Keystone Newsletter #16
Dear Keystone Families,
I hope everyone is having a wonderful December thus far. December seems to be zooming by! It is hard to believe that we only have 5 school days left of this calendar year and that the new year is right around the corner!
This week our teachers are finishing up the first trimester parent/teacher conferences. There will be a 1:15pm dismissal on Monday and Tuesday, due to conferences and a 1:15pm dismissal on Friday due to winter break.
This week will be full of fun filled holiday dress up days. Please make sure to view the poster below for a list of the different themed days. In addition, candy cane sales will take place all week. Also, our wonderful students who participate in chorus and band, will be participating in the winter concert, this Wednesday, December 20th starting at 7:00pm.
Due to winter break, the next weekly newsletter will be sent out sometime during the week of December 31st.
Have a wonderful winter break, a happy holiday, and a Happy New Year!
Respectfully,
Mrs. Smith-Herman
Happy Holidays!
Important Dates to Remember
✏️Every Tuesday✏️
Smencil Sales ($1.25 each)
🥨Every Thursday🥨
Pre-Order Pretzels
👕Every Friday👕
Wear Paw Shirts
🍎Elementary Conferences- (1:15 dismissal for students)✏️
December 18th-19th
🍬Candy Cane Sales🍭
December 18th-22nd
50 cents each
🎺Truman Band Plays at Keystone🎻
December 20th- During Morning Arrival until 10am
🎵Winter Concert🎵
December 20th at 7:00pm
PTO Meeting
December 21st, at 4:30pm
4:30pm- In school library
Pajama Day
December 22nd
$1 to participate
Early Dismissal- 1:15pm
December 22nd
❄️Winter Break⛄
December 23rd- January 1st
No School- Offices Closed
Martin Luther King Day
January 15th
No School- Offices Closed
Professional Development in PM- 1:15pm Dismissal for Students
January 24th
Progress Reports- K-5
📝January 29th✏️
Looking Ahead
PSSA Testing at Keystone Elementary School
ELA- April 22nd, 24th, and 26th- Grades 3, 4, 5
Math- April 30th and May 1st- Grades 3, 4, 5
Science- May 2nd and May 3rd- Grade 4 Only
👕Field Day⚽
Thursday, June 6th- AM- K/1
Thursday, June 6th- PM- 2/3
Friday, June 7th- AM- 4/5
Rain Dates: June 10th and/or 11th
Celebrate the Holidays at Keystone- For Staff and Students
SWPBIS Raffle Basket Fundraiser
Keystone Staff Member Spotlight
Madison Ehrgott
Position: Kindergarten Teacher
Years at Bristol Township School District: 2
Strengths:
Creative, Caring, Thoughtful, passionate, team player, involved (Book Fair Chair, Union Rep, and worked Truman Football games).
Favorite School Memory: My favorite school memory in the fall is Polar Express Day in my classroom. Each student gets a hand panted box that was recycled for our math manipulatives. There is a box car number and four wheels for each student. They get to sit with snacks, juice, take their shoes off and have a magical day before Winter Break. I also constructed an interactive Train for them to play in.
Pets: beta fish as class pets and in the process of getting a dog
Hobbies: kickboxing, swimming, traveling, following fashion trends, learning new languages.
Favorite Color(s): Blue
Favorite Snack: Cookies
Favorite Sports' Team: EAGLES
Fun Facts:
1. I am going back to school for my Masters in English as a Second Language.
2. I taught in Umbria Italy and Salzburg Austria.
3. I like dogs.
4. I am very competitive.
Nurses' Corner
Lost and Found
Please see below of all the items that have been collected in our Lost and Found. If anything looks familiar please ask you child to visit the lost and found box to collect them, prior to leaving for winter break. Your support is much appreciated! Thanks!
Holiday Stories/Songs
Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program
Fresh fruits an vegetables are sampled at school on Tuesdays, Wednesday, and Fridays.
The students in grades K-5 had the opportunity to sample red cabbage, pink grapefruit, and white carrots this week!
Many thanks and gratitude to the students and staff in room A208 and A112 for continuing to providing the delivery of the fresh fruits and vegetables to the classrooms at Keystone Elementary School. You are all doing a fantastic job and we are very appreciative! Thanks!
December Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Calendar
Social Emotional Learning Tip of the Week
Holiday Season | Parenting Tips & Advice
Winter Craft Idea
Reading Corner
23-24 Weather Emergency Information
Link to Elementary Remote Learning Overview: (Click here)
For additional information please visit https://www.bristoltwpsd.org/cms/one.aspx?portalId=377235&pageId=51110003
Dismissal Plans
In order to maintain the safety of all our learners, we are asking that families alert teachers, in writing, for any transportation/dismissal plan changes prior to 9am each morning.
We do understand that emergencies may arise throughout the day that requires a change to a child's dismissal plan for that particular day. For those situations, please make sure you are alerting the office staff as soon as possible, so they can communicate the change to the teachers as soon as possible.
We thank you for your support in helping us ensure the safety and wellbeing of each of our learners.
Snack and Birthday Celebration Policy
To ensure the safety and well being of our students, as per the District Wellness Policy, no outside foods may be brought in by students for classroom parties or birthday celebrations. Shared snacks are not permitted in district schools.
If you would like to send something in to celebrate your child's birthday or for a classroom party, you may send in non food items such as stickers, pencils, play dough etc.
MTSS: Information for Parents
What is MTSS?
A Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) integrates all students. It is a process that provides high-quality, research-based instruction targeted to learner needs. Needs are identified by monitoring students’ progress. Adjustments to instruction and interventions are based on students’ performance and rate of success. MTSS promotes a well integrated system, connecting general, gifted, and special education with intervention and enrichment services. MTSS provides high-quality, standards-based instruction and intervention that is matched to students’ academic, social and behavioral needs.
Key Principles of MTSS
•Early intervention
•Multi-tiered model of service delivery that provides a continuum of support
•Instruction matched learners’ needs
•Progress monitoring data collected regularly to ensure effectiveness of instruction
•Research-based interventions and instruction
•Interventions implemented consistently and correctly
•Parent involvement is encouraged throughout the child’s educational journey
Potential Benefits of MTSS
•Improved education for ALL students
•Provides at-risk students with support earlier rather than later
•Progress monitoring data yields relevant, easily understood information
•Facilitates collaboration among educators, families and community-members
Understanding Wit and Wisdom Assessments
Title 1 Teachers
Mrs. Stacy Cooke
stacy.cooke@bristoltwpsd.org
Mrs. Aimee Ramos
aimee.ramos@bristoltwpsd.org
What is Title I?
Title I is a project funded by the federal government under the Every Child Succeeds Act. The purpose of this Act is to provide all children with fair and equitable opportunity to succeed and close achievement gaps. Money is allocated by the federal government and distributed by the Pennsylvania Department of Education to the Bristol Township School. District.
Title I funding is based on a complex formula. These funds are allocated to the states who in turn allocate a portion of that money to the individual school districts within each state. The school district’s share is based on the economic need within a school area, that is, by the number of low income families living there. In our district the number of free and reduced lunch students is used to determine the economic need of a particular school.
Helpful Links and Resources
Report Form for Complaints of Harassment/Bullying/Cyber-Bullying
Mr. Pierce- Anti-Bullying Climate Specialist
Email: steve.pierce@bristoltwpsd.org.
Breakfast and Lunch Menus- December
Breakfast and Lunch Menus- January
We encourage each student and staff member to wear their Keystone Paw Shirts every Friday.
Support Keystone's SWPBIS program by purchasing a soft pretzel. Each soft pretzel will cost $1 each. Students will be asked to preorder their pretzel each Thursday, for a pretzel delivery to take place on Fridays.
Office Staff
School Principal: Mr. Mark Wilicki
Email: mark.wilicki@bristoltwpsd.org
Assistant Principal: Crystal Smith-Herman
Email: crystal.smith-herman@bristoltwpsd.org
Special Education Supervisor: Jessica Kelch
Email: jessica.kelch@bristoltwpsd.org
Principal's Secretary: Mrs. Marianne Mensinger
Email: marianne.mensinger@bristoltwpsd.org
Assistant Principal's Secretary: Mrs. Donna Meehan
Email: donna.meehan@bristoltwpsd.org
School phone: 267-599-2470
School fax: 215-788-1041