Keeping up with Keller

The mission of Helen Keller Elementary School is to establish and maintain an educational community that empowers all students to become principled, independent inquirers who are socially responsible global citizens.

Do you want to see what's going on at Keller? Check out my Facebook page where I frequently post pictures and share events that are happening within the Keller Community. Click on the button below to go right to my page!

FEBRUARY:

*February 16-20: No School - Winter Break

*February 27: No School - PD for Staff

*February 28: Late Starts for Students/PD for Teachers

*February 28: 1st Grade Concert @ 7 p.m.

MARCH:

*March 6, 13, 20: Late Starts for Students/PD for Staff

*March 1: The World is Our Stage - Talent Show

*March 15: 2nd Grade Field Trip to Henry Ford Museum

*March 18-22: PTA Book Fair

*March 19: 3rd Grade Music Concert (7-8 p.m.)

*March 21: World Down Syndrome Day - Wear Mixed Socks

*March 25-29: No School - Spring Break

Keller's youngest learners went to the Royal Oak Senior Community Center to meet some new friends from the community. Everyone had a great time riding the bus, assembling care packages, and having lunch. The care packages were delivered to Chester Street Residents on Tuesday just in time for Valentine's Day.

**If you look close a very special lady (Mrs. Kaiser) was there too!

Here is the Husky Pack Lesson from Wednesday (2/14/24). The topic was on mental well-being and what we can do when we are feeling worried or anxious.

Keller is celebrating Down Syndrome Awareness by collecting NEW fun socks from February 21st to March 11th to wear on World Down Syndrome Day, March 21st. All socks should have a print on them, no solid colors. The student senate will collect, count, mismatch, and sell these socks. We will mismatch the socks and sell them for $2 during the day on March 18th and March 19th.

Donations will be accepted until March 11th. Donations will be accepted in a box at the front entrance of Keller, or you can easily click the Amazon link and mail them straight to the school!

SIGN UP HERE: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F4FAFA828A5FFC34-47201790-volunteers?useFullSite=true#/

Students should not be communicating with parents/families using their phones or Smartwatches during the school day. If a student is wearing a Smartwatch they are to use it as a watch only. All phones are to stay in the student's backpack in their lockers. Please refrain from texting your child during the school day as it is a distraction from instruction. All communication during the school day should be done through Seesaw with the teacher or through the front office at (248)542-6500. Thank you for your cooperation.

Hey do you have winter gear that your child has outgrown? We are looking for slightly used or new boots, coats and snow pants for Keller families in need. We will have drop off bins in the lobby for donations. Thank you for your consideration.

All absences should be called in to the Safety Check number. Absences that are not reported are considered unexcused. Please make sure to indicate if you are ordering lunch the next day if the call is before 10:00 a.m. Calls after 10:00 a.m. we cannot guarantee your A or B lunch choice.

Safety Check number 248-542-6500 option #1

Please be aware that Board Policy 5330 (below) requires a doctor's prescription as well as parental authorization before we can dispense non prescribed (over the counter) medicine as well as prescribed medications.

For purposes of this policy, "medication" shall include all medicines including those prescribed by a physician and any nonprescribed (over-the-counter) drugs, preparations, and/or remedies. "Treatment" refers both to the manner in which a medication is administered and to health-care procedures which require special training, such as catheterization.

Before any medication or treatment may be administered to any student during school hours, the Board shall require the written prescription from the child's physician accompanied by the written authorization of the parent. This document shall be kept on file in the administrative offices. No student is allowed to provide or sell any type of over-the-counter medication to another student. Violations of this rule will be considered violations of Policy 5530 - Drug Prevention and of the Student Discipline Code/Code of Conduct.

Our staff works so hard everyday focusing on our students and school community. If you would like to say thank you to any staff member, please fill out and submit the form linked below. I will be sure they get your messages, which I know will make their day!

On February 29th, from 7 - 8, we will be connecting virtually with Don Tate, an award winning, African American author, for the African American read-in. As a watch site, our district is going to supply 50 books, 1 for each of the first 50 households that sign up for the event.

Our rescheduled Who We Are Family Field Trip will be Thursday Feb. 29th to the Polish Cultural Center. Please see the flyer below with an updated QR Code to sign up.

