Superintendent Archives

January 25, 2013
The moving day is near!  Keystone Middle School students and staff will be holding the first day of class in the new building on Monday, February 11.  Prior to the move-in day, on Friday, February 8, students will be bussed to the new school for a tour of the building, locker assignments, and a short orientation.  Additionally, on Monday, February 4, there will be an informational meeting from 6-7pm for any parent who may have questions on the transition.  The meeting will be in the current KMS gym.  Additional information about the KMS transition is available on our website and Facebook page.

On Monday, March 4, an open house at the new middle school will be held for parents and any interested parties from 4:00-6:00pm.  Following the Open House, starting at 6:00pm, I will be giving a State of the School Address in the new KMS cafeteria. We hope to see you there!

In high school news, I would like to thank Ridge Tool for their very generous donation of $30,000 to the KHS wireless network, which enables our students to participate in the Bring Your Own Device program. 

Have a great weekend and stay warm!

January 18, 2013
I would like to wish all KES students and their parents who are attending the PTA-sponsored Father/Daughter dance a great time tonight!  With over 900 people in attendance last year, the event is sure to be a success.  I would also like to thank the KES PTA parents and volunteers who helped plan and facilitate the event – your hard work is appreciated!

In KMS news, the construction project is nearly completed, and the move has begun!  Students will begin their first day of class on February 11!  We are excited, as they are, to make this transition to the new building.

Congratulations to all KHS students who recently completed their midterm exams.  The third semester begins on January 22, so keep up the good work!

Enjoy the long weekend and hope to see you at the boys’ basketball rivalry Wellington game tonight! 

January 11, 2013
I would like to congratulate the following students who were selected to represent KMS at The 2013 Lorain County Honors Choir:  Morgan Reddinger, Diana Perez, Alexis Marquis, Sydney Allemeier, Valeri Broschk, Keearah Williams, Alexis Pojman, Sarah Verderber, Cassie Clouser, Audra Fincham, Heather Rising, Madeline Rising, Kenzie Kokoski, Ashley Buttolph, Heidi Jaworski, Caitlin Nedley, Tanner Gunter, Avary Fincham, Luke Peters. This is certainly an honor and we look forward to hearing more about this upcoming event!

Some upcoming events I would like to make sure you’re aware of are the community teddy bear toss and the KES father/daughter dance.  The Teddy bears will be tossed on to the gym floor during halftime at the boys basketball game vs. Midview on Tuesday, Jan 15.  The Teddy Bears collected from this event will be donated to local fire and police departments. Please remember to wrap your teddy bear in a plastic bag. 

The KES father/daughter dance is scheduled for Friday, January 18 from 6-9pm in the KMS gym.  This event is also well-attended and enjoyed by dads and their daughters.  I would like to thank the elementary school PTA for all of their hard work in organizing the dance for Keystone. 

Lastly, I would like to remind students and parents that the end of the second grading period is Thursday, Jan 17.  The second quarter data summary is forthcoming. Students do not have school on Friday, Jan 18 due to a teacher in-service, and they also do not have school on Monday, Jan 21 due to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.  

Have a great weekend!

January 4, 2013
I hope all of you had a great holiday break and were able to spend time relaxing and enjoying the company of family and friends.  As we experienced over the break, I fear inclement weather is upon us and I wanted to remind everyone of our process for school cancellations.  In the event of such weather, administrators attempt to make a decision by 6am.  The all-call system, district website, Twitter, and Facebook pages are updated immediately and local media outlets are notified.

In construction news, I am pleased to report that we will be moving into the new KMS building in early February, and the project remains on budget.  We’re looking forward to having students and staff in the building!

We will be interviewing construction firms for the new elementary school on January 7th.  The three firms are Ozanne, Panzica, and Icon and are all based in the Cleveland area.  Part of the scope of the project will again be to do whatever we can to help put local contractors to work on the project.  

Have a great weekend Keystone!  

December 14, 2012
Congratulations to the KHS symphonic and women’s choir on their outstanding performances this past Sunday and Monday.  The concerts were well-attended and well- received!  Plan to attend the 6-12th grade band concert, coming up on Tuesday, December 18 at 7pm in the KMS gym.

I would also like to congratulate the students and staff at all three schools for the successful donation drives they held this holiday season.  Through their annual Lions Club Loose Change drive, KES raised nearly $1,500 and donated many canned foods and non-perishable items.  KMS collected toys and non-perishable items, resulting in the donation of 2,307 canned goods to the local Lions Club.  Lastly, KHS collected canned foods and monetary donations, which led to the donation of 1,858 canned food items and $932.00. Special thanks to all students, parents, and staff who showed their generosity of spirit during this holiday season.

The middle school construction is nearly complete.  We are still working on the timeline for the move-in dates.  As soon as they are solidified, I will share the information with you.

Lastly, I would like to remind you that the last day of school for students prior to break is Wednesday, December 19.  Students do not have school on Thursday, December 20; school will resume on Thursday, January 3. The Board of Education office will remain open from 8-3pm every day except for Christmas and New Year’s.

