📌 Important Reminders
- 🚫 No School
Monday, September 21 — Yom Kippur - 🎉 Hispanic Heritage Fiesta
Friday, September 25 | 6:00–9:00 p.m. See important event information below! - 📊 Beginning-of-Year Testing
NWEA MAP Growth testing continues for 1st Grade. View Testing Information for additional details →
💙 Support Escuela Key's Campaign for Key
$2,925 raised / recaudados
of our $30,000 goal / de nuestra meta de $30,000
9.75% of our goal / 9.75% de nuestra meta
Campaign for Key Is Underway!
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, and families can participate with a donation of any amount.
Prefer cash or check? Mail a check payable to Escuela Key Elementary PTA to the school address, or drop cash/check in the PTA drop box at school. Include your email address for a tax receipt.
📅 This Week at Key
Monday, September 21
- 🚫 No School — Yom Kippur
Tuesday, September 22
- 📊 NWEA MAP Growth Testing: Grade 1 Math (1A Rosas & 1D Duran)
- 🏊♂️ Swimming Unit: 3rd grade (Parent 3C & Streicher 3D)
Wednesday, September 23
- 📊 NWEA MAP Growth Testing: Grade 1 Math (1B Allende & 1C Delgadillo)
- 🏊♂️ Swimming Unit: 3rd grade (Parent 3C & Streicher 3D)
Thursday, September 24
- 🏊♂️ Swimming Unit: 3rd grade (Parent 3C & Streicher 3D)
Friday, September 25
- 🏊♂️ Swimming Unit: 3rd grade (Parent 3C & Streicher 3D)
- 🎉 Hispanic Heritage Fiesta: 6:00–9:00 p.m.
🎉 Hispanic Heritage Fiesta
Friday, September 25 | 6:00–9:00 p.m. | Escuela Key
Join us for an evening celebrating Hispanic cultures and traditions with music, dance, performances, crafts, and more.
🍴 Food: The food available at the Fiesta will come from one communal potluck table, with families bringing dishes, snacks, and desserts to share. There will not be food vendors or separate country food tables. Families may want to bring a picnic meal for their own family and enjoy the shared dishes from the community table as part of the celebration.
🪑 Where: The event will take place outside on the blacktop/back fields. Tables and chairs will be available, and families are also welcome to bring folding chairs or picnic blankets.
💃🏽 Activities: We’ll have professional dance performances and lessons, crafts for kids, music, and more — including Georgetown University’s Ballet Folklórico, a Marinera performance from Sentimiento Peruano, and a Bachata dance lesson with an instructor from Inspira Dance in Ballston.
🙋 We still need a few more parent volunteers! If you have a little time to spare before, during, or after the Fiesta, we’d love your help.
Sign Up to Bring Food or Volunteer →
All Key families are welcome!
✅ Action Items
The Key PTA is a community of families, teachers, and staff working together to make Escuela Key stronger. Your membership matters. Joining the PTA helps strengthen our collective voice and makes it possible for us to continue supporting the programs, resources, and experiences that benefit Key students and families.
Join the Key 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
There are many ways to get involved throughout the year! Visit our Volunteer Hub to learn about volunteer opportunities and find information about upcoming events that need family support.
Visit the Volunteer Hub →
📣 Upcoming Events & Announcements
Tuesday, September 29
Picture Day is coming! Families are encouraged to order photos online ahead of time; cash or check can be used if needed.
We’re also looking for a few more afternoon volunteers to help classes stay organized and keep the day running smoothly. Volunteers receive a discount on photo orders!
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 Escuela Key Book Fair is coming! This year’s fair is hosted with READ Book Nook and will bring a curated selection of books directly to Key for students and families to explore and purchase.
🛍️ Monday, October 12: Shop in person or online.
📝 Tuesday & Wednesday: Classes visit the fair and create wish lists.
🌙 Thursday: Family Shopping Night, 4:00–8:00 p.m.
📚 Friday: Open until 11:00 a.m.
More information about class visits, shopping, and ways to support the fair 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! Email reflections@keypta.org with your submission.
