Weekly Message from Head of School 2023/09/17-2023/09/23
Dear Keystonians,
Happy Friday! This week was Spirit Week, led by the High School Student Council with fun dress up and activity each day for those of us on campus! Also, throughout the week we had back-to-school nights for our secondary school families. Many parents shared how nice it was to be back to school meeting teachers and leaders in person, with no restrictions, for the first time in over three years. And our fourth and fifth graders returned from their challenging and meaningful Outdoor Education Programs earlier this afternoon. I had a great time with the 5th graders and their teachers-- sleeping in a tent, kayaking in a mountain lake, fishing, making food, watching the sun rise over the hill and being together. It was perfect! I want to thank everyone for their support of these important programs. They are indeed part of the big definition of success at our school and add huge value to our educational experience.
Before leaving for camping, on Monday afternoon we had a meaningful orientation gathering of the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) Executive Committee. This group is the volunteer leadership group of Keystone Academy’s PTA which is led this year by co-chairs Sandra Chow and Alice Hong. The group is expertly supported by Yiner Ya, our Parent and Alumni Relations Coordinator.
All Keystone employees and families are members of the PTA. The purpose of the PTA is to promote communication and support interaction and activities for the community.
The members of the Executive Committee serve as advisors to me as the Executive Head of School and also plan ways to support and improve the school community and our vibrant campus life.
One of the goals of the PTA executive committee this year is to increase clarity about the role of this group in the school community. They hope to support families in understanding the communication channels at Keystone and ensuring that everyone feels--you guessed it—CONNECTED! It is a common misconception that the Executive Committee members are “representatives” and that parents’ concerns or questions should be brought to them to raise to school leaders.
While the PTA executive committee members are all helpful and lovely people who can help direct any concerns to appropriate school staff, it is important to always use appropriate channels for communication about individual concerns about your own child. This helps us build the relationships necessary for supporting each and every child on our campus. Homeroom teachers in the primary school and advisors in the secondary school can be a good first point of connection.
A mentor of mine was fond of saying that “clarity is kindness”. This can have different meanings across cultural contexts, but in our intercultural new world school, it is important to be as clear as possible when it comes to the care and learning of our students. If you wonder who you should talk to about something on your mind, whether you are a student, an employee or a family member, just ask!
What suggestions do you have for making communication clearer at Keystone? Feel free to reach out to me with suggestions or if you’d like to discuss!
Warm regards,
Emily
