Weekly Message from Head of School 2024/9/2-2024/9/6
Dear Keystonians,
Welcome back to school! It has been a pleasure to see our fine campus full again with the excitement of a new school year. Prior to the students’ first full week of school, we had a wonderful faculty and staff orientation which began in mid-August with our new faculty. This year Keystone had its smallest number of new faculty ever. This is based on several factors that all point to the school’s strength. First, while some turnover in teaching faculty is healthy for a school, employee retention is a sign of confidence and satisfaction of our teachers. Also, a relatively low number of openings means that the competition for each new position is high, and the levels of experience and excellence are evident in this year’s crop of new teachers.
The following week we welcomed back all our staff. This year’s theme is “We Belong”. This is so much more than a feel-good catch phrase for the new school year. Belonging is foundational to well-being, which is necessary for optimized learning. When we know we belong, we increase our wellbeing, as our wellbeing increases, we learn best. This theme is therefore connected to our strategic planning work which will guide the evolution and further development of our great school for the years to come.
In our work with staff prior to students’ arrival, we also shared two guiding statements for our strategic planning process:
In Keystone Academy’s next season, learners will engage and lead the school’s hopeful vision of China and the world through safe, peaceful and sustainable relationships between people and with our fragile planet.
Keystone Academy will deepen & expand future-focused teaching and learning, creating engaging opportunities in the spirit of our New World School.
Prior to finalizing our plan by November, we hope to continue to engage our school community in determining what actions we must take to make these two statements above more and more true. Together we will answer the question: What do we have to do next to ensure we realize these statements above? This month in September, we will gather feedback from parents, students, alumni and then engage faculty and staff again to refine our final ideas. Keystone’s Board will then approve the final plan in October, and we will share it with the community in early November. Please pay attention to sign ups for optional strategic planning sessions and chances to respond to surveys for feedback. The more we all contribute to the plan, the better it will be.
Whether this is your or your child’s first year at Keystone, or last, I am so excited that we are all here together for this magical school year that will never be repeated! Let’s build on the energy and joy of this first week and continue to work together to learn and grow as individuals and a school community.
Yours truly,
Emily / Dr. M
