Dragon's Tale

October 11, 2024

Dear Dragon Families,

I hope this message finds you well! I wanted to take a moment to extend my heartfelt thanks to each of you for your incredible participation in our Fun Run this week. Your enthusiasm and support truly made this event memorable and enjoyable for our students.

I am thrilled to share that we met our goals, and this achievement is a testament to the strength of our community. Thanks to the hard work of our PTA and your generous contributions, we will be able to enhance our playground, bring in exciting educational assemblies, and provide many more resources for ALL students at Keith.

Looking ahead, I am excited to invite you to our Fall Fest next Friday after school. This will be a wonderful opportunity for our families to come together and celebrate the amazing start to the 2024-2025 school year. I hope to see you all there!

Thank you once again for being such a supportive and engaged community. Your commitment to our children makes a world of difference. For more information about upcoming events, please check out our Dragon's Tale Newsletter.

Warm regards,

Marci Augenstein, Principal

October 2024

Oct. 1 - Keith PTA Meeting - 6:30pm Learning Commons

Oct. 2 - Count Day

Oct. 3 - No School

Oct. 9 - Bike/Walk to School Day

Oct. 11 - Fun Run

Oct. 18 - Teacher of the Year Nominations Due

Oct. 18 - Keith PTA Fall Fest - 5pm Playground

Oct. 25 - Picture Re-Take Day

Oct. 29 - ALICE Drill - See notes below

Oct. 31 - Halloween Parade 11am

Oct. 31 - Half Day - Dismissal Schedule below

I wanted to reassure our community that as I hear from Mr. Jahn's family and as we work as a school community on ways to honor Mr. Jahn, I will be sure to share details with all in our community. Thank you very much for your support and understanding.

Dear Keith Elementary School Families,

This is our biggest fundraiser of the year to help support our students and school. We’re raising $30,000 for a magical playground and outdoor learning realm where every child's adventure begins.

Help us reach our $30,000 for a magical playground and outdoor learning realm ⬇️

1. SIGN UP your student(s) on MyBooster.com today. (Please also check out the informational videos about our fundraiser on this page.)

2. SHARE with your family/friends using the SHARE tools on MyBooster.com.

3. GIVE a donation.

Thank you again for supporting our school! Let's make this weekend a huge success!

Set-up/Decorate for Fall Book Fair

Fall Book Fair is less than 4 weeks away! Help us create a magical fall wonderland! Crafty and non-crafty help is needed. See link below for volunteer opportunities.

Please see the form below or click on the button to learn more about our upcoming Bagel Sale.

Orders Due: Friday, October 11

Bagels Delivered: Friday, October 18

The Keith PTA annual Fall Fest is quickly approaching ~ Mark your calendars for October 18th from 5-7pm! We will be gathering on the playground and have a fun evening planned with food, music, activities and special guests. The PTA will be taking pre-orders for cheese and pepperoni pizzas for your family to enjoy at the event. Please return completed forms and money to the office by October 14th. A limited amount of pizza will be available to purchase by the slice at the event, as well as Food Trucks on site as another option for your dinner plans.

We are also looking for PARENT VOLUNTEERS to help out before, during and after the event! Volunteering is a fun way to meet new people, reconnect with old friends and help support our school community. There are many different opportunities to lend a hand with this event and we look forward to hanging out with you for part of the evening! Many thanks!!

Calling all artists, writers, dancers, musicians, photographers, and videographers! Entries are now being accepted for the National PTA Reflections art competition. Create something in one of the categories below with the theme “ACCEPTING IMPERFECTION” and fill out the google doc to submit your entry!

CONTEST DIVISIONS:

Keith Elementary has separate divisions for grades K-2nd and 3rd-5th. 2 winners from each category (per division) will advance to District level. Students may submit an entry in any of the six areas listed below:

· Literature

· Music Composition

· Photography

· Visual Arts

· Dance Choreography

· Film Production

For more information and official rules per category click here

DEADLINE:

Submissions must be sent digitally and are accepted until November 11, 2024.

ENTRY FORM:

Submit contest entries using this link:

REFLECTIONS SUBMISSIONS 2024-2025

A letter will be sent home with students this week with more information. Updates will be posted on the Keith Elementary PTA Facebook page so be sure to follow us!

For more information on this year’s theme: “ACCEPTING IMPERFECTION” click here

Please email ljones456@sbcglobal.net with questions. Thanks for your support in unleashing your child’s inner artist!

Dear Parents and Guardians,

I hope this message finds you well. As we continue to navigate the complexities of childhood in today’s world, I am excited to announce a community-wide book study focused on "The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness" by Jonathan Haidt. This insightful book offers valuable perspectives on the challenges our children face and provides us with tools to support their well-being.

