KENNEDY ELEMENTARY
Manistee Area Public Schools
Welcome to Kennedy!
As leaders, we inspire each other to dream more, learn more, and do more.
Chips Lead!
Last Days of School
For clarification, we are sharing additional details to be certain everyone has the correct information.
Friday, June 3 – ½ day of school – MMHS exams scheduled
Monday, June 6 – Last day of school, ½ day – MMHS exams scheduled
½ Day Start Times: NO late start
Jefferson & Kennedy: 7:50am
MMHS: 7:45am½ Day End Times:
Jefferson & Kennedy: 11:20am
MMHS: 11:15am

Food Service Program
2021/22 School Year
MAPS will following the USDA National School Lunch Seamless Summer Option, which allows us to offer all students free breakfast and lunch for the entire school year..
Our Grab & Go program has been changed under the USDA Seamless Summer Option, as of the first day of school (Aug. 31st) This means:
- All students attending school, within our buildings, who are offered meals at school CANNOT have families pick up meals through the Grab & Go line. Those students will all be fed at school. Any student following required quarantine protocols can use the Grab & Go service.
- If students are virtual learners, home schoolers, or any other children within the Manistee community not attending school they are still eligible to participate in the Grab & Go program.
- We will offer pick up of a 5-day breakfast & lunch pack on Mondays between 9am-10am at MMHS in the drop-off lane.
- Grab & Go meals are no longer able to be offered for weekends or holidays. They can only be provided for those days that school is in session.
- Accountability is required, student names will be recorded when families are picking up Grab & Go meals to verify those students are not in attendance at our buildings.
- If a holiday, snow day or school day scheduled to be off occurs on a Monday, the meal pick up will be Tuesday.
We ask that all families complete the free/reduced applications for this school year even though we are feeding all children for free, link below. This will allow for student meal accounting for the program. This information will be used by the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services for future PEBT distributions and to account for student benefits for the 22/23 school year. Student benefits will follow them for the first 30 days of the next school year (22/23), to allow families time to complete another free/reduced application without loss of benefits.
Student Nutrition Program Application
SUMMER FOOD SERVICE
Manistee Area Public Schools announce the sponsorship of the Summer Food Service Program for children. Free meals will be made available to children 18 years of age and under or persons up to age 26 who are enrolled in an educational program for the mentally or physically disabled that is recognized by a State or local public educational agency. Meals will be provided at the site(s) listed below:
Congregate Meals Provided for children at the following sites:
Manistee High School Jefferson Elementary
525 Twelfth St. 515 Bryant Ave.
Manistee, MI 49660 Manistee, MI 49660
Breakfast & Lunch: Mon.-Thurs. Breakfast & Lunch: Mon.-Friday
June 7-August 11 June 7 - August 11
Breakfast served 7:45am-8:30am Breakfast Served 7:45am-8:15am
Lunch served 11:30am-12:30pm Lunch Served 11:30am-12:30pm
NO SERVICE DURING THE WEEK OF JULY 4 SERVICE DURING THE WEEK OF JULY 4 / CLOSED ON JULY 4
All Details of our Summer Feeding Program and menus available on our Nutrition Services page.
Kennedy Announcements
Pandemic EBT – Kennedy School
Please review the attached document to see whether your child is eligible for Pandemic-EBT. Please note that the program can be different between school buildings within Manistee Area Public Schools. John F. Kennedy Elem. School New reconsideration form. The form is...
Kennedy Holiday Programs
The Kennedy Elementary holiday programs were held virtually this year. Please click the links below to view. 3rd Grade Holiday Program 2021 4th/5th Holiday Program 2021
Lead Safe Educational Outreach
During the most recent round of drinking water testing, the City of Manistee exceeded the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy's (EGLE) Action Level for lead. The "Action Level" is not a health-based standard, but it is a level that triggers...
Your Kennedy Team
Location: 550 Maple St, Manistee, MI 49660 | Map
Telephone: (231) 723-3271
Fax: (231) 723-5879
School Office Hours: M-Th: 7:30am – 4pm, Friday 7:30am – 3pm
Principal: Joanie Wiersma jwiersma@manistee.org
Administrative Assistant: Holly Dahlquist hdahlquist@manistee.org
View Kennedy Staff
Administrative Team
Principal: Joanie Wiersma | jwiersma@manistee.org
Administrative Assistant: Holly Dahlquist | hdahlquist@manistee.org
Instructional Staff
Jennifer Abel
3rd Grade Teacher jabel@manistee.org
Wendy Adamski
Specials - PE/Health wadamski@manistee.org
Leah Antal
3rd Grade Teacher lantal@manistee.org
Krista Bennett
Math Coach kbennett@manistee.org
William Edmondson
5th Grade Teacher wedmondson@manistee.org
Amanda Feyen
Elementary Music afeyen@manistee.org
Chasity Gouker
Title I Reading/Literacy Coach cgouker@manistee.org
Tanya Hunter
5th Grade Teacher thunter@manistee.org
Jaclyn Kaminski
5th Grade Teacher jkaminski@manistee.org
Andrea Mack
Specials - Instrumental Music amack@manistee.org
Tina Mannon
4th Grade tmannon@manistee.org
Taylor Mellon
5th Grade Teacher tmellon@manistee.org
Emily Noteware
Resource Room enoteware@manistee.org
Linda Slotegraaf
Elementary Art lslotegraaf@manistee.org
Josh Smith
3rd Grade Teacher jsmith@manistee.org
Chelsea Sobanski
4th Grade Teacher csobanski@manistee.org
Kayla Szokola
3rd Grade Teacher kszokola@manistee.org
Sam Zeller
Elementary Coding szeller@manistee.org
Kelly Zimmerman
4th Grade Teacher kzimmerman@manistee.org
Para-Professionals
Ingrid Bond ibond@manistee.org
Nicole Bruce nbruce@manistee.org
Heidi Carter hcarter@manistee.org
Carly Cheever ccheever@manistee.org
Kelly Dawson kdawson@manistee.org
Natalie Knickerbocker nknickerbocker@manistee.org
Karla Lidtke klidtke@manistee.org
Nutrition Services
Carol Hansen chansen@manistee.org
Laura Olk lolk@manistee.org
Custodial Staff
Clarence Schultz cschultz@manistee.org
Don Froncek dfroncek@manistee.org
MAPS Elementary ATP

