Allan F. Keeth Elementary
Celebrating 30 Years of Excellence in Education
Seminole County Public Schools
DATES TO REMEMBER
October 1
October 2
Book Fair Family Fun Night 6-8:00pm
PTA Board Meeting 9:30am
Girl Scouts 6:30pm (Cafeteria)
October 3
Book Fair Ends
October 10
No School/ TWD
October 15-17 Acting Cast Auditions
October 16
Picture Retakes
Acting Cast Auditions
Girl Scouts 6:30pm (Cafeteria)
October 17
Winter Springs Homecoming Parade
Acting Cast Audition
October 20
Kindergarten Field Trips to Fire
Station (Hadden, Codrey)
October 21
Kindergarten Field Trips
to Fire Station (Moss, Loubier)
October 24
Fall Festival & Basket
Night – 5-8:00pm
Kindergarten Field Trips to Fire
Station (Kanistras, McClelland
October 27
Candy Grams Sales Begin
October 27-31 Red Ribbon Week
October 28, 30, 314th Grade Field Trips to
Student Museum
(2 classes/day)
October 29th Skate Night 6:30-8:30
October 31
2nd Grade to Shakespeare Theater
Spirit Day is Every Friday – Please wear your school
colors. The PTA Spirit Shop will be held Friday mornings
from 7:30-8:00am by the front doors. On the last Friday of
the month, the shop will be located at the back of the school
by the basketball court.
Text Message Service- Stay connected with Keeth Elem!
Receive alerts for weather, activities and other
announcements. Remind 101- Text @mrgaffney to 321392-2451
MESSAGE FROM THE PRINCIPAL,
Mr. Peter Gaffney
Dear Parents:
This month, I will divide my article into seven different
sections for your reading pleasure.
PTA Fall Festival, Friday, October 24: Our PTA Fall
Festival is right around the corner! I want to thank our
school’s PTA for their planning and organization of this great
event. I say quite often that our PTA is the best in SCPS! I
cannot thank our PTA enough for the wonderful things they
do for our students, teachers, and staff. Please email our
PTA President at jen.bened@gmail.com if you would be
willing to assist with our Fall Festival in any way. I know it
would be greatly appreciated.
School Safety Message: All visitors to Keeth Elementary
must stop by the office and get a visitors badge to be on
campus. All of our staff have been trained to question
anyone that does not have a badge. This is for the safety of
our students and staff. Please make sure you always stop
by the front office before visiting any areas of Keeth
Elementary. Also, if you visit for lunch, please make sure
that you stop by and sign-in at the front office and secure a
visitors badge before eating lunch with your child. NOTE: If
you invited someone to eat lunch with your child that is NOT
COUGAR TALES
on your emergency card, please make sure you notify Mrs.
Neville in the front office that you approve the visitor to have
lunch with your child.
Message from Deputy Anderson: There has been
confusion at times with some of the parents regarding how to
properly enter the school to drop off and pick up students.
Every day some vehicles attempt to enter the school from
Tuskawilla Road without using the right hand turn lanes.
These vehicles are in the northbound right hand lane and wait
until they reach the entrances to the school then turn in front
of the other vehicles already established in the turn lane.
These vehicles cause an unsafe situation per Florida State
Statute 316.151 (1) (a); required position and method of
turning at intersections.
(1) The driver of a vehicle intending to turn at an
intersection shall do so as follows:
(a) Right turn—both the approach for a right turn and a right
turn shall be made as close as practicable to the right-hand
curb or edge of the roadway.
Thank you for your help in keeping the roadway and
entrances safe.
Enrollment Update: Keeth Elementary was projected to
have 573 students for the 2014-2015 school year. Our current
enrollment as of Wednesday, September 25th is 692 students.
We continue to grow and grow! As you may or may not know,
our enrollment drives our school staffing and school budget –
so we are excited to see so many students entering through
the doors of Keeth Elementary.
Thank you parents: We NEED your help with our Cougar
Reading Club: I would like to thank all of our Keeth parents
and guardians for your active participation in your child’s
academic and school success. Without your support and
guidance, your child will not reach their full potential– so
thank you so very much! Currently, we are looking for
Dividend volunteers to assist our Keeth Cougar Reading Club
in the morning. Our Reading Club meets Monday-Thursday
from 7:30am-7:50am. In this reading club, our Dividend
volunteers, community members, and teachers/staff read with
our students to improve fluency and reading comprehension.
