
Cardinal Connection
February 7th, 2025
Looking Ahead...click link for Costello Calendar
February
2/10 - PTO Meeting 7:00 PM
2/17 - No School - Mid-Winter Break
2/18 - No School - Mid-Winter Break
Way to Go Cardinal Ticket Winners!
Student Cafeteria Manager for the Day!
Connor Killingbeck was busy running the Costello Cafe today! From restocking supplies, to checking students' lunch IDs it was a great to have his extra help! Thanks again to the Killingbeck Family for your generous donations to Costello. Thank you to our cafeteria team and district for giving Connor this special privilege.
Ball for All...
The tradition lives on! What started as a simple idea has now become a cherished memory for all who attend. Maeve Tennies, a 5th grader who introduced the "Ball for All" concept to the PTO, played a key role in organizing the very first event in 2023. Now a 7th grader at Larson Middle School, Maeve’s vision continues on at Costello. Dinner, dancing, fancy clothes, and endless smiles filled the evening. A heartfelt thank you to the Harris family—Amanda and Jason, parents of third grader Madison and kindergartner Makenzie—for ensuring the legacy of this event continues. Amanda has added so many special touches from festive balloons, photo booths, magicians, balloon artists, and this year everyone personalized their own masquerade mask. What a wonderful night for our community! Thank you to all who were able to make it to support this event. Thank you to Mike Frazier and Michelle Waak for keeping the party going with awesome music and dancing! If you couldn't make it this year be sure to join us next February!
Next Up...Costello Auction!!
What should I expect at the auction? Check out this video https://app.memento.com/lIbhCFMV-_/group-video
Discount Costello Auction Tickets ~ On Sale Now !
Don’t miss Costello’s 19th Annual Auction:
Friday, March 7, 2025 6:30-11:00 PM
American Polish Cultural Center
2975 E. Maple Rd., Troy 48083
Enjoy a fun night out, support Costello students, meet other parents.
Raffles, silent and live auction items, amazing food and drinks!
· Over 200 prizes!
· Chances to win unique experiences for your child (Principal/Superintendent/Mayor for a Day)
· Over 60 auction baskets to bid on
· Grand Mackinac Package to the Grand Hotel
· 50/50 Raffle
All proceeds go directly back to our Costello students.
Regular Price: $70 (2/08/2025-2/28/2025)
Table Reservation (10 people): $700 (if purchased by 2/16/2025)
***tickets include full buffet dinner and open bar.
Use this link to purchase!
Can’t wait to see you there!
So Much to Celebrate!!
Our day began with a celebration of student growth, as teachers reviewed the progress from fall to winter. So much to be proud of! Teachers proudly added hearts to our Wall of Success to highlight the achievements of our dedicated Cardinals. To honor their hard work, we shared 7-UP toasts and cookies in celebration. Our staff is deeply committed to supporting student growth, and we’re so grateful to our parents for their continued support as well. Here’s to the power of teamwork!
PTO Meeting - Monday, February 10th 7pm at Costello
Parent Online Workshop
Dear Parents and Guardians,
As part of ongoing support for families, your child’s school is offering a series of classes for parents and guardians through a partnership with the Behavior Intervention Support Team (BIST). These training sessions are designed to provide ways you can support your child’s developing academic and behavior skills, as well as increase consistency between home and school.
BIST Virtual Parenting Series
5:45 PM - 6:00 PM Enter Zoom Waiting Room
6:00 PM – 6:45 PM Informational Session
6:45 PM – 7:00 PM Questions and Answers
February 11th: “Growing Accountability with Empathy”
The class is designed to:
- Create consistency between school and home
- Provide language for adults to use when redirecting children
- Share ways to problem solve to increase your child’s success
- Increase generosity and kindness in your children
- Bring a sense of calm to your home
Please join us for any or all three sessions!
We are excited to offer this opportunity to you!
Sincerely,
Marty Huitt, Director
Behavior Intervention Support Team/Cornerstones of Care
8150 Wornall Rd
Kansas City, MO 64114
@MartyHuitt
To register for this class:
- Go to http://BIST.org
- Click Log In on the home screen.
- If you already created a username by previously enrolling in a BIST class, just log in on this screen.
