We hope everyone had a great month of September. It is hard to believe that it will be October on Tuesday!

This week the students have a three-day school week. They will be off this Thursday and Friday.

Last week our students enjoyed saying "Hello" to members of the Croydon Fire Department, Bristol Township Police Department, and upper administration.

Please make sure to take a look at the the "Upcoming Events" section of the newsletter for many events that have been added for the the month of October.

We wish you all the very best!

Respectfully,

Mrs. Smith-Herman & Mr. Wilicki

Assistant Principal & Principal

Wear Keystone Paw Shirt

The students, during the school day, will be seeing Polka Dots, the Cool Kids Musical. The musical is about learning to accept others' unique qualities and using their differences to create something beautiful together.

October 1- Kindergarten, First, and Second grade

October 2- Third, Fourth, and Fifth grade

October 3rd & 4th

No School/Offices Open

October 10th

More information to come from PTO

10/14-10/18

More information to come

October 16th

October 14th-22nd

Students will attend on their scheduled library day

Must RSVP- see flyer below

October 15th

5:30-7:30pm

Wednesday, October 16th

Week of October 21st

More information to come

October 21st

6:00-8:00pm

October 23rd from 6:00-8:00pm

October 24th- 4:30pm

School Library

October 25th

October 31st

More Information to Come

November 15th

December 11th at 7 pm

December 12th-18th

Evening conferences- Thursday, December 12th

March 24-28th

Evening Conferences- Monday, March 24th

April 21-25 ELA

April 28-May 2- Math, Science, Make-ups

Wednesday, May 14th, with a rain date of Thursday, May 15th.

May 14th at 7 pm

Throughout the past week our students were welcomed to school by some surprise visitors; the BTSD police, the Croydon Fire Company, and administrators from upper admin. The students were taught about how the word “Hello” can make a difference to so many, and were encouraged to greet others around the building.

We received many awesome submissions for a new name for our weekly newsletter!

Many thanks for everyone who submitted a name to enter. Based upon the results of the poll that was in last week's newsletter, the name of this year's newsletter is...

Paw Prints- submitted by Carleigh Dopson!!

Congratulations, Carleigh!

Keystone Elementary School is excited to continue to implement School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS) to promote a positive and supportive learning environment for all learners. As part of this initiative, Keystone set up stations around the building that allow students to hear about their school rules and expectations.

We are looking forward to all the wonderful accomplishments that our students will achieve this year.

Please RSVP at https://bit.ly/keystonedinner

Please help support our SWPBIS program at Keystone. In doing so you will save SAVE 10% off your fall fun tickets at Shady Brook Farm and help Keystone raise money for positive behavior initiatives and SWPBIS!

As we continue our journey through this academic year, we wanted to take a moment to share some valuable information about our Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) process. This approach is at the heart of our commitment to ensuring that every child in our community has the support they need to thrive. The MTSS process is designed to use a preponderance of data to assess and understand each student’s unique strengths and areas for growth. Here’s how it works and how it benefits your child:

1. **Comprehensive Data Collection**: We gather information from various sources, including assessments, classroom performance, and observations. This helps us get a complete picture of your child's academic progress and behavior.

2. **Informed Decision-Making**: Our dedicated team of educators analyzes this data to identify trends and patterns. By understanding where each student excels and where they may need additional support, we can make informed decisions that cater to their specific needs.

3. **Tailored Support and Enrichment**: Whether your child requires extra help in certain subjects or is ready for more advanced challenges, the MTSS process allows us to implement targeted interventions and enrichment opportunities. Our goal is to ensure that every student is engaged and making progress.

4. **Ongoing Monitoring and Adjustment**: We believe in the importance of continuous assessment. We regularly check in on each student’s progress and adjust our strategies as needed, ensuring that we are always meeting their evolving needs.

We are excited about the positive impact this process has on our students and are committed to partnering with you in this journey. Your involvement is crucial, and we encourage you to reach out with any questions or concerns regarding your child's educational experience.

Thank you for being an integral part of our Bristol Township community. Together, we can create a nurturing environment where every child can flourish!