Please, if you have time in your morning schedule, come on
by and help. One day, two days or more a month would be
greatly appreciated. Please call Jennifer Dunaye at 407-3205385 if you need more information or if you want to schedule
a time to help.
Positive Behavior Support – Student of the Week
Program: The Student of the Week Recognition Program is
back at Keeth Elementary. The program is open to all grade
levels and is announced once a week on our KCBS news
network. Each teacher submits the name of a student who is
doing outstanding in the classroom, is a great friend to others,
and one that is worthy of this recognition. Please look at our
Student of the Week column in next month’s newsletter to see
who was chosen as our October Students of the Week.
These students will receive a certificate, a special pencil,
awards from some of our school business partners, and will
have their picture displayed on a bulletin board right outside
the front office.
Long summer ahead in 2015: Next summer, Seminole
County Public Schools will start school no earlier than
Monday, August 24, 2015. Students and staff will have a long
summer ahead! Please keep this in mind as you begin to
make your summer plans.
Have a great October and enjoy the cool weather that is
approaching!
Caring for your child,
Mr. Pete Gaffney, Principal, Keeth Elementary
October 1, 2014
SAFETY IS OUR #1 PRIORITY
Providing a safe and secure campus is of utmost
importance to us. The following rules and procedures are
enforced to ensure your child’s safety.
1. Students must not arrive on campus before 7:30 AM,
when adult supervision begins.
However, your child should arrive before the 8:00 AM tardy
bell.
2. All visitors to our campus must report to the front office to
sign in and secure a visitor’s badge.
3. Bikes must be walked to and from the corner of Trotwood
and Tuskawilla and at all times while on campus.
Remember to wear your bike helmets. They are required by
law.
4. Skateboarding, roller skating, and roller blading are
forbidden on campus.
5.When dropping children off in the morning, please have
them exit the vehicle on the passenger side so they do not
cross in front of or behind traffic. Please ensure your child
is ready to exit the vehicle upon arrival to help expedite the
process.
5. No child can leave campus during the instructional day
without first being properly signed out in the front office.
Persons unknown to the front office staff will be asked to
show picture identification.
6. Only a parent, guardian, or person(s) listed on the
Emergency Information Card can sign a child out of school.
Please send a note if someone other than a
parent/guardian will be picking up your child.
7. Prearrange a rainy day plan with your child. The threat of
afternoon rain and/or storms is always present. It is not
possible to deliver last minute messages near dismissal
time. Please fill out and return the Rainy Day Dismissal
Plan that was included in your child’s folder.
8. If your child’s dismissal arrangements change,
please send a note to the teacher. Avoid calling the
school at the end of the day to deliver a message to your
child unless it is an emergency.
9. If a child custody court order exists, a copy of the order
must be on file in the school office.
10. Many Keeth students bike or walk to and from school.
Review safety expectations. Remind students to cross the
street at intersections where crossing guards are located.
11. Please make sure your child wears closed toed shoes to
school. Your child will be having Physical Education twice a
week and PAT (Physical Activity Time) everyday.
Thank you for your support.
CAR LOOP RIDERS
All car riders will exit the building through the side hall front
double doors. If you are transporting your child by car, you
can assist us greatly by displaying the “Car Rider” sign with
your child’s name on the dashboard. These are available in
the front office. When you enter the car loop, please pull
forward as far as possible and allow your child to get in/out of
the vehicle when you are parallel to the front of the building.
Thank you for your cooperation.
CLINIC GREETINGS
Reminder -- No medications, prescriptions, or over-thecounter medications can be given to a student without a
signed authorization form from the physician. (This includes
medicated cough drops, lip balm, etc.) A student cannot
carry these medications. Please fill out the Authorization
for Administering Student Medication Form and return to
school. You may pick up one of these forms from the clinic.
COUNSELOR’S CORNER
A Message from Your School Counselor…
“Nobody Likes Me!”