- If you have never registered for a BIST class, enter your information (Name, Email, and a Password). This will register you on the website, but not for the class.
- At the top of the page, use the dropdown menu called “Classes.” Click “Training Calendar.”
- Select the class you wish to attend (Parenting with BIST). Click “Register” under your preferred class.
- Fill out the required questions and click “Register.”
- On the checkout screen, complete the billing details even though this is a free class.
- Click “Place Order.” The Order Details page is your confirmation of registration.
- You will receive an email containing the Zoom link for the training sessions.
- If you have not received an email containing the Zoom link, please contact our office at bist@cornerstonesofcare.org for assistance.
Breaking the Ice...
Let's hope mother nature makes our playground conditions better for next week. Snow, no ice please! The students are eager to get outside for recess again!
Today's Cardinal Power Ticket Winners!!!
January 24th - Cardinal Power Ticket Winners!!!
Congratulations Art Winners!
Kindergarten Registration for 25-26 Class of 2038 opens MONDAY - February 3rd!
Parent Training Class
Please consider joining Mrs. Brianna Custer, TSD behavior specialist, for the third class in the Parent Training series on Tuesday, February 4th from 5-7 PM. This class is held virtually. You do not need to have attended the first few classes in order to join. Specific information on the class is below along with the link.
There is NO COST for these classes.
February 4th - Reinforcement.png
Click HERE for Link to Parent Training Class
Please consider joining to learn a bit more about how you can use reinforcement at home.
Report Cards...
K-5 report cards will be released on Tuesday, February 4th, 2025. HOW DO I VIEW MY CHILD’S REPORT CARD?
1. Log onto the parent portal at https://ps.troy.k12.mi.us
2. Click on the Report Card icon CHOOSE THE IMAGE A+ .
3. Report cards are only accessible through a Web browser (computer or mobile). Report cards may not open through the mobile app.
“Grades and Attendance” at the top of the left column with “Report Card” farther down the column; see image. CHOOSE THE IMAGE A+.
Community Night...
These Cardinals had an amazing time in Athens last night, hitting the court with the Redhawks—some of whom were former Cardinals! TSD offers so many exciting opportunities for our students to enjoy, and the smiles say it all!
A Peek into the Classrooms...
Kindergartners are working on true stories, stretching sounds, words to match the pictures. This is hard work! Great job!
3rd Grade Persuasive Writing...
Third graders chose a topic they were passionate about and wrote a speech that would persuade others to listen to and adopt their ideas. The final project was delivering the speech to the class.
5th Grade Argument Essays...
Our 5th graders are diving into argument essays, making compelling cases for or against having chocolate milk as a lunch option. Their writing is truly impressive, with strong research to back up their points. It’s amazing to see how much they grow, from kindergarten to 5th grade!
Math Problem Solving...
Teachers encourage and promote advanced problem solving and thinking in math daily by proposing interesting problems that students solve and share with each other. This student is using second grade addition strategies to solve multiplication.
5th graders had to design and construct a building using only 80 cubes then write an equation to find the volume of the building. Some students even noticed they could combine their buildings to create a cozy scene.
Take Pride & Show Responsibility...
Please help us emphasize the importance of taking care of materials, backpacks, snow/rain gear, etc. with your child. Ask your child...
- How does your hook/locker/cubby look?
- Would I be proud of how you are taking care of your things?
- Are you setting a good example for your classmates?
- Are your materials organized and are you being responsible?
Take time, slow down and do it the right way 😀
Instrumental Music Performance...
Practice truly pays off! In just 5 months, our 5th graders have made incredible strides with their instruments—improving everything from reading notes to performing full songs. Great job, everyone!
Discount Costello Auction Tickets ~ On Sale Now !
Don’t miss Costello’s 19th Annual Auction:
Friday, March 7, 2025 6:30-11:00 PM
American Polish Cultural Center
2975 E. Maple Rd., Troy 48083
Enjoy a Fun Night out, Support Costello Students, Meet other Parents.
Raffles, silent and live auction items, amazing food and drinks!
· Over 200 prizes!
· Chances to win unique experiences for your child (Principal/Superintendent/Mayor for a Day)
· Over 60 auction baskets to bid on
· Grand Mackinac Package to the Grand Hotel
· 50/50 Raffle
All proceeds go directly back to our Costello students.
