KENNEDY ELEMENTARY
Manistee Area Public Schools
Welcome to Kennedy – Grades 3-5
Mariners aim to be leaders in our own way at school, at home, and in our community. Through learning, we explore our world, inspire our potential, and achieve our goals. Together Mariners Lead the Way to a brighter future.
Mariners Lead the Way!
Please Note!
KENNEDY ELEMENTARY will be operating from the Madison Community Learning Center location for the 2023/24 school years while we prepare for our consolidated elementary school building. MAPS students grades 3-5 will be at 1309 Madison Rd. (off of 28th Street), directions: MAP

2023/24 School Nutrition Services Information
We are pleased to inform you that we will be participating in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) as part of the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs.
The GREAT NEWS is that ALL students enrolled at Manistee Area Public Schools can receive a healthy breakfast and lunch at NO CHARGE to your household each day.
As we start this program for the 23/24 school year, we ask that each household complete a Household Information Report found online at: https://manisteeps.familyportal.cloud. Click "Apply for benefits" to get started. This report only takes five minutes to fill out and must be completed by each household in our District. Paper copies are available upon request. We also ask that you pay any lunch balance due from the prior school year. The CEP Program cannot be in place with overdue balances remaining.
In addition, the Household Information Report is critical in determining the amount of money that our school receives from a variety of State and Federal supplemental programs like Title I A, At-risk (31a), Title II A, E-Rate, etc. These supplemental programs have the potential to offer supports and services for our students including, but not limited to:
- Instructional support (staff, supplies & materials, etc.)
- Non-instructional services (counseling, social work, health services, etc.)
- Professional Learning for staff
- Parent and Community engagement supplies and activities
- Technology
We are asking that you please complete and submit the Household Information Report as soon as possible to ensure that additional funding for our school is available to meet the needs of our students. All information on the report submitted is confidential. Without your assistance in completing and returning the report, our school cannot maximize the use of available State and Federal funds. If we can be of any further assistance, please contact us.
Sincerely,
Keri Carlson Nutrition Services Director

Kennedy Announcements
Pandemic EBT Student Exception Announcement – 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 (4) New reconsideration form. The form...
Pandemic EBT Message #2 – 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 (2) New reconsideration form. The form...
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...
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
Resource Room 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
4th 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
Rose Savela
5th Grade Teacher rsavela@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
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
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
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.
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 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 Mariners, we are all leaders in our own way. Mariners lead at school, with friends, and in the community by developing healthy relationships, using responsible decision-making and respectful communication.
Mariners are:
T | TRUSTWORTHY — Always tell the truth
R | RESPECTFUL — Listen and are polite
A | ACCEPTING — Friends to all
C | COOPERATIVE — Work as a team
K | KIND — Thoughtful and caring
“TRACK” is the Manistee Area Public Schools global, district-wide, leaders platform that all educators, staff and students follow throughout their educational journey. This initiative is connected to course curriculum, extra curricular programs, disciplinary procedures, and internal culture.