Back to School Issue

Attendance Changes  We hope you’re enjoying these final days of summer, and you’re able to keep relatively cool. In our ongoing efforts to improve our emergency procedures, we are implementing changes with the way we take attendance: Attendance will be taken by teachers during class shortly after school begins at 8:30 a.m. Students who arrive on campus after 8:30 a.m. must sign in before they report to class. Lower School students and their parents sign in at the main office in Founders Hall. Middle School students and their parents sign in at the main office in Founders Hall. Upper School students sign in outside Mr. Spedding’s office. Students leaving campus during the school day must sign out. Lower and Middle School students sign out at the main office in Founders Hall Upper School students sign out at Mr. Spedding’s office Students who are ill may sign out at Nurse Penny’s office. As a reminder of Keystone’s daily schedule for the past many years on the main campus and at the Little School, we ask students to be in their classes by 8:30 a.m. when school begins so teaching and learning can commence promptly.  At the Little School, we are encouraging students to arrive by 8 a.m. This way, the youngest children can have time to play with their classmates on the playground.

Better than Recycling

Big news: ReWorks, a division of the City of San Antonio’s Solid Waste Management Department, has awarded Keystone with the Silver level in its Recycling Certification program. Now we’re going for Gold! The school’s efforts received a boost from many students -- especially last year’s fourth-graders and members of the National Honor Society -- who pushed for Keystone to improve its recycling efforts. Administrators agreed and the school is expanding and raising its actions into a broader strategy of sustainability. So when you come back to campus, you’ll see more recycling bins and signs directing students, staff and visitors where they can toss their items. As part of our efforts, Keystone is moving beyond recycling and into a broader discussion of sustainability, which includes moving our dining program to composting. This changes a few items in the Cafeteria: After eating, students will now throw their food items in composting bins. Students who purchase items from Cafeteria Services will now throw away their plates, cups and utensils into the garbage. Beginning this school year, plates, bowls and utensils are made of biodegradable materials, which dissolve after some 50 days, instead of the estimated 500 years for Styrofoam. To cover the cost of the biodegradable materials and extra labor, Cafeteria Services meal prices are rising 25 cents.

New website: User’s Guide

We hope you have had a chance to go through the new KeystoneSchool.org website. It has been a yearlong process and now offers a much better view of our community and the ways in which it’s unique.  As members of the Keystone community, you have designated places, or portals, to find the information that’s most relevant to you. Parents: Information you need is at parents.keystoneschool.org. Log into FACTS (formerly RenWeb) here and pay bills, find lunch menus and more. Students: Your information is at students.keystoneschool.org. Log into Canvas, sign into email and more. Alumni: Information you need is at parents.keystoneschool.org. If you see any errors on the sites, please send a note to: etijerina@keystoneschool.org

Billy's Blog: From the Head of School

“Isn’t it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet?”  L.M. Montgomery I love returning to school. Now don’t get me wrong, I appreciate vacation as much as anyone, and I certainly enjoyed the time our family spent together this summer. There’s nothing like having the time to read a good book, go for a hike, or just be in each other’s company, and as children often describe their summer, “It was too short.” That being said, there is something rejuvenating and almost magical about starting over once a year. The mistakes we made last year are in our rear view mirror, and the road ahead is filled with possibility. Students may choose to pursue an entirely new interest academically or in their extracurricular pursuits; they may decide that they want a completely different look. “This is the year I’m going to rock the Science Fair.” “I’m tired of having long hair, I want to cut it all off and try something new.” As opposed to other areas in life where we may feel caught in a routine or stuck in a rut, the end of summer and the commencement of school provides us with a chance to begin again. So, how do we maximize this opportunity? I’d like to share some tips from a post, “ 30 Back to School Tips to Keep You Organized All Year Long .” Some of these tips feature product placements and I don’t necessarily endorse them. However, there are some good organizational tips that can make mornings less chaotic and prevent the all-too-typical “Where did I put…” as everyone is madly rushing out the door. For example, what about having a bag in the car that has some school supplies or a charger so if someone forget to charge the phone the evening before or has one more math problem to solve, they can do it on the way to school? Creating a family calendar may prevent moments like the time a friend arrived late for a Saturday morning first grade soccer match, looked back and forth at the game and his second grade son, and groaned, “wrong kid!” If your high school student needs her morning joe, you might want to create a coffee cart that also includes granola bars or fruit so she can grab something on the way out the door. Having more school supplies at home would have helped ease the anxiety in our house when one of our sons bellowed at 9:30 p.m. before a project was due, “We’re out of printer paper.”  Whether or not you find the tips in this piece helpful, what’s important is that we create the conditions for our children to be successful the first day of school and every day thereafter. Last year, the entire Keystone faculty and staff read and discussed Charles Duhigg’s bestseller “ The Power of Habit ,” where he describes the ways we can discard bad habits and develop beneficial ones. Establishing a routine or series of habits at the beginning of the school year enables our children to make the transition successfully from the languid days of June, July, and August to the sometimes all too frenetic pace of school. Ultimately, whatever you create must work for your family and you. In the meantime, I look forward to seeing your children and you next week. I wish you a relaxing final weekend of summer and a great return to school. See you at Drop Off!

