FAQs

School hours are 9:25 a.m. - 4:05 p.m. Students can begin to enter the school at 9:15 a.m. Breakfast is free of charge for anyone who would like to eat. Students riding buses will enter Door 1. We expect that students walking or being dropped off will also enter Door 1. Please make every attempt to drop students off by 9:25 a.m. so that they are in their classrooms and ready to learn by 9:25 a.m. Students arriving after 9:25 a.m. should enter Door 1 to be buzzed in by the office, where they will get a late pass. Students being picked up will be at Door 8 (along Franklin Ave.) or Door 4 (along 21st St.) at 4 p.m. All students should be picked up no later than 4:15 p.m.

Each child should have basic supplies such as pencils, markers, crayons, glue, scissors, notebooks and folders. Specific grade level supply lists for the 2024-25 school year are available here.

You will receive notification (email and/or robo call) regarding the location and times for the bus stop in mid-late August. Please call the school office at 612-668-2760 if you have not received notification by August 31. Plan to arrive at the bus stop at least 5 minutes early (or more for the first few weeks) as buses adjust to the schedule. Please keep in mind that transportation may need to make updates to the schedule throughout the year. Many families exchange phone numbers with other families at the bus stop in case of an emergency. Staff will assist students with getting off the bus in the morning and on the bus at the end of the day. 

Transportation provides an app called Here Comes the Bus to help families navigate when the bus is coming (this system tracks buses, not students). Be advised that this is not a perfect system and does not work if there is a substitute bus or substitute driver. To sign up, you will need the student ID number and the school code of 87018. 

Students arriving at school enter at Door 1 (Penn Ave.) between 9:15 - 9:25 a.m. so they are ready to learn by 9:30 a.m. If you arrive after 9:30 a.m., please send your student to Door 1 to be checked in and receive a late pass. Please DO NOT park or stop in front of the school on Penn Ave. This area is reserved for buses. You may find parking in the neighborhood and walk to the school - please do not park or drop students off in the parking lots. Please use the crosswalks and do not cross in the middle of a street. Drop off and pick up is a busy time. Students may begin to be picked up at 4 p.m. at Door 8. Students who have not been picked up by 4:10 p.m. will wait in the office.

Our location is wonderful, but parking can be an issue. Families should find street parking in the neighborhood. Parking lots are reserved for staff members. Staff hours vary, so even if spots are available, please do not park in the lots. Check street parking signs carefully and be aware of any snow emergency rules that may be in effect. Do not park on the school side of Penn Ave. (this is reserved for buses) in front of Door 4 on 21st St. or Door 8 on Franklin Ave. These areas are clearly marked with city street parking signage and are for the safety of students. Thank you for your cooperation.

Whenever there is any change to the after school plan, please email both the classroom teacher, School Secretary Danielle Sanders, and Transportation Coordinator Kris Prince before 10:30 a.m. (although earlier is better). After 10:30 a.m., please call the main office at 612-668-2760. Teachers and staff are not always able to check email during the school day as they are busy working with students. We understand that last minute changes happen, but we ask that you do what you can to avoid this happening on a regular basis as the office and classrooms are especially busy at the end of the day. If you do need to make a last minute change, please call the main office before 2 p.m.

Please email the classroom teacher as well as School Secretary Danielle Sanders and Transportation Coordinator Kris Prince. Alternatively, you may call the main office at 612-668-2760. Classes sometimes go to the school forest, have extra recess, are in reading buddies, or are learning outside. If we know that your child is leaving early, we can make arrangements.

Kenwood Attendance Line/Health Office: 612-668-2766

If your child is not coming to school, please call the attendance line to leave a message. Please make sure to include the student’s first and last name, classroom teacher, reason for the absence (including any symptoms the child is having), the person making the call, and a number where you can be reached if there are any questions. Students should not return to the building until they are without symptoms (fever, vomit, diarrhea) for 24 hours with no medication.

This reference sheet includes guidelines for most illnesses. You can find more information on the MPS health website. Students may not come to school if they have a fever, have been vomiting or had diarrhea within the last 24 hours. We know it is hard for families when their child is sick, but the best way for them to get better and to stop the spread is to keep children home when they are ill. If you have questions about whether your child should come to school, please contact our health office.