We invite you to join us in this important conversation, participate in discussions, and partner with our school in looking out for our kids. Together, we can create a supportive environment that fosters resilience and understanding.

Meeting Schedule

We will hold four meetings, each lasting one hour, where we will discuss different sections of the book. ALL meetings will be from 6-7pm in the Keith Learning Commons. Please see the schedule below:

11/4/24 - Introduction to the book and Discussion of Part 1: The Great Rewiring of Childhood

12/9/24 - Review of Part 2: The Backstory: The Decline of Play-based Childhood and increase in childhood anxiety

1/13/25 - Discussion of Part 3: Social Media and Mental Health- Strategies for healthy technology use – The Rise of the phone-based childhood

2/10/25 - Overview of Part 4: Building Resilience - Collaborative ideas for supporting our children

To help ensure that everyone can participate, I am happy to provide a copy of the book for any family that may face financial barriers. If you would like to receive a book, please let me know when you RSVP.

You are welcome to attend any or all of the meetings. Each session will provide a space for open dialogue, sharing of experiences, and brainstorming actionable steps we can take as a community.

Thank you for your commitment to our students’ well-being. I look forward to engaging with you in these discussions that will undoubtedly strengthen our community and support our children’s futures.

Warm regards,

Marci Augenstein, Principal

Walled Lake Consolidated Schools takes great pride in honoring exemplary educators within our district. Help us recognize someone that has made an impact on your family by nominating that person for 2024-25 Teacher of the Year! All nominations must be completed by October 18, 2024.

Attached, please find the Lakes Area Youth Assistance (LAYA) Holiday "Adopt-a-Child" application. Applications are being accepted for consideration from now until the deadline of Friday, Oct. 25, 2024.

Here is the link to the online application as well:

https://www.wlcsd.org/community/lakes-area-youth-assistance

Thank you for considering this opportunity for your children.

Halloween Parade - 11am

Parents may attend on the blacktop area on the playground. There will be cones set up to make a "parent tunnel" for students to walk through.

Half-Day Dismissal schedule on 10/31/24:

12:25pm - Dismissal begins for Dragon Pick Up

12:30pm - Walkers and Prime Time Dismissed

12:42pm - Buses depart Keith

The WLCSD Student Code of Conduct has an Electronic Communication Device policy, which includes cell phones and other personal communication devices. Increasingly our students wearing watches with technology are being distracted from learning from parent texts, playing games, or more. We will request our students put devices into their backpacks during the school day so it is not a disruption to the learning environment. Thank you for talking with your children about keeping these devices off during the school day.

Please click on the button below to learn more about our Keith Green Team!

In the coming weeks, teachers will be sharing iReady diagnostic parent reports with you once your children have completed their diagnostic. Please be sure you see the letter from Assistant Superintendent of Learning Service, Mrs. Catherine Kochanski, linked below.

The helpful resource linked below is an excellent way to assist our Dragon Families who are searching for best practices to support their children's learning at home. Please take a moment to review these helpful videos linked below and reach out to your child's teacher if you'd like additional help or support.

What to watch for:

• Fri, Oct 4th ~ Tubby's Sub & Ice Cream Day ~ $1.00 ice cream cups
• Thurs, Oct 10th ~ Marco's Pizza Day ~ $2 / extra slice, $1.25 chips
• Mon, Oct 14th ~ Lucky Tray Day

As always, parents ( AND STAFF )can add funds to student accounts via Skyward, or cash / check brought to me in the kitchen. If students bring cash/checks, please send the funds to the cafeteria either:

1. Labeled inside your lunch barcode sheet, or
2. Have students bring down their money during breakfast

The lunch line moves quicker if their funds are deposited beforehand. Thank you in advance for your help!

Thanks to all the students and their families who came out for the Music of Star Wars. We were delighted by the very engaging performances including the excellent background talks from Maestro Yanez introducing each piece, lightsaber duels on stage as well as costumes. Also, the grand encore of The Imperial March - Darth Vadar's theme song was a treat.

At our Club meet, we learned about the Composers of Star Wars music (John Williams, Michael Giacchino, Ludwig Goransson) and Leitmotifs - theme music for a character, idea or action, and shared in our love of the different memorable theme music for our favorite Star Wars characters, actions and ideas like "the force". From our informal fun survey of who is our favorite Star Wars character, in first place, there was a tie between Ray, Darth Vader and the Mandalorian.

