Weekly Message from HOS 2026/02/02-2026/02/06
Dear Keystonians,
As we shed the skin of the Wood Snake year and gallop into the Year of the Fire Horse, I send you all my warmest and most hopeful greetings for the new beginning ahead.
In this powerful moment of transition, I joyfully reflect on how our work this semester has actively brought our strategic vision—to be a New World School that builds a safe, peaceful, and sustainable future between China and the world—to life. Our progress is guided by four clear pillars of our 2024-2029 Strategic Plan.
1. China: Strengthening Identity & Connection
Our mission begins with deep roots. We have focused on enriching our students’ connection to their cultural context. This is reflected in the powerful student-led performances in our new Black Box Theatre and in the optimized Primary School schedule, which provides more time for deep, co-planned bilingual learning. These are deliberate steps to strengthen identity and understanding.
2. The World: Expanding Global Diversity & Links
We are building more bridges. The exceptional diversity of our expert faculty, the growing recognition of our graduates at top global universities, and the active expansion of our global programs are all efforts to ensure our students learn within a truly international community, preparing them for meaningful global engagement.
3. New World School: Integrating Future-Focused Learning
This is our commitment to transformation. The launch of our state-of-the-art KEyTEC Engineering Lab and the formal implementation of the Keystone Professional Educator Program (KPEP) are prime examples. We are designing new learning spaces and a science-based support system for teachers, ensuring our educational model is innovative, research-informed, and responsive to the future.
A special thank you to the parents in our Family-School Communication Task Force, whose insights have directly led to our new Parent Education Facilitators program. These facilitators will help strengthen the vital bridge of understanding between our world school and our amazing families. Last night, their first pilot session explored the powerful connections between parents’ understanding of teaching excellence and Keystone’s educator competencies. Witnessing that dialogue was inspiring, and I am confident this evolving partnership will profoundly strengthen our entire learning community. Our students are the ultimate beneficiaries of this deepened, shared understanding.
4. Systems of Excellence: Building Supportive Frameworks
Excellence requires sustainable systems. From the Keystone Professional Educator Program (KPEP) to our parent-guided uniform bidding process, to the expanded scholarship offerings, we are building the reliable, high-quality frameworks that allow teaching and learning to thrive. We are also developing transformative bespoke AI projects in scheduling and curriculum analysis, designed to optimize personalization for every student. We look forward to sharing more about these initiatives in the coming months.
Last night, a parent asked a vital question: “With so many initiatives, how do you ensure you’re prioritizing the right things?”
My answer is anchored in this strategic vision. Our relentless priority is teaching excellence (Pillars 3 and 4)—it is the engine of everything. When we focus on supporting our teachers and on future-ready pedagogy, we directly serve our goals for student identity (Pillar 1) and global readiness (Pillar 2). We can pursue this coherent plan because we have a talented team aligned around these shared pillars, ensuring every effort connects to our core purpose.
As we harness the Fire Horse’s energy for action and strength, I am filled with confidence. We are not just doing many things; we are building one coherent, extraordinary New World School. Thank you, students, families, and colleagues, for the role you play in making this all happen!
May the new year bring you and your families health and strength, success, and abundant joy.
Warmly,
Emily
