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

November 17th - 21st

American Education Week

National Substitute Appreciation Week

Monday, Nov. 17

• Fall Spirit Week: Cozy Sweater Day

• 8:00 – ATG Meeting

• 6:00 – 7:00 – Cub Scouts – Cafeteria-Wall Down

• 6:30 - 7:30 - Science Olympiad Open House-Gym (Grades 3-6 Only)

• Board of Education Meeting

Tuesday, Nov. 18

• Fall Spirit Week: Flannel & Denim Day
• National Entrepreneur Day

• 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, Nov. 19

• Fall Spirit Week: Harvest Colors Day

• Walk Out Wednesday – Weekly Wellness Habit

• Bubbles Boutique – School Store Open Durning Lunch

• Beautification Team – Students meet during lunch recess

Thursday, Nov. 20

• Fall Spirit Week: Pumpkin Spice Day

• Parent Involvement Day

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

• 6:00 – EDAC Meeting @ Bemis

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

Friday, Nov. 21

• Fall Spirit Week: Football Friday

• Frozen Friday - $1 Popsicle Sale

• Dolphin Delight Cart

• 11:45 - 1:00 - Student / Staff Monthly Celebration

Saturday, Nov. 22

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

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

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

Thank you so much to all the families that joined us for our PTCG meeting this past week! It was the best turnout of families we have had all year!! We loved the opportunity to share about our upcoming events and get your feedback and ideas added into the plans as well. We appreciate everyone that came out and look forward to seeing you at our next PTCG meeting in January!

On Friday, November 21st, our Dolphin Delights cart will be coming around the school loaded up with snacks, treats, drinks, and candy for all the kiddos that earned between $100-$199 for our Fun Run!! Our PTCG treasurer, Nicole Luebs, will visit each classroom with a list of student names to come out to the cart and fill up their Fun Run baggy with items from the cart to enjoy. We still have lots of prizes coming your way for Fun Run so please be out the lookout for more info about pencils and bumper stickers being delivered, an ice cream truck visit, shadowing a teacher, and a VIP lunch with Mrs. Hathcock for those kiddos that help our school almost $17,000 for our Fun Run!

Please be sure to save the date for our Cutting Edge Gym Jam & Ninja Course 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

3. Reminder: 50% of paid admissions go back to DeKeyser! Be sure to direct your families to use our school's link to count towards DeKeyser's donation total!

4. Do you know about the Cutting Edge 100's Club? Bring 100 or more students and receive a $250 BONUS, personalized school banner hung at our gym, and 10 Free Gym Jam passes!

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.