• Illness
• Doctor/Dentist Appointments
• School Bus Problems
• Religious Holidays/Cultural Observances
• Funeral
• Family Emergency
• Family Activities (please fill out the Family Activity/Vacation Form at least 10 days before the scheduled absence)

Click here for the district attendance policy and related resources, including Check & Connect.

Students may eat at home before school or eat breakfast at school. School breakfasts are FREE to anyone who would like one.

Students are welcome to bring a lunch prepared from home (no nuts please!) or to eat a school lunch. School lunches are pre-packed and include a choice of entree along with milk and sides of fruits and vegetables. MPS does not serve any products with nuts or pork. Other information can be found here. Kenwood's menu can be found here.

All students are given a lunch number to enter when they are having school lunch. Teachers will help students learn their numbers.

The cafeteria has policies in place for students with allergies. Kenwood has numerous students with life-threatening anaphylactic conditions and many other students with sensitivity to particular foods. Accordingly, we respectfully ask that if you are sending a lunch to school, you save your nut products for home.

Several years ago, the school adopted a Wellness Policy, and treats are no longer allowed in the classrooms. No food items will be used in school as incentives, rewards, etc. There are two exceptions to this rule:

1. Kindergarteners will get an afternoon snack (your child’s teacher will communicate with you about this);
2. Teachers can decide to make an exception for a celebration that is a long-held Kenwood tradition.

Students have recess for 30 minutes each day. Students go outside every day unless the temperature is below zero or the windchill is ten below. Please make sure to send winter gear (jackets, hats, gloves, snow pants and boots) each day. You are welcome to provide a set of boots and/or snow pants to leave at school in your student’s designated locker/cubby.

PLEASE MAKE SURE TO LABEL ALL ITEMS – we all shop at the same stores and snow gear all looks alike! If you are looking to purchase strong adhesive stick on labels, please consider Mabel's Labels as Kenwood can receive a commission through their fundraising program. When you're ready to checkout, you'll see a search field to look up your school, daycare, or camp. Type in "Kenwood" and select the first option for Kenwood Community School.

There is a limited supply of outdoor gear in the health office for students who need it or forget something at home. If you are in need of outdoor gear, please contact School Social Worker Ally Adamski or Family Liaison Keri Mabry.

The district sets aside two days per year (fall and spring) for teachers and parents to sit down and engage in conversation regarding individual students. Each school will also designate two other evenings for conferences. Interpreters are available upon request. See the school calendar for more details.

Residencies bring professional artists to Kenwood to work with students and teachers to enrich the classroom experience and reinforce aspects of our curriculum. Residencies are a crucial and unique piece of the Kenwood experience and are funded 100% by the PTA. A number of our residencies offer final performances. Your child’s teacher will communicate performance dates and times to you. These dates are also included on our school calendar and in the weekly Kenwood Courier.

The PTA has an arrangement with a cab company to provide free rides to Kenwood for events. If you need to get to the school for an event, performance or conference, please call the main office at 612-668-2760 to obtain the code. 

Look for the blue Kenwood School folder in your child’s backpack. This folder will travel back and forth to school and holds homework, teacher notes, field trip notices, and other school information. Be sure you know when the teacher wants it back and when it should come back to you. Each teacher may have a slightly different schedule for folders, but always look for it on the first school day of the week, as that is when most school-wide communications come home. Updates from school and the district are sent through School Messenger. Please make sure to update the office any time your contact information changes.

Click here to log in to or create your account with School Messenger. You will be able to update your preferences on how you receive information and add others to the account.

District calendar and school calendars can be found here. It’s a great idea to enter dates into your personal calendar for when students do not have school so they do not take you by surprise. MPS is diverse and has added days off throughout the year to better reflect the culture and celebrations of our families. Please make sure you know what days school will not be in session.

Every teacher has a different system of using parent volunteers. Most teachers don’t use volunteers until October. Teachers use the first month to allow students to familiarize themselves with Kenwood and the classroom routine. This way when a parent comes in to volunteer, the children already feel like classroom experts.  

