Kingfield Neighborhood Association

Seeking Adult Soccer Game Leaders & a Table Manager for Little Kickers at MLK Park

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NEEDED: ADULT GAME-LEADERS AND A TABLE MANAGER for 2022 Little Kickers Soccer Program
at M.L. King Park, Nicollet Ave. & 42nd Street
Fun Soccer Games Program for Young Children Ages 4-8

This summer, on Wednesday evenings from 6:15 to 7:30 PM, on the grass of ML King field #1, the Minneapolis Park Board and the Kingfield Neighborhood Association will again host a program for 4- through 8-year old boys and girls, of all nationalities and backgrounds. The program is designed around soccer basics and soccer balls, and lots of action. But the highest priority of the program is that the kids have fun; have fun playing games with soccer balls, and want to come back the next week, enthusiastically, to play the games with soccer balls again. Sessions start Wednesday, June 22rd, and continue through August 17th. Neither the kids, nor the Game Leader/Parent Coaches, need to be there every Wednesdays. But we need adults to commit to attend each Wednesday that you are in town, to help lead the games!

If you can imagine; dads, moms, aunts, uncles, and grandparents, (you!); joining in to play the games with your 6-year-old son, your 4-year-old daughter, and the the other 15-20 kids in their age-group, on the field. The adults are regularly invited to join in games kicking the soccer balls, and pretending with the kids for: “Ouch!”, “Allegators”, “Go Get It”, “Islands”, “Bandits”, and “Mosquito Squahers”.  There is the occasional soccer scrimmage for the older groups at the end of session, but mostly it’s about teaching soccer through these other, “silly”, games.

The Little Kickers Program uses these little-kid teaching-games, led by 2 or 3 parent-coaches trained in a bunch of the games, to groups of a dozen to 20, or so, 4-year-olds, 5-6 year-olds, and 7-8 year-olds. The games are about teaching skills and behaviors core to soccer, but the games are generally not soccer games, and we don’t do “drills”, we don’t form organized teams for the summer, and parents don’t commit to being team soccer coaches for the summer. Parent coaches don’t need to be athletes, nor need to have experience playing organized soccer; ten adults have already committed but with 100 kids on the field, we could use a dozen more! [Read more…]

5th Precinct Community listening session planned to inform search for new Minneapolis police chief

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  • 6-7:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 3 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park building, 4055 Nicollet

Community listening sessions are being held in each of the City’s five police precincts will help inform the search process for the next Minneapolis police chief. City Council Member LaTrisha Vetaw, chair of the City Council’s Public Health & Safety Committee, is working with Mayor Jacob Frey’s office and the Mayor’s Police Chief Search Committee on the series of sessions.

The community feedback, guidance and perspective received during these sessions will be an integral piece in the creation of the position profile and will inform the entire search process for the new police chief.

Love Trees? We’ve Got Options for You!

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Learn proper fruit tree planting techniques at the Kingfield Community Orchard, located in MLK Park, Friday May 13 starting at 3:30 PM. Contact to RSVP!

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Did you know that fruit trees, and many other species are beneficial pollinators? The Minneapolis Park Board Forestry Department is one of our partners on our pollinator pathway program and is planting over 400 trees through the neighborhoods of Lyndale, Kingfield, and Tangletown! They need all of our help to keep these young trees alive, the first three years of root development and consistent watering are critical for a trees survival, especially those growing out on our boulevards. If you have a new tree in front of your home please take the pledge to water it weekly—one hour at the base of the tree with your hose is all it needs for a strong start.

Mark your calendar for the weekly water date (any consistent day of the week that works for you will be fine with your new boulevard-bound friend!) and help Kingfield stay green!

It’s Been 2 Years of COVID and Finally We’re Back in Print! 

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The South Nicollet News  is a monthly single-page insert of the Lyndale & Kingfield Neighborhood Associations shared with neighbors via the bi-monthly SW Connector. Check the April 21st edition for the first edition, with news in English and Spanish about happneings up and down the corridor! You can also view the full edition here!

SWConnectorInsert_April22

Be sure to check every issue of the Connector for stories and actions from neighborhood leaders regarding local issues and opportunities.

Questions on happenings should be directed to .

Childcare Resources During the Minneapolis Federation of Teachers (MFT) Strike

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Tuesday March 8th, 2022 is the first day that the Minneapolis Federation of Teachers (MFT) and Educational Support Specialists (ESP) Strike in Minneapolis.  

All preK-12 classes are now canceled and families should plan for child care.

MPS will provide emergency child supervision on an extremely limited basis to families with young children for whom child care presents a significant hardship. Beginning on the first day of the strike, families should reach out to their schools for more information if they need emergency child supervision. Pre-registration is not possible and schools do not currently have the information you need – but will if a strike starts.

  • Leonardo’s Basement:
Registration is open for workshops for Minneapolis and Saint Paul families on Tuesday, March 8. All-day (9:30 AM – 3:00 PM) workshops will be offered throughout the strike(s). You will need to register for each day separately, with registration open as soon as we know that schools will not be open the following day. The fee is $85/child/day, and less for families eligible for free and reduced-fee lunch ($30/child/day).
  • Blaisdell YMCA:
The Blaisdell YMCA is offering full-day care, 7am-5:30pm, each day during the strike. They have space for up to 40 children – https://www.ymcanorth.org/child_care__preschool/school_age_care/locations/blaisdell_ymca/school_release_days. $45 per day. So far, care is available for this week through 3/11. If the strike extends, registration will open Thursday after noon for the following week of full-day care needed.
  • Minneapolis Parks

Ten Minneapolis Parks are serving as Hubs and are offering extended hours and services IF a strike happens. 12-3 PM will be for registered participants K-8 grade, and 3-9 PM will be drop in for all youth. The closest parks with this additional programming to Kingfield & Lyndale residents is Bryant Square and Whittier Recreation Centers. Other sites will retain their 3-9 PM programming including YouthLine workers for teen engagement.

Additional Resources:
  • A meal will be provided by Minneapolis Public Schools with one breakfast and one lunch beginning Wednesday March 9 and can be picked up at your school every day the strike continues.
  • School based clinics and mental health services will continue to be available at your school for youth.
  • Varsity athletics will continue but all other after school activities will cease.