May is ONE DAY away and we are about to hit our Maycember Stride! Buckle your seatbelts; it's going to be a WILD ride into the end of the school year! Just look at the week ahead:

SATURDAY, May 3: KGES 5K and Fun Run

SUNDAY, May 4: KGES Spring Grounds Clean-up

MONDAY, May 5: Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week kicks off!

Spring Spectacular 5k THIS SATURDAY! Volunteers Needed!

Join us on May 3rd at 9am for our May the 4th Be with You 5k (3-4-5) and Fun Run!

Not up for the 5k (3.1 miles)? No worries. We'll run our annual non-chipped 1k Fun Run at 10am! May the course be with you! Register today!

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!

We need volunteers to help make this event a success! Sign-up to help hand out packets and monitor the course! MS and HS students needing service hours are WELCOME!!!!

KGES Spring Clean-Up SUNDAY

Help give our KGES grounds a spring glow-up by showing up to clean-up THIS SUNDAY, May 4 from 10am to 1pm.

Bring gloves, hats, sunblock, water and your most positive attitude to add pizazz and sparkle to our beloved Kent Gardens !

Teacher Appreciation NEXT WEEK

Teacher Appreciation Week is next week from May 5–9!

PLEASE help by volunteering or donating drinks/decor!

Student Schedule (participation optional!):
Mon, May 5: Bring a note of appreciation
Tue, May 6: Bring 1-2 flowers which will be collected at the school entrance and turned into bouquets for teachers with the help of the amazing Tea with Mrs. B!
Wed, May 7: Bring a favorite thing - like a gift card for a drink/treat
Thu, May 8: Wear your teacher’s favorite color or KG spirit wear

Kent Gardens Family Directory

Exciting news! The new Kent Gardens Family Directory is now available through AtoZ Connect and Membership Toolkit.

This online directory will allow Kent Gardens families to connect with each other more easily for play dates, school projects, birthday parties, and more. It is searchable by name, grade, and homeroom teacher. The system is secure, easy to use, and free to families.

To register and access the Kent Gardens AtoZ Connect site, visit https://kentgardenspta.membershiptoolkit.com/.

Once there, you can update your family’s information and decide what information to share. You can also download the Membership Toolkit app in the Apple or Google Play app stores to have the Kent Gardens Family Directory at your fingertips on the go! Questions?

Reach out to KGPTAdirectory@gmail.com.

6th Grade Countdown Corner

THINGS ALL 6th Grade Families NEED TO DO THIS WEEK!

1) Sign the waiver for laser tag! ALL STUDENTS MUST HAVE A SIGNED WAIVER

2) Contribute toward the fun! A $40 suggested contribution will go toward food and fun! If you are unable to contribute for any reason, please email your students preferred name for the t-shirt and t-shirt size (youth or adult s/m/l) to kg6thgraders@gmail.com

3) Upload photos (8 max per student) before May 11th for our slide show that will be played during the party!

4) Yard signs are here! If you ordered, please email Jenny to arrange pick up

...And Don't Forget to Join the Longfellow Middle School PTA

The Longfellow Middle School PTA invites and encourages rising 7th grade parents to get involved in the LMS PTA. It’s a great way to get to know the faculty and staff of the school in the two short (and formative) years your student will be at LMS. Plus, the school relies on PTA support to keep

You can learn more on the Longfellow PTA website. If you're interested in serving or would like more information, email Beth Coyne.

Rising Kinder Playdates

We are looking for parents of current kindergarteners to help host our Kinder Playdates this Spring and Summer! Bring your kinder to the KG playground and help answer questions and meet new families. If interested, please email kgptapresident@gmail.com

Kinder Playdates will be held on:
Saturday, May 17th 9am-11am
Saturday June 21st 9-11am
Wednesday, August 13th 6-7pm

Community Aid

Field Trip Scholarship Fund

Did you know that the Kent Gardens PTA has a Field Trip Scholarship Fund that is available to our families? If you need assistance paying for field trips, please reach out to Ms. Whitfield in the front office at rcwhitfield@fcps.edu All requests remain anonymous (the PTA never sees the request)! We look forward to assisting wherever we can help make things a little bit easier!

Fundraising at Kent Gardens

Mabel's Labels

Do you know the BEST way to keep things out of the lost and found? LABEL THEM! If you order name labels from Mabel's Labels, Kent Gardens earns 20% of the sales!

