ABCDE Goals-Behavior

 

Two weeks away from school means late nights watching TV, long hours of gaming, sleeping in, and maybe even daily naps. Many of our students will return from break with very different routines—so it’s important to reteach your behavioral expectations when they come back. You don’t need to spend weeks reestablishing your classroom norms but dedicating a few days to resetting routines will help students transition smoothly back to school.

At the start of the school year, students created a social contract. Revisit it with them and ask what they expect their classmates to continue doing in the new year. Allow students to lead these conversations, restating what they all expect now that they’ve been together for the past 4 months learning together.

Dean PD

 

On Wednesday, we will be hosting two groups of deans for Regional Dean Professional Development. The 3–5 deans will visit in the morning, followed by the 6–8 deans in the afternoon. The teachers scheduled for observations have already been notified. Please extend a warm Keystone welcome to our guests as you see them throughout the building.

ABCDE Goal-Attendance

 

Congratulations to Mrs. Turner’s class for spelling the word, PRESENT.

Affirmations

 

Stephanie for managing all of the food orders. I truly appreciate your help in bringing joy to our staff through these meals.

Robyn for providing me with all the safety drill resources so I can support another principal.

Steve for contributing to the positive vibe of our staff meetings by converting the music every month!

Judy for once again finding a fun way to engage our students at recess. You even went the extra mile to ensure all 3^rd graders could participate.

Jen D for always thinking of me. Your Christmas gift was incredibly thoughtful.

Robyn, Sally, Stacey Reed, and Tameka for your kindness and support during my time of grief. The bouquet was such a thoughtful gesture and truly lifted my spirits.

Sally, Robyn M, and Tameka for taking the time to attend an additional board meeting to ensure our collective voice was represented. I love that I can count on you.

Steve for the sweet surprises that continuously await me. Every time, it’s such a thoughtful reminder of your kindness.

Jessica S for bringing holiday cheer to our school through caroling around the building. Our middle school students did a wonderful job spreading festive spirit!

Stefanie, Taylor, Stacey Ramirez, Stephanie, Jen H, Kim J, and Deb for my Christmas gift. Your thoughtfulness never goes unnoticed, and I’m so excited to use it to create delicious meals. Thank you for your kindness and generosity—it means more to me than I can say.

Rachel for my Christmas gift. To know that you were thinking of me this holiday season truly put a smile on my face.

Stacey Reed, Robyn, Tameka, and Sally for all of the incredible travel-themed gifts. You truly showed out and spoiled me! You made sure I had everything I was missing for my next adventure. Your generosity, attention to detail, and kindness meant so much to me, and I cannot wait to put everything to use on my next trip.

Courtney for my Christmas gift. I love the scent and was in desperate need of more for my home. It really means a lot to be thought of this holiday season. Thank you.

Amanda for your Christmas gift and card. Your words were a meaningful reminder of the impact we have on one another, and I’ll carry them with me.

Monique for always thinking of me during this busy season. I never take it lightly when someone makes space for me. Your thoughtfulness does not go unnoticed.

This Week

 

Saturday, January 3:

     ·       Mandy’s Birthday

Monday, January 5:

     ·       School Resumes

Tuesday, January 6:

     ·       SLT Meeting

Wednesday, January 7:

     ·       Perfect Attendance Reward

     ·       Danielle J’s Birthday

Thursday, January 8:

     ·       Purple Club

     ·       Morning Assembly Presentation Due (Martin L. King Jr. Day)-Shroff

Friday, January 9:

     ·       Y5-8 ORF Benchmarking (January 9-15)

     ·       Moral Focus Writing Entries Due to ELA/homeroom Teachers

     ·       Payday Breakfast-Kinder

Happy Birthday

Important Dates

 

January 12-16: Socks & Sentiments Fundraiser

January 13: Staff Meeting

January 13: Staff Meeting Snacks-8^th Grade

January 14: Dress Down & Hat $1.00 each

January 14: Jane’s Birthday

January 14: Kathleen’s Birthday

January 15: Morning Assembly Presentation Due (Civil Rights Day)-Turner

January 15: EL Learning Night

January 15: GL Intervention Meetings

January 16: Progress Reports

January 19: No School-MLK Day

January 20-23: K-2 Math Numeracy 2

January 20-23: 3-8 ELA & Math Interim 2

January 20-23: Science Interim 2 (Grades 3-5 & 7)

January 20: Art Moral Focus Entries Due to Mrs. Brown

January 22: Morning Assembly Presentation Due (Black History Month-what and why)-Fletcher

January 23: Payday Breakfast-7^th Grade

January 26-30: Science Interim 2 (Grades 6 & 8)

January 27: PLC Meetings

January 30: Spirit Day $1.00

January 30: Social Media Post Due to Jorvonna-4^th Grade

*If you have an event to add or something has been forgotten, please let me know! 

