2nd graders search campus during their annual scavenger hunt


Second graders turned their iPads into compasses this week for their scavenger hunt.


Along with their compasses, they used maps, simple directions and plenty of teamwork to find the different stations that held items such as a framed photo of Mr. Handmaker and a stuffed duck.


The exercise, under the supervision of Innovation Specialists Ms. Antuna and Ms. Troche, aimed to show the students how to follow cardinal and intermediate directions on a compass.


Click here for a few photos from the activity

Robotics team donates supplies to Uvalde students


A group of 8th graders are showing two key Keystone values, compassion and empathy.


The Moonwalkers, an independent robotics team of Keystone 8th graders that compete in the First Lego League, decided to share supplies with middle school students in Uvalde.


Because Robb Elementary is closing and their students are going to other schools, there are more teams in the Lego league. Those teams needed supplies.


The Keystone students donated many of their Legos and their practice table to middle school students in Uvalde. They also decorated the practice table with best wishes and messages of support for the upcoming season.


Way to go!

Keystone launching virtual ticket sales

We are thrilled to announce that beginning next week, we will use HomeTown Ticketing as Keystone's ticketing provider for school athletics.

 

This means that all fans must have digital tickets to obtain entry to home games in the Gym.

 

As always, current Keystone families receive free admission, and are receiving an email with instructions on how to get their season passes.

 

Visiting families must purchase tickets in advance. All fans will have to scan their tickets at the door.


Here's the link for visiting fans to purchase tickets:

https://www.keystoneschool.org/athletics/athletics-tickets/


See you at the games!

Children's author visits Keystone


Author Debra Hatch came to campus this week to visit with students in Kindergarten, first and second grades, and read from her book "Giraffes in My Closet."



One extra note:


Read more here

Billy's Blog: From our Head of School

“Creativity takes courage”

-Henri Matisse


This maxim by the famous French painter stands at the center of a wonderful art piece by Keystone students in the cafeteria just outside my office. Consequently, I have the good fortune to view it often, and I smile every time I see it. The students’ self-portraits surrounding the aphorism attest to the bravery of our Cobras as they share their artistic visions of themselves. Just the other day, a group of students who were studying the montage asked me which picture was my favorite; of course, I told them that I liked them all. Thank you to Dr. Hilburn for teaching the students about art and determination through this project.


While some may see this artwork as cute or endearing, it’s much more than that. The combination of children and adolescents’ renditions of their own faces with Matisse’s quotation speaks volumes about Keystone’s approach to learning. 


Read more here

Important Events and Notes

Annual Fund parent drive begins

From Mrs. Villafranca:


Get ready, Keystone parents! The parent drive for Keystone’s Annual Fund officially kicks off on Monday, October 3rd.  


Starting next week through the month of October, you will receive encouraging messages from Keystone’s Annual Fund Captains during the active phase of the campaign. Our goal is 100% parent participation with a donation that is most comfortable for you and your family. 


Successful fundraising programs like the Annual Fund allow for donations to go above and beyond the normal day-to-day operations. The Annual Fund helps to strengthen Keystone by providing necessary resources such as a new bus, enhances classroom space, supports students’ activities from providing resources for the theater department to supporting Academic World Quest National champions, funds technology improvements in each of the classrooms, defrays maintenance costs, helps to support families in need with tuition assistance, provides professional development for the faculty and staff and much more!


Keep in mind, that the Annual Fund is separate from the Food and Drink Festival in March that also helps to support the general fund through ticket sales and sponsorships.  


A special thank you to our Annual Fund Chairs Ara Romero and Abe Martinez and to all of our Annual Fund Captains for leading the effort. Thank YOU in advance for contributing to the Annual Fund.  


2022-2023 ANNUAL FUND

Chairs - Ara Romero and Abe Martinez

PK3 - Vanessa Hinojosa Gonzalez and Fernando Contreras Valdes

PK4 - Rami and Brian Head

K - Trianna and Robert Johnson

1 - Marissa and Pablo Pallan

2 - Heidi and John Muñoz

3 – Sumiti and Richard Green

4 – Liz and Marcin Donda

5 – Luz Oliveira Martins and Katie Urbis

6 – Mary Ann Notestine and Jerry Arsimendez

7 – Juliana Robledo

8 – Paola Duhem and Alberto Sandoval

9 – Subrata and Baishakhi Debnath

10 – David Gimeno Ruiz de Porras and Dritana Marko Serbo

11 – Anna Weissman and Cassandra Parker-Nowicki and Michael Nowicki

12 – Nathalie and Andrew Cross


Please help us by donating now or making a pledge today at https://www.keystoneschool.org/donate/


Adriana Villafranca

Director of Development and Alumni Relations 

Violinist Nancy Zhou '11 performing at Keystone - Oct. 6 


Before violinist Nancy Zhou '11 takes the stage with the San Antonio Philharmonic, she's delivering a special appearance and performance here at Keystone.


