Thursday, September 18th - North Texas Giving Day / End of House Competition!
Saturday, September 20th - Spruce-Up TKS Event
Friday, September 26th - No Aftercare
September 29th-October 3rd - FALL BREAK - SCHOOL CLOSED
Sunday, October 5th - Kessler Karnival at KPUMC
October 7th-9th-:1st-8th CoGAT Testing (morning only)
October 13th-16th:1st-8th IOWA Testing (morning only)
October 15th - Open House Curriculum Night 6:00-7:00
October 20th-31st - Annual Pumpkin Book Character Museum Activity (optional)
Friday, October 31st - 11th Annual Student Book Character Parade (dress as your favorite book character for Halloween!)
Monday, November 3rd - Switch Witch! Details to come...
LAST CALL FOR NORTH TEXAS GIVING DAY!
Which House Will Win?
Participation Totals Leaderboard Update:
Every House has donors, but the crown is still up for grabs. With each gift, you’re funding tools and experiences that build both skill and self-respect in our students.
Dr. Roemer brought five Board members of the European Teacher Education Network to TKS this week to showcase all the wonderful learning that happens here every day! These board members teach the next generation of teachers from across the globe. We were proud to spotlight the power of small class sizes and the impact of personalized learning, as well as our diverse community coming together as one family.
Shout out to Ms. Dupuis for planning a week's worth of Library and STEAM activities to bring DOT DAY to life.
"The Dot" tells the story of a young girl named Vashti who believes she cannot draw. Frustrated and discouraged, Vashti sits in front of a blank piece of paper during art class, unable to find any inspiration or confidence. Her art teacher encourages her to make a mark and see where it takes her. Vashti reluctantly takes a marker and makes a single dot on her paper.
To her surprise, Vashti's art teacher is impressed with her dot and asks her to sign it. This small act of encouragement sparks something within Vashti, and she begins to explore the possibilities of her dot. As she experiments with different colors, sizes, and techniques, Vashti discovers that there is beauty and creativity in every mark she makes.
Inspired by her newfound confidence, Vashti creates an entire gallery of dot-inspired artwork for the school's art show. One of her pieces captures the attention of a visitor who insists on buying it. Encouraged by her success, Vashti realizes that her art teacher's belief in her abilities and her own willingness to take that first step were the catalysts for her artistic journey. The story encourages students to make their mark, no matter how big or small!
Let’s Spruce Up TKS - THIS SATURDAY!
WHEN: September 20th (8:45-11:30 AM)
WHO: All TKS Families – from ECC to Middle School
WHAT: Cheer on the Sunset High School marching band from 8:30-45 as they march down 10th Street as part of their Centennial Celebration, then stay for a while to hang out with other TKS families and spruce up our grounds.
WHY: To support our neighbors at Sunset HS and to enjoy time outdoors together as a community
WHERE: TKS – we’ll start on the sidewalk in front of the school to watch the marching band, then we’ll spread out across campus to take on the task of your choice
WHAT ELSE: Earn volunteer hours; this is a family event, so there will be things to do for kids of all ages; it’s come-and-go – drop by for the marching band, then stay as long as you can.
Fall Break is coming up from September 29th to October 3rd!
If you are looking for ways to keep your child off screens and actively engaged, check out the camp offerings below!
Offering Single, Full-Day Camps!
Location: Oil and Cotton Studio and Studio Oak Cliff (we will walk over after lunch)
Times: 9 am-12 pm (art), 12-1 pm (lunch), 1-3 pm (dance), 3-5 pm aftercare at Oil and Cotton
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Monday, September 22
We need 1-2 adults and 1-3 Middle School students to run a game booth at the Karnival and represent TKS.
TKS Adults and Middle School students can earn volunteer hours!
Click the image to sign up!
*Kindergarten to test in December
Why do we test our students?
Measure Progress: Testing data help us track how students are performing compared to nationally-normed grade-level expectations.
Support Individual Learning: Scores highlight strengths and areas for growth, allowing us to better personalize instruction.
Improve Our Programs: Group data helps us evaluate and enhance our curriculum and teaching methods.
Keep You Informed: Sharing results fosters transparency and strengthens our partnership with you.
Remember: Standardized tests are just one part of the bigger picture, but they provide meaningful insights that help us better serve each student.
Why CogAT and Iowa?
CogAT is the only strengths-based ability assessment that fairly identifies gifted students from all backgrounds, accurately measures multilingual learners’ potential, and empowers students to improve academic performance by 20%.
When taken in partnership with CogAT,Iowa Assessments™ identify gaps between students’ current academic skills and their readiness to learn. Educators can see hidden potential in students who are struggling in class and take steps to help them flourish. Educators can use this data to set meaningful goals, predict future achievement, and adjust instruction based on student needs.
We invite all current and prospective families to attend our upcoming Community Open House & Curriculum Night on Wednesday, October 15th. This adult-only event will begin promptly at 6:00 p.m. in the cafeteria.
The evening will feature remarks from Dr. Roemer, our new Head of School, who will share his long-term vision for The Kessler School. Following his presentation, parents are encouraged to visit classrooms corresponding to their child’s upcoming grade level to gain insight into the academic experience and curriculum planned for the year ahead. Prospective families can meet and mingle with current families to get a sense of the community and culture of TKS.
We hope to see everyone there!
Calling All Pumpkin Artists!
You are invited to participate in our annual Pumpkin Book Character Museum, kicking off on October 20th!
Pick your family's favorite book and decorate a small pie pumpkin to look like one of the characters or the cover of the book. Any craft items can be used to add to the pumpkin, but please do NOT puncture the pumpkin because it will rot quickly. The pumpkins (along with the book) will be available to display in the library starting Monday, October 20th. The museum will run through Friday, October 31st.
Counseling at TKS
Together, The Center and TKS can help our kids thrive and embrace a healthy and happy life. Monthly in-class counseling sessions will begin the week of September 8th, following a four-week rotation.
To schedule an individual appointment with Avery or any of The Center’s therapists at locations across North and
Central Texas, please call: 214.526.4525 or go to www.thecentercounseling.org.
- Drop-off time: 7:45-8:00 AM
- Late arrivals (after 8:00): Sign in at the front office
- Parents walking children in must exit by 8:05 AM
- Arrival after 8:05 AM: Staff will escort students to class
REMINDERS
Jackets & Sweaters: A reminder that students are only permitted to wear TKS logo sweatshirts and sweaters indoors over their uniforms. Additional outerwear is reserved for outside play and PE only. Feel free to visit the front desk at drop off for information about used uniforms, or email kswift@thekesslerschool.com. PLEASE REMEMBER TO LABEL ALL CLOTHING.
Walking or Biking: If your child is permitted to walk or bike to and from school unaccompanied by an adult, please make sure to submit this permission form to their classroom teacher before they begin. Students walking to school may enter at the front of the building or the east entrance. Students biking to school must wear a helmet and enter the parking lot, and walk the bike through the carpool lane. This permission form can always be found in the Parent section of the TKS website. If you have any further questions, please contact Katie Swift, Assistant Head of School.
Emergency Pick-Up: Anytime your child is going home with someone not listed in your emergency contacts in RenWeb, please fill out the Emergency Pick-Up Authorization Form and submit it to the classroom teacher and Linda Alegria, Office Manager, by 2 PM the day of pick-up. This form is for a one-time pick-up only. You may also go into your Family Portal in RenWeb to add any individual’s permission to pick up your child at all times.
Personalized TKS merchandise is available to purchase at the Sideline Store, our online shop!
Students can wear TKS spirit items to school, both indoors and outdoors, and on Fridays!
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