Royal Oak Schools is pleased to welcome children and their families to kindergarten. Kindergarten enrollment for the 2024-2025 school year begins on Thursday, February 1, 2024. District-wide enrollment for all kindergarten programs, including Developmental Kindergarten, is processed through our Central Enrollment Office.

All enrollments will be virtual including uploading of the required documentation to the pre-enrollment. Please see the "How to Enroll" portion of the Enrollment website for more information. To watch a short video regarding the enrollment process, click here.

Elementary transfer requests for priority consideration will be accepted between February 1 - February 29, 2024. Please make sure to mark your calendar for Kindergarten Information Night on January 31, 2024, which will be in person at each elementary building.

Kindergarten Age Requirements
A resident child must be five (5) years of age on or before September 1st in order to be eligible to attend kindergarten.

If a child is not five (5) years of age by the September 1st enrollment eligibility date, but will be five (5) years of age no later than December 1st, the parent/guardian may still enroll the child in kindergarten. The parent must notify the school district, in writing, prior to the beginning of the school year. Notification, by way of a completed Kindergarten Age Waiver, must be received in order for a child born between September 1 and December 1 to be enrolled in kindergarten.

Hello PTA friends!

I wanted to inform you of some important upcoming school & PTA news:

• Upcoming Late Starts: 2/7, 2/28
• NO SCHOOL: 2/16-2/20 Mid-Winter Break; 2/27 Election Day
• 2/12/24 PTA Meeting, 7pm, virtual via Zoom (you must register before joining the meeting)
• Restaurant Night, 2/20/24 at Irish Tavern, 4-8pm

National PTA Reflections Contest: We want to thank all of our risk-takers for creating something special for this contest. This year's theme was: "I am hopeful because..." All artists will be receiving a t-shirt for participating. Winners will be announced soon and will receive prizes on a date to also be determined soon. The committee Chairs are working on finalizing everything.

The Royal Oak PTA Council hosted the annual Founder's Day Dinner last Monday evening at Club Venetian Banquet Center. It was a fabulous evening that united and celebrated PTA volunteers from across the entire district. Council Member of the Year was awarded to former Keller parent and PTA President Michelle Vinluan, Educator of the Year was awarded to ROMS Principal Kristin Meldrum, and each school nominated an ABCD Volunteer: Above and Beyond the Call of Duty Award. Keller's winner was Claudine G, who was nominated by multiple Keller PTA members for starting and overseeing Keller's composting program. Congratulations, Claudine!

The Keller PTA Performing Arts Committee proudly presents the Huskies Talent Show, coming March 1st at the Royal Oak Middle School Auditorium, 709 N. Washington Ave. Doors open at 5:30pm, and the show begins promptly at 6pm. Tickets are $5 per person ages 12 and over; 11 and under is free. The committee needs a TON of volunteers to make this event successful, so please check out the PTA website for more information and to sign up to help!

Work is starting already for our International Food & Fun Festival and Silent Auction, which will be held on Friday, April 12, 2024. Laura and James are looking for community and business donations to help our second-biggest fundraiser of the year, our Silent Auction. We can't wait to see what this year's IFFF will bring! Thank you, committee chairs, for your hard work on these events.

Don't forget to buy your annual $10 membership to Keller PTA. Family Memberships are only $18, (any two adults per one student and they do NOT have to live in the same home).

A membership does NOT require you to volunteer or attend meetings, although we would love to have you! Meetings are less than an hour and give the opportunity to hear from the principal and our Royal Oak District School Board liaison, Deb Anderson. We offer both in-person and virtual meetings throughout the year.

How you PTA is up to you!

Get involved to your comfort level.

But also know this: we can't function as a PTA unless volunteers get involved. Events, committee work, meetings, executive board, and community work won't be successful and wanes when we don't have active volunteers.

Please visit our website regularly to keep informed of all things PTA and Keller Elementary. On there you will find:

• PTA annual calendar of events
• A list of all committees and contact info
• Teacher and staff favorite things (still updating)
• PTA FAQs
• Spirit Wear store
• Givebacks link to buy membership and join our online directory
• National PTA podcast link for Notes From the Backpack

And much more!

