Kentfield School District Newsletter December 12, 2022

KSD News

KSD
Bacich Bears
Kent Falcons
KIK
KSPTA

Dear KSD Community,

Join us this week for our regular meeting of the Board of Trustees on Tuesday, December 13, 5 p.m. at the KSD District Office, 750 College Avenue or via Zoom Webinar. We will be honoring outgoing Trustees Davina Goldwasser, Sarah Killingsworth, and Heather McPhail Sridharan; and swearing in new Trustees Cari Irwin, Benny Joseph, and Silver McDonald. We will also hear updates regarding our district budget and other school operations.

Raquel Rose
Superintendent
rrose@kentfieldschools.org

School Board Honoring Departing Trustees

District Announcements

Attention: December 16 Lunch Menu Adjustment

Due to the minimum day on Friday, December 16 Dee’s Organic’s has adjusted the menu.

On Friday, December 16 Dee’s will serve a turkey or veggie sandwich with chips at both school sites. Lunch will be distributed in the same manner it is provided on minimum days at both sites. Bacich teachers will distribute student lunches at the end of the school day and Kent students should pick up lunch at the end of the school day in front of the school office.

If you would like to adjust your child’s lunch order for Friday, December 16 please do so here or email Dee’s Organics at info@deesorganic.com.

Important Safety Notice

This week KSD staff was notified of incidents in the Ross Valley area where children were approached by a stranger offering them a ride. Following the incidents, the children reported the encounter to their parents and law enforcement was notified and proceeded accordingly.

The Kentfield - Greenbrae community is quite lucky to be in a setting in which children are able to easily bike, scoot, roll, walk, or skate to school, and we promote these environmentally friendly modes of school transportation with our Safe Routes to School program. As our community is so reliant on these modes of transportation, it is very important that children are well-versed in safety protocols as they travel to and from school.

Please have conversations with your children about safety reminders as they travel to and from school. Law enforcement recommends if a student is approached by a stranger they should:

State clearly and assertively to the stranger, “go away, you are making me feel uncomfortable.”
State, “I am calling the police.”
If they have a cell phone, call 911 and take a picture of the vehicle, individual, and/or license plate.
Do their best to gather as many details as possible, such as the direction of travel and description of the individual, the vehicle, etc.
If an incident occurs on the way to school, your children should report it to the school office, teacher, or any other employee upon arrival to campus, and if an incident happens after school, they should report it to their parent/guardian who should then notify law enforcement and the school.

Remember, “if you see something, say something.” Reporting suspicious activity of any kind immediately to your school’s office and to law enforcement (Central Marin Police Authority 415-927-5150; Marin County Sheriff 415-473-7250) is critical in keeping our community safe.

When to Stay Home + Covid & Flu Shot Clinics

The CDC COVID-19 Community Level is Medium (case rates and hospitalizations); MCPH advises persons to consider wearing a mask at schools indoors when the COVID-19 community level is medium, especially if they or someone in their household is immunocompromised or at high risk for severe illness.

Winter Virus Information from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH)

We have been impacted with three respiratory viruses this year: COVID-19, Influenza (Flu) and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). We need to be vigilant in preventing the spread of these winter viruses as we prepare for holiday gatherings.

Prevention methods include hand washing, covering coughs and sneezes, masking and staying home when sick.

Caring for loved ones at home includes getting plenty of rest and staying hydrated and using medications as prescribed to reduce congestion and fever.

Contact your health care provider for medical advice and if an evaluation is necessary

Please see guidance from Dr Pan, California State Epidemiologist and Pediatrician at the CDPH.

COVID-19 Vaccination Clinics through December 16 - Free Omicron Boosters & Flu Vaccines

Please reference this exposure notice for information on symptoms, communicability and prevention. (English I Spanish).

Please keep your child home if they are sick. It's not too late to get your flu vaccine. Please contact our school nurse Laurel Yrun (lyrun@kentfieldschools.org) with any questions you may have about how to navigate illness and school this year.

2022-2023 District Calendar
December Breakfast & Lunch Menu

Tuesday, December 13, 2022

School Board meeting, 5-8 p.m., District Office

Wednesday, December 14, 2022

Bacich Spirit Day - Festive Holiday Wear or Bacich Colors (blue and yellow)
Parents in Action, 8:30-10:30 a.m., Bacich Room 7
Technology Committee meeting, 4-5 p.m.
KIK Board meeting, 7-9 p.m., District Office

Thursday, December 15, 2022

Kent Parents in Action, 8:30-10:30 a.m., Room 11

Friday, December 16, 2022

Bacich Spirit Day - Pajama Day
Kent Countdown Court Assembly - wear silver and gold
Noon Dismissal for Bacich and Kent, 12-1 p.m.

