review the carline procedures below in the newsletter. If we all follow the system, it works so much better. Thank you!

Have a great week,

Mary Ann Spitzer
Bacich Principal
mspitzer@kentfieldschools.org

Bacich Announcements

Kent Tutors Marin: Free virtual tutoring to K–6th graders in all subjects during school, after school, and on weekends. Spanish-speaking tutors are available. Sessions are 30-45 minutes via Zoom.

Bacich Yearbooks on Sale March 1!

The yearbook will be back this year with class photos and pictures of all students, not to mention spreads of special events on campus throughout the year! The sales of the book support KSPTA programming in the KSD. Yearbooks will be delivered to students in their classrooms at the end of the school year.

Price – Buy early and save!

  • March 1-13: $30
  • March 14-April 29: $35

Orders close on April 29, 2022

Link to order: jostensyearbooks.com/?REF=A09854647

If purchasing a yearbook is a financial burden for your family, please reach out to either Amber Hatfield (ahatfield@kentfieldschools.org) or Ivette Villarreal (ivillarreal@kentfieldschools.org), and the KSPTA will make sure your child has a book.

Carline Procedures

This is the time of year that our students receive a review of classroom and recess procedures, so I would like to review our carline procedures with the grown-ups too! Thank you for paying attention to these guidelines as it keeps everyone safe. Remember, there will always be a wait in the carline.

  • Please do not park in our handicapped spots, even for just a minute. The sheriff will ticket you! These spots are used daily by our families who need them for drop off and pick up.
  • Please use caution when entering or exiting the school grounds – both entrances are used by pedestrians, bicyclists, buses as well as cars.
  • Please pull forward as far as possible to make room for other cars to pull up into the loading and unloading areas.
  • Please have your child ready to go with their backpack and exit/enter the car on the sidewalk side.
  • Please do NOT pass stopped or slow moving vehicles in the loading areas.

A special thank you to all of the parent volunteers who help carline run smoothly!

Bacich Library

February Blog Post Now Available!

Read the March issue of the Bacich Library Book Buzz: bacichlibrarybookbuzz.blogspot.com

  • Learn about how the library is celebrating Read Across America and St. Patrick's Day.
  • Find out about Bacich Library's special guest "Mrs. Monelli" who visited for an oral history lesson to kick off the second grade heritage unit.
  • Discover suggested activities throughout the month, and much more!

To Check Out Books: Visit: sites.google.com/kentfieldschools.org/bacich-library

  • Watch this how to video to learn how to check out Bacich Library books.

  • March 2: Bacich Walk & Roll to School & Bacich ELAC meeting, 8:30-9:30 a.m., agenda
  • March 9: Bacich Principal Chat, 8-9 a.m., Zoom
  • March 21: Bacich Site Council meeting, 3:15-4:15 p.m.
  • March 23: KSPTA Readathon
  • March 31: Open House

Kent Falcons News

Kent Principal Grant Althouse

Greetings Kent Community,

The conflict unfolding in Europe shows us all how fragile, uncertain, and dangerous the world can be. Current events stand as a poignant reminder for me that education is not simply the repetition of facts and skills, but rather the ongoing development of critical thinking, interpretation, analysis, and communication that helps one make sense of the world, and contribute to their communities. We will continue to make space for our students to safely inquire and discuss events as they unfold in Ukraine and beyond, and trust that the processing with their classmates and teachers will lead to greater understanding and empathy for what people in the region are currently experiencing.

Please join enrichment department chair Melissa Stephens, assistant principal Wendy Holmes, and me for this Friday’s Principal’s Coffee from 8:45 to 10 a.m. in the Kent Library. This month we focus on the rich selection of enrichment courses offered at Kent, the key objectives of different enrichment offerings, and the ways enrichment classes contribute to the overall academic, social, and creative student experience at our school. Learn about classes like Woodshop, Start-Up, Makers, Art, Service Innovation, Social Action, Screenwriting, Ted-Talks, American Business and Societal Change, Music, and more. Current 6th and 7th graders will be selecting enrichment courses for the 2022/23 school year by the end of this month, so please join us to learn more about the options available for your child in advance of our selection process. Additionally, current 5th grade families may find this session useful to learn about the 6th grade enrichment wheel, and class choices for future years.

So, please join us at Kent on Friday at 8:45 a.m. for a warm cup of coffee and an engaging presentation in the Kent Library. We may have some special guest drop-ins, as well as a selection of creative student work samples to review. Virtual participation will be available through this Zoom link, and in-person Spanish translation will be available. We look forward to seeing you on Friday for our March Principal Coffee!

