DeKeyser News

Principal: Mrs. Shannon Hathcock

Administrative Assistant: Mrs. Lisa Russo

Clerk: Mrs. Heather Mansour

Location: 39600 Atkinson, Sterling Heights., MI 48313

Office Hours: 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Office Phone Number: (586)797-4400

24 Hr Attendance Line (586)797-4499

Fax (586)797-4401

Email officedekeyser@uticak12.org

Website: DeKeyser Elementary / Homepage (uticak12.org)

Facebook: DeKeyser Elementary School

School Hours: 9:05 AM - 3:55 PM (full days) and 9:05 AM -12:09 PM (half days)

Morning SACC (DeKeyser): 6:45 am - 9:05 am

Afternoon SACC (Messmore): 3:55 pm - 6:00 pm (Students bussed from DeKeyser to Messmore)

Breakfast Hours: 8:45 - 9:05

The complete 2025-26 UCS Calendar is now available. Follow the below link to see important dates for the remainder of this year. Please note: October 31 – Halloween – is the end of the first quarter and will be a half-day for elementary students.

https://www.uticak12.org/Page/2#calendar1/20251015/month

November 2025

VIP Parking – Brenden McKee

Native American Heritage Month

Family Literacy Month

Military Family Appreciation

Diabetes Awareness Month

Epilepsy Awareness Month

Habit 3: Put First Things First / Purposeful People Character Trait: Responsibility

Nov. 10th - Dec. 5th

Thanksgiving Food Drive

Toys for Tots - Toy Drive

A tremendous shout out to Jessica Harrison for putting together our DeKeyser Box Tops report for December!! You can download the Box Tops app on your phone to scan items that will benefit our school. Bravo to Ms. O’Keefe’s PreK kiddos for taking the lead in their Box Tops contributions so far!! Click here to download the app: https://btfe.smart.link/c2jjdifkw?referral_code=AWF05LJL...

November 2025

VIP Parking – Brenden McKee

Native American Heritage Month

Family Literacy Month

Military Family Appreciation

Diabetes Awareness Month

Epilepsy Awareness Month

Habit 3: Put First Things First / Purposeful People Character Trait: Responsibility

Saturday, Nov. 22

• 2:00 – 4:00 – Gym Jam @ Cutting Edge

Monday, Nov. 24

• 8:00 – ATG Meeting

Tuesday, Nov. 25

• PBIS / Pod Pals Assembly

• 6:00 – 8:00 – CARE Virtual Parent Support Meeting

• 6:30 – 8:30 DeKeyser Dolphins – Lego Robotics Team Practice - Cafeteria

Wednesday, Nov. 26

• Happy Birthday Connor Cummins!🥳

• No School – Thanksgiving Break

Thursday, Nov. 27

• Happy Thanksgiving!

• No School – Thanksgiving Break

Friday, Nov. 28

• Happy Birthday Jennifer Stulz-Simunic!🥳

• No School – Thanksgiving Break

• Progress Reports Available

Join other parents of elementary-age children at this virtual, six-week discussion group for ideas, support, laughter, and encouragement. Discuss ways to understand behavior, build self-esteem, increase cooperation, and provide discipline that teaches personal responsibility, emphasizing the hot topics of School Success and Alcohol, Tobacco, and other drugs.

This class runs every Tuesday from November 11th – December 16th, 6:00pm – 8:00pm Virtually on Zoom. This is a free class with the book included. Register on this site and call CARE 586-541-2273 to arrange to pick up the book.

Virtual Classes Dates

Tuesday, November 11th - 6:00 - 8:00

Tuesday, November 18th - 6:00 - 8:00

Tuesday, November 25th - 6:00 - 8:00

Tuesday, December 2nd - 6:00 - 8:00

Tuesday, December 9th - 6:00 - 8:00

Tuesday, December 16th - 6:00 - 8:00

December 2025

VIP Parking – Brenden McKee

Monday, Dec. 1

• Cyber Monday

• 8:00 – ATG Meeting

• 8:15 – Student Council – Meeting in 5th / 6th Grade Learning Community

• 6:00 – 7:00 – Cub Scouts – Gym

Tuesday, Dec. 2

• Giving Tuesday

• 6th Grade SMART Moves – 5/6 Collaboration Space

• 6:00 – 8:00 – CARE Virtual Parent Support Meeting

• 6:30 – 8:30 DeKeyser Dolphins – Lego Robotics Team Practice - Cafeteria

Wednesday, Dec. 3

• Bubbles Boutique – School Store Open Durning Lunch

• Beautification Team – Students meet during lunch recess

• 6:00 – 2nd Grade Music Concert – Gymnasium – School / Evening Performance

• 7:00 - 3rd Grade Music Concert – Gymnasium – School / Evening Performance

Thursday, Dec. 4

• Cookie Day

• 9:05 – 12:30 – First Grade Star Lab - Gym

• 4:00pm-5:00pm Macomb Crew Soccer-Session 2 (Gym)