Our next Club meet is Sunday, November 17, 2024 2:30, followed by the 3pm Under The Streetlamp Concert with former cast members from the hit musical Jersey Boys harmonies and dance moves, performing old-school hits by The Drifters, Roy Orbison, Nat King Cole, The Beach Boys, and The Beatles, plus a celebration of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons.

It is not too late to join now! After attending only 1 concert, your student membership will have paid for itself.

Cost: $25 per student membership unlocks one free ticket to almost every Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) 2023-2024 concert series in addition to the concerts listed above, and up to two companion tickets (bring or invite your parents/sibling/friend/teacher) for $5 each, access to the best seats, access to DSO Replay and online Live streaming performances.

See Music Appreciation Club Details Document for more information and link to Google form for registration https://forms.gle/3eAmCFB4Vf9FCP626

Please see Music Appreciation Club PDF below for more information on Club meets, membership and concerts.

To Join, fill out Club Registration form after you have purchased your DSO Student Soundcard membership

https://forms.gle/3eAmCFB4Vf9FCP626

Should you have any question, contact Monique Levu monique.levu@gmail.com 248-301-1415

The Walled Lake Consolidated Schools’ Board of Education approved seeking a replacement of the district’s operating millage in the upcoming November election during its August 8, 2024 special meeting.

Walled Lake Consolidated Schools is asking the community to replace its current operating millage with an 18 mill non-homestead millage that represents roughly $31 million and a 3.6297 mill hold harmless that represents approximately $2 million of the district’s budget. The total of $33 million accounts for 18 percent of the district’s $187 million revenue budget.

Every District in the state is expected to levy, with voter approval, 18 mills on all non-homestead properties in order to receive full state funding under Proposal A. The 3 mill "Headlee cushion" will allow the district to collect the full 18 mills over the duration of the operating millage. The proposal will not increase property taxes on any primary residence property that is within Walled Lake Consolidated Schools boundaries. Since the approval of Proposal A in 1994, the Walled Lake Consolidated Schools’ community has overwhelmingly supported the operating millage, most recently in 2014.

If the November 5, 2024 proposal is not approved, the school district will lose more than $33 million in operating revenue every year and the state will not make up the shortfall.

More information about the 2024 Operating Millage Replacement can be found at www.wlcsd.org/elections.

Help support some of our Keith alumni on the Walled Lake middle school dance team by donating your bottles to them! Bottles may be dropped off at Clifford Smart MS on all Fridays in October from 3:15-8pm! 👯‍♀️

Westacres is holding their 3rd annual Red Cross blood drive! Sunday, October 13 between 12-4 at 3700 Westacres Dr. You can literally save lives in less than 30 minutes by donating blood. You can sign up at https://shorturl.at/hF28n or text Melissa Brown at 734-395-9025 to set up an appointment. Thank you so much!

Please remember to register or re-register your Kroger Plus card to Keith Elementary. Last year we made just over $2,000! It’s easy! Just go to www.krogercommunityrewards.com and go to the community rewards section. You must re-register your card annually. Anyone having an issue with their email address or password can call 1-800-KROGERS for customer service.

November 12th at 6:30pm - Keith Learning Commons

Visit our PTA's Facebook Page

https://www.facebook.com/KeithElemPTA/

Keith Vision Screening Schedule:

Grades to be assessed: J/K, 1, 3, 5

TECHNICIAN: TERRI ALCOCER

10/16, 10/17, 10/18, 10/22, 10/23, 10/24, 10/25/2024 AM

Keith Hearing Screening Schedule:

Grades to be assessed: J/K, K, 2, 4

TECHNICIAN: DENISE GAARDER

03/14, 03/17, 03/18, 03/19, 03/20/2025

Please visit the WLCSD website linked in the button below for additional information about your child's health and immunizations for school. In addition, should your child need to take medication while at school, all medicines must be kept in the main office. They must be brought to school by an adult with the permission to administer medicine at school form (linked in the button below) and original bottle included. Please review the Keith Medical Information section of our family handbook for additional information.

The Keith Elementary School Community will inspire and empower all- academically, socially, and emotionally.

Diana Tyrrell - Principal's Secretary

DianaTyrrel@wlcsd.org

Alice Johnson - Building Secretary

AliceJohnson@wlcsd.org

Marci Augenstein, Ph.D. - Principal, Keith Elementary

MarciAugenstein@wlcsd.org

Email: DianaTyrrell@wlcsd.org
Website: http://wlcsd.org/schools/elementary/keith/
Location: 2800 Keith Road, West Bloomfield Township, MI, United States
Phone: (248)956-3700
Twitter: @KeithElementary