Shop here!

Type in Kent gardens and click on our school, then shop away!

Get your Spirit Wear Now!

Update you KGES Spirit Wear for 2025! We have new items in the Spirit Wear Shop including pajamas for those well-loved pajama days! Order now to have orders shipped to your home!

Your KGES PTA Info

Join the PTA for SY 24-25

PTA membership for the school year costs $20 and is about more than monthly meetings and the odd event here and there. The PTA supports schools and that means staff, teachers, students and their families in ways that go beyond what any one group would be capable of on their own. Make joining the PTA at Kent Gardens a priority. We can't be the PTA we are without parents and other caring adults like YOU!

Our Next PTA Meeting: May 16 at 9am

Our next General Meeting will be FRIDAY, May 16.

We SO enjoyed our April meeting where School Board member Robyn Lady visited and shared her thoughts with us.

We are still searching for a President Elect to join our PTA board.
Contact Jenny Gregory, PTA President for more information!

Lost & Found Corner

Can't make it in to look through the racks yourself? You can join our virtual Lost and Found using our new FB group, The Things You Lose, to make it easier to see what's been lost so that hopefully it can be found.

HIGH-VALUE ITEMS ARE HELD IN THE OFFICE! If you've lost rings, watches, or other items of value, please visit the KGES office to claim them!

ALL ITEMS IN THE LOST & FOUND WILL BE DONATED ON April 30.

Volunteers Matter! Help us LOVE our School!

"If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito."
-Old Proverb

Ways to Get Involved at KGES

Ways to Make a Difference This Year!

Volunteer Opportunities

Book Fair Co-Chair
If you love the book fair as much as we do, consider becoming a co-chair this year with Andrea Hagar. The Spring Book Fair is run by the PTA with support from our library staff. You'll learn alongside our seasoned book fair volunteers this spring! Contact Andrea at af_hager@yahoo.com to learn more!

Teacher and Staff Love Wednesdays

The KGES Wellness Committee has shared that teachers and staff LOVE when there is coffee/tea available for them in the lounge...and they REALLY love treats! Help us shower our teachers and staff with love every Wednesday this year by bringing in coffee/tea, snacks, bags of mini candies, or whatever goodies you think might help sweeten their day. You can also help stack the staff lounge with paper plates/cups/napkins...etc. Please choose a slot to volunteer and drop off in the Staff Lounge by 8am on Wednesdays to show some love and support for our fabulous teachers and staff.

KGES Food Bus Food Rescue Program Volunteers Needed

Do you have a half-hour to spare on Friday afternoons to deliver food to SHARE of McLean Food Pantry at McLean Baptist Church? Interested in getting involved in this program? Please sign up HERE and/or email beccadw@gmail.com or lanavu@gmail.com with questions.

Service hours available for middle/high school students!

Thank you for your ongoing support. We could not do this amazing program without you.

COMMUNITY EVENTS

Teacher Appreciation Week Flowers

Want to order flowers for your teacher for Teacher Appreciation week from one of our own AMAZING teachers and floral genius?

Order here! Mme Waters can deliver!

Traveling Players Summer Opportunities

raveling Players is an ensemble-based non-profit that trains students in 2nd - 12th grade in classical theatre. This summer, their sleepaway camps (4th -12th grade) will be located at Christchurch Boarding School in Christchurch, VA. They also have day camps for 2nd - 5th grade students located in Tyson's, VA. You can find their dates and rates with this link.

McLean Swim and Tennis Association

Spring is in the air, and that means it's time to lock in your pool plans for the summer before it's too late! McLean Swim and Tennis Association (MSTA), a family-friendly pool/tennis club located next to McLean High School, is currently accepting membership applications. We offer swim lessons, a competitive swim team (The Marlins! The most spirited swim team in the NVSL!), summer tennis camps and classes, and competitive tennis league play for all ages. Facilities include three pools (25-meter, medium, and baby pool); a poolside snack bar with game room; gas grills and picnic tables; tennis courts and pavilion; a playground; soccer goals and field, basketball goal and volleyball area; and wide open green space. Several areas of the club are available for reservation for private parties and MSTA hosts several social gatherings for adults and children year-round.

For membership opportunities and additional information, please visit the