Winter Break: December 19-January 2. School resumes January 3

Tuesday, January 3, 2023

Family Partners Meeting, 9-10 a.m.

Wednesday, January 4, 2023

Bacich Parents in Action, 8:30-10:30 a.m., Bacich Room 7

Thursday, January 5, 2023

Kent Parents In Action, 8:30-10:30 a.m., Room 11
Bacich Talent Show deadline

Next KSD School Board Meeting is on Tuesday, December 13, 2022 at 5 p.m.

Here is a link to where you can find the agenda once posted. Access to the meeting will be via in person or audio.

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

All are welcome and encouraged to attend in-person or via Zoom.
Addressing the Board

KSD Board/District Committees

Technology Committee meeting, Wednesday, December 14, 4-5 p.m.
If you are interested in joining a District Committee, please submit your name here.

Dear Bacich Families,

It is incredible that this is my final newsletter communication for the 2022 calendar year. As I reflect on our first Trimester of the 2022-2023 school year I am proud of all we have accomplished together. We have worked hard to foster an inclusive school community that celebrates the joy of learning.

Our new TEAM (Together Everyone Achieves More) time which focuses on social emotional learning and community building has become a favorite part of the day for many of our students and staff. Our school counselor, Ms. A, provides monthly guidance lessons for all students to further our focus on social emotional learning. Our staff engaged in professional development with Julie Kurtz of the Center for Optimal Brain Integration. This training was so well received that our KSPTA sponsored a parent education night with Julie Kurtz!

We now gather weekly as a school for our In-Motion and character assemblies. We celebrate students who have demonstrated excellent character through the reading of the Bacich Bear Cards earned each week.

Teachers and Paraprofessionals have collaborated to use our new WIN (What I Need) time to provide targeted intervention and extension lessons for students. Our curriculum committees — English-Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Justice — continue to work to elevate and improve the work we do in these core areas of instruction.

We have expanded our lunch time activities with the addition of Lego/Game Rooms, Art Exploration with Ms. Holly, Peacemakers, Library helpers, and Friday Dance Parties.

Report Cards Available in Aeries

Trimester 1 report cards are available for you to access in Aeries. Please refer to these instructions on the school website to learn how to access your child’s report card. Bacich uses a standards based grading system to report on student progress. Each standard is assessed individually and students receive a 1, 2, or 3 to indicate their progress for each standard assessed this grading period.

3 indicates a significant understanding and application of the standard.
2 indicates a partial understanding and application of the standard.
1 indicates a minimal understanding and application of the standard.

The science, social studies, mathematical practices, and learner communicator sections of the report card are assessed using a scale of C (consistently), O (often), S (sometimes), and R (rarely).

As you review the report card with your student, make sure to celebrate their progress and areas of strength as they work toward mastery of these end of year standards.

Spirit Days This Week

We will close out 2022 with two spirit days at Bacich. On Wednesday, students are encouraged to wear festive holiday clothing or our school colors of blue and yellow. On Friday, we will have a pajama day!

I hope you enjoy a festive and relaxing winter break. I wish you a happy and healthy New Year!

With gratitude,

Maria Martin
Bacich Principal
mmartin@kentfieldschools.org

Hello 3rd and 4th Grade Families,

The Bacich Talent Show is back this year! The fourth annual Bacich Talent Show is open to 3rd and 4th grade performers. We are planning for a live student body performance during our Wednesday morning assembly on March 1, 2023. Sign-ups open today, December 12, 2022 and close on January 5, 2023. Group and solo acts are encouraged. Once you have signed up we will contact you about practices and next steps. If there are multiple sign ups for similar acts, such as piano performances, we will do a lottery to select two from each grade level.

For more information, and to sign up, please visit our website:

www.bacichtalentshow.com

Cheers,

The Talent Show Committee

Clothing Donations Needed

Bacich is in need of extra clothing for students who have accidents at school and need to change. We would appreciate any donations of gently used clothing and new underwear (size 4-6) and socks.

Bacich Library

Check out Bacich Library Book Buzz December blog to learn about winter holiday traditions in the Bacich library.

bacichlibrarybookbuzz.blogspot.com

Lear more about the library and search for books: sites.google.com/kentfieldschools.org/bacich-library

Susan Warnick
Bacich Librarian
swarnick@kentfieldschools.org

Upcoming Bacich Events

2022-2023 Bacich Bell Schedule

Wednesday, December 14:

Spirit Day - Festive Holiday Wear or Bacich Colors (blue and yellow)
Parents in Action, 8:30-10:30 a.m., Bacich Room 7

Friday, December 16:

Spirit Day - Pajama Day
Noon Dismissal

Thursday, January 5: Bacich Talent Show deadline

Wednesday, January 11: Bacich ELAC 8:30-10:30 a.m., Bacich Room 7

Kent Falcons News

KSD
Bacich Bears
Kent Falcons
KIK
KSPTA

Dear Kent Middle School Families,

We are so excited to celebrate the final school days of 2022 with our Kent Falcons this week! With spirit days Wednesday through Friday, Countdown Court on Friday, and opportunities to reflect on academic and personal growth achieved in 2022, it is shaping up to be a fantastic week at Kent!

