Dragon News
McKelvey Primary
February 5, 2026
Dear McKelvey Primary Families,
Last night at the State of the District, our district leaders talked about the great things happening in Parkway from early childhood through high school. Our students continue to show growth and success throughout their time in Parkway, both academically and socially/emotionally. I wanted to take a moment to share how proud I am of our district, and specifically our students here at McKelvey. We shared at the PTO meeting Tuesday night that we set a NWEA achievement goal for our K-1 students and not only met that goal in reading and math, but we surpassed that goal by almost 20%. Our leadership and teacher data teams are always monitoring our progress and creating action steps to continue supporting your children. Thank you for the support at home! We are so proud of our Dragons!
Sincerely,
Dr. Christina Pliske
Mark your Calendar!
February 9-13: Abilities Awareness Week-- spirit days flyer below
February 12: Half Day-Dismissal at 1pm (Teacher PD); Spirit Day WEAR PINK
February 13: No School, Teacher PD Day
February 16: No School, Presidents Day
March 10: McKP Art, Music, Books Event (more info to come)
March 13: Half Day-Dismissal at 1pm (Teacher Records Day)
March 15-20: No School, Spring Break
March 23: Spirit Day-WEAR BRIGHT COLORS!
March 26: Cardinals Spirit Day
It's time to show our love for the amazing teachers and staff at McKelvey by stocking their lounge with snacks, drinks, and other thoughtful items! This is our way of filling their break room with treats to make their day a little brighter and give them a relaxing space to recharge.
We've put together a suggested list of items to help fill the lounge, but if you have any other ideas, feel free to purchase those as well. If you’d prefer, you can donate money and we’ll do the shopping for you. Just click the link below to donate any amount and be sure to note in the comments that it's for "Stock the Lounge."
All items need to be purchased by Friday, February 6.
You can find the wishlist here:
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/5TZC1ZRIBIGD?ref_=wl_share
Or, donate directly here: https://givebutter.com/XKjnYz
– be sure to mention it's for "Stock the Lounge" in the comments.
Any questions? Contact us at McKelveyPTO@gmail.com.
Thank you for helping us make McKelvey’s teachers and staff feel appreciated! Your support makes a big difference.
Dear Families,
Our staff has been doing a lot of learning around Executive Function. Executive Function (EF) skills are the brain skills that help people:
get started on tasks
stay focused
remember instructions
manage time
control impulses
shift when plans change
Think of EF as the brain’s air-traffic control system. It helps everything run smoothly, especially when things get busy, exciting, or frustrating. These skills develop slowly over childhood and don’t come “online” all at once. Kids aren’t being lazy, defiant, or careless when EF is hard. They're still building the system.
Here are some things you can do at home to help build Executive Function Skills:
🎲 Games & Play
Board and card games-Turn-taking, remembering rules, managing winning/losing.
Simon Says / Follow the Leader-Listening, impulse control, body awareness.
Puzzles & building toys (LEGO, blocks)-Planning, persistence, flexible problem-solving.
🎵 Music, Movement & Rhythm
Freeze Dance / Musical Statues-Start–stop control and self-regulation.
Clapping or rhythm copy games-Attention, memory, and coordination.
Singing songs with motions-Language, sequencing, and focus.
🧠 Everyday EF Practices
Short routines–Same order each day = less mental load.
One- or two-step directions. “Get your shoes, then wait by the door.”)
Timed challenges-“Let’s clean up during this song.”
Choice within structure-“Do you want to brush teeth before or after pajamas?”
EF skills grow over time. Kids don’t need to be fast, perfect, or independent right away. Play, routines, and support are how these skills develop. I hope that some of these ideas are helpful for your family!
Julie Mouser-DeArmond
Instructional Coach
Below is a link to our district calendar (click the blue button) as well as a snapshot of the half and no school days throughout the year. We know unplanned absences will occur, but your child's attendance is extremely important. We miss them when they are gone and they miss important learning and social interaction when they are not at school. If possible, when planning for appointments and/or vacations, please attempt to use the afternoons of half days or days off school throughout the year.
This must be done yearly!
If you are in need of assistance with breakfast or lunch money, please complete the Free and Reduced lunch process. This must be done EVERY Year.
Check out the Menu
School breakfast and lunch menus can be found here. You can deposit money into your student's account at My School Bucks.
Adventure Club
https://prcommunityed.org/programs/school-age-care/registration-instructions
