KES Wildcat Connection

October is here, and we are so proud of the way our Wildcats have started the school year! Over the past several weeks, our students have been learning routines, building friendships, growing in confidence, and becoming more connected to their classrooms and our KES community.

This month, we are celebrating all five KES PRIDE attributes—Positive, Responsible, Integrity, Driven, and Engaged! October is a month for students to choose an attribute that they feel represents them and demonstrate it throughout their day. We are excited to see our Wildcats put PRIDE into action in their classrooms, on the playground, in the cafeteria, on the bus, and throughout our school.

Thank you for the continued partnership you provide from home. Your encouragement and support make such a difference in helping our students grow academically, socially, and emotionally. We encourage you to talk with your child about their PRIDE and ask them how they demonstrated one of our five attributes each day.

We are looking forward to a fun and meaningful October filled with learning, growth, and lots of Wildcat PRIDE!

Go Wildcats!

Sincerely,

Jake Alferio, Principal

jacob.alferio@keystoneschools.org

Amanda Ward, Assistant Principal

amanda.ward@keystoneschools.org

We’re excited to celebrate Halloween on October 30th with our Wildcats! Please remember:

• Costumes should be school-appropriate, age-appropriate, and safe.
• No masks covering the face or costumes that make it difficult to identify students.
• No toy/replica weapons, fake blood, gore, or frightening/violent props.
• Costumes should allow students to walk, sit, learn, and participate comfortably.

Thank you for helping us make Halloween a fun, safe, and positive day for all Wildcats!

We are excited to invite our Keystone Elementary families to join us for our Costume Parade on Friday, October 30th at 2:00 PM! Parents and guardians are invited to line the sidewalks around the front of the school beginning at approximately 1:45 PM.

• Students will begin the parade at approximately 2:00 PM.
• Children will parade around the front of the school in their costumes.
• Families should remain along the sidewalks to cheer on our Wildcats!
• After completing the parade route, students will return inside the school with their classes.
• Parents and guardians will remain outside as students return to the building.

If your child will be absent or late to school, please call the KES Attendance Line at 440- 355- 2301 as soon as possible.

When calling, please provide:

• Your child’s first and last name
• Your child’s grade and teacher
• The reason for the absence
• Whether your child will be absent for the entire day or arriving late
• The expected arrival time, if applicable

Please call the attendance line each day your child will be absent, unless you have already communicated the expected length of the absence with the school.

October is an exciting month at Keystone Elementary as we kick off several ways to celebrate our Wildcats for demonstrating PRIDE! October 29th is our first quarterly PRIDE reward, the PRIDE Fall Fest! Students who have earned 80% or more of their ClassDojo points during the quarter will be invited to participate. October is also the start of our PRIDE Student of the Month recognition! Each teacher will nominate a student who consistently demonstrates PRIDE, and our principals will be visiting classrooms to celebrate these special Wildcats. Each PRIDE Student of the Month will also be entered into a drawing for our October PRIDE Basket! And don’t forget about PRIDE Keys—students can earn keys in the cafeteria and on the buses when they are caught showing PRIDE. Every Friday, students will have the opportunity to enter their keys into a drawing for a small prize. We can’t wait to celebrate our Wildcats and all the ways they show Positive, Responsible, Integrity, Driven, and Engaged each day!

This October, we’re challenging our KES families to practice PRIDE at home! Each week, your family will have a fun activity focused on one of our PRIDE attributes. These activities are designed to take just a few minutes and create meaningful conversations at home.

Week 1: Positive “Spread Some Positivity!”
Give someone in your family a compliment, write a positive note, or do something kind for someone without being asked.

Week 2: Responsible “Teamwork at Home!”
Choose one job or responsibility your family can complete together. Make it a team effort and celebrate when the job is done!

Week 3: Integrity “Do the Right Thing!”
Talk about a time when doing the right thing can be difficult. As a family, share what you would do and why making good choices matters.

Week 4: Driven “Keep Going!”
Choose something your child is working to improve. Set a small goal together and encourage them to keep trying, even when it gets challenging.

Week 5: Engaged “Be Present!”
Put away the phones and screens for 20 minutes and spend time together. Play a game, take a walk, cook together, or simply talk!

