Dragon's Tale
1/18/19
Upcoming Events!
January 21
No School on Jan. 21
(Details below)
January 23
Order your dinner from our local Hungry Howie's and a portion of the proceeds will benefit Keith Elementary School!
January 25
(Details Below)
Save the Date!
Additional information can be found on the WLCSD website: Preschool Programs
The WLCSD preschool open house sessions will be held at the following locations:
- Dublin Elementary
- Glengary Elementary
- Guest Elementary
- Pleasant Lake Elementary
- Twin Sun
- Wixom Elementary
Kids Heart Challenge (Formerly Known as Jump Rope for Heart)
Tuesday, February 12, 2019
6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
C.H. Smart Middle School Gymnasium
Dear Parents and Students,
Good physical fitness is important to everyone. Through physical education classes, your child is learning the importance of daily physical activity and the importance of cardiovascular fitness.
In conjunction with the American Heart Association, we will be promoting physical fitness through the Jump Rope for Heart Program. This is a two-hour event for grades K-5 conducted in the C.H. Smart Middle School from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 12. To ensure safety, participants will work together in teams taking turns using one rope. Participants secure donations by asking sponsors such as: friends, family, neighbors (you know) and parental colleagues. Donations may be accepted online or in the form checks. When turning the donations into the school, please convert cash donations to checks written to “American Heart Association”.
Through the Kids Heart Challenge event, participants will have the opportunity to demonstrate the effectiveness of jumping rope as a cardiovascular fitness exercise to keep hearts healthy. They will also have the chance to educate the public on the benefits of jumping rope when asking for donations. In addition, their participation will help keep all hearts healthy since donations benefit research, education and community service programs of the American Heart Association. Students win AHA prizes based on collected donations. Local merchants have donated door prizes.
Sincerely,
Bob Marijanovich
JRFH School Coordinator/Physical Education Teacher
KIDS HEART CHALLENGE POSTER CONTEST
Students in grades K-5 may design one poster that promotes the Keith “Kids Heart Challenge”. All posters should include the following information:
What: 25th annual “Kids Heart Challenge”
When: 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. Tuesday, February 12, 2019
Where: C.H. Smart Middle School Gym
Who: Grades K-5
Why: Promote a healthy lifestyle and save lives through donations to the American Heart Association
How: Sign up by taking home an application sheet for parent permission – You can still help save lives and contribute if you can’t be there!
Other Reasons: Fun night! Prizes! Save Lives!
Turn in posters to Mr. M by Friday, January 25, 2019.
Posters no larger than a regular construction size sheet. Posters judged on content, creativity and artistic style.Top posters in each grade level win a prize! Include your name, grade and homeroom teacher
You Are Invited to the Walled Lake Schools Community-Wide Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Celebration, Monday, January 21, 2019
The 20th annual Walled Lake Schools community-wide Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Celebration is planned for Monday, January 21, 2019, from 5:00 - 7:30 p.m., at Walled Lake Northern High School. The celebration will begin with a multicultural dinner from 5:00-6:00 p.m. with food from a wide variety of ethnic restaurants. During the dinner, participants will visit student displays from each of our 19 schools, focusing on our theme, “Heroes in the Community: Women Making a Difference.” WLCSD’s Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Celebration is made possible thanks to generous donations from the PTA/PTSA groups from across our district, the Walled Lake Education Association, the Walled Lake School Administrators Association, the Walled Lake Schools Federal Credit Union, and the Meemic Insurance Company.
From 6:15 - 7:30 p.m. there will be a program in the auditorium, featuring keynote speaker, Dr. Sylvia Hollifield, an MSU program Coordinator for elementary and secondary student teachers in the Detroit area. Dr. Hollifield will speak about this year’s theme, “Heroes in the Community: Women Making a Difference.” Several student choirs will perform, students will present their “Express Yourself” projects, and the Walled Lake Schools Alec Bender Friend of Diversity Awards will be presented.
Everyone in the community is invited to the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Celebration. This program, including dinner, is free.