First trimester report cards will be available in Aeries as of 5 p.m. this evening. To access your child’s report card, simply log in to the Aeries Student/Family Portal, click "Grades" on the left hand side, click "Report Card History," then click the "English" button in the Report Card column for the 2022-23 first trimester report card.

Your child’s teachers have prepared a first trimester report card to show the progress your child has made with essential skills and content covered during the first trimester of school. This report card is different from the report card you may have received from Kent in previous years. Rather than simplifying your child’s performance across skills, content, and habits to one A-F letter grade, we have provided markings to show your child’s progress in the collection of essential learning standards taught and practiced in each class over the course of the trimester.

The below markings inform students and parents about the current level of proficiency your child is demonstrating for each standard.

When reviewing your child’s report card, please consider the following important points

Your child’s classes appear in the order they take the class on their period 1 - 7 schedule.
Each standard displayed represents a different essential skill taught and practiced in the class. Consider each skill separately, and celebrate successes and acknowledge areas for growth by specific learning targets, rather than the class as a whole.
Resist the temptation to associate Progress Markings with traditional A-F letter grades. There is no accurate comparison between the two, as Progress Markings show progress toward proficiency with learning, while letter grades average points across all elements of a class to summarize performance.
During the first trimester of school students are just beginning their study of yearlong academic standards. Beginning or Approaching Proficiency can be a grade level-appropriate marking during the first trimester of school.
The "Citizenship" and "Work Habits" fields are intentionally blank, as Kent Habits of Learning are embedded within each classes’ standards where appropriate.

Linked below are reference documents to show the full language of standards included in each grade level report card. Some of the standard language may be cut off due to spacing limitations on the report card.

5th Grade Trimester 1 Essential Standards (English I Spanish)

6th Grade Trimester 1 Essential Standards (English I Spanish)

7th Grade Trimester 1 Essential Standards (English I Spanish)

8th Grade Trimester 1 Essential Standards (English I Spanish)

Please review the report card with your child to celebrate areas of academic achievement and to consider areas for increased academic focus. If after reviewing the report card with your child you have questions about markings provided, please contact your child’s teacher.

We are hopeful that the additional information captured on the first trimester report card will illuminate your child’s areas of strength and areas for continued focus this year, leading to strong academic growth among all Kent Falcons.

All my best,

Grant Althouse
Kent Principal
galthouse@kentfieldschools.org

Countdown Court Celebration

Friday, December 16 - wear silver and gold attire

The time-honored Kent Middle School tradition of the Countdown Court celebration continues this year!

Countdown Court is an all school assembly where we celebrate the conclusion of the calendar year with music, reflections, activity, and more! It is also the final spirit day of the year, where students are encouraged to wear their finest silver and gold sparkly attire honoring the new year ahead. We look forward to ringing in a new year at Kent with Countdown Court 2022!

Kent Basketball Practice Times

8th girls- Mondays, 3:45- 4:45 p.m.

8th boys- Mondays, 4:45- 5:45 p.m.

7th girls- Thursdays, 3:45- 4:45 p.m.

7th boys- Fridays, 3:45- 4:45 p.m.

6th girls- Wednesdays, 3:45- 4:45 p.m.

6th boys- Wednesdays, 4:45- 5:45 p.m.

The game schedule for Kent basketball is to be announced. Games start the week of January 3 or January 10.

Kent Yearbook: Orders Now Open!

Kent yearbooks are now on sale for $42.

www.yearbookordercenter.com or call 1-866-287-3096

Kent's order number is 7587.

Learn more.

Upcoming Dates

2022-2023 Kent Bell Schedule

Thursday, December 15: Kent Parents in Action, 8:30-10:30 a.m., room 11

Friday, December 16: Countdown Court Assembly & Noon Dismissal

KIK News

KSD
Bacich Bears
Kent Falcons
KIK
KSPTA

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

DON’T FORGET YOUR TAX DEDUCTION — DONATE TO KIK BY DEC. 31!

December 31st is fast approaching — Make your Family Giving donation in time for tax benefits!

Donate online or print and mail in your donation today.
Still accepting stock donations no later than Monday, December 19th.

Family Giving donations directly support educational opportunities and programs benefiting all Bacich and Kent students.

HAVE A WONDERFUL & WARM HOLIDAY!