“Nobody likes me.” Is there a parent alive who hasn’t heard
this remark? Parents sometimes feel helpless in helping
their child deal with relationships. So what do you do? Often
children may just need is a sympathetic ear, a chance to
vent and an opportunity to work through their pain verbally
with you. They don’t need to have a perfect solution. Often
there is not a solution you can give them. Children need to
be reassured. Take them seriously. Don’t tell them that soon
they’ll get over it. You can help them put the problem in
perspective. Believing in their ability to solve problems with
your support can be a big first step. Ask them how they talk
to their friends. Are there misunderstandings? Don’t try to
find a quick solution. Instead tell them that you will listen and
help them problem-solve. Help them to know that a good
place to begin building friendships is by being a good
listener for others.
Contact Sue Arbuckle, School Counselor, for additional
information or assistance. 407-320-5303 or
Sue_Arbuckle@scps.k12.fl.us
ATTENDANCE POLICY
Seminole County School Board Policy states that when a
student is absent the parent or guardian must provide a
written excuse regarding each absence.
Excused absence: an absence for an illness/death in the
immediate family, religious observance, or a family
emergency (approved by the principal).
Medical excused absence: absence caused by child’s
illness. Please note that after 10 absences due to illness in a
span of 90 calendar days, written verification from a doctor is
required for each medical absence thereafter.
If a written excuse is not received or does not comply with the
above definitions the absence is recorded as unexcused.
SUBSCRIBE TO EMAIL UPDATES
Would you like to receive email updates from Mr. Gaffney?
Here’s how to get them. You can either go to Keeth
Elementary’s website through the SCPS website or type in
the following link on your browser bar or fill out the form.
This will allow you to receive email updates on events taking
place at the home of the COUGARS! Don't forget to hit the
SUBMIT button after filling out the form.
https://www3.scps.k12.fl.us/secure/schoolmgt/listserve/emai
l_subscribe.cfm?school=0661
Success in Reading
Here are some tips on how parents can help students
succeed in reading:
-Provide a balance of fiction and non-fiction books at home.
-Provide books and other written materials that are at a
reading level your student finds challenging.
-Know what reading is grade-level appropriate and what
should be a challenge. Talk to your child’s teacher if you
are unsure.
-Encourage your student to read — try setting aside a
specific “reading time” each day.
-Read non-fiction books yourself to show that you enjoy
non-fiction and think it’s worth reading.
-Read aloud to your student and have your student read
aloud to you.
-Let your student see you read regularly.
Discuss books that you and your child read together:
-What did you learn from reading this book?
-What is your opinion about what you are reading?
-What do you predict will happen?
-Why? Use evidence from the text.
-Are there any new vocabulary words?
Students should re-read until they understand and form
opinions about what they have read, and then use evidence
to support those opinions. You can help your student learn
to use evidence by asking them to back-up what they are
saying in everyday discussions or arguments. Encourage
them to look for facts that support their opinions, ideas or
requests. (Caution: They may learn to use evidence so well
that they use it to convince you to change your mind after
you say no to something.) Most importantly, enjoy your time
reading together!
BOX TOP FALL CONTEST
Our box Tops Fall contest is here again! The due date for
Box Tops collection is Friday, October 17th. Money raised
from clipping Box Tops is used to support educational
programs and technology at Keeth. When sending in,
please place Box Tops in a plastic bag, include your
teacher’s name, grade and student’s name, and total
number of Box Tops or glue them to the collection sheet.
There will be exciting prizes for the winners in early
November. Your help is very much appreciated!
DIVIDENDS MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
Calling all Dividend volunteers:
Dividend applications are available on-line at the SCPS
website. Click on Departments, then Dividends and Click
here to volunteer. Fill in all the info, click on PREVIEW,
and then SUBMIT. Please remember that you will need to
resubmit your application every year. Please allow two
weeks for processing prior to volunteer/chaperone
participation. We appreciate our Dividends and thank you
for all you do!
If you have any questions, contact Ms. Porter, Assistant
Principal, (407) 320-5350.
RED RIBBON WEEK
Keeth Elementary students and staff will
celebrate Red Ribbon Week Oct. 27th-Oct.31st. We have a
great week planned for the students and staff to celebrate:
Monday Oct. 27–WEAR WHITE! Healthy living leads to a
“bright” future!
