A Message from Dr. A.
October 20, 2023
Dear Dragon Families,
Thank you to all of our families who took time to nominate our Keith Teacher of the Year. If you do decide to turn in an application on Monday morning, I will be able to accept it, so please consider supporting our Keith teachers who give so much to our children every day.
I have had the pleasure of observing several classrooms this week, and watching your children learn and understand new concepts has been wonderful to see. I love talking with our students about their math and reading lessons during lunch or recess too, and it is awesome to listen to our kids teach me about what they are learning. While I know engaging your children in a conversation about their new understandings can be challenging at the end of a long day, please keep talking with your kids about the new concepts they are learning. I know with my own children this sometimes took multiple prompts and questions, but eventually they start engaging in fun dialogue and can build their confidence with you. Please know how much we appreciate your partnership.
Please be sure to read this week’s Dragon’s Tale Newsletter with important information about upcoming events including our Half-Day on October 31, 2023. Our annual Halloween Parade will be at 11:00am. Please note the half-day dismissal times are as follows: 12:25pm Dragon Pick Up, 12:30pm Walkers, and 12:42pm Buses depart Keith.
Enjoy the weekend ahead with your amazing children and Go Green! (As an MSU alumni and parent of a current MSU student, I hope our U of M families understand.)
Warm regards,
Marci Augenstein, Principal
Keith Teacher of the Year Nomination Request
Walled Lake Consolidated Schools takes great pride in honoring exemplary educators within our district. Help us recognized someone that has made an impact on your family by nominating that person for 2023-24 Teacher of the Year! All nominations must be completed by October 20, 2023.
Keith Purpose and Beliefs
The Keith Elementary School Community will collaboratively inspire and empower all – academically, socially, and emotionally.
We are a dragon family united with a common purpose.
Dragons believe…
…in welcoming and trusting one another;
…in learning beyond the school day and for the future;
…in empowering every member of our community to be helpful, respectful, and kind;
…learning is engaging, purposeful, and fun.
October Events at Keith
October 2023
Oct. 4 - Count Day
Oct. 6 - Fun Run - See Details Below
Oct. 9 - 5th Grade Intro to Instruments 12:50pm
Oct. 10 - PTA Meeting 6:30pm - Learning Commons
Oct. 13 - Keith Fall Fest - 5-7pm
Oct. 20 - Picture Re-Take Day
Oct. 31 - Halloween Parade 11:00am, Classroom Celebration to Follow, Half Day
10/31/23 - Halloween Parade
For our upcoming Halloween parade, ALL Dragon families are invited to attend the parade outside of Keith. We will begin the parade at 11:00am. Families are invited to start lining up on the playground blacktop at 10:45am.
Should teachers have a need for you to assist with classroom party supplies or decorations, they will reach out to you directly.
Keith Student Council Fundraiser - Operation Snowpile
The Student Council is participating in a fundraiser for Children’s Hospital in Detroit called Operation Snowpile. We will be collecting money so Student Council can purchase gifts for children who have to be in the hospital during the holiday season.
You can put your cash donations in the collection canister in your classroom.
We will also be having a Spirit Days to raise funds and awareness of the program for our students.
Friday, October 27th - Students may bring in a stuffy to school for $1.00
The week of Nov. 27th - Spirit Week (details to come) will cost $1.00
Friday, December 1st - Hat Day $1.00
The class that raises the most money will have a pizza day or bagel breakfast (the winning class can decide) and if we hit our school-wide goal of $2500 we will have a whole school pajama day as a reward as well.
More details to come! Thank you for teaching your children how they might help other kids in need!
WLN Forensics Team Fundraiser - Holiday Mini Photo Sessions
Get ready for some festive fun! Strike a pose and catch your holiday spirit! The WLN Forensics team is happy to offer Holiday mini-photo sessions!
When: Nov. 4, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Where: Walled Lake Northern High School
What: Mini photo sessions, 30 minutes each
Cost: $50.00 Payment due at appointment time. Cash or Check made payable to Walled Lake Schools.
Sign Up: https://bit.ly/WLN-HolidayPhotos
What you receive: 4-5 digital photos from your session. Additional digital photos from your session are available for purchase through the photographer. Please indicate at sign-up if you would like photos with Santa.
2023-2024 REFLECTIONS CALL FOR ENTRIES!
Explore the arts and yourself with the annual PTA Reflections contest. This year's theme is: I AM HOPEFUL BECAUSE ...
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
DEADLINE:
Submissions must be sent digitally and are accepted until November 14, 2023.
ENTRY FORM:
Submit contest entries using this link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfVHWaTHuBIZmN5r3e30d9-CCG89-LP07BBcATS20AdguIqrg/viewform
A letter will be sent home with students next week with more information. Updates will be posted on the Keith Elementary PTA Facebook page so be sure to follow us!
Please email kmeisnitzer@gmail.com with questions. Thanks for your support and be sure to print/enjoy the free coloring pages below.
