Weekly Message from HOS 2026/01/12-2026/01/16
Dear Keystonians,
Happy Friday! As we move through this busy and reflective time in the semester, I want to extend a special acknowledgment to our faculty. The work of guiding student learning while preparing thoughtful end-of-term assessments and feedback is immense. It is work done with great care, often beyond the visible hours of the school day. To our teachers: thank you for your dedication. 加油!
This context made me all the more grateful on Wednesday evening, when members of the Yunyin Orchestra and their teacher, Ms. Jasmine Yang, traveled downtown to open Episode 3 of our Keystone Dialogues with a graceful performance of “Silence.” Ms. Jasmine was quietly supporting her students—setting up, tuning instruments, and, long after the final note, packing everything for the return trip to Shunyi. This was during the 12th and 13th hour of her workday. When I returned to campus much later, the silence of the campus stood in stark contrast to the energy she and her students had shared.
The next morning, I saw that an informal classroom observation on my schedule was in Ms. Jasmine’s class. This year, our new Keystone Professional Educator Program (KPEP) has all academic administrators participating in these brief, unannounced visits. I value this practice deeply; it’s a structured way to support growth and a genuine privilege to witness the daily brilliance in our classrooms.
Seeing her name gave me pause. If I was tired, how must she be feeling? The purpose of these observations is to be low-stakes and supportive—a moment for shared learning, not a high-pressure assessment. I wondered if visiting might feel intrusive, or if not going might be misplaced empathy. I also wanted to thank her.
I decided to go. Walking into the Performing Arts Center, I was met with the sound of music from an open door. Inside, Ms. Jasmine was coaching a small group of high school students as they refined an original composition. I took notes on our KPEP platform, capturing evidence of a vibrant learning environment: students deeply engaged in a band unit, composing music inspired by their hometowns, telling stories through collaboration and sound. Ms. Jasmine moved between practice rooms, offering guidance, asking questions, and nurturing their creative process. The focus, artistry, and intellectual engagement in the room were exactly what we strive for at Keystone.
What stayed with me was the quality of that learning experience, especially within its context—a demanding week, a late night, the pressures of the term. The focus remained entirely on the students.
This snapshot is not an exception. It is a reflection of the remarkable teaching and learning that happens across our school, in different forms, every day.
Our Keystone Professional Educator Program is one way we work to see, celebrate, and systematically support this excellence. Soon, we will be sharing insights from the parent satisfaction research we did in October and November. A clear theme was shared: the high value our parent community places on the quality of our faculty. This is a core priority for all of us—leadership, faculty, families, and students alike.
Moving forward, we look forward to more conversations as a community about what teaching and learning excellence means at Keystone. Together, we can continue to build a shared understanding and strengthen the trust that makes our community so strong.
To our faculty, thank you for the work you do. To our students, thank you for engaging with such spirit. And to our families, thank you for your partnership.
Wishing everyone a peaceful weekend,
Emily