Her Keystone appearance takes place October 6th from 4:30-5:30 p.m. at the Theatre.


She will be performing excerpts from her upcoming performance with the SA Philharmonic, and answering questions from Keystone community members.


We welcome both parents and students to attend this event. Please reserve a seat in advance. If you would like to submit a question, fill it out in the second section of the form.


Please reserve your seat here.

NHS walking in Light the Night - Oct. 8


Keystone's chapter of the National Honor Society is walking in this year's Light the Night event. The walk takes place Oct. 8 at Hemisfair.


To learn more and support the Keystone team, please click here.

Visit Keystone - Oct. 13



Come learn more about Kindergarten through Fourth Grade and our school community at Visit Keystone!


The event is Thursday, Oct. 13 from 9am-10:30am. Please note there is a detailed agenda for the morning.


Visit Keystone is specifically designed for prospective families, those who are new to our community, and are interested in Kindergarten through 4th Grade for the 2023-2024 school year.


Those who attend the Little School will have a separate event and current families should contact Director of Enrollment Management Andrea Banks.


Please register here.

PTO General Meeting - Oct. 17


From Keystone's PTO:



Please join us for the first PTO General Meeting of the school year on Monday, October 17 at 7:00 pm via Zoom.

 

The meeting will include a welcome from Head of School, Billy Handmaker, PTO updates, and guest speaker Dr. Erica Shapiro, Keystone Counselor.


Mr. Handmaker will also give a brief overview on campus security and various measures the school is taking to help keep our community safe.

 

President-elect Sumiti Green will detail where our community can find more information about the PTO via our webpage and discuss the pilot programs of our Virtual Bulletin Board: Help Wanted/Jobs Wanted, Volunteer Opportunities and Shadowing Opportunities.


Keystone's new Athletic Director, D'Andre Montgomery, will talk about the highlights for the Fall sports thus far, preparation for winter sports, the possibility of basketball for 2nd and 3rd graders and 4th graders, a new digital ticketing system for home games, and our new athletics social media pages. 

 

Dr. Shapiro will present "Building Empathy in Children: How and Why It Matters". The presentation will be followed by Q&A.


 Parents will receive an email with a link to the meeting.

Save the Date - Feb. 3 - Spurs Keystone Night


Save the date: This year's Keystone Night at a Spurs game is Friday, Feb. 3, 2023 at the AT&T Center.


Come out and watch the Spurs take on the Philadelphia 76ers.


We'll share ticketing information when it becomes available.

College Visits

Monday, Oct. 3

2nd Period: Trinity College (CT) - In-person

3rd Period: Syracuse University (NY) - In-person

4th Period: Colorado College - In-person

6th Period: Vanderbilt University (TN) - In-person 

7th Period: Southeastern University (FL) - Virtual


Tuesday, Oct. 4

4th Period: Case Western Reserve University (OH) - In-person

6th Period: Bates College (ME) - Virtual

7th Period: Northwestern University (IL) - In-person


Wednesday, Oct. 5

8th Period: Fisher College (MA) - Virtual


Thursday, Oct. 6

2nd Period: Johns Hopkins University (MD) - In-person


Friday, Oct. 7

6th Period: Colgate University (NY) - Virtual

8th Period: Kalamazoo College (MI) - In-person


College visits to Keystone are intended for students only. Links for the virtual visits are accessible through Naviance 15 minutes prior to the visit. Please see Ms. Christiansen for assistance.

Cobra Radio podcast features NHS President Talia '23

The current episode of Cobra Radio features Talia, Class of 2023 and president of the National Honor Society. She  talks about why Keystone’s chapter of NHS works differently than many other chapters, how she combines STEM and visual arts and what she has gained by working part time jobs. 


Find this episode and subscribe on:


Spotify

Apple Podcasts

Google Podcasts


If you're searching for it on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Google Podcasts, type in "Cobra Radio" and "Keystone".

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If you're getting school supplies or adding to your home office from either Office Max or Office Depot, please mention Keystone. As part of the Give Back to Schools program, the stores give 5% of the purchase price of qualifying school supplies in credits to Keystone for office supplies. Be sure to include the school's ID number when you make your purchase. Keystone's school number is: 70100727.
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If you're purchasing items from Amazon, please consider supporting Keystone with your purchases and use AmazonSmile. Just designate Keystone as the beneficiary and a portion of your purchases will go to the school.

Make sure to install the Smilematic browser extension. It works with Firefox, Chrome and Safari and automatically redirects users to AmazonSmile when they visit Amazon. Here's the tool: https://couponfollow.com/smilematic.
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