Early bird: $65 per person (if purchased by 2/07/2025)
Regular Price: $70 (2/08/2025-2/28/2025)
Table Reservation (10 people): $700 (if purchased by 2/16/2025)
***tickets include full buffet dinner and open bar.
Use this link to purchase!
Can’t wait to see you there!
January 18, 2025
Cardinal Ticket Winners!
5th Grade Festival of Choirs...
What a talented group of vocal entertainers! Congratulations to the brave soloists and speakers, well done fifth graders. Thanks for a terrific evening! Shout out also to Mrs. Pyzik and Ms. Scarnecchia for their hard work and instruction.
Wavin' Flag Speaking Parts:
- Aditi Tiruchinapalli
- Lujian Song
- DJ (I'm still learning names and can't find his last name. I'll keep looking.)
- Gianna Jarbou
- Jane Harper
Umbrella Speaking Parts:
- Parker Madison
- Cecilia Dantzer
- Great Elliot
Umbrella Rap Parts:
- Emma Brozowski
- Kate Harper
- Beckett Fraizer
- Griffin Oudesma
Umbrella Trio:
- Skylar Steffens
- Katherine Gornick
- Cecilia Dantzer
Penny Wars!
What an incredible week! The excitement was through the roof! A huge thank you to everyone who contributed —your support will make a difference to those organizations in need. Special thanks to Keri Elliot for making this event such a memorable and thrilling experience for our Cardinals. Every person who donated is a winner —thank you for helping those in need. And a big congratulations to our top teams: 3rd runner-up, fourth grade; 2nd runner-up, fifth grade; and our overall champions, third grade! Well done, everyone! 👏👏👏 Stay tuned for the final total collected.
Job Embedded Learning...
This week, our Kindergarten, First, and Second Grade teachers participated in an engaging learning lab. Demonstration of small group lessons, collaboration around student writing and meaningful discussions about upcoming units. We are incredibly fortunate to have such rich, hands-on learning happening at Costello, which directly supports our curriculum and educational goals.
MLK Celebration - Monday, January 20 - NO SCHOOL
Responsibility...
Please partner with us by resisting the temptation to rescue your child when they forget things at home. That feeling of disappointment can help them grow. If we always step in to fix it, we take away their chance to learn responsibility and build confidence. Trusting them to handle mistakes teaches them valuable lessons in independence.
HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND AND ENJOY THE GAME!
January 10, 2025
Cardinal Power Ticket Winners!
Terrific way to kick off 2025!! Way to go Cardinals!
Happy New Year!
It's been a fabulous week back at Costello. The Cardinals are getting back into the routines and doing lots of great learning...
No Snow, No Problem...
Creativity and team effort emerged on the playground this week as students sharpened their sticks to "mine" the ice. This play captured many students' interest, they had so much fun and you could see their minds and hands hard at work! At first adults might want to encourage them to find something else to do, but when you step in to watch and talk with them about their play you appreciate their imagination and start to envision them as engineers, builders and designers!!
Measurement...
Job Embedded Teacher Professional Development...
Music...
THANK YOU to the Francis Family for the playground ball donations, what a hit!
January 13-17 is almost here...
5th Grade...
Teacher of the Year Nominations - Due Friday, January 17, 2025
Troy School District is accepting nominations for our 2024-2025 Outstanding Teacher of the Year! Please consider taking the time to nominate that special teacher who makes a difference in the lives of countless students. We look forward to celebrating our wonderful teachers!
TWO IMPORTANT NOTES:
- Incomplete nomination forms will not be considered. Every question must be answered: an answer of N/A or a single word is not considered complete.
- Please be mindful of your nomination length.
The nomination form can be found here: https://forms.gle/q5NEcYKVNrqueh9C6
The deadline to nominate someone is Friday, January 17, 2025, at 5 p.m. Nominations will NOT be accepted after this date and time. If you have any questions, please email me at kmontante@troy.k12.mi.us.
Thank you so much for your willingness to nominate one of our fabulous teachers!
Kind regards, Kendra Montante, Director of Communications and Strategic Initiatives, Troy School District, (248) 989-0875 kmontante@troy.k12.mi.us
Book Study...
Look for details about meeting location in the TSD Newsletter.
