Weekly Message from HOS 2026/05/18-2026/05/22

Dear Keystonians, 

Happy Friday to everyone! Tomorrow evening, we celebrate the graduation of the Keystone Class of 2026. This is a historic class, which includes 21 of our founding students who began at Keystone as first graders in the fall of 2014.   

The Keystone graduation ceremony is a beautiful ritual. It happens outside in our Archway—the same place where our students matriculated to Secondary School in the Matriculation Ceremony. That rite of passage invites each student to say their name, and it symbolizes our deep desire for every student to be known and to thrive on their journey at Keystone.   

Tomorrow’s graduation ceremony is our closing rite of passage. In English, a graduation is also called a “commencement ceremony”—a beginning. The start of the future; not an end, but a beginning.    

The occasion begins with administrators and faculty marching from the Student Center, in front of the PAC, to the archway. This represents our leadership in the students’ learning. It is our way of blessing the pathway they are on. Shortly after the faculty take their seats, the students begin their walk along that same pathway. Dressed in robes unique to Keystone, they also wear a sash representing a different ethnic group of China. The sashes change every year, symbolizing the unity and diversity not just of this class, but of China itself, and China’s unique place in the world.   

We do not often invite outside speakers to our graduation. That is intentional. We want this ceremony to be 100% about the students. After the students sit facing the audience, they will share music and deliver speeches. Mr. Daniel and I will also offer our reflections.  

Then we will confer the diplomas. Each student will cross the stage as a 12th-grade student and return to their seat as a member of the distinguished group of Keystone alumni. The Class of 2026 is our ninth graduating cohort since the founding of Keystone. We are so proud of them.  

If you know a 12th-grade parent—or you are one—send them love. This time is beautiful and complicated. The feeling of having your child on the edge of this grand journey is unlike anything else.   

I will look forward to seeing all the 12th-grade families tomorrow.  

And for the rest of you, think warm and special thoughts tomorrow night. And enjoy every second with your child, because their graduation will be here so soon.   

The days are long, but the years are impossibly short. 

With love, 

Emily