A message about student mental health |
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Dear Parents,
As we enter our eleventh month of the COVID-19 global pandemic, the profound physical, economic, and emotional toll on adults is abundantly clear. There are numerous and nuanced concerns regarding one’s physical health and well-being, social isolation from loved ones and social supports, and potential occupational and economic hardships that are ever-present during this time.
- Making suicidal statements or comments
- Being preoccupied with death in conversation, writing, or drawing
- Giving away belongings
- Withdrawing from family, friends, or school
- Demonstrating aggressive or hostile behavior
- Neglecting personal appearance
- A change in personality (from upbeat to quiet or withdrawn)
If you notice any of these issues or have any concerns about your student at any time, please do not hesitate to contact me with those concerns. Close parental relationships are one of the strongest protective factors against suicide and mental illness, especially during this incredibly difficult time. Thank you for the vital role you play in our Keystone community.
All my best,
Erica R. Shapiro, PhD
Keystone Counselor
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A different Valentine's Day this year |
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With all the changes that the past year has brought due to COVID-19, Valentine’s Day at Keystone will be different, too.
This year, the members of the Junior Class are taking everything online and are raising money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
Here’s to a safe and Happy Valentine’s Day!
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Fourth-grader Isabella is vying for the lead in a mask designing contest sponsored by Community First Health Plans.
The competition is divided by age range, and Isa is in the Little Artists division, for young people from 7-12 years old.
Each winner will receive artist’s credit for their design, and the winning designs will be printed and distributed to students at each winners’ school of choice.
Voting ends Feb. 14, and winners will be announced on March 1st.
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5th grader wins Honorable Mention in poetry contest |
Congratulations to Caroline, a 5th grader who won Honorable Mention in a Cricket League poetry competition. Her name appears in the print edition of the February issue.
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Important tax-related note |
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From Mrs. Villafranca:
Last week our Development Office sent out 2020 tax statements for all members of our community who made a donation between January 1 and December 31, 2020.
If you have not received yours, or feel you have received one in error, please contact our Development and Communications Assistant, Beth Richter, at brichter@keystoneschool.org or (210) 735-4022 x336. She will be happy to answer any questions you may have regarding your 2020 donation.
My best,
Adriana Villafranca
Director of Development and Alumni Relations
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Billy's Blog - From our Head of School |
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“If we don't change, we don't grow. If we don't grow, we aren't really living.”
--Gail Sheehy
“Please create a book to teach a first grader about different countries in South America.” “Please discuss one of four themes from the book “The Giver” and provide proof in your analysis.” “How do you determine the square root of five?” “We’re going to take a field trip to anywhere in the world you want so we can learn how to use Google Earth.” “What would you say if you wrote a letter while defending the Alamo?”
These were the kinds of questions I heard teachers asking students last week while visiting classes around campus. Second graders were showing me where they lived before moving to San Antonio, whether it was in California or Lusaka, Zambia, while other students and I used Google Earth to locate their current homes. Fifth graders were so absorbed in discovering square roots that they didn’t notice I was in the classroom, while third graders considered what were the advantages and disadvantages of Texas being a republic. I could go on and on with other examples of the excellent work teachers and students are doing in their classes on both campuses on any given day.
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Wayne Shandera '69, receives award for pioneering medical work |
The organization is honoring Dr. Shandera, an epidemiologist, medical professor, and concert organist for his pioneering work in HIV/AIDS identification and treatment.
Mission Doctors Association has trained, sent and supported Catholic doctors and their families who come from across the United States to serve people of all faiths in some of the most under-served areas of the world.
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Important events and notes |
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Learn about STEM at UT's Girl Day |
Students from K-8th Grades can learn more about STEM and STEM fields during the upcoming Girl Day at the University of Texas at Austin event.
It runs virtually from Feb. 20-March 1, and is free. Even though it's called Girl Day, it's open to boys, too.
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Message for Keystone alumni, parents and grandparents
From Mrs. Villafranca:
Would you like to create a legacy at Keystone School? How about honoring a friend or family member for years to come? Join us for an information session on Tuesday, February 23 from 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm CST to learn how you can benefit through creative, flexible estate and planned giving options.
When you make a charitable gift through your estate, you are often able to make a bigger impact than you ever thought possible. Presenters include Keystone’s Head of School Mr. Billy Handmaker, Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy John Benage, and Alumni Class Member Judith Tolbert ’69. Please register for the Zoom meeting at avillafranca@keystoneschool.org.
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Keystone gear available at Vivroux Sports |
Get your Keystone gear with a quick visit to Vivroux Sports.
On their retail floor, they have:
- White and Black Adidas hats
- White Comfort Color t-shirts in all sizes adult and youth
- Adidas grey and white t-shirts some youth and adult sizes
- Cardinal and black full and 1/4 zip Adidas jackets in select adult sizes
- And a few Adidas black polos
Vivroux Sports is open 10am-5pm Monday-Friday, at 2222 Breezewood, just off New Braunfels Ave. north of the McNay Museum.
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Plan your hot lunch schedule |
For more information, including how to load your account go to:
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Support Keystone while you shop |
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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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We want to hear from you! |
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Follow Keystone on social media |
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