Congratulations to our Costello Artists...
The following students artwork was chosen for display at the Oakland County Art Show. Way to go Cardinals!
5th Grade:
Aadya Gupta from Mrs. Kitchen's class
4th Grade:
Connor Kaump from Mr. Rondot's class
Shriyan Kar from Miss Philips class
Aashna Kansara from Mrs. Oliver's class
Prisha Verma from Mr. Rondot's class
3rd Grade:
Mahathi Ganezan from Miss McClure's class
Tammy Patel from Mrs. Dabrowska's class
Mehar Sharma from Miss McClure's class
1st Grade:
Grace Larkin from Miss Pustover's class
Liliana Cicchini from Miss Pustover's class
Kindergarten:
Lily Davis from Mrs. Wonsowicz's class
Friday, January 17th - Lions Spirit Day!
The Last Cardinal Power Winners of 2024!!
Winter Wonderland!
Winter Wonderland was a magical day! Many thank yous…Thank you Costello PTO for supporting this experience. Thank you Mrs. Pyzik for leading the music and dance. Our hot chocolate team was in full force, thank you!! Thank you to Anderson and Girls in Stanton Mi for traveling to Troy School District to bring our school so much joy! Loved having so much parent participation, we had more parents join us this year than any other year!!
Great pictures in the video below, also check out more on our PTO Facebook page.
Wishing you and your families a wonderful holiday filled with happy memories, lots of laughter and rexalation! Thank you for all of your support. Also, thank you for your generosity and all of the kinds words and gifts. See you on January 6th!
December 13, 2024
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This Week's Cardinal Power Winners...
THANK YOU COSTELLO FAMILIES!!
Just a few of the smiling faces saying thank you for the delicious soup, salad and desserts last week. We appreciate all who donated and prepared the food! Thank you Jen Ford for orchestrating the meal!!! Also, Olive Garden off of Rochester Road donated the salad and breadsticks.
Attendance Area Review Committee Update
The Troy School District is committed to keeping our community informed as we review our attendance area boundaries. This fall, we formed a committee composed of community members, TSD staff, building administrators, and central office administrators. The committee has been actively engaged in analyzing data, discussing options, and reviewing potential adjustments to the TSD school boundary maps.
The committee’s three main goals are to:
- Analyze enrollment across all four middle schools to achieve balanced enrollment.
- Resolve “double splits” that affect students’ transitions between schools.
- Ensure that high school attendance boundaries remain unchanged.
The attendance area review has four phases, and we are currently in Phase 1:
Phase 1: Discovery - The committee was formed. Research, analysis, and planning commence. The committee develops potential recommendations.
Phase 2: Recommendation (January) - The committee provides the board of education with a recommendation (options). The board determines if the district should move forward with the work.
Phase 3: Feedback (February - April) - TSD will hold four listening sessions, one at each middle school, to obtain feedback from our community. We will also send out a community survey for additional feedback.
Phase 4: Determination (April/May) - TSD will provide the Board with a summary of feedback, and they will determine any future changes.
To date, the committee has reviewed and discussed several options. The group last met on Monday, December 9, to finalize a few potential options for the Board to consider. The committee recommendation will be taken to the Board of Education in January to begin Phase Two. TSD will continue to provide our community with regular updates regarding the attendance area review.
Families,
You are welcome to attend the Winter Wonderland with your students at the times listed above. This is an outdoor only event. Please be sure you and your students are dressed for the weather. There will be singing & dancing (nothing formal), hot cocoa for the students and possibly some reindeer visitors (shhh...this is a secret, we don't want to disappoint the students in case our 4 legged friends can't make it.)
This event is for students, staff and parents. We love dogs, but they are not invited. Thank you for understanding!
Thank you in advance to all of our volunteers, party planners and room parents for coordinating the parties on December 20th!
Staffing Update...
I am reaching out to share the news that I will be moving into a new role as the Baker Middle School Vocal Music Teacher beginning January 6th. It is a new adventure and while I am looking forward to it, I am already missing all of my bright Costello students. The past years teaching your children have been filled with so many wonderful memories and sweet musical moments. I am so grateful to you for supporting your child learning music. It has been a privilege to witness them light up with joy in discovering what they can do musically.