Action Team for Partnership (ATP)
What is ATP?: ATP is our parent-teacher group for all of the MAPS Elementary buildings – Madison, Jefferson, and Kennedy
Parents who become involved in their child’s education can make a positive difference. Contact Julia Raddatz raddatzj@manistee.org, or Joanie Wiersma jwiersma@manistee.org for more information or to join our ATP family.
What are the objectives of the ATP?
The Manistee Area Public Schools parent group Action Team for Partnership (ATP) is a group of dedicated parents that spearhead projects to benefit our students. It is similar to a Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) only a little more prescriptive and based on committees, including:
- Parenting
- Communicating
- Volunteering
- Learning at Home
- Decision Making
- Community Collaboration
What does ATP do?
We fundraise to help support our schools and students. We pay for field trips, school supplies, recess/playground equipment, books, staff appreciation activities, and more! We also organize many family events: Fall Carnival, Daddy-Daughter and Mother-Son nights, Holiday Caroling, Birthday Lunches, Book Fairs, and Santa Shop are some examples.
ATP Points Tracker
Starting January 2019, ATP is starting a point tracker for volunteers!
How do I earn points?
- Every ATP event (popcorn day, slushy day, winter carnival, etc.) every 2 hours you volunteer, you earn 1 point.
- For showing up to our ATP meeting that’s once a month, you earn 1 point.
- For suggesting a friend to volunteer & they show up for at least 2 hours, you earn 1 point.
All the points you earn will be entered for a drawing. At the end of the year, we will choose two winners. We hope to have a ton of volunteers!



Your Chippewa Journey Continues at Kennedy Elementary
The staff at Kennedy Elementary are looking forward to an exciting school year. Kennedy Elementary offers a challenging academic program along with many athletic opportunities and after school programs. We are proud of the programs our school offers and encourage you to work hard, do your best, and find success both academically and in your personal accomplishments.
We offer the following programs throughout the year:
- PowerLearning 1:1 iPad instruction
- Data Driven Instruction
- Guaranteed & Viable Curriculum
- Educational based field trips & assemblies
- Paraprofessional Assistance
- After-School Tutoring
- Response to Intervention (RTI) & Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS)
- Safenet
- Child Study Meetings

As Manistee Chippewas, we are all leaders in our own way. Chips Lead at school, with friends, and in the community by developing healthy relationships, using responsible decision-making and respectful communication.
T | TRUSTWORTHY — Chips tell the truth and are responsible
R | RESPECTFUL — Chips listen and value others
A | ACCEPTING — Chips are friendly to all
C | COOPERATIVE — Chips work together as a team
K | KIND — Chips are helpful and caring
“TRACK” is the Manistee Area Public Schools global, district-wide, leaders platform that all educators, staff and students follow throughout their Chippewa Journey. This initiative is connected to course curriculum, extra curricular programs, disciplinary procedures, and internal culture.