📌 Important Reminders
- 📚 Back-to-School Night
Thursday, September 17 | 6:15–8:00 p.m.
Escuela Key’s Back-to-School Night is an opportunity for adults to meet their child’s teachers, learn more about classroom routines and curriculum, and hear what to expect during the school year. This event is for adults only, no childcare is available. A tech support desk will also be available for families who need help with ParentVUE or ParentSquare, or have questions about using either platform. - 📊 Beginning-of-Year Testing
NWEA MAP Growth testing for Grades 1–5 begins next week. See Principal Lee’s message for grade-level testing schedules and additional details.
View Testing Information →
🎉 Hispanic Heritage Fiesta
Friday, September 25 | 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. | Escuela Key
For the first time, the Escuela Key PTA is bringing our community together for a Hispanic Heritage Fiesta! Join us for an evening celebrating Hispanic culture and traditions with music, dance lessons, performances, a bouncy house, and more.
Help make the celebration your own! Bring a favorite dish, side, dessert, or snack to share. It can be Hispanic, something from your own country or culture, or simply any food you’d like to share with the community. All food will be placed on a communal table, and cards will be available so families can label what they bring.
Have a Hispanic dance to perform, a poem to read, a song to play, or another tradition you’d like to share? We’d love to showcase it.
We’ll have tables and chairs available, and families are also welcome to bring picnic blankets or sports, camping, or folding chairs.
All Key families are welcome!
💙 Your Support at Work
Each week, we’ll highlight one way your PTA support helps Escuela Key students, teachers, and our school community.
📣 Key PTA Community Conversation
Thank you to everyone who joined our first PTA Community Conversation! Families shared questions and ideas about no-school-day camps, volunteering, PTA membership, teacher grants, enrichment vs. Extended Day, and immigration-related concerns.
Ms. Kilmer shared how a PTA teacher grant helped launch the garden initiative, while Principal Lee helped answer family questions. Principal Lee also addressed Know Your Rights and immigration-related concerns. The PTA plans to bring back its Know Your Rights workshops this year and share additional resources online.
View the slides from the meeting →
We want to keep the conversation going about how the PTA can support our community. Share your ideas and questions at comms@keypta.org.
📅 This Week at Key
Tuesday, September 15
- 📊 NWEA MAP Growth Testing: Grade 4 Reading
Wednesday, September 16
- 📊 NWEA MAP Growth Testing: Grades 3 & 5 Reading
Thursday, September 17
- 📊 NWEA MAP Growth Testing: Grades 2 & 4 Math
- 📚 Back-to-School Night | 6:15–8:00 p.m.
Adults can meet their child’s teachers and learn about classroom routines, curriculum, and the school year ahead. Adults only.
Friday, September 18
- 📊 NWEA MAP Growth Testing: Grades 3 & 5 Math
✅ Action Items
The PTA depends on our school community to keep going. Become a PTA member and help support programs, events, and resources for our students and school community.
Join the PTA →
Did you know you can sync the Key calendar directly to your phone or personal calendar? Subscribe once and important APS dates, Key school dates, and PTA events will automatically appear and stay updated when dates change.
English: Google Calendar | Apple / Outlook
Español: Google Calendar | Apple / Outlook
Planning to volunteer at Key this year? APS volunteer approval is required and must be renewed every two years. Apply early, as approval can take several days.
Complete the APS Volunteer Application →
View the Volunteer Checklist →
Want to find your child’s classmates and connect with their families? Join the Key Family Directory and make sure your information is up to date.
Join the Directory →
📣 Upcoming Events & Announcements
September 10–October 16 | Goal: $30,000
Campaign for Key is our annual fundraising drive supporting the programs, resources, and experiences the PTA provides for Escuela Key students, teachers, and families.
Every contribution helps us reach our $30,000 goal. Families can participate with a donation of any amount.
Prefer cash or check? Mail a check payable to Escuela Key Elementary PTA (school address) or drop cash/check in the PTA drop box at school. Include your email address for a tax receipt.
Tuesday, September 29
Picture Day is coming! We’re looking for family volunteers to help classes stay organized and keep the day running smoothly. If you’re available to help during the school day, we’d love to have you!
Thursday, October 1 | 6:00–7:15 p.m.
Curious about Odyssey of the Mind? Taste of OM is a fun introduction for students and families. Kids will work in small groups (grades K–2 and 3–5) to tackle a creative challenge together—similar to the teamwork and problem-solving in OM. No prior experience needed—come learn how OM works, meet other interested families, and see if it might be a good fit for your child.
4th- and 5th-grade students: OM will not overlap with Encore this year. OM ends the last week of February, and Encore begins in March.
Monday, October 12 to Friday, October 16
The Book Fair is coming this fall! Students and families will have the opportunity to shop for books while supporting our school. More information about shopping hours, teacher wish lists, and volunteer opportunities will be shared soon.
At Escuela Key, cultures from around the world come together—making this year’s Reflections theme, “What My Culture Means to Me,” a perfect fit. Students can participate through art, writing, photography, music, film, or dance, and all participants will be celebrated!
