11th graders present Stonecatcher projects
After a semester’s worth of researching, writing, assembling displays and practicing, 11th graders in Dr. Lawrence’s AP English class presented their Stonecatchers projects.

The image of the Stone Catcher refers to someone who catches the stones thrown unjustly at others, and plays a role in “Just Mercy,” a book that students read last semester. Students' projects investigated an issue that creates challenges for people in our community and/or around the world.
Junior wins Silver Medal in national Scholastic Art & Writing contest
Congratulations to junior Lorenzo, who recently won a Silver Medal in the national Scholastic Art & Writing Awards.

He won in the Digital Media category for a piece called "Galactic Kitchen."

Excellent work!
2nd graders take field trip to nearby farm
Last week, the 2nd graders took a field trip to Devine Acres Farm in nearby Medina County for a field trip.

There, they took a hay ride and learned about the life cycle of a chicken.

What a great way to combine fun and learning!
8th graders make dog blankets for nonprofit
Here's an adorable piece of news: The 8th grade advisories of Mr. Ciaravino and Ms. Letos came together to perform a service project: making blankets for dogs at SNIPSA.

It's a nonprofit that's dedicated to helping homeless and unwanted animals in San Antonio and the surrounding area.
Kindergarteners celebrate with piñata
Upper School Language Buddies celebrated early the upcoming Día de los Niños with a piñata on the Lower School playground.

Kindergarten students each took a couple of whacks at a seahorse and almost knocked out the candy. Then junior Jasmine finished the job, and the little ones got to fill their paper bags as much as they could.
Upper Schoolers paint ceramics for Butterfly Project
Upper School students gathered on the Sports Court and spent part of Thursday afternoon painting ceramic butterflies that will join others on the side of the gym, facing the Quad.

The ceramic objects are part of The Butterfly Project, a worldwide effort to use the lessons of the Holocaust to educate about the dangers of hatred, bigotry, and injustice, and to cultivate empathy and social responsibility. Participants paint ceramic butterflies as symbols of resilience and hope, with the goal of creating 1.5 million butterflies around the world - one for each child who perished in the Holocaust.
Keystone's Girls on the Run chapter nearing final events
The inaugural Keystone chapter of Girls on the Run is nearing the end of its Spring program and has proved a significant experience for its participants.

Girls on the Run blends physical activity with skill development to build strengths, confidence and connections with others.

This session culminates with a community impact project and then the 5K run.
Billy's Blog - From our Head of School
Adolescence isn't just about prom or wearing sparkly dresses.”
--Jena Malone

On so many occasions, I admire our Keystone students and the way they innovate and discover new ways of looking at the world. They remind me of the oft-cited George Bernard Shaw line that Senator Robert Kennedy quoted in 1968, “Some men see things as they are, and say why. I dream of things that never were and say why not.”

So, it’s only natural that our students would approach a tradition like prom with a dynamic creativity and iconoclastic mindset. The institution of prom, which some historians date back to the late 19th Century, brings adolescents together for a night of music, dancing, and revelry. My professional prom history goes to 1989, having chaperoned prom every year since then - yes, you read that correctly!
Important events and notes
Soccer team pizza sale - April 28
The varsity soccer team is holding a pizza sale on Friday to help defray equipment costs.

Students in Grades K-4 should send their money with a form from their teacher or download the form here.

Students in grades 5-12 can pay in the lunchroom.
Alumni virtual meetup - May 4
Dear Keystone Alumni,

As a graduate of Keystone, you are doing some great things – and we want to hear about them. Please join us on Wednesday, May 4th at 7 pm CT for a virtual alumni meetup with our Head of School, Billy Handmaker. Billy will be sharing with you an update about the school, and then you will have a chance to catch up with your fellow alumni.

Invited to this call are alumni of all ages living around the globe. No matter when you graduated, you have a special bond with fellow Cobras, and we want to help connect you with other members of the Keystone community.

Reserve your spot today by contacting Adriana Villafranca, Director of Development and Alumni Relations at avillafranca@keystoneschool.org. We hope to see you there!
Virtual Bulletin Board launches
Keystone and its PTO are working together to launch a virtual bulletin board to connect parents and students with various opportunities. We have three main projects:

  • Help Wanted/Jobs Wanted Project connects parents who are looking to hire students for tasks such as babysitting and tutoring.
  • Volunteering Opportunities connects parents who have volunteer opportunities with students who are seeking them.
  • Shadowing Opportunities connects parents who are willing to host students for opportunities to shadow them in their jobs to learn more about career fields.

Participants must be members of the Keystone community. Click here to verify your Keystone affiliation and receive a password.
PTO Announcements
From the PTO:

Keystone parents, Spring and Fiesta are here and the rest of April will be a busy month. Please mark your calendars for the following upcoming events:

  • PTO Council Elections (Monday, April 25 through Friday, May 6)
  • PTO Spring General Session (Tuesday, May 10 at 7 pm on Zoom). The meeting will include an update from Head of School, Billy Handmaker, PTO updates, and guest speaker Dr. Erica Shapiro, Keystone Counselor.
Cobra Radio episode features senior Matthew
The upcoming episode of Cobra Radio features a visit with senior Matthew. This interview conducted by senior Shreya -- co-editor of The Keynote -- features a wide ranging conversation between two outstanding students.

Find this episode and subscribe on:


If you're searching for it on Apple Podcasts, type in "Cobra Radio" and "Keystone".
Sign up now for Summer at Keystone programs
Registration is filling up for Summer progams at Keystone. Here are the offerings:

  • Camp Cobra - Basketball/volleyball camp, for rising 3rd-8th graders - Camp filled
  • Camp Hollywood - Film production camp, for rising 3rd-8th graders
  • Sensational Science/Infinite Fun-Irrational Experience - Math and Science fun, for rising 5th-6th graders
  • Little School Art and Science - for ages 3-8 at the Little School - Only a few spots open for youngest students
  • Cat Class - for rising 10th-12th graders, who have taken 9th grade Biology - Now open to Class of 2022
  • Writing Workshop - for rising 6th through 9th grade students
Order your yearbook now!
Check this off of your to-do list: Order your yearbook now. The deadline to order online is May 1, and the yearbooks will be delivered over the summer.

And for all families, if the online purchasing process feels a little tricky, Ms. Letos created a tutorial video: How to Purchase a Yearbook 

Get your Keystone gear now
Snag your Keystone swag at our online store: KeystoneSchoolStore.com.

We are working with Follett, which provides fanwear and other merchandise to colleges, universities and K-12 schools. Place your orders with Follett, and your merchandise will ship directly to your house.
Support Keystone while you shop
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.
If you're shopping with Amazon, please use AmazonSmile
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.
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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