12 Days Before Break

 For our final 12 Days Before Winter Break, there is a hot chocolate bar from the PTO, an activity, a gift from the Board, and two dress down days.

On Wednesday, we’re offering some festive fun inspired by The 12 Days of Christmas song. Each team will be assigned a number from 1 to 12 and will showcase a humorous and creative interpretation of their assigned phrase. Teams will insert their number into this prompt: “On the ___ day before winter break, my students came to me…” Your task is to come up with a creative, funny, or pun-filled line that completes the prompt—and dress to match your theme. As a reminder, all activities are optional and only those who participate will receive the prize. You can click here for more details.

Lastly, our Board will be providing everyone with a gift on Friday.

We hope these activities have made the days leading up to Winter Break more enjoyable.

Before You Leave

 

Before you leave for winter break, please remember to retrieve your items from the fridge in the staff lounge. I will be throwing away EVERYTHING in the staff fridge at 3PM on Friday. Please do not bring any holiday party items to the lounge. 

Lastly, turn off and unplug all electrical items in the classrooms and offices.  This includes lights, lamps, microwaves, space heaters, coffee pots, etc.

Affirmations

 

Stacey Reed and Robyn M for pouring into our 2^nd and 3^rd year teachers. The amount of time and preparation you invested in 30 hour PD was evident. Your commitment to growing and supporting our teachers makes a meaningful difference. I appreciate your leadership and expertise and the way you continue to build capacity across our team.

Stacey Reed for organizing the Tim Hortons breakfast for our staff. From creating the order form to picking everything up, you went above and beyond to make our morning sparkle.

Stacey Reed, Mandy, Sally, Saima and Ann for attending the MDR and ensuring we are supporting this student’s behavioral needs with care and consistency. Your collaboration and dedication help us provide the best possible path forward for our students.

Andria for simply being you and for always finding ways to make our school look and feel better. We truly appreciate how you saw a need and took it upon yourself to clean the staff lounge without anyone asking. Your pride in our school and your willingness to jump in wherever needed never go unnoticed.

Amanda and Diane for organizing our canned food drive and providing the entire school with meaningful ways to live out our Moral Focus virtues. Your efforts made a real impact and helped bring our school community together!

Kim J for presenting at the staff meeting! I really appreciate you being my thought partner and taking the time to gather all the behavior write-ups to help support teachers’ understanding of our behavior system. Your preparation and collaboration truly made the session engaging and meaningful for our staff.

Linsey for sharing a best practice at our staff meeting! It was wonderful to see how your 2nd graders asked their peers meaningful questions that required the student presenter to explain and defend their mathematical strategy which encouraged critical thinking and deeper comprehension among all students.

Sally for organizing the “Swingin’ into the Season” activity for our staff! You provided a fun and engaging way for everyone to relax and connect. Activities like this help build community and make our workday even more enjoyable!

Jane, Andria, Ellen, and Cindy for your dedication in conducting 30 intervention meetings with families and teachers to ensure our students receive the appropriate academic support. You truly embody our core value of “making our school the best choice for parents and students.

Lisa, Gloria, and Theresa for stepping in to sub. We truly appreciate all that you do for our students and our team.

Lisa for taking the time to assist me. Your trust and efficiency make the process so much easier. Thanks for being someone I can count on.

Kim J and Jen H for organizing and hosting the Ornament Exchange. Your efforts brought our staff together outside of work. I truly appreciate the time, creativity, and care you put keeping staff morale positive.

Gloria, Ann, Monique, Laurie, Stephanie, Stacey Ramirez, Sarah M, Mandy, Amy, Falak, Robyn P, Kim J, Jen H, Jen D, Sarah G, Emily, Sally, and Danielle D for spending your personal time with each other outside of work. It’s wonderful to see our team come together, connect, and share in the holiday spirit outside of work.