For more information, please contact Nayal Maktari, 248-956-2800, Dr. Patrick Cavanaugh, 248-956-2400, or Julie Amann, 248-956-4848, co-chairs of the Walled Lake Schools Diversity Committee.
Keith Announcements
Student Council Service Project for All Keith Students
Keith's Got Talent 2019! Registration Now Open to All!
Keith’s Got Talent, our annual variety show, is coming soon! Please mark your calendars for Friday, January 25th, 2019 at 6:30 pm for a night of fabulous performances by our very own students. The event will be held in Walled Lake Central’s auditorium. The price of admission will be $2.00. If your child would like to perform, please fill out the form (attached below) and return it to the main office.
Please note: Our rehearsal protocol has changed. Each act must submit a taped video of their act to Mrs. Matyus (ShannonMatyus@teachers.wlcsd.org) or Mr. Hewitt (MatthewHewitt@teachers.wlcsd.org) by January 21st 2019. Any type electronic submission will be accepted, including Google files and CD’s. Our variety acts might include singing, dancing, acting, gymnastics, comedy, instrumental music, magic, athletic abilities, and more.
All acts must be under 1 ½ minutes, making sure any music/content is age appropriate. In order to keep the show to a reasonable time frame, we strongly encourage group acts. Please turn in one form for each child, even if they are in the same act. Please note our new electronic rehearsal submission policy above.
**Any further inquiries may be sent to ShannonMatyus@wlcsd.org or MatthewHewitt@wlcsd.org**
- The “Keith’s Got Talent” Team
2019-2020 Calendar Now Available!
Please click here: 2019-20 calendar to view next year’s school calendar. Please Note:
· We will start the school year prior to Labor Day again.
· Late starts (middle school) and early release (high schools) have been eliminated.
· There are several half-days throughout the school year. As we have in the past, we will offer a reduced rate Prime Time Care service on each of these half days.
You might be wondering...Why are there so many half days?
Throughout the school year, there are eight half days that will be used for staff professional development. We recognize that half days can be inconvenient for families. That said, research has shown that when teachers receive ongoing, job-embedded professional development, they can increase student achievement by as much as 21 percentile points (Source). As a school and district, we are committed to continuous improvement and these eight half days are an essential part of that commitment. Although they may seem inconvenient, staff development opportunities are crucial to ensure we provide an exemplary education for our children.
Keith Spirit!!!
Friday’s are Spirit Day here at Keith.
Your child is encouraged to wear a Keith shirt or the color red each and every Friday. The upper elementary and lower elementary classroom with the highest number of participants will win a visit from “Sparky” our Keith Dragon for the week.
This week's winners are:
Upper Elementary Room:
Lower Elementary Room:
Second Step Announcement!
Parents, this week your children focused on the second step lesson below. Please take a moment to talk with your children about how they took time to show positive behavior at school.
Calming Down:
When you have a strong feeling, it’s had for your brain to think. After you use your stop signal and name your feeling, you’re ready to calm down! You can calm down by doing some slow deep belly breathing, counting, or using self-talk. Think for a moment about your favorite Way to Calm Down. Remember to use it this week if you need to. Calming down helps you think clearly!
Our focus for next week is listed below. We will review the following with your children when they return to school on Monday.
Managing Learning Challenges:
Using our Calming-Down Steps at Keith Elementary helps us be better learners! There are many opportunities to practice your calming-down skills at school. You may have a strong feeling when you have to wait, or when you make a mistake, or when you have trouble finishing a difficult task. These are perfect moments to practice using your stop signal, naming your feeling, and calming down. When staff and students at Keith Elementary calm down our emotions, it helps us all learn.
Speak Up: National Research Project for Digital Learning
WLCSD is participating in Speak Up, a national research project and free service to find out information about digital learning. At Keith Elementary School, we hope to use the survey tools to learn what students, educators, and parents have to say about education issues. Please know how much we appreciate your help in completing the parent survey.
· All surveys should take less than 20 min.
· Surveys are multiple choice with a few open ended questions.