In addition to classroom and field trip help, volunteers often help in the lunchroom and with residencies, PTA events and fundraisers. Whether you have 30 minutes a week or 30 minutes a year, there are multiple ways to get involved if you are interested! Volunteer needs will be communicated through the weekly Kenwood Courier, classroom emails, and Sign Up Genius. All volunteers attending events outside of the building (field trips) will need to complete a background check, provided free of charge by MPS. Background checks are valid for two years. 

Also, each class has a Room Representative who acts as a main contact for the teacher and as a liaison between the PTA and classroom families. Room Reps are responsible for identifying classroom needs and helping to communicate and support volunteer efforts within the class. Each teacher has their own approach, but look for the sign-up at the beginning of the year.

Kenwood promotes several environmental learning initiatives and efforts to reduce, reuse and recycle. Our Green Team has built and maintained a garden outside the school playground along 21st St. since 2010 and installed two more garden beds in the spring of 2021. We have a DNR certified school forest classroom at Cedar Lake, which teachers use in a variety of ways to enhance their curriculum. In the spring, our students get to help plan and plant the garden. Kenwood also participates in a twice-yearly bike/walk to school day. A few years ago, we started the Woodchuck Walk which allows students to walk through Kenwood Park once a week on their way to school in the fall/spring.

Kenwood's Site Council is a representative forum of licensed staff, parents, community members and school administration to give all stakeholders in the Kenwood School community a voice in the school’s decision-making process. Unlike the PTA, Site Council does not host activities to raise funds. Its primary focus is on school policies, the budget, and issues that Kenwood might face in relation to the District.

The PTA is an organization made up of parents and staff. The main goal of the PTA is to create community-building events, although it also fundraises for our arts residencies. PTA is currently undergoing some shifts as they consider how to engage with all families, how to support families and staff, what money is being raised for and how to be equitable within our larger community. The Kenwood PTA is part of the National PTA organization. Information can be found on the PTA website and also their Facebook page. PTA is actively looking for new members and would love to have an opportunity to talk with you. If you are interested in joining, please contact the PTA President or Family Liaison Keri Mabry. 

Early Childhood Screening is a free process that supports children being ready for kindergarten and is required for entrance in Minnesota's public schools. The program helps find possible health or developmental concerns that may impact a child's learning and is recommended at age 3. For more information and to book a screening appointment, click here.

Parent Advisory Councils (PACs) create spaces for family groups to come together around shared interests and experiences focused on ways to support and sustain student academic and social-emotional success. For more information and a list of contacts, please click here.

The Family Resource Center provides school-based resources and social services for families and students at Minneapolis Public Schools. Families can walk in or call to make an appointment. You may also reach out to Family Liaison Keri Mabry with any questions to request a referral.

Registration brochures for the Weekend Meal Program are available in the main office. This program provides students with four to five pounds of good food to take home at the end of each week. Families may choose from five food bag options tailored to various cultural dietary preferences or situational needs.  If you have questions about the program or how to register, please contact School Social Worker Ally Adamski or Family Liaison Keri Mabry.

If you are experiencing housing instability, there are supports available to promote school stability and academic success for students. If you are living in temporary or unstable housing, please contact School Social Worker, Ally Adamski.

Federal law establishes educational rights for children and youth experiencing homelessness, which can be defined as “individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence,” including youth who are residing in shelters; motels, hotels, or weekly rate housing; doubled up with friends or relatives; on the street; in an abandoned building or other.

Eligible students are protected under the McKinney-Vento Act and have the right to:

• Stay in the same school.
• Automatically qualify for free school meals.
• Immediately enroll in school without education records, immunization records, or proof of residency.
• Participate fully in school activities.
• Get school transportation, even across district lines.
• Receive other educational services.

Learn more on the MPS website. You may also contact the District Liaison/Manager, Charlotte Kinzley, or the Executive Director of Student Support Services, Dr. Meghan Hickey.

If you are at risk of losing your home, there are extra protections and financial assistance available. Hennepin County is offering emergency rent and mortgage assistance for low-income households who have lost income due to COVID-19. If you’ve fallen behind on rent or utilities or are worried about making payments on time, apply now for Hennepin County rent assistance.

If it’s more of a district question, check out the MPS website. If you can’t find the answer there or on our website, please feel free to reach out to Family Liaison Keri Mabry.