Keith Music Appreciation Club
Are you curious about Classical / Pops / Jazz music or just enjoy listening to music? Do you like going to concerts? Then come join the Music Appreciation Club. We will be learning more about the music, the performances, the artists and attend concerts with:
Yuja Wang, Vanessa Williams, The Music of Pink Floyd, Disney & Broadway Favorites, Tchaikovsky, Beethoven, Mozart, Mendelssohn, Vivaldi, Dvořák and many more!
Cost: $25 per student membership unlocks one free ticket to almost every Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) 2023-2024 concert series, and up to two companion tickets (bring your parents/sibling/friend) for $5 each, access to the best seats, access to DSO Replay and online Live streaming performances.
See attached flyer, Music Appreciation Club Details Document and link to Google form for registration.
https://forms.gle/3eAmCFB4Vf9FCP626
For more information please contact Monique Levu: monique.levu@gmail.com
Keith Green Team
Dear Keith Parents / Students,
Do you know that October is a great time for Halloween celebrations, but is also when we celebrate the World Migratory Bird Day. This is an important time when birds are traveling south to warmer places.
They face many dangers during their travels. Here are some things to think about:
1. Would keeping your cat indoors, putting decals on clear windows, eliminating pesticides from your yard, sparing a small part of your lawn to create a habitat help, turning bright outdoor lights off when not needed make a difference ?
2. What could fake spiderwebs, decorations with loops, dangling decorations, that look like food do to wildlife ? What happens when glitter coated pumpkins are spotted by a hungry critter ? What happens if we toss a candy wrapper that has sticky sugar ?
3. Would more time outdoors enjoying nature make a positive difference in your life ?
When you join a bird conservation group such as the Keith Green Team Bird club you get a chance to express your opinion and learn more about birds and support important conservation work. There is no cost, just a little bit of your time will go a long way make a big positive difference to the world, and to help improve your academic skills, grades and health.
Students: Keith google classroom xy5is22
Parents: Fill out form at https://forms.gle/7VwcRc45MXUU3M3R9
What Keith Green Team is doing this month: Collecting candy wrappers, setting up a “most earth friendly costume” contest, giving out flower seeds, tree seedlings to homes, giving out free national park passes to 4th graders, building bird houses, setting up a bird observatory at school and much more ! We need both parent and student leads to help!
Upcoming green team member events:
10/16: 3:40 pm - 3:50 pm : Green Team stars recognition by Dr. A
10/17 (Sat): Oakland Audubon lead field trip to watch migrating birds at St.Clair metro park. Contact kad8186@msn.com to register.
10/23: Green team LEADER meeting: Come to the office at dismissal.
10/21: 10:30 am: Setting up bird houses at tollgate farm. email steam4hc@gmail.com for details.
Questions ? Email steam4hc@gmail.com
Scripps Spelling Bee
The Bee is back. Build the Buzz!
You may have already heard about this from your students, their teachers, or the PTA, but we want to confirm it: The Spelling Bee has returned to Keith. This will be an exciting opportunity to give all of our students the opportunity to expand their English language skills. This will help them with their reading and writing, which have a direct impact on every other academic subject area.
In order to avoid overwhelming you with information, this newsletter article will focus on one thing: the learning resources available to each student and their families.
Each of the grade levels from 1st to 5th have their own list of 50 words with definitions. These lists serve as the starting point for the eventual classroom-level and all-school competitions. There is also an all-school list of 450 words and definitions. You, as Keith families, can help your students by:
· Asking to see their grade-level list of words and definitions;
· Using those words in your conversations with your students; and
· Checking out the “Word-of-the-Day” format, which is a convenient way to gradually learn the words and definitions over the coming three months.
Convenient links to those resources can be found below.
Future Dragon’s Tale Newsletter articles will include information about the timing of the competitions at Keith, the availability of additional resources (including an app for your phone), and the opportunity to join the small team of volunteers working to make this a reality.
For more information or assistance, please contact Cory Lupinacci at CoryLupinacci@wlcsd.org or (248)956-3700.
National School Bus Awareness Month
October is national school bus awareness month, and this next week is national School Bus Safety week!
Do you know the rules of the road when it comes to school busses?
Please take a moment to view this 30 second video for a refresher.
ALICE Safety Drills at Keith
Dear Dragon Families,
Since the 2019-2020 school year, we have shared information about district-wide efforts to improve our emergency responses. At the start of the 2022-2023 school year, our district adopted ALICE, a research-based training program to ensure schools are prepared to respond to potential intruder events. ALICE is about empowering individuals and providing options or strategies beyond the traditional lockdown methods.
This week, all K-5 classrooms will read the book, “I’m not scared, I’m prepared,” by Julia Cook, as we have done in previous years. In the book by Julia Cook, comparisons to stranger danger, and additional resources linked below may be helpful for families that discuss the drills at home with their children.