Take good care,

Grant Althouse
Kent Principal
galthouse@kentfieldschools.org

Kent Announcements

Golf Tryouts

We are looking for an energetic and qualified golf coach for the 5-8th grade golf team.

All matches will be played on Mondays at McInnis Golf Club in San Rafael. Our schedule begins on Monday, March, 14. Interested parties, please contact Kent athletic director Ryan Palmer at rpalmer@kentfieldschools.org.

All 5th-8th graders interested in playing for the Kent Golf Team, tryouts will be held on Tuesday, 3/1 from 4:15- 6 p.m. and Wednesday, 3/2 from 2-4 p.m. at McInnis Golf Club in San Rafael.

Please bring/borrow golf clubs, wear appropriate golf attire, and plan to be on site the whole time, if possible. The final team will consist of 8 players, 4 of whom will compete in each match.

Matches will be held on Mondays at 3:50 p.m., starting on March 14.

An additional developmental team of 8-12 golfers will be formed as well. These golfers will receive instruction from coaches but won't compete in matches. Any questions can be sent to Ryan Palmer, Kent Athletic Director at rpalmer@kentfieldschools.org.

Go Falcons!

Kent Tutors Marin: Free virtual tutoring to K–6th graders in all subjects during school, after school, and on weekends. Spanish-speaking tutors are available. Sessions are 30-45 minutes via Zoom.


Kent Basketball




Basketball Schedules


6th Grade Teams: Schedules

  • 6th Boys Practice: Friday, 4:45-5:45 p.m.
  • 6th Girls Practice: Monday, 3:45-4:45 p.m.

7th Grade Teams: Schedules

  • 7th Girls Practice: Thursdays, 3:45-4:45 p.m.
  • 7th Boy Practices: Tuesday, 4:45-5:45 p.m.

8th Grade Teams: Schedules

  • 8th Girls Practice: Friday, 3:45-4:45 p.m.
  • 8th Boys Practice: Wednesday, 3:45-4:45 p.m.

Kent Library

Newspaper Club: meets on Tuesday during study session.

Need Book Recommendations?

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

Kent Homework Club: Every Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, 3:30-4:45 p.m., Kent Library

  • Designed for students who need a quiet and supported environment in which to complete assignments. Any student who is ready to focus and work is welcome to attend with us!

Kent Lunchtime Clubs: All are welcome! Simply show up at the meeting location on the correct day to join in the fun!

  • March 1: Golf Tryouts, 4:15- 6 p.m., McInnis Golf Club, San Rafael
  • March 2: Golf Tryouts, 2-4 p.m., McInnis Golf Club, San Rafael
  • March 4: Kent Principal Coffee, 8:45-10 a.m.
  • March 8: Kent Site Council meeting, 3:30-4:30 p.m.
  • March 21: KSPTA Readathon
  • March 24: Open House

KIK News

KIK PRESENTS THE ROARING TWENTY 20’S!

Please consider donating an auction item today to help raise program funds.

Plans are underway for our annual Spring Event, which includes an online auction, the largest event fundraiser of the year, as well as a celebration party and live auction at Bimbo’s 365 in San Francisco on Saturday, April 30.

In order to raise as much funds as possible, we need sponsors and unique, bid-worthy items:

  • Sponsorship opportunities available from $250 - $10,000.
  • Donate one of the following items:
    • Vacation homes and getaways
    • Unique experiences (members-only golf clubs, spa packages, exclusive sports tickets, bike adventures, backstage passes to shows)
    • Jewelry, art, autographed sports and music memorabilia
    • Gift cards to local restaurants, grocery and retail stores
    • National retailer gift cards
  • Host a sign-up party for adults or kids.
  • Purchase items off the Amazon auction wish list.
  • No donation is too small!

Please contact Holly Myers at events@kikschools.org if you can sponsor or donate. We’d love to receive the items by March 15. THANK YOU!

KIK EVENTS + DINE & DONATE

MAR 01 - $50 Dine & Donate - Left Bank KIK Family Meals
Gives 20% to KIK, Opt in for weekly order reminder.

  • BBQ chicken, salad vert, macaroni and cheese, green beans

MAR 01 - Deadline to Receive Donations for SPRING ONLINE AUCTION
Call for Auction Items

MAR 01 & 03 - Bacich Wildcare Program funded by KIK GRANTS for KSD KIDS

APRIL 21-28 - KIK SPRING ONLINE AUCTION - THE ROARING TWENTY 20’S
KIK Spring Online Auction Event, Donate items by March 1

APRIL 30 - Save the Date - THE ROARING TWENTY 20’S
KIK Spring Auction Event, Party at Bimbo’s 365 Club featuring Mustache Harbor.