· Elementary Student surveys are done as a group; students raise hands and teachers submit the data for the entire class.
· Surveys can be completed any time between now and Jan 31, 2019.
Tuition Expedition 50/50 Scholarship Raffle
Tickets may be purchased at Keith in the main office!
Chance to win BIG! Raffle benefits Walled Lake Schools!
Purchase Tuition Expedition 50/50 Scholarship Raffle tickets today!
· $50 each | 3 tickets for $100
· 1,000 tickets available
- Drawings sponsored by WL School Emp. Fed. Credit Union will be held for FREE TE raffle ticket
- The Foundation for Excellence Grant Program channels raffle's proceeds into Walled Lake Schools' classrooms!
Grand Prize: Scholarship funds for postsecondary education (40% lump sum option available)
Secondary Prize: Amazon Echo Show
Raffle details & purchase info: Visit https://tinyurl.com/TE2K19
Grand Prize Drawing: March 25, 2019 @ Walled Lake Schools' PTA Reflections Celebration (Need not be present to win)
Questions: Contact Foundation for Excellence-Walled Lake Schools: Phone 248.956.2116 or email MichelleBianco@wlcsd.org
MI Raffle License# R49794
Schools of Choice and Transfer Requests for 2019-2020
Upon our return from winter break, WLCSD will begin the application process for enrollment in the school district for the 2019-2020 school year. The internal transfer requests (for residents wishing for their child to attend a different school than their home school) and external Schools of Choice (for families living in Oakland County, but not Walled Lake) forms are below. Please feel free to share with families interested in attending schools in the WLCSD. These applications will be uploaded onto the district website in January.
For 2019-20, all schools are open for Transfer Requests, but Smart, Commerce, Dublin and Keith are closed for external Schools of Choice, due to enrollment limits under SOC.
If you know of anyone who has children wishing to attend Walled Lake Schools next year, please encourage them to apply now.
Ashton's Miracle Foundation Event
Please join the Arabo family as we celebrate the three-year anniversary of Ashton earning his angel wings. Family, friends, and community members near and far are invited to Waterford Lanes to bowl and bounce, two of Ashton's favorite things to do. $20 tickets include 2 slices of pizza and pop and your choice of either 2 games of bowling OR unlimited bouncing in the kids' room. Sweet treats, 50/50 raffle tickets, and auction baskets will also be available. Tickets will be sold at the door.
All proceeds from this event will go to Ashton's Miracle Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to spreading acts of kindness in his honor. Please visit www.ashtonsmiracle.org to learn more, donate, or nominate someone in need.
Remind App Update
We love to keep in communication with each of our Dragon families in a variety of ways. One
way some teachers communicate is through a texting service called REMIND. Keith staff members utilize this free service for classroom, school, and extra-curricular activities for
reminders, announcements and more.
It has been brought to our attention that there are some changes coming soon to the
REMIND services that may impact some families and the way they receive communications
from Keith staff. If you are a Verizon customer the changes are going to affect you
directly.
As of January 28th, 2019, REMIND will no longer be available to Verizon customers as a
text message. However, there are two ways that Verizon customers can still make sure
they maintain their communications with Keith staff using REMIND:
1. Download the free REMIND app, and enable push notifications
2. Go into your REMIND account settings and choose to receive email notifications
We understand that these options may not work well for every family, and REMIND is
working on a solution to resolve this change in communication with Verizon customers. But,
until that time we would greatly appreciate it if each Keith family, that utilizes Verizon
services follow the steps above so that we do not lose touch.
It is important to the Keith staff and our community to be able to communicate with one
another effectively and efficiently. We value your support in making this possible.
Sincerely,
The Keith Elementary Staff
Girls on the Run
The Keith Girls on the Run Spring 2019 season is quickly approaching. The goal of the program is to inspire girls to be joyful, healthy and confident using a fun, experience-based curriculum, which creatively integrates running. Please see the flyer for important registration information. To register, you may use the Keith Elementary link provided. Questions? Contact the Keith Elementary Coaches…Juliann Snavely: juliannsnavely@wlcsd.org or Barb Kneal: bbkneal@comcast.net
Please register for Girls on the Run Spring 2019 Here: Keith Elementary
Girls On The Run Is So Much Fun!