In October and November, students at Keith Elementary will learn about ALICE principles in relation to our school building. In these lessons, all classrooms will review ALICE principles in an age appropriate manner. Teachers will use similar language and will utilize the same materials to ensure consistent implementation. Please see the chart below for what each drill will entail:
Week of 10/16
Review of ALICE acronym
Discuss what a teacher might do to barricade a door
Discuss the on-site rally point outside
Visit the on-site rally point outside
Review of ALICE acronym
Practice situational awareness through designed activities
Discuss options to evacuate the classroom
Practice evacuating through the doorway of the classroom
Week of 10/23
Review ALICE principles
Review on-site rally point
Learn about exit options all around the school
Review ALICE principles
Practice barricading the classroom door
Week of 11/13
The entire school will participate in a drill, at the same date and time, in which each class will choose an option based on their location in the building. The scenario presented will NOT include a specific threat, but rather read, “if there was something dangerous happening in the (a specific location in the school.)”
Although possible in a real emergency, at no time during the drill will any student(s) evacuate through a window, nor will they travel off of school property.
We will NOT simulate gunfire or other violent situations. We will engage in age-appropriate discussions and practice to prepare students. Lesson teaching points that may assist families with at-home discussions include:
We practice so we know what to do in an emergency. We’re not scared, we’re prepared!
Our job is to keep you safe. Your job is to listen and follow the adults’ directions.
Evacuation means to leave the building. Your teacher or a trusted adult may tell you to leave the building and go to a safe place.
If an adult tells you to leave the building. Listen, quickly go to a safe place, and then wait for helpers (police officers, firefighters, trusted adults, etc.)
Student safety continues to be our first priority. Additional safety drills will take place later in the school year. We will continue to collaborate with local law enforcement and families to ensure a safe learning environment for our children.
In partnership,
Marci Augenstein, Principal
Keith Elementary School
Helpful Links:
Talking to your Child about Safety - K-2
Talking to your Child about Safety - 3-5
Talking to Children about Violence - Tips for Parents and Teachers
LAYA - Adopt-A-Child Application
If your family has any needs for the approaching holiday season, please take advantage of our LAYA program, Adopt-A-Child.
LAYA’s fillable Holiday “Adopt-a-Child” application is available online at :https://www.wlcsd.org/community/lakes-area-youth-assistance.
The deadline to apply is Friday, November 3, 2023
2023-2024 Keith Elementary Student Directory
If you would like for your information to be shared with the Keith community, please complete one form per child. Anything submitted will be published to all Keith families, shared in the link below. You may choose to complete this form or not. The purpose is for our families to stay connected with one another. This list is for Keith Elementary School use only and may not be distributed.
A Note from the Keith Kitchen
What to watch for:
Thurs, Oct 26th ~ Pizza Day ~ $1.75 / extra slice, $1.00 chips
Fri, Oct 27th ~ Tubby's Sub & Ice Cream Day ~ $1.00 ice cream cups
The breakfasts & lunches are free this year for all students. For snacks, parents can add funds to student accounts via Skyward, or cash / check brought to the kitchen.
Kroger Rewards - $$$ For Keith!
Transportation Updates
For additional information regarding our Transportation Department, please visit our website!
- Bus transportation will be provided on the first day of school for those students who are eligible for bus transportation throughout the regular school year.
- Transportation postcards will not be sent. Bus routes will be posted on the district website and in Skyward Family Access after 8:00 am on August 18, 2023.
- Bus drivers will be contacting Kindergarten families by August 20th (drop off times for students attending in the AM and pick up times for the PM students will be provided in that call.)
- If your child is eligible for bus transportation, it is recommended that they start this routine on the first day of school. Parents are welcome to follow the bus to school to see your child off to their first day of school, but it is highly recommended that they ride the bus to and from school this first day if they will be riding daily during the school year.
Lunch and Food Service Information
Our hot lunch program begins on Monday, August 28th for students in grades K-5. Please see below for additional details.
During the 2023-24 school year, all Michigan public school students in grades Pre-K through 12 will have access to free breakfast and free lunch every day through the "Healthy School Meals for All" program. This includes a meat/meat alternative, grain, fruit/vegetable and milk. A la carte items will be available for purchase.
Families are still encouraged to complete the free/reduced meal form in Skyward help secure additional funding for the District including Title I funding. By completing the form, eligible families may also receive access to other free and reduced programs within the District including SAT testing, pay to participate, and more.
You can always visit Walled Lake's Food Service Website for information by clicking HERE.
Keith Elementary School
Diana Tyrrell - Principal's Secretary
Alice Johnson - Building Secretary
Marci Augenstein, Ph.D. - Principal, Keith Elementary
Email: DianaTyrrell@wlcsd.org
Website: https://keith.wlcsd.org/
Location: 2800 Keith Road, West Bloomfield Township, MI, United States
Phone: (248)956-3700
Twitter: @KeithElementary