All My Best,

Carie Hooker, President

president@helenkellerpta.net

If you are interested in learning about what is being shared on the student WKBS you can click on this link to watch this weeks and future broadcasts: WKBS

Studies have consistently shown that many girls and young women struggle with feelings of low self-confidence. This unfortunate trend seems to persist across various aspects of life, including academics, body image, and career aspirations.

In the realm of academics, girls often exhibit lower levels of confidence compared to their male counterparts. They may doubt their abilities and hesitate to take on challenging subjects or leadership roles. This lack of confidence can impact their performance and limit their academic achievements.

Body image is another area where girls often feel inadequate. Unrealistic media portrayals of beauty standards, combined with societal pressures, can lead to body dissatisfaction and a decrease in self-confidence. This can have long-lasting effects on mental and emotional well-being.

Furthermore, many girls struggle with confidence when it comes to career aspirations. They may underestimate their skills and downplay their ambitions, leading to a smaller presence in traditionally male-dominated fields. This self-doubt can hinder their pursuit of fulfilling careers and limit their potential for success.

It is crucial to address these issues and foster an environment that empowers girls to believe in themselves. By promoting self-acceptance, resilience, and a growth mindset, we can help girls develop the confidence they need to thrive and reach their full potential.

Click on the link below for the first-ever, large-scale national 2023 survey designed to develop a deeper understanding of the thoughts, experiences, behaviors and attitudes of teen girls throughout the U.S:

The 2023 Girls’ Index Executive Overview

The 2023 Girls’ Index™

Keller continues to be recognized as a No Place For Hate School 2023-24 by the ADL (Anti-Defamation League). One criteria to meet this is to have student-led activities that empower our students to use their voice and create a culture of inclusion.

One of the many student-led initiatives has been our Student Council's SGS Club (Students Guiding Students) during lunch recess. This is an opportunity for our older students to help our younger students to problem solve on the playground, a place to report bullying or help someone who needs a friend to play with.

Up next for us is our Student Council will be developing and teaching one of our future Husky Packs which will include the No Place For Hate Pledge below.

The lane closest to the sidewalk is a drop-off lane. This is for drop-off ONLY. There is no parking, stopping, standing, or idling at any time.

Please find a parking spot when picking up your student.

When parked in the drop-off lane, it blocks the view, exits, and flow of 450+ students leaving the building. Thank you for keeping our lot safe for pedestrians!

Please refer to Keeping up with Keller newsletters and to the Keller handbook on the district website: https://keller.royaloakschools.org/

Please do not park or stand in the small entrance leading onto the playground (see picture below). This entrance is for emergency vehicles and ROS maintenance vehicles ONLY. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.

It is requested that all adults who are arriving and departing from the school be particularly cautious and mindful of the children and adult pedestrians in the school vicinity at all times. The safety of our entire school community depends upon the care and concern of all of us.

Please follow these safety precautions in the parking lot:

• DO NOT PARK or STAND in the drop off lane at the end of the school day.
• Obey all traffic signs and follow traffic flow -- map below.
• Please refrain from cell phone calls and texting while driving.
• Drop-off area – there is one lane of drop-off.
• Pull all the way forward to the end of the lane before dropping or picking up children. Do not back up in the pick-up lane.
• Students should enter and be ready to exit on the passenger side of the vehicle only.
• Do not exit your vehicle, thus parking in the drop-off only lane, even if it is to run to the door or drop off a project. If you must exit your vehicle you need to park in a parking spot.
• Adults and students should remain on sidewalks and cross at crosswalks only. It is difficult to see children in the parking lot between vehicles.
• Park in a handicap parking spot only if you have a valid and visible permit

At Keller we take pride in making sure we have a kind, caring, environment. Our parents play a large role in helping us to achieve this goal. Before posting to social media or any other venue, please consider the feelings of all our community members . Before you post, remember to T.H.I.N.K...

*We are respectful

*We are safe and in control

*We are responsible learners

I will act in such a way that I will be proud of myself and others will be proud of me too.

I came to school to learn and I will learn.

I will have a good day.

Don’t forget that the highlighted monthly learner profile and weekly behavior focus is on the Google calendar (every Sunday).

Principal

Email: marcie.dryden@royaloakschools.org
Website: https://www.royaloakschools.org/our-schools/elementary/keller/
Location: 1505 North Campbell Road, Royal Oak, MI, USA
Phone: (248)542-6500