Welcome back! Welcome to new students and new families, and welcome back to returning students and families. Click here for a slideshow about the first day of school . This year begins with 500 students enrolled, up from last year's 490 students. Click here for a slideshow about the Monday before school.

Student News

Teaching, donating in India For her Girl Scout Gold Project, senior Gowri traveled to Haridwar, India. There, she brought donations and taught girls at an orphanage. Read more here

Poet published Congratulations to junior Jada. Her poem,  "Don’t let the world steal what fills you with pride" is published on the I Am Woman Project.   Read more here

Sports Notes The Varsity Girls' Volleyball team won its home opener over Great Hearts Monte Vista 25-14, 25-9, 26-24. The Boys' Soccer team was listed at No. 7 in the state in preseason ranking from the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools.

Billy's Blog

Over the past 22 years, Billy Handmaker has regularly written a weekly communication on education-related issues. He’s going to continue that tradition while leading Keystone School. Here's his latest: “Good seasons start with good beginnings.”  --Sparky Anderson   I thought about these words from the legendary baseball manager as the Keystone faculty and staff spent the last week and a half preparing for the beginning of the 2018-19 school year . Read more here.

Important Events and Notes

Burgers With Billy - August 17 Come meet new families, staff, faculty and the new Head of School, Billy Handmaker, at an exciting event on campus. It goes from 6-8 pm on Friday, Aug. 17. Find out the exciting ways Keystone will celebrate its 70 th  anniversary this year. Please park at Christ Episcopal Church. Shuttles will take guests to the Keystone campus.

Lower School Open House - August 23 Learn about your child's experience at the Lower School during this year's Open House. It begins at 5:15 p.m. in the theatre with a welcome and remarks from Mr. Handmaker. Then parents go to their children's homeroom classroom for an overview of the curriculum, objectives, daily routine and schedule. At 6:25 p.m., parents head back to the theatre where the Specials teachers will give a brief overview of their programs. Childcare will be provided for Keystone students. Childcare check-in will take place in the cafeteria.

Middle and Upper School Back to School Night - August 30 Please join us for an evening with your child’s teachers. Travel through your child’s schedule in 10-minute sessions to get an overview of each course, meet the teachers, and see the classroom environment. Mr. Handmaker will give brief remarks in the gym at 5:15 pm. Bells will ring to signal the move to the next class. Childcare will be available. Parents and students interested in the Upper School’s Travel Society’s 2019 trip to the Galapagos Islands will meet at 7:50 pm in Theater.

Calling all alumni interviewers! If you are involved as an official alumni interviewer for your undergraduate institution, we would love your assistance helping our seniors prepare for admission interviews. We are looking for volunteers to conduct mock interviews with seniors this fall. Please contact Sara Christiansen, Director of College Counseling, at schristiansen@keystoneschool.org if interested.

Alumni in the News

Nia Clements '18 making headlines Even before classes begn at Trinity University, first-year student Nia Clements '18, is already gathering attention there. Find out more here

Nancy Zhou '11, one of the quarterfinalists in the Shanghai Isaac Stern International Violin Competition, will learn the results of the competition Sept. 1. Find out more here.

After graduating from Keystone, Drew Schaffer '14 went on to Caltech, majored in Physics and was recently featured in a video about the university's Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships program or SURF. Find out more here.

Meagan Day '07, scored a pair of major publishing outlets. She co-wrote an opinion piece for the New York Times,  "Think the Constitution Will Save Us? Think Again"  that was published Aug. 9. Read more here.

Editor's Note  Welcome to the first issue of the Keystone Communiqué! This newsletter aims to showcase the work of students, alumni, faculty and staff at Keystone School. If you have news to share, please send it to: etijerina@keystoneschool.org . Edmund Tijerina Director of Strategic Marketing and Comunications

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