Keller Connections
Family Update - October 29
Principal's Note
Dear Keller Families,
What a fun-filled, busy two weeks at Keller!
We came together as a school around the theme, "Be a World Changer" and talked in our classrooms about ways we can work together to solve a problem when we identify a need. This theme was supported through our Boosterthon Challenge. Students enjoyed coming together for a fun indoor glow run event. Thank you to the members of our PCC for organizing such a fun event, ASMS for sharing their gym with us, and the many volunteers who joined us for the event! Also, a very sincere thank you to our Keller families and friends who pledged and supported our school. Your support helps us to offer both in-school presentations and out-of-school field trips for our students in Grades K-5.
Thank you to the PCC for a wonderful Pumpkin Stroll. It was so nice to see many of you as we admired the artwork of our families, enjoyed some fun trunk-or-treating, played with friends, and enjoyed the warm temperatures - a perfect night under a glowing moon!
As we turn the calendar to November, I want to pause and express my thanks to all of our Veterans as we honor their service and a special note of appreciation to the Veterans in our Franklin and Keller Communities.
As always, please know you can reach out at any time with questions or concerns.
Warm Regards,
Keri Busavage, Principal
Keller Connection Translations
凯勒连接翻译
Keller Connection Traduções
Tradiksyon Koneksyon Keller
Keller Connection Traducciones
Click “Translate” on the top of this update and select your preferred language.
单击此更新顶部的“翻译”,然后选择您的首选语言。
Clique em "Traduzir" na parte superior desta atualização e selecione seu idioma preferido.
Klike sou "Tradui" sou tèt aktyalizasyon sa a epi chwazi lang ou pi pito ou.
Haga clic en "Traducir" en la parte superior de esta actualización y seleccione su idioma preferido.
Telling Our Story
Grade 3 Explorations - Chorus
Math Common Planning Time
K-5 teachers explored Math Language Routines in the Illustrative Math Program. These routines invite all students to engage in growing their mathematical language and understanding.
Grade 3 Math
October Professional Development Day
ST Math
Grade 4 Math
The Pumpkin Stroll
Keller Fall Food Drive - Final Collection Day is 10/31!
Boosterthon - THANK YOU!
Thank you, thank you, Keller Families for supporting our Boosterthon fundraiser!
We met our fundraising goal for our school!!!
Soon, there will be a classroom livestream event coming to broadcast the principals' challenge. Students will be able to watch and cheer on Mrs. Busavage and Mrs. Trott as they become HUMAN SUNDAES!!!! 😊
KELLER KIDS ARE UNIQUE!
Thank you Keller Kids for sharing the ways you are unique!
Our interests and hobbies remind us that we can connect with others around the things we have in common and bring us joy!
Thank you to Nate, Gavin, TJ, Owen, Teddy, Rory, and Anna!
As a school community, we continue to grow opportunities for students to experience Keller’s Core Values of caring, inclusive, intelligent, respectful, and unique. We look forward to welcoming more Keller Kids to participate and share their interests.
If your Keller Student would like to participate, please sign up using this link. We invite Keller 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th-grade students to sign up! We will continue to add grade levels!
How it works . . .
Every Friday at 2 o’clock, students signed up for that week, will meet with principals to set up their display in the main hallway. Students will also pick up their collection from the previous week.
Each student will have half a shelf to display their items
Bring a name tag to be displayed (folded index card, piece of paper, etc.)
Bring 5-7 items to display that tell your story!
Internet Usage at Home
The technology department has received emails from parents inquiring as to ways to have more visibility in their child's internet usage.
Visit the FPS Technology Page to learn more.
SEPAC
PARENT/GUARDIAN/CAREGIVER CONFERENCES
As a reminder, both dates are an 11:45 early release for students.
If you have any questions, please email your child's classroom teacher!
Thank you, Veterans
We welcome Veterans to join our Keller Classrooms as guest readers on November 9th, from 8:30 - 9:00 if available.