Girl Scouts at Keith Elementary
Clash for a Cause
Thank you,
WLN Hocky Boosters
Attention Current 5th Grade Students - Robotics at SMART Middle School!
The robotics team at CHS Middle School - S.M.A.R.T. FIRST Tech Challenge Team 12520, is holding a Parent & Student Information Meeting in the Media Center at Smart Middle on Tuesday, January 29 at 6:00pm for current 5th, 6th, and 7th graders interested in robotics. We will talk about FIRST, FIRST Tech Challenge, demonstrate our robot, and describe the candidate evaluation process for students interested in joining the team.
January Lunch Menu
January Breakfast Menu
Information for Incoming Kindergarten Students - Please forward to families who may need to know!
Announcements From our Keith PTA:
Next Keith PTA Meeting - Wednesday, February 6 at 7pm -Keith Media Center
2019 Earth Day Poster Contest for the MDEQ, MDNR, and MDARD
On behalf of Mr. Tom Occhipinti, I would like to cordially invite all Keith Dragon students to participate in the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ), Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) and the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD)’s 2019 Earth Day Poster Contest. For the past 13 years, we have received many wonderful submissions from students statewide for judging. Our 2018 Earth Day Poster Contest received an astonishing 3,200 entries!
We welcome submissions from students in Kindergarten through the 5th grade. Posters must fit into a 16” x 20” frame to be eligible for entry. We encourage each student to embrace their creativity and submit a poster to represent what Earth Day means to them.
Submissions are due February 15, 2019 to the following address (included on the flyer with submission slip):
Tom Occhipinti
Michigan Department of Environmental Quality
Constitution Hall
525 West Allegan Street
Lansing, MI, 48933
Teachers will be notified if their student’s poster won by March 22, 2019. Awards will be presented to students on April 24, 2019 at Constitution Hall in Lansing (map enclosed) during the Earth Day celebration event.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me by email (masboobh@michigan.gov) or phone (517-284-6887). You may also contact Mr. Tom Occhipinti, DEQ Environmental Educational Coordinator, by email (occhipintit@michigan.gov) or phone (517-284-6867).
Green Team Meeting
Just a reminder that we have a Green Team meeting next Friday, January 18th, at 8:00 am in Mrs. Matyus' classroom. We will be making signs for the MLK celebration and planning for our 3 Keith events that we discussed at our last meeting. See you bright and early!
CW3 Soccer
The Keith Elementary Health & Wellness team invites our students to participate in a CW3 Soccer clinic, after school Thursday January 10th (Kindergarten-2nd grade) and Thursday January 17th (3rd-5th grade). Students will meet in the media center after dismissal and be taken to the gym, the clinic will run from 4:15-5:15 pm. CW3 Soccer Staff will be working on technical skills and small sided games. Students will be provided a healthy snack and water before the clinic begins. We are also looking for a few parent volunteers to help for each session. Please sign up and include your child's first and last name, and grade level in the comments. Spots are limited to the first 20 students per clinic. Parents will not be able to come through the cafeteria to get to the gym to pick up their children – they need to come into the front door.
For additional information about CW3 and Spring registration please visit http://cw3soccer.org/
https://m.signupgenius.com/#!/showSignUp/10c054aaaa92faaf85-cw3soccer1
Save the Date - Dragon Dance
Downhill Dragons - Alpine Ski Club Information
Keith Elementary School
Andrea McFarland - Principal's Secretary
Diana Tyrrell - Building Secretary
Julie Palermo - Interventionist
Marci Augenstein, Ph.D. - Principal, Keith Elementary
Email: AndreaMcFarland@wlcsd.org
Website: http://wlcsd.org/schools/elementary/keith/
Location: 2800 Keith Road, West Bloomfield Township, MI, United States
Phone: (248)956-3700
Twitter: @KeithElementary