New Faces Andrea Banks , Director of Enrollment Management. Ms. Banks previously served as Director of Admissions at the Presidio Knolls Schools (a K-8 Mandarin immersion school) in San Francisco. Previously, she was the Assistant Director at an independent secondary school in the Bay Area. .    Dr. Brian Lawrence , 9th and 11th grade English. Dr. Lawrence grew up in San Antonio and over the past 22 years has taught English at the high school and university levels, and he spent a number of years as a high school administrator. Joe Florencio , 5th and 6th grade social studies teacher. Coach Flo, as he prefers to be called, comes to us from the Austin Peace Academy where he taught social studies and was the Dean of Discipline. Mustafa Citci , 5th and 6th grade math teacher. Mr. Mustafa, as he prefers to be called, joins us from the School of Science and Technology - Alamo where he was the testing coordinator, GT coordinator, and Middle School Advanced Mathematics teacher. Nelly Medina , Kindergarten Spanish. Señora Medina has taught Spanish to children at University United Methodist Church, taught Spanish to elementary aged students in afterschool programs, has taught adults who want to learn the Spanish language, and has also substituted at the Little School. Dr. Jackie Shepherd , Kindergarten Music. “Dr. Jackie” has been teaching music at The Little School for the past four years and is excited to follow the children to the Big School. Jackie Sparks , Lower School Movement and a Kindergarten Theatre. Jackie is back home at Keystone where, years ago, she created the school’s theatre and dance programs. She has enjoyed a professional theatrical career performing and studying with numerous theatres and dance companies in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Disneyland, Disney World and in Florida, Hawaii, Spain and Mexico City. Last year Jackie taught and choreographed the Lower School’s Music program for Grand Friend’s Day. Diana Rabelo , Pre-K teacher. Ms. Diana joined Keystone as a teacher in the Aftercare program, and comes back to Keystone after working in the Northside ISD as a kindergarten teacher. Lilyann Cazares-Mezquiti , Pre-K teacher. Ms. Lily comes to Keystone from Pre-K 4 SA where she helped implement the High-Scope Curriculum. She is certified to teach in Texas and New York, where she worked in private and public schools.

New on campus Director of Maintenance Tim Carpenter and his teamworked hard over the summer and have completed several important projects: New fitness center - weights and cardio equipment in the ground-floor room in North Hall New movement/dance studio - in the ground-floor room in North Hall New classroom in Founders Hall - A classroom and a conference room have been combined for a larger classroom. New coaches’ offices above Carriage House - A former storage area has been remodeled for office space. Newly designed Senior Lounge - On the second floor of Stevens Hall Resurfaced playground - Gravel areas now have a cushioned surface.

Looking for Keystone clothing? Keystone has launched an online store for clothing and merchandise. It's open now and closes Aug. 18. Check out the items here. It's never too late to stock up!

First week info Little School: Supply drop-off/meet and greet the teachers runs from 9:30-10:30 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 12. A welcome coffee for parents begins at 8:30 a.m. on Aug. 14, the first day of school. Lower School: A "Meet the Teacher" hour runs from 11-noon on Monday, Aug. 12. Come find your classroom, meet your teacher, and locate your desk and cubby. If you pre-purchased a school supply kit online, it will already be in the classroom. First Day of School Coffee - Kindergarten and New Lower School Parents are invited to gather in the Lower School Library beginning at 8:15 a.m. on Wednesday after dropping off your child for the first day of school. Middle School: 5th Grade Orientation and Locker Set-Up: 9-10 a.m., Monday, Aug 12 6th, 7th, and 8th Grade Locker Set-Up: 10–11 a.m., Monday, August 12

We want to hear from you! If you have news to share about the students, alumni, faculty or staff at Keystone School, please send it to: etijerina@keystoneschool.org .

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