Key Elementary

Family, based on our fall IREADY test (see video below for more information), our children are underachieving. I do not use "low achieving" because I believe that our children are capable and are not showing their highest potential.

In reading, 91% of our children are 1 or more grade levels behind, 53% of them are 2 or more grade levels behind, and 19% (almost 100) of our children are 3 or more grade levels behind. Let me be clear: THIS IS A STATE OF EMERGENCY. (Our data is below.)

This past Tuesday, our staff talked about our data and what it meant for teaching and learning at Key Elementary. Our school-wide focus is on Literacy Essential #4 (Phonological Awareness) in Grades K-2. This means making sure that students understand the sounds that letters make. In Grades 3-5, we are focused on Literacy Essential #5 (Phonics-Letter/Sound Relationships). This means making sure that students understand BOTH the sound AND letter/print form of the sound (ex. "a", "ou", or "ch").

On Friday, I went over our student data and action steps during our Parent Coffee. Thank you to the handful of parents who joined the meeting. We need more of you to engage with us. Provided below are the things we are asking parents to do at home to make sure that our children can read.

Will be in Parent Portal on Tuesday, November 9th.

Click here to get directions on how to access your Parent Portal where your child's report card will go live by end of day on Tuesday.

Please call the main office or email zanetta.mccatty@opsk12.org (Ms. Z in our office) for support.

Grades 3-5 -- Please talk to your children about respecting our schoolhouse, especially our bathrooms. Children are writing inappropriate words on our stalls and walls and deliberately tearing up big pieces of trash to leave it on the floor and in toilets. I expect a safe and orderly school for all of our children. Any child found doing these things will receive appropriate consequences.

• It's getting colder outside. Make sure students are dressed warmly. Doors do not open until 8:05am.
• Students are accumulating too many absences and tardies. This is not helping our children. We can only do our job if children are at school, on time, every day.
  

• We have 571 students in PreK-5th Grade.
• We have 1 principal, 1 Instructional Coach for teachers, 1 Literacy Coach for teachers, and 1 Title I Student Support Teacher.
• We have the following classrooms: PreK (3), Kindergarten (4), 1st Grade (3), 2nd Grade (4), 3rd Grade (4), 4th Grade (4), 5th Grade (4), Special Education (4), English Language Learners (1), and (5) Specials -- P.E., Art, Music, Vocal Music, & Instrumental Music.

Stay informed about what is happening in our schoolhouse! Join our Key Family Remind today! Text @keyfami to 81010.

*Your child's teacher(s) may also have their own Remind for their class.

Email: shana.murphy@opsk12.org
Website: www.oakparkschools.org
Location: 23400 Jerome Street, Oak Park, MI, USA
Phone: (248) 336-7610