Another way we look to honor the Veterans in our Keller Families and their stories of service is by creating a photo collection to display during our morning announcements.
Please complete this Google Form if you are interested in either being a Veteran guest reader, sharing a photograph, or both.
If you are interested in joining your Keller Kid's class as a guest reader, this information will be shared with your child's classroom teacher and they will reach out with more information.
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out.
CANDY DONATIONS
Unified Arts - 6 Day Schedule
In addition, here is the full SY 23-24 Franklin Public Schools, 6-Day Elementary Calendar linked here. In the event of a school closing, the cycle days remain as identified on the calendar.
Keller Parent Communication Council
Please click here for the October 23rd PCC Newsletter!
As always, if you have any questions please reach out to us at: helenkellerpcc@gmail.com
~ Hayley Doucette, President
~ Lianne Chelman, Vice President
~Thea Charles, Treasurer
~ Ali McDonald, Corresponding Secretary
~ Jennifer Micalone, Recording Secretary
~ Ally Bowser, FACE Coordinator
Lunch Volunteers!
Thank you to our lunch volunteers for giving your time and assisting in the cafeteria!
If you are interested and would like to volunteer in the lunch room please click the November link which will bring you to the Sign-Up Genius.
Lunch volunteers help students with opening food packaging/drinks, wiping tables between grade-level lunches, and sweeping floors if needed.
Please remember that a CORI Form must be completed before volunteering.
Thank you to Mrs. Doenges for assisting with the creation of sign-ups!
THE BOOK FAIR IS COMING - NOVEMBER 1-3!
Take a peek at the collection!
Dear Keller Families,
Helen Keller will host its fall book fair from November 1-3. Students will visit the book fair with their class during the school day. Please see the class schedule above.
For students shopping at the fair, please place any cash or checks in an envelope or baggie marked “Book Fair.” Students may put books on hold overnight. When placing books on hold, a slip will be sent home with titles and prices. It is at your discretion whether or not you wish to purchase any or all of the titles listed. Students may bring money to school the next day to purchase books after the morning announcements.
Another option for payment is Scholastic’s e-Wallet. Instead of sending money to school with students, you can set up an electronic e-Wallet account with a dollar amount to spend. Funds are held in your e-Wallet until a purchase is made at the book fair. Your credit card will be charged the full amount placed on the card.
To set up an e-Wallet:
Go to the Keller Book Fair Homepage https://bookfairs.scholastic.com/bf/helenkellerelementary
Create an e-wallet. (If you have a remaining balance from a previous fair, you will see an option “Fund with an eGift Card Balance.” Select this option to transfer your remaining funds.)
There will be an option to add money if you would like to do so.
During the fair we will be supporting “All for Books.” This collaborative effort brings our community together to support students and reading and illustrates how a small contribution can make a big difference. When paying, totals will round up to the nearest dollar and the “change” will be put towards purchasing books for Keller Kids and classrooms, and Scholastic Book Fairs, through the Scholastic Possible Fund, will match the donations we collect with a donation of up to $1 million in books to literacy non-profits like the Kids In Need Foundation, which distributes educational resources to children in underserved communities across the country.
Wednesday, November 1st families are welcome to come shop at the book fair after-school from 3:10-4:30pm. If attending the fair, please park in an available spot or in the lower parking lot and enter using the Annie Sullivan entrance.
Thank you for your support!
Please make checks payable to KELLER PCC and remember to add 6.25% sales tax!
CONNECTING WITH FAMILIES
As a school, we are committed to ensuring our students and families’ needs are met. In the coming months, we particularly want our students to be happy and well cared for. For a variety of reasons, families may experience difficulty, but we’re here to help.
If you could benefit from support with holiday gift giving, outdoor clothing, food, or other, please connect with us via email. Please know all communications and support will be done confidentially.