Have a great holiday season KLSD!  See you in 2013!

December 7, 2012
I would like to congratulate all of our musically-inclined students who took part in concerts last week and wish the high school’s symphonic choir and women’s choir and the 6-12th band members good luck in their upcoming performances.  The KHS symphonic choir and women’s choir will hold their annual “Festival of Carols" concerts on Sunday, December 9 at 3pm and on Monday, December 10 at 7pm; both performances will be held in the KHS cafetorium.  The band concert will take place on Tuesday, Dec 18 at 7pm at KMS.

As the holidays approach, I encourage you to work with students to give back to our community.  Numerous social-service projects are being held at our schools, including a loose change drive, canned food drive, and toy drives.  Please call your child’s school office for more information regarding these donation drives.

The schedule for winter break is as follows - Thursday, Dec 20, 2012 - No school for students as their holiday break begins; teachers have an in-service day on Dec 20. School resumes for teachers and students on Thursday, Jan 3, 2013.   The Board of Education office will remain open from 8-3pm every day except for Christmas and New Year’s.

Have a great weekend! 

November 30, 2012
December is almost upon us!  The holiday season is fast approaching, and to prepare, our students and staff are participating in a variety of events.  

Keystone Elementary School staff and students are holding their annual “Loose Change Drive” to support the social service efforts of the local LaGrange Lions Club.  Keystone Middle School staff are donating toys, and their student council is hosting a food drive next week from December 3 through December 7.  Members of the Keystone High School softball team are collecting new toys for local families in need.  Please encourage your child to take part in this holiday season of giving. 

In music news, students in grades 5 and 6 held a great concert this past Wednesday evening.  Please plan to attend the 7 and 8th grade choir concert next Wednesday, Dec 5 and the 6-12th grade band concert on Tuesday, Dec 16.  Lastly, the KHS Symphonic Choir and Women’s Choir will hold their annual and much-anticipated “Festival of Carols” choir concerts on Sunday, December 9th at 3pm and on Monday, December 10th at 7pm.  Both performances will be held in the Keystone High School cafetorium.  Admission to all aforementioned concerts is free.  We hope to see you there!

Have a great weekend KLSD! 

November 20, 2012
Happy Thanksgiving! Please enjoy the time with your friends and family!

November 16, 2012
I would like to thank all parents who attended KES conferences last night and encourage others to attend the elementary school’s second night of conferences on Monday, November 19 from 5-8pm.  During conferences, the KES PTA will be holding their annual book fair and pie fundraiser. Please consider ordering items from this fundraiser and continue to support the PTA and all of the amazing opportunities they provide for our students.

In addition to supporting the KES PTA, please also consider ordering items from the KMS/KHS PTA’s “Boswell’s Beanery and Blends” fundraiser.  They are selling many items, including coffee, teas, cheesecake, etc.  More information about these fundraisers can be found on the Keystone website.

Great job to the KES third graders on an amazing concert this Wednesday!  The hard work of the students and their teacher Shelley Wyzynski was evident in their outstanding performance.

I hope everyone is excited for Thanksgiving break, as it is right around the corner!  Students will not have school on Wednesday, November 21 due to the holiday, and they will return on Monday, November 26. 

Happy Friday and have a great Thanksgiving

November 9, 2012
Conferences are upon us and I encourage all parents and guardians to attend. The middle and high school will hold their second conference night this Tuesday from 4:30-7:30, and KES will hold their conferences on November 15 and 19 from 5-8pm.  During the elementary school conferences, the PTA will be holding their annual book fair; books are available at the fair and online at http://bookfairs.scholastic.com//homepage/keystoneelementary.

Plan to attend the “Keystone’s Got Talent” show tonight at 7pm in the KHS Cafetorium.  In addition to the talent show tonight, the third graders have been working very hard on their upcoming musical, which will take place on Wednesday, November 14 at 7pm in the KMS gym. 

Lastly, I would like to commend our schools on the work they did prior to and on Election Day to help explain the significance and importance of voting.  Students at the elementary school took part in a mock election in which they voted for the theme of Right to Read Week.  At the high school, individual classrooms were assigned a “state” to represent.  Students voted in their prospective “states,” the electoral votes were cast, and a presidential candidate was elected.  Great work teachers and students!

Have a great weekend!

November 2, 2012
Welcome back to all students and staff after our stormy fall weather.  As we continue to move into the winter season, I want to remind everyone of the process we have in place for calamity days. When there is a potential cancellation or delay, we attempt to make a decision by 6am that day. Due to the various issues that occurred with the weather this week, we made the decision a day in advance.

We use our all-call system, post the message on the website, send blasts out on Twitter and Facebook, and notify all the local media outlets. Please make sure you are on our all-call list and use these various ways to stay informed.

Events taking place this weekend include the annual community service event “Rake a Difference Day.”  On Saturday, November 3, students from the middle and high schools will be lending a helping hand to community members who have a difficult time with fall leaf clean-up.  I would like to thank these students and supervising staff in advance for their commitment to this valuable community service program.