• 6:30 – 8:30 DeKeyser Dolphins – Lego Robotics Team Practice – Cafeteria

• 7:00 – 8:30 – Parent Network @ IRC

Friday, Dec. 5

• Frozen Friday - $1 Popsicle Sale

Saturday, Dec. 6

• Lego Robotics Competition - Henry Ford II High School

Thank you so much to all the parents that donated their time on Friday afternoon to join us for our monthly parent involvement opportunities! The students had so much fun spending some extra time celebrating with friends and volunteers while the teachers benefitted from the time to come all together to share ideas with one another. We appreciate all your help and look forward to hosting this opportunity again next month. Please click here if you would like to sign up to join us in December: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0B49A8AE2AA1FEC61-60557079-monthly#/

We had 74 extremely happy kiddos that received a visit from the Dolphin Delights Cart on Friday morning as a reward for earning between $100- $199 for our Fun Run! The cart was stocked up with candy, snacks, treats, and drinks for students to choose from and enjoy. A huge thank you to our PTCG Treasurer, Nicole Luebs, for putting this all together and creating an exciting morning for our students!

Please remember that our one and only Cutting Edge Gym Jam & Ninja Course Fundraiser is happening on Saturday, November 22nd from 2:00-4:00pm. This will be ONLY Gym Jam & Ninja Course fundraiser for the whole year and it's a big one! Cutting Edge gives back 50% of the proceeds with an extra $250 if we have 100 kiddos come to play. Please read the directions below to register. We hope to see you there!

1. Families can also register at www.cuttingedgeusa.com (Enroll Now → Bookings → School Fundraisers→Select DEKEYSER)

2. You can check out the event page on Facebook by clicking here: https://fb.me/e/39VNMReU5

There has been an increased request for food assistance resources recently. The following are resources that can be shared with families regarding food assistance in Macomb County:

• Macomb County Food Resources by Community 9.26.25.pdf
• Macomb Community Food Resources
• https://www.uwstclair.org/Food
• https://pantrynet.org/mobile-distribution-events/Gleaners Mobile Pantry Drive Up Distribution Events
• https://www.forgottenharvest.org/find-food/ Forgotten Harvest Mobile Pantry locations
• https://mi211.org/food-assistance Michigan 211 Food Assistance Programs and locations

The Macomb Intermediate School District will be offering additional maturation programs for fourth and fifth grade girls along with their mothers or guardians. These sessions will provide an opportunity to address questions related to growth and development. See the flyer below with important dates and registration information.

We are asking for your support to help keep our students safe. If you plan to volunteer in our classrooms, work directly with a student and/or chaperone a field trip, etc. you will need to have a volunteer background check on file. The new volunteer application form is located at this link: www.uticak12.org/volunteer. The background check involves multiple state and federal law enforcement databases. We greatly appreciate the involvement of our families and the difference you make at DeKeyser Elementary. Thank you for your partnership with this extra step that will improve safety in our school.

A few reminders:

• Please have all required documentation ready before you begin.
• The application must be completed in one sitting.
• One application can be used for multiple schools
• Once approved, you will be cleared to volunteer in UCS schools

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to the DeKeyser Office: OfficeDeKeyser@uticak12.org or 586-797-4400.

Thank you for supporting our students and school community through volunteering!

Utica Community Schools is pleased to provide an opportunity for School Age Child Care (SACC)!

DeKeyser Options are as follows:

Morning SACC: Monday - Friday 6: 45 am - 9:05 am (Currently registering on a waitlist)

Afternoon SACC: Monday - Friday 3:55 pm – 6:00 pm at Messmore Elementary

Students will be bussed to this location after school.

Please click on the link below for more information and the opportunity to register your child for SACC.