SUPPORT KIK BUSINESS PARTNERS THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

Chilly weather and holiday shopping is upon us! As you embark on your holiday shopping, check out KIK Business Partners who support our schools!
If you’re shopping online, don’t forget to shop via Amazon Smile and select Kentfield Schools Foundation as your charity of choice.
There are more Promotions for our KSD families, and you’ll still be supporting businesses that support your children. Thank you!

FAMILY GIVING IS YEAR ROUND

Please Donate to Support Enrichments for Every Kid, Every Day!

How much should I donate?

Our suggested donation is $2,000 per child in the district. Some families donate more, and some families donate less. The important part is to participate at a level that is meaningful to you. Every dollar makes a direct impact on your child’s education, and will help us reach our goal.

Here’s how to Donate - THANK YOU!
The annual KIK $1M contribution to Bacich and Kent directly funds enrichment programs:
- Art, Music, PE, Library, Maker, Woodshop, Broadcasting and more.

Learn more about Family Giving and What KIK Funds.

We are committed to transparency and communication here at KIK. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to our Family Giving Co-Chairs:

Tiffani Broce - Maggie & Griffin’s Mom - tiffaniparkerbroce@gmail.com

Noah Wheeler - Jesse & Adam’s Dad - wheelernoah@gmail.com

KIK $1M ANNUAL GOAL — UPDATE

$1M Annual Fundraising Status : $706,836 (net) to date / $1M GOAL
Thank you to the 275 Family Giving Donors to date who are committed to our students and the programs they love! Can we add your name to this list?
Learn how KIK Invests in Kids

CALENDAR - CONCERTS BROUGHT TO YOU BY KIK

JAN 31 - 5th Grade Band & Strings Winter Concert - 7PM

FEB 01 - 6th Grade Band, Strings & Choir Winter Concert - 7PM

FEB 02 - 0 Period Band, Orchestra, & Choir Winter Concert - 7PM

DINE & DONATE

ORDER EVERY TUESDAY - $50 Dine & Donate

Left Bank KIK Family Meals — 20% of proceeds go to KIK. Opt in for a weekly order reminder.

DEC 13 - TBD

CONNECT WITH KIK

KIKschools.org | Instagram | Facebook

KIK is committed to raising $1 million for our Bacich and Kent students for the 2022-23 school year.
For Installments or Matching Gifts, Print Donor Form in English and Spanish.

Print & Mail Donation

KSPTA News

KSD
Bacich Bears
Kent Falcons
KIK
KSPTA

Learn more at kspta.org

Next Meeting: January 23, 2023

8:30-10:30 a.m. (the first 30 mins will be a coffee social). Location is TBD

Discover more parent education opportunities here.

Top Tips to Support Children in Times of Uncertainty and Stress with Julie Kurtz

Learn concrete strategies to support young children when faced with BIG and SMALL life events such as returning from summer break, coming back to school from extended absences, divorce, loss, stressful or traumatic events (fires, COVID-19, tornadoes, flooding) or starting school for the first time. This training will provide 10 trauma-informed practices that can help children feel safe, regulate big emotions and prevent dysregulated behavior associated with events that can activate their stress response systems.

Participants learn to describe what big life change/big life transitions are young children.
Attendees will be able to explain the impact of big life changes/transitions on the autonomic nervous system of young children.
Take away concrete action items or the ‘Top Tips’ to support young children with uncertainty and change.

These virtual seminars are designed for parents, guardians, and caregivers of school aged youth. Sessions include 30 min for Q&A .

December 12, 2022, 6-8 p.m. – strategies focused on supporting Elementary school aged children
December 13, 2022, 6-8 p.m. – strategies focused on supporting Middle and High school aged children

The Zoom link will be sent in a confirmation email to each registered attendee.

Each session is from

*Sessions will be presented in English with simultaneous Spanish interpretation.

January 18, 7 p.m. PST, Kent Library

Digital Health & Safety Expert Katie Greer

Updates on the latest tech trends including popular apps, social networking trends, gaming, sexting, and more
Social media 101: Rules, settings, age limitation and healthy use
Privacy settings, location services, check-ins: Are your devices set-up safely? what does “private” really mean?
Advice for having real conversations with your child to foster a positive online experience for your family, with suggested restrictions and rules
Digital health check-in: Is your family doing a good job balancing life and technology? Most KIDS say “NO!”
Smartphones & Age: What’s the average age kids get smartphones? Are there alternatives? Is there a right age for kids to get smartphones?

Co-Sponsored by The Kentfield PTA and Corte Madera PTO

Stay up to date with KSPTA!

Follow kentfieldschoolspta on both Facebook and Instagram

Table of Contents

Kentfield School District

December 12th, 2022