KENNEDY ELEMENTARY
Manistee Area Public Schools
Welcome to Kennedy – Grades 3-5
As leaders, we inspire each other to dream more, learn more, and do more.
Chips Lead!
Please Note!
KENNEDY ELEMENTARY will be operating from the Madison Community Learning Center location for the 2022/23 & 2023/24 school years while construction is underway for our new elementary school building. MAPS students grades 3-5 will be at 1309 Madison Rd. (off of 28th Street), directions: MAP

Summer Food Service Program
Manistee Area Public Schools Nutrition Department will sponsor a Summer Feeding Program under the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Summer Food Service Program for Children. At Jefferson students will stay and eat and at MMHS families can pick up meals to take home. There will be two Summer Feeding Sites and the locations, dates of service and times of service are as follows:
GRAB & GO ONSITE FOOD SERVICE
Manistee Middle/High School Jefferson Elementary
525 Twelfth Street 515 Bryant Ave.
Manistee, MI 49660 Manistee, MI 49660
Breakfast & Lunch distributed Thursdays Breakfast & Lunch, Monday-Friday
June 8 – Aug. 23 June 2 - Aug.22
Distributed between 12-1:30pm Breakfast served 7:45am-8:30am
Lunch Served 11:00am-12:00pm
CLOSED ON JULY 3 & 4
- Grab & Go Meals will be distributed at MMHS each Thursday from noon until 1:30pm. 7-days of breakfast & lunch meals are available for each student not receiving meals at the Jefferson onsite meal service.
- Students at Jefferson Summer Care can also order packed meals for the weekend by placing the order at the Jefferson serving window. These meals can be picked up by student name during the Grab & Go distribution at MMHS on Thursdays from noon to 1:30pm.

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: 1309 Madison Rd, 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: Carly Cheever ccheever@manistee.org
View Kennedy Staff
Administrative Team
Principal: Joanie Wiersma | jwiersma@manistee.org
Administrative Assistant: Carly Cheever | ccheever@manistee.org
Instructional Staff
Jennifer Abel
5th 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
Alayna Neilly
3rd Grade Teacher aneilly@manistee.org
Emily Noteware
Resource Room enoteware@manistee.org
Sarah Padgett
4th Grade Teacher spadgett@manistee.org
Michael Rosteck
Specials - Elementary Art mrosteck@manistee.org
Linda Slotegraaf
Elementary Art lslotegraaf@manistee.org
Josh Smith
3rd Grade Teacher jsmith@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
Jackleen Bartell jbartell@manistee.org
Ingrid Bond ibond@manistee.org
Logan Bond lbond@manistee.org
Melissa Drake mdrake@manistee.org
Jill Johnson jjohnson@manistee.org
Natalie Knickerbocker nknickerbocker@manistee.org
Maggie Madsen mmadsen@manistee.org
Nutrition Services
Carol Hansen chansen@manistee.org
Laura Olk lolk@manistee.org
Custodial Staff
Don Froncek dfroncek@manistee.org
Johnny Skocelas jskocelas@manistee.org

2022-2023 Meeting Schedule
MEETING MINUTES
MAPS Elementary ATP (Assembly for Teachers & Parents)
What is ATP?: ATP is our parent-teacher group for all of the MAPS Elementary buildings – Jefferson and Kennedy, grades Pre-K through 5.
Parents who become involved in their child’s education can make a positive difference.
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.
Current Officers
ATP Contact Information
ATP Contact: mapsatp1@gmail.com and we can be found on Facebook as MAPS Elementary ATP
Building Contacts: Jefferson: Julia Raddatz raddatzj@manistee.org, or Kennedy: Joanie Wiersma jwiersma@manistee.org
What are the objectives of the ATP?
The MAPS Elementary ATP (Assembly of Teachers & Parents), is a dedicated group parents that spearhead projects to benefit our students grades Pre-K through 5th. 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
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.