Also, I would like to remind KLSD  parents that due to the school closures this week, the report cards for all students will now be sent home on Tuesday, November 6.  Lastly, to our parents with students attending KMS and KHS, please plan to attend conferences this Thursday, November 8 from 4:30-7:30 or next Tuesday, November 13 from 4:30-7:30. 

Also, please remember to turn your clocks back on Sunday as we "fall back" this weekend.

Have a great weekend KLSD!

October 26, 2012

Congratulations to the KHS football team on a great season.  They enter tonight with a 5-4 record and are 4-2 in league play.  If they win tonight against Black River, they will win a share of the Conference championship.  The game is at home vs. Black River. Hope to see you there and good luck to Coach Clarico and his team!

Also, please remember that today is the last day of the first grading period.  Please remember to stay up-to-date on your child's assignments and scores by accessing PowerSchool - our online grading system.  Any questions about accessing this system can be addressed by your child's school office.


In financial news, the Board of Education authorized a second bond refunding at its October 15th meeting.  The district has the opportunity to capture further taxpayer savings in early 2013 by refinancing the remaining $4 million, of the 2004 bonds.    The projected savings for the second refinancing is over $1 million.

Last May, the low interest rates available to municipal borrowers provided the District an opportunity to refinance most of 2004 bonds for a lower interest rate, resulting in a reduction in the taxes of Keystone residents.  Over $8,500,000 was refinanced for a savings of over $1,500,000 last spring.  The current refunding  will complete the project and will result in an additional million in savings for taxpayers over the remaining twenty years of the bond issue.  That is a total of 2.5 million in savings for Keystone taxpayers over the remaining life of the bonds!

See you tonight.  Go Wildcats!

October 19, 2012
The end of the first semester grading period is fast approaching.  The grading period will conclude on Friday, October 26.  I encourage you to continue to be diligent in checking your child’s academic progress using our online grading system PowerSchool. 

Conferences will also be held soon. The high school and middle school will hold their conferences on November 8 and November 13 from 4:30-7:30.  The elementary school will hold conferences on November 15 and 19 from 5-8pm. 

The elementary school recently held a school-wide and community event called Rachel’s Challenge.  This is a special program that sends a profound message about acting with compassion and creating a culture of kindness in schools and beyond.  Special thanks to KES Principal Dave Kish, Guidance Counselor Chelsea Palubiak, and the PTA for bringing this program to Keystone. 

Lastly, I would like to thank Sun Federal Credit Union and CEO Brenda Hammond for the generous donation of $25,000 to the stadium project.  These funds will be used for a variety of stadium projects, including development of a field house. 

Have a great weekend KLSD! 

Thursday, October 11
Sixth graders are having a great time this week at Camp Nuhop.  This camp is designed to teach students cooperative learning practices and teamwork as well as educate them about the natural world that surrounds them.  Access pictures and other information from the camp by navigating to Keystone Middle School’s homepage and clicking on Camp Nuhop on the left side of the page. 

The end of the grading period is near, so I want to be sure that all students and parents have accessed our online gradebook PowerTeacher.  Links to this site are on our homepage and are available on the left hand side of the page.  If you have any trouble accessing this site, please contact your child’s school office. 

Lastly, I wanted to remind you about Rake a Difference Day.  Our KMS and KHS students will be offering this community service on Saturday, Nov 3.  To sign-up, simply call the high school office at 440-355-5132.  The goal of this community service is to help senior citizens or other members of our community who may have a difficult time with tough fall leaf clean-up.  Have a great weekend!

Friday, October 5
The year is moving by so quickly, and I can’t believe October is already here! Our students and staff are busy with coursework, and Keystone fall sports teams are having great seasons! I encourage you to come to the home football game tonight against Firelands.  In addition to our football team and KHS band, our “Little Wildcat Cheerleaders and Flag Corp Members” will be performing at the game. 

I would also like to make sure you’re aware of the Parent Curriculum Night that will be held at the elementary school on Tuesday, October 9 from 6-7pm in the KES Gym.  The night will focus on curriculum as well as the revised 3rd Grade Reading Guarantee. 

Another event that is on the way is the annual Rake a Difference Day.  On this day, student volunteers from Keystone Middle and Keystone High donate their time and manpower to rake the yards of community members who need assistance with lawn maintenance.  More information about this event is forthcoming. 

Lastly, our JVS colleagues have an important message for local residents.  According to Tina Salyer, JVS Marketing and Communications Coordinator, “The Lorain County JVS has placed Issue 41, a renewal levy for operating expenses on the November 6th ballot. It renews the current 0.75 mill levy for 5 years. The passage of Issue 41 is needed to maintain quality career-technical job training programs for students, adults and employers in Lorain County. This renewal levy will not increase taxes for homeowner.  Issue 41 is necessary for daily operating expenses including technology, personnel, and the maintenance and support of job training programs.” 

Have a great weekend and hope to see you at the game tonight!