On Fridays, we encourage all our staff and students to wear their Keystone paw shirts.

This month’s focus is Respect. One way to think about Respect is “seeing value in all people and things & treating them with care.” Many people feel Respected in different ways and we hope this month inspires discussions with your family about what Respect means to you and how you can practice it together! Respect is 1 of 3 traits we will focus on throughout the year that helps students Be Kind. Throughout the school, students will be developing skills like perspective-taking, conflict resolution, and leadership.

Have some fun connecting as a family this month while practicing Respect. Here are 3 “PurposeFull Pursuits” for you to complete together. How many can you do this month?

A fun way to remind students to show Respect to others is to create a non-verbal cue. As a family, come up with a non-verbal way to cue your student to remember to show Respect to others. An example of this would be anytime you raise the “Respect Rooster” on your hand by closing the middle 2 fingers and bringing your pointer finger and pinky finger up, your student would be reminded to practice living out Respect.

Review Respect as a family! Remember that in our lessons we are teaching that Respect means to see value in people and things and treat them with care. Agree as a family to set aside a certain time each day this week to unplug from devices and plug into family time. It shows Respect to practice being present in the moment without the distractions that can come from technology.

Find a time to sit in a circle together and celebrate all the ways you have seen each other practice Respect. Take turns sharing responses to the following prompts or make up your own! Remember to practice Respect as you listen to each other.

Celebration Prompts:

● What family member(s) do you want to celebrate for their Respect?

● Share about a time when you resolved a conflict while showing care for others.

Please read the attachment below in regards to the Title 1 Family Engagement Policy for 2024-2025.

Students and parents are asked to review the Student Handbook and Code of Conduct (including the Internet Use Agreement) thoroughly and in its entirety for each student attending Bristol Township Schools. Knowledge of this information is essential to the student's overall success at Bristol Township Schools. After reviewing the Handbook and Code of Conduct (including Internet Use Agreement) on the Bristol Township School District website please complete this acknowledgement form. Failure to complete the electronic form will result in implied acknowledgement.

In order to assure the school staff that all concerned persons are familiar with the information in the Student Handbook, we ask each student and parent/guardian to review the Handbook and Code of Conduct on line. If you do not have access to the internet, there are a small number of printed copies available at your child's school. Parents and students are required to indicate with their name in the answer box that the Handbook has been reviewed.

Student Handbook and Code of Conduct (including Internet Use Agreement) Acknowledgement & Signature Page Student & Parent/Guardian. Please complete one for each student.

Please click on following link to sign; Handbook & Internet Use Agreement Acknowledgement

All enrolled students of Bristol Township School District are eligible to receive a nutritious breakfast and lunch each school day at NO CHARGE to your household. A La Carte items will still be available to purchase.

Keystone Families,

We invite you to have a chance to be featured in our weekly newsletters, yearbook, and possibly on our school and district's social media pages! We would love to showcase your family or child(ren) participating in any outside-of-school events or activities.

Please submit a photo along with a brief summary that captures the essence of the event or activity. Whether it's a memorable vacation, a thrilling sporting event, or a cherished hobby, we want to celebrate these moments with our school community.

Please make sure to include your child(ren)'s names and grade level.

Please send all submissions to KeystoneNewsletter@bristoltwpsd.org for a chance to be selected for our Keystone Family Spotlight!

• Reminder, when your child is absent a written excuse note is required.
• For the first 10 absences the note may be from the parent.
• It can be in an email to the school secretary who handles attendance, at heather.saeger@bristoltwpsd.org
• If your child misses more than 10 days of school, then we only accept a medical note.
• Please email or send in the note within 10 days of their return to school, this is a PA State Law.

In order to maintain the safety of all our learners, we are asking that families alert teachers, in writing, (written note) for any transportation/dismissal plan changes prior to 9:00am each morning.

We do understand that emergencies may arise throughout the day that requires a change to a child's dismissal plan for that particular day. For those situations, please make sure you are alerting the office staff as soon as possible, so they can communicate the change to the teachers as soon as possible.

