Keystone Academy sets appreciation treats for up to 70 employees

At its regular meeting on March 12, the Keystone Academy Board of Directors approved spending money for gift cards and a food truck to honor up to 70 employees at the school during their Appreciation Weeks.
Office Staff Appreciation Week is April 20-24 and seven members of the staff and administrators each will get a $100 Amazon Gift Card.
May 4-8 is Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week and the board allocated $75 Amazon Gift Cards for each of them, plus up to $25 each for a yet-to-be-determined kind of food truck on Friday, May 8.
National Heritage Academy sent a message that May 11-15 is National Charter Schools Week and is a week to celebrate schools of choice and the charter school movement.
Each of the NHA schools are encouraged to come up with their own special ways to celebrate the appreciation weeks.
The NHA video series, produced every other month for boards, this month features special messages of gratitude from J.C. Huizenger, NHA chairman and founder, and NHA’s executive leadership team for the employees’ continued dedication and partnership.
In other business at the one-hour meeting, the board:
• Learned the bench has been ordered to celebrate the many years now-retired Vesta Losen had served on the Keystone Board. Principal Jorvonna Drain said they will wait until it is warmer to lay the cement for the bench and then there will be a celebration yet to be determined. The board allocated $1,000 for the bench and NHA is funding part of the cost;
• Was advised the board could roll over the $900 from last year’s budget that had been set aside for board members to attend the NHA Board Symposium in 2025, but no one went;
• Heard principal Drain say the PTO has set aside $10,000 for various outdoor amenities for students and she is checking with NHA on the proposals. One includes an area of low-to-the-ground hammocks for students to read outside. Another proposal is a covered, shady area for reading. Drain said they have a lot of ideas and there are few shady areas for reading since trees are sparse;
• Approved the 12 board meetings for the fiscal year, for July 9, 2026 through June 10, 2027 on the second Thursday of each month at 5 p.m. The board must schedule 12 meetings under its charter with Bay Mills Community College and if it cancels a meeting for any reason, there is a demerit from Bay Mills;
• Was asked to fill out the NHA 2025-26 Board Satisfaction Survey. Comments are anonymous but bring information to NHA to strengthen how they work together. NHA representative Andrew Roth said this gives board members a chance to say whether they like him or not;
• Was presented with the 2025-26 Annual Education Report that every public school must file. It is available on line at https://www.nhaschools.com/schools/keystone-academy/en and clicking on “Annual Education Report.” It is also available at the school office;
• Was introduced to DeAmo Murphy who is in training with NHA. He said he has attended ten school board meetings in the past month. He is shadowing NHA board representatives to learn how everything works;
• Heard board vice president Steve Harsant report that that morning he was parked on Bemis Road waiting to turn into the “snake” in the parking lot to deliver his grandsons to Keystone, when his vehicle almost got hit by a car. He asked if the school was in compliance with the law with its traffic system that spills out into the roadway. NHA Roth said the police are there regularly and don’t say anything. He said the township knew the procedure when the school was planned more than 20 years ago;
• Heard principal Drain report that 461 people attended the school’s recent Sunrise Social, that was extended over two days because of how many wanted to sign up. The students started the day together with family and had a light breakfast before the students headed off to class. She said parents usually don’t get to walk into the school with their students and this was very well received;
• Heard Drain announce the Keystone has been designated a Green School at the Evergreen Certification Level by the Michigan Department of Education – the highest level to achieve. Last year it earned Emerald Certification. To earn this Evergreen honor, Keystone documented 20 or more activities that support the environment by reducing waste, using resources sustainably, and conserving energy;
• Was informed the middle school students competed in their second Science Olympiad regional competition at Wayne State University. The team competed in 23 different STEM events against other schools in the Wayne-Monroe region and placed fifth overall. They received 25 event medals. Bryan D. and Matthew G. placed first in the Scrambler event and will represent Keystone at the State competition for that particular event; and
• Learned Jasper L. won the Keystone Third and Fourth Grade Spelling Bee. Jasper and Gala A., who placed second, will advance to compete in NHA’’s Regional Spelling Bee in May.