KENNEDY ELEMENTARY
Manistee Area Public Schools
Welcome to Kennedy!
All District buildings remain closed based upon statewide directive for school closure. Building entry remains restricted to those designated as essential workers.
Some outdoor activities, coaching, athletic practices, and aquatic center use can resume on a limited basis following strict guidelines. More information about these activities can be found on our Athletics page and the Paine Aquatic Center page of this website.
All other closure directives will be in place until the state order for school districts has been adapted.
We continue to stay informed about parameters for fall planning and will continue to update you as more details become available, please watch your email and this website for updates.
In an effort to help our student and families, we have created a resources page that will be regularly updated with information and links to assist in many ways. Click the Family Resource button below.
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.
As leaders, we inspire each other to dream more, learn more, and do more.
Chips Lead!
Summer Care Program
Summer Care will be offered for students age 5-12 years old at Madison Community Learning Center. Care is available Monday through Friday 7:45 am to 3:30 pm. The cost is $25 a day or $120 a week and will begin on June 15. Please register before Friday, June 12. Registration is required before a child will be able to attend the first day. For more information and to register call 231-398-3758, or email sludwig@manistee.org.
Madison Morning Care
Welcome! At Manistee Area Public Schools we want the very best for all of our students. We have developed a continuum of education from Pre-School to 12th Grade that support each student on their Chippewa Journey.
Each morning, the MAPS educational community engages in the critical work of professional development at each school. This means schools start approximately 30-35 later than a typical school day.
To address any Madison Morning child care needs, MAPS will be piloting Monday morning child care at Madison for student KG-5th.
Please let us know if you are interested in receiving more information about Madison Morning Care by completing this registration form:
Kennedy Welcomes Third Graders!
5th Grade Students Move Up!
This year we are unable to do our traditional Move Up Day activity for the 5th graders moving up to 6th grade at Manistee Middle High School. So we wanted to do the next best thing and take you there virtually! Our 6th grade staff welcome you to MMHS for the 2020/21 school year in the video below.
Summer Food Service Program
Michigan Department of Education Office of School Support Services
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. The meals will be provided without regard to race, color, national origin, age, sex, or disability, and there will be no discrimination in the course of the meal service. Meals will be provided at the site(s) listed below:
Manistee High School
525 Twelfth St.
Manistee, MI 49660
Breakfast & Lunch Monday-Thursday (On Thursday we will have available Breakfast & Lunch for Friday, Saturday & Sunday too!)
July 1 through Aug. 16 (11:00am-12:00pm)
Please pull through the Student Drop off area, stay in your vehicle and we will bring the number of meals needed to you! Grab & Go style!!
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Non-discrimination Statement: In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA.
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.), should contact the Agency (State or local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.
To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, (AD-3027) found online at: http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, and at any USDA office, or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; fax: (202) 690-7442; or email: program.intake@usda.gov.
This institution is an equal opportunity provider. ********************************************
Kennedy Announcements
School Closure Update
The required school closure is extended and will last until midnight on Monday, April 13. If schools are able to resume, Tuesday, April 14 will be the first day back. Complete details in the Memo From the Superintendent - School Closure Update
MAPS Offers Nutritional Meals to Support Community Students
On Friday, March 13 the Food Services Department at Manistee Area Public Schools was charged with quickly organizing a program to feed students during the unplanned shutdown. Due to their previous participation with the Summer Feeding Program, they had the tools in...
All Buildings Closure – March 13th (4:00pm) through April 5th
MAPS Families; We are reaching out to you with the earliest information we have regarding the state directive for the required school closure. Beginning at 4:00 p.m. Friday, March 13, 2020, all buildings of the Manistee Area Public School will be closed. There will be...