Tuesday Oct. 28 - WEAR CRAZY SOCKS! Sock it to bad
habits!
Wednesday Oct. 29 -WEAR RED DAY!
Honor Red Ribbon Week and show your support for healthy
choices.
Thursday Oct. 30 – WEAR YOUR CLOTHES INSIDE
OUT! Be healthy inside & out!
Friday Oct. 31—WEAR YOUR FAVORITE TEAM JERSEY
DAY! Team up for healthy choices! Wear a jersey or t-shirt
from your favorite team or your Keeth spirit shirt.
We will hold a canned food drive all week to donate to a
local pantry. WE CAN MAKE HEALTHY CHOICES & WE
CAN HELP OTHERS! Grade level contest-who CAN collect
the most?
Caring Cougar Candy Gram Sale
Student Council will be selling candy grams Monday through
Wednesday morning, Oct 27th –29th from 7:30-7:55 in front
of the office. For just one dollar, you can send
a SKITTLES candy gram to any student or staff
member. Candy grams will be delivered on Friday,
10/31. Parent Pre-orders are available by completing the
candy gram & sending it to the guidance department.
2nd Grade –Tristan Armstadt - Butler
3rd Grade – Mason Dodds – Giambalvo
3rd Grade – Daniel Gao - Goodnough
4th Grade –Kaitlyn Bishop – DuBois
4th Grade –Tyler Luther - Littlefield
5th Grade – Luis Valdes – Pernal
5th Grade – Lola Cowser – Kpolley
ESE – Jaxson Dunigan – Gendron
Kudos to the following students who auditioned for the
FMEA (Florida Music Educators Association) Elementary
All-State Chorus! We will find out in mid-October if we get
selected! :)
Lexi Brown - Adams
Ella Herman - Adams
Veronica Valdez - Dubois
Yazielis Perez-Ramirez - Polley
Nicole Fong – Polley
SKATE NIGHT-We had a great first skate night on
Wednesday, with 260 skaters, and a lot of friends, parents,
and grandparents. Mrs. Raulerson’s 4th grade class had the
most kids there and her class gets the Skate Night “Cougar
Spirit” trophy in their room for the next month.
In the races; Ryan Krug from Ms. Hadden’s class won the
combined Kindergarten and 1st grade race. Taylor Diaz
from Ms. Humphrey’s class won in the 2nd grade. Ella
Pilacek in Ms. Kvalheim class was the winner of the 3rd
grade girls’ race and Ryan Desabrais from Ms. Giambalvo’s
class won the boys’ race. From Ms. Adam’s class, Leyla
Finley won the 4th grade girls’ race and Devon Swain won
the boys’ race. Abbie Akerson from Ms. Darby’s was the 5th
grade winner.
Ms. McClellan was the winner of the $25 Target gift card in
the teachers and staff drawing.
Don’t miss the next skate night on October 29th. There will
be special prizes for the best Halloween costume from each
grade.
PARTNERS IN EDUCATION
Thank you to our business partners! We would like to
recognize the following area businesses who have already
signed up as our Partners in Excellence for this school year.
As a reminder, business partners need to renew their
agreements at the start of each school year.
Flipper’s Pizzeria
Jersey Mike’s
Mathnasium of Tuskawilla
North Wind Martial Arts
Orlando Solar Bears
Tijuana Flats
Spark! Family Enrichment Center
Sea World
Championship Martial Arts
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Way to go to Jacob Butler- Third Grade and Ryan
Mclaughlin- Second Grade, for being Keeth’s Let’s Read
Seminole winners!
Congratulations to Keeth Student’s of the Week
Kindergarten – Jacob Collins – Hadden
Kindergarten – Julianne Parker - Codrey
1st Grade – Bradley Gurnett – Case
1st Grade – Danielle Allen - Halerz
2nd Grade –Jenna Reynolds – Underwood
Jeremiah’s Italian Ice
If you are interested in becoming a Partner in Excellence or
would like to renew your agreement from last year, please
contact Kelly Mitchell, Assistant Principal, (407) 320-5350.