Weekly Message from Head of School 2023/06/04-2023/06/10
Dear Keystonians,
Longtime head of school of the Thacher School in California, where I worked as a young teacher advisor and coach, talked about the school community like a tapestry. I love thinking about a community as a woven piece of art. Each individual strand is simple, small, sometimes weak, but together they form something beautiful, strong, and useful in the world. In addition to an ornate wall hanging, the second definition of tapestry in the Oxford dictionary is “an intricate or complex sequence of things or events.” In that sense, our school is a tapestry that includes strands of those who came before us and is continually renewed by those who will succeed us, both as adults, and students.
The past two days have given us an occasion to honor those who have come before us! Today, we celebrated the 5-year alumni reunion of Keystone Academy’s first graduating class of 2018, and with it formally launched the Keystone Alumni Association. Along with representatives from each of the alumni classes since, including the class of 2023, we honored the tapestry of this school-- the interconnected lives of the shared experience of this place.
We also welcomed a special guest, Founding Head of School Malcom McKenzie, who is visiting from Japan. Malcom left Beijing this past July from a closed campus, in the very early morning, to little fanfare but a few stalwart colleagues at the campus gates to see him off. How joyous was the contrast to see students and colleagues greet him casually and warmly at his arrival to the east gate just after dinner time on Thursday. That was the first time I had met Malcom in person (if you saw the Keystone Magazine in the fall you might believe otherwise! We have spent lots of time together, but all online calls and photoshop.) It was incredible to finally give him a big hug on the beautiful campus of this school that brought us together as colleagues and friends.
After several minutes of that warm homecoming, I slipped into the PAC to watch the opening performance of our Chinese Drama, Pang Huang (彷徨). In a stroke of serendipity, fate, or whatever you might call those magical little moments in life, the very first line of the stunning play was about the delight of welcoming home an old friend. For the next two hours, I sat next to a wonderful primary school student who was terribly engaged and had lots of questions about the play. I did my best to answer in hushed whispers, trying to find a balance of being responsive and present to her, while also modeling how to be a good audience member. It was a great evening. So was tonight—it was incredible to see so many of the former students who have made this place what it is, who started weaving the tapestry not knowing quite what it would become.
Our lives are shaped by the educational institutions we have been a part of throughout our childhoods and young adult lives, and for educators, throughout our careers. It is incredible to be a part of Keystone Academy. In his 2018 commencement speech, after thoughtful reflections on friendships, learning, and the day-to-day value of Keystone’s diverse community, Jacky Liang ‘18 called on his classmates to actively continue to tend to this tapestry.
“[…] there exists a Chinese saying, “A favor at the size of a drop of water should be repaid with a surging spring”. As Keystone’s first graduates, and its first alumni, the first group of pioneers that have successfully conquered it would indeed be our greatest honor to stay in close contact with our Alma Matar, and to be at its side whenever it needs us.”
This is why our school will keep getting better and better, because we are all compelled to serve it in any ways we can, and we find ways to delight in the warm nostalgic filled embraces of coming home.
Yours,
Emily