Your Kennedy Team
Location: 550 Maple St, Manistee, MI 49660 | Map
Telephone: (231) 723-3271
Fax: (231) 723-5879
School Office Hours: M-F: 7:30am – 4pm
Principal: Kevin Schmutzler | Vice Principal: Kenn Kott
View Kennedy Staff
Administrative Team
Principal: Kevin Schmutzler | kschmutzler@manistee.org
Assistant Principal: Kenn Kott | kkott@manistee.org
Administrative Assistant: Holly Dahlquist | hdahlquist@manistee.org
Instructional Staff
Wendy Adamski
Specials - PE/Health wadamski@manistee.org
Jennifer Abel
3rd Grade Teacher jabel@manistee.org
Leah Antal
3rd Grade Teacher lantal@manistee.org
Krista Bennett
Math Coach kbennett@manistee.org
Laura Brown
4th Grade Teacher lbrown@manistee.org
Dana Dobis
Resource Room ddobis@manistee.org
William Edmondson
5th Grade Teacher wedmondson@manistee.org
Amanda Feyen
Elementary Music afeyen@manistee.org
Tanya Hunter
5th Grade Teacher thunter@manistee.org
Amanda Johns
4th Grade Teacher ajohns@manistee.org
Taylor Johnson
5th Grade Teacher tjohnson@manistee.org
Andrea Mack
Specials - Instrumental Music amack@manistee.org
Emily Noteware
Resource Room enoteware@manistee.org
Ruth Simoneau
Title I, Literacy Coach rsimoneau@manistee.org
Josh Smith
4th Grade Teacher jsmith@manistee.org
Scott Solberg
SafeNet ssolberg@manistee.org
Kayla Szokola
3rd Grade Teacher kszokola@manistee.org
Jaclyn Trahan
5th Grade Teacher jtrahan@manistee.org
Mary Wahr
Specials - Art mwahr@manistee.org
Andrea Wegener
Resource Room awegener@manistee.org
Jane Wojciechowski
3rd Grade Teacher jlwojciechowski@manistee.org
Kelly Zimmerman
4th Grade Teacher kzimmerman@manistee.org
Para-Professionals
Ingrid Bond ibond@manistee.org
Karla Lidtke klidtke@manistee.org
Tara Lange tlange@manistee.org
Julie Martin jmartin@manistee.org
Stacy McIntosh smcintosh@manistee.org
Amy Rankin arankin@manistee.org
Beryl Salzman bsalzman@manistee.org
Shannon Sullivan ssullivan@manistee.org
Nutrition Services
Carol Hansen chansen@manistee.org
Terri Morski tmorski@manistee.org
Julie Polcyn jpolcyn@manistee.org
Custodial Staff
Clarence Schultz cschultz@manistee.org
Don Froncek dfroncek@manistee.org
STAFF SPOTLIGHT
Don Demeuse
It is with full hearts that Kennedy Elementary says goodbye this year to our long time 5th grade teacher, Don Demeuse. For every family that has been a part of Manistee Area Public Schools in the last 40+ years, it is likely that somewhere in their Kennedy Elementary memory is a fond one of Mr. Demeuse. It is fitting then to close out this school year, and the start of the first ever Chippewa Staff Spotlight, to get to know a little more about Don, his career, his passions, and his hope for the future.
Don grew up right here in Stronach, Michigan. At Manistee High School, he played football, track & baseball (1st year baseball was offered at MAPS.)
Don attended Central Michigan University to become a teacher. His passion lies in history, science, math, but mostly inspiring children and colleagues to become something special. He knows first hand how an education can impact one’s life. He has coached football, track, basketball, softball, baseball, swimming plus has been involved in Science Olympiad and the Sleighbell Parade. He also attends students games, band concerts, and eats lunch (if you call a bag of carrots or canned green beans lunch) with kids in the cafeteria every day.
He has 2 daughters, Nicole & Jessica. Nicole is teaching science in Los Angeles and Jessica is a chemist and lawyer in Nebraska. He has one granddaughter, Audrey.
Don’s long career in education bears witness to his joy and passion for children. He has mentored numerous teachers over his years, and his relationships with students and staff has set an exemplar to those who know him. He considers the past 40+ years in education a true honor and blessing.
When asked to share something that most people don’t know about him, Don replied, “I compete in triathlons in the summer. I swim a half mile and bike 25 miles. My knee is too bad for the running part.”
When asked to share some final words of wisdom, Don replied, “Same thing I tell all the teachers, no matter how the day is going, have fun. If you take it too serious, you are not a good teacher. Go in today and have fun.”
As for his future plans, Don plans to travel to see his own children and grandchildren. Maybe you’ll even see him back at Kennedy, roaming the halls, and continuing to love the students and staff that he has blessed for over the 40+ years. The memories he has made, have made him so rich!
MAPS Elementary ATP
Chocolate Fundraiser Update
Due to the extension of Stay Home ruling, the distribution of the Chocolate has been postponed until May 1st. While we cannot legally distribute the orders at this time, we continue to work behind the scenes with World’s Famous to ensure that all the products are in our hands and ready to deliver to students’ families the very moment the order is lifted. We appreciate your understanding and continued support of MAPS ATP.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to email us at mapsatp1@gmail.com.