This Week

Sunday, December 14:

     ·       Jen D’s Birthday

Monday, December 15:

     ·       "Be Cozy and Bright" (Harper Toy Drive)-Wear jeans with a bright, sparkly, festive, and/or ugly holiday sweaters for $1 (Students may participate)

Tuesday, December 16:

     ·       "Cup of Cheer" Hot Chocolate Cart and Activity from PTO

     ·       Staff Dress in Keystone Casino Shirt and Jeans (Holiday Picture)

     ·       PLC (Team Meeting)

Wednesday, December 17:

     ·       "On the 12th Day Before Break My Students Came to Me…" Activity

Thursday, December 18:

     ·       “We’re Flannelling in the Fun this Winter” Wear a flannel or plaid shirt with jeans-FREE (Students may participate)

Friday, December 19:

     ·       3^rd Grade Social Media Post Due to Jorvonna

     ·       “A Small Gift with Big Cheer!” Gift from Board

     ·       Spirit Day

Happy Birthday

There is a special gift in the mailboxes of all the people who celebrate their birthdays in January.

Important Dates

 

December 22-January 2: No School-Winter Break

December 30: Emma’s Birthday

January 3: Mandy’s Birthday

January 5: School Resumes

January 6: SLT Meeting

January 7: Perfect Attendance Reward

January 7: Danielle’s Birthday

January 8: Purple Club

January 8: Morning Assembly Presentation Due (Martin L. King Jr. Day)-Shroff

January 9-15: Y5-8 ORF Benchmarking

January 9: Moral Focus Writing Entries Due to ELA/homeroom Teachers

January 9: Payday Breakfast-Kinder

January 12-16: Socks & Sentiments Fundraiser

January 13: Staff Meeting

January 13: Staff Meeting Snacks-8^th Grade

January 14: Dress Down & Hats $1.00 each

January 14: Jane’s Birthday

January 14: Kathleen’s Birthday

January 15: Morning Assembly Presentation Due (Civil Rights Day)-Turner

January 15: EL Learning Night

January 16: Progress Reports

January 16: GL Interventions Meeting

January 19: No School-MLK Day

January 20-23: K-2 Math Numeracy 2

January 20-23: 3-8 ELA & Math Interim 2

January 20-23: Science Interim 2 (Grades 3-5 & 7)

January 20: Art Moral Focus Entries Due to Mrs. Brown

January 22: Morning Assembly Presentation Due (Black History Month-what and why)-Fletcher

January 23: Payday Breakfast-7^th Grade

January 26-30: Science Interim 2 (Grades 6 & 8)

January 27: PLC Meetings

January 30: Spirit Day $1.00

January 30: Social Media Post Due to Jorvonna-4^th Grade

*If you have an event to add or something has been forgotten, please let me know!  

12 Days Before Winter Break

On Wednesday, we hope you participate in our Swingin’ Into the Season activity. Step up to the tee, take your best swing, and roll your way through the 7^th day before a Merry and Bright Winter Break! Click here for more details!

On Friday, let Meemic make your morning sparkle by selecting your Tim Horton’s breakfast options here. If you’d like to partake, you must complete the form by Monday, December 8 at noon. No exceptions can be made to the due date, so make your selections today!

ABCDE Goals-Attrition

 Many of you know previously we had a 3-year MICIP goal focused on attrition (retaining students). Although that is no longer our schoolwide goal, student retention remains a very important part of our school culture. I’m excited to share that we have already decreased our attrition rate by 1% year-to-date, and that progress is a direct reflection of your daily efforts.

One of the biggest reasons attrition matters is simple: when students stay with us year after year, your job becomes easier. You’re able to build momentum instead of starting over. That stability allows you to focus more on teaching and less on establishing procedures and common norms. With returning students, you inherit relationships that are already built and familiarity with our academic systems.

Thank you for the daily work you do to help students feel valued, supported, and excited to come back each year.

Active Student Engagement

 

Thank you for your active engagement during our professional development session on Active Student Engagement. As a follow-up, I’m sharing this resource that contains the engagement strategies we explored, along with a few additional strategies to support the shift from participation to integrating high-leverage engagement into your instruction.

These strategies are designed to help students think more, talk more, and do more of the heavy lifting throughout the lesson—allowing you to check for understanding in real time and make adjustments more quickly.

