Weekly Message from HOS 2025/11/24-2025/11/28
Dear Keystone Families,
This week, as our parent volunteers prepared a Thanksgiving feast for our faculty and staff on Friday evening, I find my reflections turning to gratitude. I am deeply thankful for the privilege of leading a school where the commitment to growth—for both our students and our faculty—is so palpable and purposeful.
That commitment is most visible in our students, especially during moments like our visit this week from Dr. Jonathan Jiang. The NASA JPL scientist left the kids with a powerful charge: to define their own futures and to embrace, rather than fear, life’s profound uncertainties. He framed the unknown not as a barrier, but as the very frontier of discovery. It was a message that resonates perfectly with our educational aims.
This same spirit of growth and exploration is actively at work in our faculty through the ongoing implementation of the Keystone Professional Educator Program (KPEP). This isn’t a top-down initiative; it was designed by our faculty, for our faculty. Its dual purpose is central to our mission: to ensure a consistently high standard of teaching for every student, while also providing a clear and supportive framework for our excellent educators to pursue their own professional passions and continuous growth.
I just love being in classrooms, and the KPEP gives me a structured and regular window into that magic. Through informal 30-minute observations, I see our teachers expertly guiding students through complex problems, fostering inclusive discussions, and embodying the very lifelong learning we hope to instill. It is in these moments that I get to see our mission come alive.
This weekend, our wonderful PTA offers two special opportunities for our community to connect:
A Thanksgiving Celebration on Friday, hosted by parents. This is a wonderful chance to share in the spirit of gratitude and fellowship that defines this season.
A Town Hall Meeting on Sunday evening, where school leaders will share the genesis and vision behind the KPEP in more detail, and PTA leaders will provide an update on their impactful work so far this year.
So, this season, my gratitude is abundant. I am thankful for our students, who are learning to navigate uncertainty with courage. I am thankful for our faculty, who are dedicated to their own growth in service of their students. And I am thankful for our families whose partnership makes this vibrant community of learners possible.
Wishing you a peaceful and reflective week ahead.
Warmly,
Emily