We thank you for your support in helping us ensure the safety and wellbeing of each of our learners.

Bullying Prevention

Bristol Township School District is committed to providing a physically safe and emotionally secure environment for all students and staff. Local school policies assist school personnel in identifying bullying, intimidation, and harassment, and provide a framework for an appropriate response that reinforces positive conduct. The district defines positive behaviors as those which evoke non-violence, cooperation, teamwork, understanding, and acceptance toward all students and staff in the learning and teaching environment. It takes a community to prevent bullying of children--stopping bullying behavior needs a team of school people, students, and families. Together we can intervene to stop bullying behaviors.

In September 2023, Bristol Township School Board of Directors approved three new elementary Anti-Bullying/School Climate Specialists. These staff members focus on putting practices and approaches in place that prevent bullying and build positive relationships for the district’s youngest students.

The main role of the Anti-Bullying/School Culture Specialists is to lead the investigation of incidents of harassment, intimidation, and bullying in each school; and to act as the primary school staff member responsible for preventing, identifying, and addressing incidents of harassment, intimidation, and bullying in the school.

They are also responsible for coordinating and strengthening the school’s policies to prevent, identify, and address harassment, intimidation, and bullying of students, and help establish a positive school culture.

Reporting Procedures

Anyone who is the victim of or has witnessed bullying please submit the incident form to the Anti-Bullying/School Climate Specialist, Steve Pierce, (steve.pierce@bristoltwpsd.org ) and building administration. Students can also report bullying to guidance counselors, teachers, or any other adult in the building.

To access the bullying form please click on the attached form below.

Title 1 Teachers at Keystone

Mrs. Stacy Cooke

stacy.cooke@bristoltwpsd.org

Mrs. Aimee Ramos
aimee.ramos@bristoltwpsd.org

What is Title I?

Title I is a project funded by the federal government under the Every Child Succeeds Act. The purpose of this Act is to provide all children with fair and equitable opportunity to succeed and close achievement gaps. Money is allocated by the federal government and distributed by the Pennsylvania Department of Education to the Bristol Township School. District.

Title I funding is based on a complex formula. These funds are allocated to the states who in turn allocate a portion of that money to the individual school districts within each state. The school district’s share is based on the economic need within a school area, that is, by the number of low income families living there. In our district the number of free and reduced lunch students is used to determine the economic need of a particular school.

For more information please visit; https://www.bristoltwpsd.org/administration/state_and_federal_programs_/title_i .

Social Worker
Mrs. Jody Como
jody.como@bristoltwpsd.org

Counselors

Mrs. Tammy Surdo

Grades- K, 2, 4
tammy.surdo@bristoltwpsd.org

Mr. Brian Gianfrancesco

Grades- 1, 3, 5
brian.gianfrancesco@bristoltwpsd.org

Mr. Steve Pierce

Email: steve.pierce@bristoltwpsd.org

Phone: 267-599-2481

Michele Gentilcore

Certified School Nurse 267-599-2473 or 2490

michele.kershaw@bristoltwpsd.org

TBD

Staff Nurse 267-599-2496

Christine Kelly (M, T, TH, F after 12:30 PM)

Staff Nurse 267-599-2473

Christine.Kelly@bristoltwpsd.org

Nurses' fax number is 215-788-1516.

Address:

940 Tulip Ave.

Croydon, Pennsylvania 19021

School phone: 267-599-2470

School fax: 215-788-1041

School Principal: Mr. Mark Wilicki

Email: mark.wilicki@bristoltwpsd.org

Principal's Secretary: Mrs. Marianne Mensinger

Email: marianne.mensinger@bristoltwpsd.org

Assistant Principal: Mrs. Crystal Smith-Herman

Email: crystal.smith-herman@bristoltwpsd.org

Assistant Principal's Secretary: Heather Saeger

Email: heather.saeger@bristoltwpsd.org

Special Education Supervisor: Jessica Kelch

Email: jessica.kelch@bristoltwpsd.org

For additional information please click on the buttons below.