CONNECT WITH KIK

KIK $1M ANNUAL GOAL — Update

We’re at nearly 80% of our fundraising goal for our Bacich and Kent schools — fantastic! Thank you to our Family Giving We’re over the 80% mark of our fundraising goal for our Bacich and Kent schools — incredible! Thank you to our Family Giving Donors and Business Partners for their support of our students and the programs they love.

KIK is committed to raising $1 million for our Bacich and Kent students for the 2021-22 school year.
For Installments or Matching Gifts, Print Donor Form in English and Spanish.
KIK Mission

KSPTA News


Next KSPTA Meeting: Monday, March 7, 7-8 p.m., Agenda


Announcing the First District-Wide Readathon!

This fundraiser supports our student’s reading development while also raising money for our beloved Kentfield Schools. The Readathon will take place on Wednesday, March 23 at Bacich and the week of March 21 at Kent. Guest authors, local “celebrity” readers, reading themed activities and assemblies will create a fun filled educational day/week.

More information will be coming home in Friday folders this week on the fun we have planned and our fundraising efforts. Love to read and want to get involved? Please email readathon@kspta.org.

Lunch Volunteer Sign Ups

Our school lunch program is run by the KSPTA and staffed completely with volunteers. These dedicated volunteer parents who've been feeding our kiddos all year are tired and need a break! Please help us out. Between Bacich and Kent we need to get over 1500 lunches into the hands and mouths of our hungry students. Consider a regular shift - either weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly. Connect with other parents and see your children in the wild. We particular need help this month so sign up now!

The KSPTA is working on bringing some great parenting education events to Kentfield this school year. There are also lots of great resources, often free, in our community. Regularly, we'll be sharing information about community events with you.

Complete list of parent education opportunities and archive of available recordings for 2021-2022

Parent Education

March 2, 2021, 7-8 p.m.

Let's Talk Series: Policy & Law Enforcement

This discussion will talk about how communities and schools can implement protective policies that can prevent underage substance use and provide support for students faced with substance-related consequences. Speakers will share their experience on how laws, policies and restorative justice practices work together to protect our young people and guide future decisions. At each Let's Talk event we also have a local student share their experience and perspective on the topic.

There will be simultaneous live Spanish interpretation.

Sponsored by Marin Healthy Youth Partnerships

Stay up to date with KSPTA!

Follow kentfieldschoolspta on both Facebook and Instagram

Community News

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.

Educator Workshop: Beyond Differences presents Michael Tyler

March 1, 2022 4 p.m. (PST), Zoom

Beyond Differences® is thrilled to announce an upcoming workshop on anti-racism and working with youth with acclaimed author, speaker and thought-leader Michael Tyler.

Tyler is the author of The Skin You Live In and Water for the Soul: A Father’s Hope for his Son, as well as many other published works for both children and adults. He will be joining Beyond Differences for an interactive conversation with educators about “Unlearning Divisions and the Knowledge of Unity.” The conversation will include:

  • Language shifts for greater unity.
  • Strategies for engaging conversation to achieve greater unity
  • Cultivating children’s empowerment for unity.

Learning Opportunities for Middle school Students

The Corte Madera Library is hosting multiple learning opportunities for middle school students:

Starting Saturday March 5, teen tutors from Redwood High school will be available from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. to assist with various subjects in the library's teen section. This is a drop-in service, so first come first served. Masks are requested to mimic school policies due to close proximity. Call the library for more information.

Starting on March 12, another Redwood student will be hosting six classes for 5th-12th graders on how to program using Python. Please call the library to register, space will be limited. Chromebooks are available in-branch, or personal laptops can also be used. Classes are cumulative, and will be posted online following the in-person sessions. Dates: 3/12, 3/19, 3/26, 4/16, 4/23, 4/30.

Find us at marinlibrary.org, or reach us by phone at: 415-924-3515

Crisis Text Support Line

Marin County is offering our youth another means of mental health support through a crisis text line.

Text MARIN to 741741 for Support that Cares

If you are ever in need of support, Crisis Text Line is always available to offer help. Connect with a trained Crisis Counselor and share your feelings in a safe space. Text MARIN to 741741 for free, 24/7, confidential support that cares. Available in Spanish 2022.

Marin Health Hubs

Health hubs, we provide free and bilingual services such as food distribution, nutrition education, health screenings, and information about community organizations.

Food pantry items are provided by the SF-Marin Food Bank and by the ExtraFood.org Program, and the health screenings are provided by our wonderful nurses!

Everyone is welcome to attend the health hubs food pantry and to help us run it!

www.marinclinic.org/health-hubs

View flyer

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