Please take a moment to review the resource and consider one or two strategies you’d like to try or refine this week. If you’d like support implementing any of them, your dean is more than happy to plan, co-teach, or provide feedback.

Thank you for your continued commitment to shifting the cognitive work back to students—exactly where it belongs.

1/2 Day-Reunification PD

Our ½ day next Wednesday is our annual reunification training. All staff (hourly, salary, SFE, and Aramark) need to attend to learn/review our reunification plan and visit the reunification location. See the schedule below.

·       11:45-12:15           Lunch on your own

·       12:15-1:15             Extra Prep (Enjoy 😊)

·       1:15-2:15               Reunification Review (Gym)

·       2:15-2:30               Travel to reunification location (BHS Athletic Wing)

·       2:30-3:00               Run through at reunification site

 

Please bring your red emergency bag containing an updated emergency contact list to the gym presentation. We will need staff to carpool because they have limited parking. You need to park at their Early Childhood Center which is directly across from the Athletic Wing.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Welcome to the Team

I’m happy to announce that we have hired a Speech Pathologist, Saima Zaman. Saima will be working remotely. Although she isn’t on-site, please giving her a warm Keystone welcome.

Staff Meeting

 

Starting at 3:45 on Tuesday, please go to the staff lounge to sign in, pick up documents, and grab some snacks. Our staff meeting will begin promptly at 4:00 pm in the technology room.

You may click HERE for the agenda.

NHA's Moral Focus Writing & Art Contest

Our students have the opportunity to show their understanding of our Moral Focus virtues and become a published author or artist! NHA’s Moral Focus Writing and Art Contest allows students to write or create artwork that demonstrates their understanding of one or more Moral Focus virtues. All writing entries must be submitted by January 9 to your child’s homeroom or ELA teacher. All art entries must be submitted to Mrs. Brown by January 20. Please reference the email that was sent Wednesday.

ABCDE Goals-Attendance

 

Congratulations to Ms. Hutcherson’s class for spelling the word, HERE. Ms. Thomas’ class for spelling the word, PRESENT; and Ms. Khafagi’s class for spelling the word, ATTENDANCE.

I am so proud of these classrooms for staying committed to showing up, especially with winter break approaching as it can be challenging to maintain momentum.

Affirmations

 

Stacey Reed, Robyn, Kim J, and Tameka for allowing another principal to observe you in action. Your expertise and commitment to excellence make a powerful impact—not just on our students, but on leaders across our network. I truly appreciate your willingness to share your practice.

Tameka and Sally for welcoming our DSQ to your PLC meeting. The way you facilitated conversations, analyzed student needs, and guided your teams reflects what effective teamwork looks like—focused, student-centered, and solutions-driven. I appreciate the professionalism you bring to every meeting.

Emma for providing our students with the opportunity to participate in the NHA and Bay Mills Holiday Card Contest. Experiences like this spark their creativity and help them feel connected to the broader community. Your dedication to offering meaningful opportunities truly make a difference in their learning and growth.

Alex for sharing resources that make a meaningful impact—not just in your classroom or team, but across the entire school. Your willingness to collaborate and support others strengthens our community and helps us all grow.

Tracy for the thoughtful and unexpected gift. I truly appreciate our friendship and how you provided me with some calm during a storm I was going through—even though you didn’t know about it.

Nikki for allowing a student to take a break in your classroom. Your flexibility and support provided relief not only for the student but for so many others as well. Your kindness created a calmer, more supportive environment for everyone.

Stacey Ramirez and Stephanie for helping me gather everything needed to transform the front office into a Winter Wonderland! You have made the process so much smoother and more enjoyable.

Andria for taking the initiative to check in and see if I needed anything when you had time available. Your proactive support made the front office sparkle.  

Andria for consistently stepping up and taking one for the team by attending the Lexia data review meetings. Your willingness to support the team in this way do not go unnoticed, and we truly appreciate your commitment.

Tameka for organizing and ordering the Bundt Cakes treat for our 12 Days Before Winter Break! You’ve made the countdown to the break even sweeter.

Stacey Ramirez for making the personalized labels which added a special touch.

Sally for volunteering to pick up the cakes and adhering the labels. Your help made it extra sweet!

Eric for providing our families and students with amazing evening. It so nice to see the growth and development of our students’ musical abilities under your direction.