The Costello community is such a special and caring one that I’ve been so fortunate to have been a part of. I will do all I can to help ease the transition and support your child. I plan to continue our afterschool 3rd, 4th and 5th Grade Choir Club on Mondays at 4:10pm in the Costello music room. Our next session begins January 27th at this link: https://troy.ce.eleyo.com/course/902/2024-2025/costello-choir-club%E2%80%941. I’d love to continue singing with your child!
Wishing your family a wonderful winter break together!
With much warmth and gratitude,
Mrs. Pyzik 🎶 🎶 🎵
2025 After School Offerings
Have Your Child Join the Spirit Days This Week...
Happy Holidays from the BEST team around!
December 6, 2024
This Week's Cardinal Power Winners...
We are so proud of you! Keep working hard and showing your Cardinal Traits!
Reflections...
A few highlights from a terrific week...
- Students enjoying the first December snowfall
- Teachers are celebrating students' hard work and progress on reading assessments. This progress highlights perseverance and growth. Moving up multiple levels takes focus and consistency.
- Kindergarten partnerships; students sharing their writing with one another, they are so proud to tell their stories.
- 5th graders asking, what they can do to help around the school.
- I heard a fourth grader invite a classmate to give him another chance, "Can we be friends again?"
- Restorative conversations that help student learn from their mistakes, take responsibility, say sorry and move forward.
Responsibility at Home & School...
When children are given meaningful tasks, they experience a sense of accomplishment and pride that can boost their confidence and foster independence. These moments of success help them see the value of their contributions, whether at home, in the classroom, or in the community. By assigning age-appropriate responsibilities and celebrating their efforts, we can help them develop important life skills and a positive sense of self. Let's work together to encourage and inspire our kids to take ownership of their growth and achievements!
Book Fair...
Thank you to Mrs. Homrich for setting up another terrific book fair and great timing for the holidays. Shout out to all of our volunteers who helped throughout the week. This is another memorable event that the students look forward to.
All Things Winter...
The students had so much fun playing the snow this week! Thank you for sending your student well bundled so they can enjoy the cold weather.
The students enjoy the outdoor weather when they are dressed for it. Thank you for sending your students in "all things warm." We don't want students to be wet after recess, snow pants and snow boots are necessary for playing in the snow. Be sure to LABEL, LABEL, LABEL. Large waterproof bags to hold all of the gear is super helpful. Here's what the gear situation looks like. Our teachers do the best they can to help make sure all of the items make it to the correct students. We appreciate your patience.
Staff/Student Spirit Week...
Monday, December 9th
Thank you so much to the parents who volunteered to make soup for our staff on Monday! We look forward to warming up to the special treat!
Monday, December 9th HAVE YOUR CHILD DRESS like their "SOUPER" teacher!
November 26, 2024
Cardinal Nesting
This week, our students "flew" to their Cardinal Nests—this happens throughout the year at Costello. Each student is part of a consistent nest group, guided by the same nesting teacher and surrounded by the same group of peers throughout their time at our school. Nesting creates opportunities to build strong, lasting relationships with students across all grades, K-5, while exploring and living out the Cardinal Traits of perseverance, respect, integrity, and responsibility.
Nesting also aligns with TSD’s Red Pillar focus on well-being, fostering an inclusive and supportive community. This week’s lesson highlighted how we can use our Cardinal Traits to include and support others who learn differently. Students explored the importance of kindness and respect, understanding that people who learn, communicate, or experience the world differently have feelings just like everyone else. By practicing empathy and inclusion, we continue to build a school culture where everyone feels valued, and respected.
Book Study...
Thanksgiving Thanks...
Thank you for taking the time to show gratitude to our incredible Costello team, so many of you participated. The staff was very appreciative of your kind words. Below is a special message for our arrival volunteer, Mr. Nickerson from the Hariharasudhan Family.
As we start Thanksgiving break, I am filled with gratitude for the incredible support within our Costello community. Our partnership is so important, as educators and parents we are working to raise independent, confident and kind students who make positive contributions to our world.
I hope this break gives you a chance to step away from screens and embrace meaningful moments with your family. Spend time outdoors, bake and cook together, work on a project, share stories, engage in conversations, and simply play as a family.
Wishing you a joyful and restful Thanksgiving filled with quality time and special memories.