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 Kevin Schmutzler kschmutzler@manistee.org for more information or to join our ATP family.
ATP Fundraiser Update 5-11-20
🍫 Chocolate updates—-We have some sweeeeet news to share! We will be reaching out to families this week to make delivery arrangements! While we are taking every precaution on our side to minimize any risks with delivery, we encourage our MAPS families to do the same when distributing! Any questions related to this fundraiser can be directed to mapsatp1@gmail.com. Thank you for your continued patience during this time, and your overall support of MAPS ATP!
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 Fundraiser
2018 Fundraiser - Wesco Popcorn Buckets! - MAPS Elementary ATP is pleased to announce that we are again selling the Wesco Popcorn Buckets this year. We are so excited to partner with our local Wesco Stations to make this possible.
Buckets will sell for $12 each and can be refilled for FREE at all Wesco stations around the state from now until December 31, 2019! This is a great holiday gift idea! See the announcements section on this page for details about our 2018 fundraiser, and check back for future fundraising information.
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.
Academic Excellence
- Collaborative Classroom ELA Curriculum: Academic and Social-Emotional Learning
- Needs Focused Enrichment Opportunities
- Field Trip Travel Opportunities
- Quiz Bowl
- Science Olympiad
- Team Teaching
- Breakfast in the Classroom (free breakfast for all students)
- Collaborative Classroom (SEL)
- At Recess: Buddy Bench & Conflict Corner practices
- MMHS Mentors
Extracurricular Activities
- Expanded MRA Athletics
- Student Council
- Band
- Social Skills Group (Mondays & Wednesdays)
- Young Men’s Breakfast Club (2nd & 4th Tuesday before school)
- Ladies First Breakfast Club (2nd Wednesday before school)
- Blessings in a Backpack (Fridays)
- Child Study and Student Staffings with TC, SSW, OT, PT, VI, etc. (varies)
- Lego Robotics team (Thursdays after school)
- Student Council and student council fun events like Movie Night, Dodgeball, etc.
- Career Day during March Reading Month
- Swim & Growing Up lessons (4 days in March)
- Fieldtrips:
- Mackinac (3rd Gr) (June)
- Sleeping Bear Dunes (4th Gr) (February)
- Tall Ship (5th Gr) (May)
- After School Opportunities: Boy & Girl Scouts, MRA, Cheerleading, Jr. Dance Team, Annual Talent Show
Parent Involvement
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.
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 the 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.
At Kennedy:
- Movie Night
- Popcorn Days
- Slushy Days
- Birthday Lunches
- Book Fairs
- Winter Carnival
- Books for Bikes
- …and more
Parents who become involved in their child’s education can make a positive difference. Contact or Kott kkott@manistee.org, or Kevin Schmutzler kschmutzler@manistee.org for more information or to join our ATP family.
Seesaw
Seesaw is a service that we use K-6 at MAPS and is a simple way for teachers and students to record and share what’s happening in the classroom. Seesaw gives students a place to document their learning, be creative and learn how to use technology. Each student gets their own journal and will add things to it, like photos, videos, drawings, or notes. When there are new Seesaw posts, families can be notified via app notification, email or SMS. Parents are only notified about their own child’s work, and all data is safe and secure.
Contact your student’s classroom teacher to get more information about how you can get connected via Seesaw.
Staff Training & Student Support
Training and Practices:
- Safenet
- “Love & Logic” Jim Fey (Ex: student choices, empathy, logical consequences, SRC, etc.)
- “No Such Thing as a Bad Kid” with Charlie Appelstein
- “Poverty’s Influence on Learning” Eric Jensen
- “Stewards of Children” Child Abuse and Neglect Training (Child Advocacy Center)
- “Take Time for You Self-care action plans for educators” Tina Boogren
- Restorative Justice practices and Professional Development for Administrators
- Teachers Involving Parents in Schoolwork practices
- QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) suicide prevention
- CRASE training (Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events)
- NightLocks installed throughout the building
- Emergency Operation Plan (in revision/updating process)
- Annual Staff: CPI/1st Aid, Nonviolent Crisis Prevention Intervention, Bloodborne Pathogen, AED, Concussion, EpiPen, Emergency Drill Schedule
- Annual Students: Cybersafety including OK2Say app, Stop-Walk-Talk anti-bully program,