Keystone Newsletter #18
Dear Keystone Families,
I hope you are having a wonderful start to the 2024 school year!
Many of our learners have started taking diagnostic assessments. These assessments will provide our teachers and school teams with important data, that will allow us to analyze growth and progress.
Later on in the month, our students will be revising our SWPBIS stations. These stations will help remind our learners of the rules and expectations they are expected to be following, while in different locations and learning environments around the building.
Our fabulous PTO is working hard at preparing and organizing a fun, family friendly movie night at Keystone, that will take place on January 19th. The next PTO meeting will take place, January 25th.
Just a reminder, there will be no school on Monday, January 15th (Martin Luther King Day). Sometime in January there will be a Barnes and Nobles Fundraiser for Keystone Elementary School; more information to come soon.
May this new year bring everyone good health, good luck, and much joy!
Respectfully,
Mrs. Smith-Herman
Important Dates to Remember
✏️Every Tuesday✏️
Smencil Sales ($1.25 each)
🥨Every Thursday🥨
Pre-Order Pretzels
👕Every Friday👕
Wear Paw Shirts
Martin Luther King Day
January 15th
No School- Offices Closed
Barnes and Nobles Night
Date in January TBD
📽️Movie Night🍿
January 19th
Professional Development in PM- 1:15pm Dismissal for Students
January 24th
PTO Meeting
January 25th at 4:30pm
Progress Reports- K-5
📝January 29th✏️
Looking Ahead
📚Read for the House Program📚
All of February
PSSA Testing at Keystone Elementary School
ELA- April 22nd, 24th, and 26th- Grades 3, 4, 5
Math- April 30th and May 1st- Grades 3, 4, 5
Science- May 2nd and May 3rd- Grade 4 Only
5th Grade Spirit Day
Wednesday, May 8th, 2024
Rain Date- Thursday, May 9th, 2024
It will take place in the stadium at Truman High School.
👕Field Day⚽
Thursday, June 6th- AM- K/1
Thursday, June 6th- PM- 2/3
Friday, June 7th- AM- 4/5
Rain Dates: June 10th and/or 11th
Community Events
Keystone Staff Member Spotlight
Kirsten Finsterbusch
Position: 🎵 General Music and Chorus Teacher🎵
Years at Bristol Township School District: 6
Strengths: Singing, dancing, and yoga!
Pets: none
Hobbies: Playing board games, reading, and scrapbooking.
Favorite Color(s): Green 💚
Favorite Snack: Bell Peppers and Hummus
Favorite Sports' Team: Philadelphia Flyers!!
Three Fun Facts:
1. I have two amazing kids: Jacob (who is 6) and Rayne (who is 2).
2. I have traveled to 46 of 50 U. S. states.
3. I speak French!
Additional Information:
I love coffee!! ☕
Read for The House Program
The Read for the House Program is a service-learning project for children of any age that raises funds to support Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Philadelphia Region. In addition to helping our guest families, the program promotes the value of community service and improves reading comprehension.
PROGRAM TIMELINE:
JANUARY 2024: Readers watch our online video to learn about the program, create their personal fundraising pages, and seek family and friends to pledge any amount of money for each minute they read during February.
FEBRUARY 2024: Reading begins on February 1! Readers keep track of how many minutes they read using the calendar we provide.
MARCH 2024: Readers reach out to their family and friends and collect their donations through their online fundraising page. They can feel good knowing every dollar they raised directly helps families in need!
Readers will earn prizes! Not only will they have the satisfaction of knowing they are helping families when they need it the most, but readers can also earn fun prizes based on their fundraising totals!
Read for The House Link- Please Click Below to Register
December Students of the Month
SWPBIS Basket Raffle- Thank You!
Dear Keystone Students and Families,
We can not thank you enough for participating in the SWPBIS basket fundraiser in December. From all of the contributions, we were able to make 22 baskets. WOW ! Because of all YOUR donations and YOUR participation, this fundraiser was a success- one of the best fundraisers Keystone SWPBIS has had! We can not thank you enough for all of your support with this event !!! We hope you had a fabulous holiday season and Happy New Year !
From,
Keystone's SWPBIS Committee
Gingerbread Houses
Timely Tiger
Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program
Fresh fruits an vegetables are sampled at school on Tuesdays, Wednesday, and Fridays.
The students in grades K-5 had the opportunity to sample fresh medjool dates, this week.
Many thanks and gratitude to the students and staff in room A208 and A112 for continuing to providing the delivery of the fresh fruits and vegetables to the classrooms at Keystone Elementary School. You are all doing a fantastic job and we are very appreciative! Thanks!
January Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Calendar
January Videos/Stories
Social Emotional Learning Tip of the Week
Winter Craft Idea
Dismissal Plans
In order to maintain the safety of all our learners, we are asking that families alert teachers, in writing, for any transportation/dismissal plan changes prior to 9am 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.
Snack and Birthday Celebration Policy
To ensure the safety and well being of our students, as per the District Wellness Policy, no outside foods may be brought in by students for classroom parties or birthday celebrations. Shared snacks are not permitted in district schools.
If you would like to send something in to celebrate your child's birthday or for a classroom party, you may send in non food items such as stickers, pencils, play dough etc.
MTSS: Information for Parents
What is MTSS?
A Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) integrates all students. It is a process that provides high-quality, research-based instruction targeted to learner needs. Needs are identified by monitoring students’ progress. Adjustments to instruction and interventions are based on students’ performance and rate of success. MTSS promotes a well integrated system, connecting general, gifted, and special education with intervention and enrichment services. MTSS provides high-quality, standards-based instruction and intervention that is matched to students’ academic, social and behavioral needs.
Key Principles of MTSS
•Early intervention
•Multi-tiered model of service delivery that provides a continuum of support
•Instruction matched learners’ needs
•Progress monitoring data collected regularly to ensure effectiveness of instruction
•Research-based interventions and instruction
•Interventions implemented consistently and correctly
•Parent involvement is encouraged throughout the child’s educational journey
Potential Benefits of MTSS
•Improved education for ALL students
•Provides at-risk students with support earlier rather than later
•Progress monitoring data yields relevant, easily understood information
•Facilitates collaboration among educators, families and community-members
23-24 Weather Emergency Information
Link to Elementary Remote Learning Overview: (Click here)
For additional information please visit https://www.bristoltwpsd.org/cms/one.aspx?portalId=377235&pageId=51110003
Title 1 Teachers
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.
Helpful Links and Resources
Report Form for Complaints of Harassment/Bullying/Cyber-Bullying
Mr. Pierce- Anti-Bullying Climate Specialist
Email: steve.pierce@bristoltwpsd.org.
Breakfast and Lunch Menus- January
We encourage each student and staff member to wear their Keystone Paw Shirts every Friday.
Support Keystone's SWPBIS program by purchasing a soft pretzel. Each soft pretzel will cost $1 each. Students will be asked to preorder their pretzel each Thursday, for a pretzel delivery to take place on Fridays.
Office Staff
School Principal: Mr. Mark Wilicki
Email: mark.wilicki@bristoltwpsd.org
Assistant Principal: Crystal Smith-Herman
Email: crystal.smith-herman@bristoltwpsd.org
Special Education Supervisor: Jessica Kelch
Email: jessica.kelch@bristoltwpsd.org
Principal's Secretary: Mrs. Marianne Mensinger
Email: marianne.mensinger@bristoltwpsd.org
Assistant Principal's Secretary: Mrs. Donna Meehan
Email: donna.meehan@bristoltwpsd.org
School phone: 267-599-2470
School fax: 215-788-1041