At the end of October, ask your child: “Which PRIDE attribute was your family’s favorite to practice?”

Let’s show our KES PRIDE at school, at home, and everywhere we go!

Our First Grade Wildcats worked together to examine sunflowers and explore the science behind these special plants! Students demonstrated collaboration and critical thinking as they learned about the sunflower life cycle, why sunflowers move throughout the day, and the many uses of sunflower seeds. This hands-on experience also connected to our support of Maria’s Hope Garden and childhood cancer awareness, making learning both meaningful and memorable.

Your feedback matters to us! We invite all KES families to take a few minutes to complete our Family Feedback Survey on the link below. This is an opportunity to share what is going well, what you value about KES, and ways we can continue to improve the experience for our students and families. Your feedback helps us learn, grow, and make KES an even stronger school community.

Beginning in October, KES students and staff will begin practicing ALICE safety drills as part of our ongoing commitment to school safety and preparedness. These age-appropriate drills help students and staff practice how to respond safely and appropriately during a variety of emergency situations.

Our goal is to help our Wildcats feel prepared, confident, and safe while at school. Families can support us by reminding students that drills are an important part of keeping our school community safe and that they should always listen carefully to the directions given by trusted adults.

From October 19th–30th, K–5 students will participate in two age-appropriate lessons on child abuse awareness and prevention using the Fight Child Abuse curriculum. Students will learn how to recognize unsafe situations, understand personal safety, and identify trusted adults they can turn to for help.

K–2: Safe/unsafe touches and secrets
3–5: Types of child abuse and the importance of telling a trusted adult.

Students will also have the optional opportunity to speak privately with a trained staff member after the lesson.

Opt-Out: If you do not want your child to participate, please email kristen.lazard@keystoneschools.org or alexis.kading@keystoneschools.org by October 19th.

The deadline for the grace period for Free & Reduced meals is fast approaching so please make sure NEW 2026-2027 paperwork has been turned into the food service department ATTN: Jody White. If new paperwork has not been turned in starting Monday October 19th your child will be full pay for breakfast at $2.00 and lunch at $3.15. If you have not received an eligibility letter for a Direct Certification or a Free & Reduced Meal Application in the mail please reach out to Jody White at 440-355-2389 to check on the status of your child's meals this school year.

October is School Bus Safety Week! As part of our commitment to keeping our students safe, Keystone Elementary will conduct bus evacuation drills October 19–21, weather permitting. If there is heavy rain, drills may be rescheduled. Please have students wear comfortable, weather-appropriate clothing. During the drills, students will practice exiting the bus through the rear emergency exit from a seated position. Because the back exit is quite high from the ground, safe and appropriate clothing and footwear are important.

Here at KES we utilize Class Dojo as our main form of communication for our teachers to families. Please make sure you either download the app or sign up for a FREE account via online with the link below! You will receive more information at the KES open house when you meet your child's teacher in regards to accessing the teacher's classroom.

**PLEASE NOTE: Keystone Elementary does not utilize any paid version of ClassDojo and does not ask parents to utilize anything other than the free version with this platform at this time.**

Please make sure your child’s Final Forms registration and required forms are completed as soon as possible. Students must have all required Final Forms paperwork completed in order to participate in field trips.

School Fee letters are being mailed home during the month of October. Please make sure

that you are addressing these fees at your earliest convenience. Your child's account needs to be in good standing to be able to participate in any field trips in the future.

Ways to Pay: Send in cash or check with your child, Cash must be exact change, Checks made payable to Keystone Local Schools

Online through- https://payschoolscentral.com/

• Next PTA Meeting: Thursday October 1st at 6:00pm
• Volunteer Opportunities: Sign up for PBIS Q1 PRIDE Party - Fall Fest ( https://signup.com/go/ZxytdNE )
• Bookfair signups to volunteer: Nov 9-13 https://signup.com/go/KshVgyh
• Join the PTA: https://sites.google.com/kespta.org/home/home?authuser=0

Coin Wars continue until Oct 8 (Sabotage days are Tuesday & Thursdays) Follow FB page for updates on Results. You can help out the students/Grade Levels on the KES STORE! https://keystoneelementarypta.givebacks.com/shop