Mrs. Busavage, Principal busavagk@franklinps.net
Mrs. Trott, Assistant Principal trotte@franklinps.net
Mrs. Ballinger, School Adjustment Counselor ballingerr@franklinps.net
Mrs. Ladd, Speech and Language Pathologist laddl@franklinps.net
Health Office - Nurse's Update
Contagious Diseases: Please notify the school nurses if your child is diagnosed with a contagious illness so notification letters can be sent to classroom parents/guardians/caregivers if necessary, such as for strep throat, conjunctivitis, and hand, foot, and mouth disease. School policy states that students may return to school 24 hours after starting antibiotics, when they are fever-free for 24 hours without the use of medication, or 24 hours after vomiting/ diarrhea has resolved. With the upcoming cold weather months, please monitor your child for symptoms of illness as we approach cold and flu season and keep them home if they have a temperature of 100 or greater. Additionally, we are still seeing cases of Covid. Students should remain out of school through day 5 and may return on day 6 if fever-free and symptoms are improving, masking through day 10 unless they test negative after day 5. Here is a link to free at-home Covid tests: www.covid.gov/tests.
Screenings: Vision, hearing, height, and weight screenings have begun for elementary students according to MDPH guidelines. If your child does not pass the vision or hearing screening, you will receive a referral notification.
As always, please reach out to the school nurses with any questions or concerns.
CORI Forms
Many have stopped by the office to complete their CORI form paperwork - thank you!
CORI forms need to be completed annually and prior to volunteering in the building or chaperoning a field trip. If you are chaperoning an upcoming field trip, please be sure to stop by the Keller Office to complete a form.
Completing a CORI form can be done at any time. Just bring this completed form to the Keller Office, or fill one out when you arrive. Also, please have with you one form of photo identification.
Lunch Menu
The elementary lunch menus are linked here. Students do not need to pre-order lunches but should be aware if they are getting breakfast and/or lunch at school, or if they are bringing lunch from home.
Students should come to school with a snack and water bottle.
Weekend Backpack Program
Franklin Public Schools has partnered with the Franklin Food Pantry to provide food to students who might benefit from this support. Together, we will gather, package, and provide bags of food for students during the school year to take home over the weekend. Students who participate in this program are kept confidential to appropriate school personnel. Names are not shared with food pantry personnel. Packaged food is sent home on Fridays throughout the year. This is a free program for all participating families. The backpacks will contain a variety of child-friendly foods. Some examples are snacks, canned fruits, and macaroni and cheese. Backpacks will be distributed to students in a discreet and caring manner.
If you are interested in receiving the Backpack or have questions about the program, please call the Keller Health Office, at (508) 553 -0322, Ext. 3609 or 3421. You may also print and sign this letter and return it to the School Nurse.
Upcoming Dates! and MORE to Come!
October
- 30 - 31 Final Days for Keller Food Drive
November
1-3 Scholastic Book Fair
1 - Book Fair - Family Shopping, 3:10 - 4:30 PM (Enter via Annie Sullivan)
7 - Full Professional Development Day - No School
9 - Early Release Day - Dismissal @ 11:45 AM - Professional Development Half Day
9 - The Chateau - Dining Out Event
10 - Veterans' Day - No School
- 15 - Early Release @ 11:45 AM - Conferences
- 16 - Early Release @ 11:45 AM - Conferences
- 16 - Keller PCC Meeting @ 7:30 PM, Zoom Link
- 17 - Grade 3 Field Trip to Plimoth Patuxet Museums
- 22 - 24 - Thanksgiving Break - No School
- 5 - Trimester 1 Ends
- 9 - Kids Night Out - Downtown Sports
- 14 - Report Cards Distributed
- 22 - Early Release Day - Dismissal @ 11:45 AM - Professional Development Half Day
- December 25 - January 1 No School - Winter Break
Go Hawk News!
You will find archived Keller Connections and related school information.
Contact Information
Ellen Trott, Assistant Principal - trotte@franklinps.net
Kathy Dacey, Secretary - daceyk@franklinps.net
Website: https://www.franklinps.net/helenkeller
Location: 500 Lincoln Street, Franklin, MA, USA
Phone: 508-553-0322