Your Weekly Principal Message
Mark Keppel Elementary School

October 11, 2026
Upcoming Events
Don't forget that every Thursday is SPIRIT day at Keppel! Students and staff are encouraged to wear their Keppel Gear!
Monday, October 12 - REGULAR SCHOOL DAY and PTA Reflections Entries Due
Tuesday, October 13
8:00 AM ELAC Meeting for EL Parents
After School Master Class Workshop for Interested Students
October 12 - 16 - Scholastic Book Fair!
October 14 - Reading Night from 5 - 6 PM
October 15 - Donuts with Grownups from 7:45 - 8:45 AM
Family Academy Session via Google Meets
October 23 - No School for Students
PTA Reflections
PTA Reflections is a national arts recognition program, and this year's theme was made for a school like Keppel. Culture is the food your family makes, the language you speak at home, the stories your grandparents tell, the music that plays at every family gathering. That is the inspiration. The art is how your child chooses to share it.
Your child does not have to be an "art kid" to enter. They just have to have something to say. Every student who submits an entry is recognized, and work that earns an Award of Excellence at the school level advances to Glendale Council, then First District, then California State, and finally the National level. But the point is the making, not the placing.
Six Ways to Enter
Students may enter one or more of the following categories: Visual Arts, Photography, Literature, Film Production, Music Composition, and Dance Choreography. One entry per student per category.
Important Dates
Entry Deadline: Monday, October 12, 2026. Drop off entries at the school office.
Judging: Mid-October
Showcase and Awards: October 21, 2026 at our PTA Association Meeting, where all entries will be displayed.
How to Enter
Download the entry packet below. It includes the Student Entry Form, Official Rules, Category Guidelines, and a brainstorming worksheet to help your child find their big idea.
Download the 2026-27 Reflections Entry Packet (PDF): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CQfC8YUZFDymTqlL-TC9ssvTXAuncSoZ/view?usp=share_link
Complete the Student Entry Form, attach it to the finished artwork, and drop it off at the school office by the deadline. Please do not fold or roll artwork.
Questions?
Contact keppelptareflections@gmail.com or visit capta.org/programs-events/reflections for more information.
Book Fair - October 12-16
Let's get ready to celebrate literacy and the love of reading with the annual book fair.
Volunteers should sign up here:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080544ABA72FA1F58-66263484-book#/
Create an "e-wallet" for your child here:
https://bookfairs.scholastic.com/bf/markkeppelelementaryschool
Join us for Story time on Wednesday October 14 from 5 - 6pm in the cafeteria.
Join us for Donuts with Grownups before school on Thursday, October 15. Students visiting the book fair should have an adult present with them from 7:45 - 8:30.
ELAC Meeting
Join us for the ELAC Meeting on Tuesday October 13 beginning at 8:00.
We will discuss
the English Language Proficiency Test or ELPAC
Ways to support your child at school AND at home
8:00am-9:30am
Keppel School Library
Coffee & snacks provided!
Translation available in Armenian, Russian & Korean.
Family Academy Session
Our fourth Family Academy session will be held on Thursday, October 15, at 5:30 p.m. via Google Meet, meet.google.com/cjh-gctr-fwd. The presentation, Hate Speech: Speaking to Your Child About Hate Speech, will be presented by Erin Nakamura, LCSW|YWCA of Glendale and Pasadena’s Clinical Supervisor & Yvette Baharyans, MSW|LA County Human Relations Commission, Senior Human Relations Consultant.
This session will provide families with valuable information about how they can help create safe, welcoming, and inclusive school environments where all students feel a sense of belonging. It will provide age-appropriate strategies for talking with children about hate, bias, and discrimination, as well as practical guidance for supporting children who experience these challenges. Families will also learn about addressing trauma and secondary trauma, accessing helpful resources, and using safe third-party support when additional intervention is needed.
Volunteer Policy
All volunteer guidelines for the school district have been updated. Even if you were previously cleared to volunteer, you must go through the new process. Please find all of the details and steps here. (gusd.net/volunteer)
All Tier 2 clearance (we rarely have anyone who would be a Tier 1 volunteer) is done through the school district office and may take several weeks to complete, so please get started now if you plan to help on campus, be a field trip chaperone, support a class event, etc. Mark Keppel can not clear volunteers, there are no exceptions under the new policy. Once you receive the email from GUSD that you are cleared, please forward it to Rita Janoyan, school secretary, so we have a record of it. (ritajanoyan@gusd.net)
5th Grade Committee Presents...
Keppel Winter Shop!
Keppel Winter Gift Shop
5th Grade Committee will be hosting a Resale Winter Gift Shop at school this Holiday Season! Donate unwanted items and help fundraise for our school!
We are collecting Gently Used & Like-New Items:
Kids Toys:
Loose Legos
Pokemon Cards (ask your kids for their duplicates)
HotWheels
Small Toy Figures
Board Games
Card Games
Loose Dice & Game Pieces
Sundry:
Sunglasses (like new)
Wallets (like new)
Costume Jewelry (no used earrings)
English, Korean & Armenian Kids Books
Cookbooks
Unused Notebooks
New, Unopened Gift Items (no glass, liquids or electronics)
Baskets, Crates & Trays
Collection: Bins in Front Lobby 9/28-10/16
Shopping: Open at Dismissal 12/10 & 12/11 and at Winter Fest
Please help us provide a fun experience for our kids to shop for themselves and purchase gifts for parents, grandparents, siblings, friends and mentors!!
MKS Family Fund Drive
Congratulations to PTA Membership Classroom Winners!
We are pleased to share that these are the winning classes of the PTA Membership competition....
Mrs. Ricasa
Mrs. Vardani
Ms. Gomez
Thank you to all families that have joined our PTA. It's never too late to become a PTA member! Join here: https://jointotem.com/ca/glendale/glendale-mark-keppel-elementary-parent-teacher-association-inc
Cre8ors Club!
Hello Cre8ors!
Music Production and beat making is back! Join us this session for a fun music making experience. We have 2 sessions this semester! Tuesdays for the 4th and 5th graders, and Thursdays for the 3rd graders. Tuesdays will be music production led by Mr. Ken and Thursdays will be beat basics led by Mr. Wick, where the kids will be introduced to beat making and start making loops and instrumentals! The session fee is $180 for 8 weeks, starting Oct. 20(Tues.) and Oct. 22(Thurs.) The sessions are limited to 8 students max. Classes will be held in ROOM 1321(Ms. Bamberger's room) Sign up today!
3rd grade : https://forms.gle/fGjrBC4ytmeabR1m7
4th & 5th grade : https://forms.gle/cuoM4AhTFsoeADTWA