Everyone who has been part of our community would agree that Keystone is a wonderful experience for their children. While their kids are here, parents feel that their kids are safe and well cared for as humans and learners. However, as kids get closer to graduating, parents begin to feel apprehensive about their kids’ new school. Parents ask any, and all, of the following questions:
- Will their new teachers love them as they deserve?
- Will they be ready for the curriculum?
- Will the kids at the new school be kind and accepting of my child?
- Will they continue to love learning and be happy?
These are all valid and common concerns, and although we know they will do well, we thought it might be nice to hear from some of our former student’s parents and even some of our students. Below you will find some of the testimonials from our former families sharing their concerns, celebrations, and experiences.
“Our daughter’s experience was successful, creative and nurturing and played a major role in developing her into the person she is today.”
Hayley
Our daughter attended Keystone for eight years and graduated in 2021. I had researched and toured many school options for her and decided I wanted something different, somewhere “outside the box”, somewhere like Keystone. I had also read a lot on the topic of “unconventional” learning and decided this was, or at least should be, the future of education. Our daughter’s experience was successful, creative and nurturing and played a major role in developing her into the person she is today. She was allowed to be her true self and Keystone became a second family to her and to us.
We did, however, always know that the time would come when she would have to leave Keystone. Although we were excited for new adventures to come, our hearts were breaking to end such an amazing chapter.
Transitioning to middle school was a kind of “starting over” for our daughter. The first time she would be graded, take standardized tests, not call her teachers by their first names, and all while having to wear shoes!
There was definitely some grieving for the place where she had spent most of her days for the last eight years. I could tell that during her first year away, her 6th grade year, it was still somewhat difficult for her to move on. It helped that we had formed many close friendships that still continue to this day, so that she was still able to spend time with her Keystone family without actually being there.
Currently, our daughter is a 13 year old seventh grader. She has changed a lot since her Keystone years, but will always have a special place in her heart for the place that helped form her love of of art, nature, and close relationships. And so will we.
We did, however, always know that the time would come when she would have to leave Keystone. Although we were excited for new adventures to come, our hearts were breaking to end such an amazing chapter.
Transitioning to middle school was a kind of “starting over” for our daughter. The first time she would be graded, take standardized tests, not call her teachers by their first names, and all while having to wear shoes!
There was definitely some grieving for the place where she had spent most of her days for the last eight years. I could tell that during her first year away, her 6th grade year, it was still somewhat difficult for her to move on. It helped that we had formed many close friendships that still continue to this day, so that she was still able to spend time with her Keystone family without actually being there.
Currently, our daughter is a 13 year old seventh grader. She has changed a lot since her Keystone years, but will always have a special place in her heart for the place that helped form her love of of art, nature, and close relationships. And so will we.
Hayley M.
Parent of Keystone Kid
“When I asked my son for one word to describe Keystone, the one word he chose right away was, ‘WONDERFUL’. “
Jonathon
What can briefly be said about where my son spent 7 years of his childhood. Maybe I just said it. “CHILDHOOD”.
Somewhere to learn who he is. A place where he learned to be a friend. Somewhere he could be himself. A place to learn. A place to feel safe. A place to be loved.
KEYSTONE. Keystone is all that and so much more. And for each child it is something different because each child is different.
My child began his years at Keystone with a need for some speech therapy. We had a private speech therapist, yet the school helped and encouraged him as well. In his kindergarten year his teacher detected an unusual method that my son used to focus while reading. That teacher encouraged me to visit an optometrist that specialized in this field. A deficiency was discovered when he was tested. He did therapy to correct it and now that is no longer an issue. As the optometrist basically stated when we first visited with him, “You know that if your child was at another school, no matter whether public or private, it is very doubtful that his teacher would have detected this. He is very lucky to be at Keystone.”
Another positive is their incorporation of the “Take Flight” reading program. Which is actually much more than that. Plus, they have teachers that are fully trained in this regimen. That definitely helped my son and all of his classmates.
Was I an extremely apprehensive and worried parent when he left this unique environment and started 6th grade in public schools? Yes! I most certainly was. Tests. Grades. Large class sizes. All new classmates. Navigating hallways. Buses. Almost everything new and foreign. So what happened? Well, what happened was that in his second month of public school, he was selected as “Student of the Month”. Woah! Needless to say I was a very proud parent! And he was pretty proud of himself too. Plus, he ended the first semester with straight A’s. And so far, fingers crossed, he has maintained that.
When I asked my Son for one word to describe Keystone, the one word he chose right away was, “WONDERFUL”. Sounds like I was correct at the beginning when I encapsulated his experience into the single word, CHILDHOOD.
A great big thank you and hugs to all those that helped to give all those things to my child.
Somewhere to learn who he is. A place where he learned to be a friend. Somewhere he could be himself. A place to learn. A place to feel safe. A place to be loved.
KEYSTONE. Keystone is all that and so much more. And for each child it is something different because each child is different.
My child began his years at Keystone with a need for some speech therapy. We had a private speech therapist, yet the school helped and encouraged him as well. In his kindergarten year his teacher detected an unusual method that my son used to focus while reading. That teacher encouraged me to visit an optometrist that specialized in this field. A deficiency was discovered when he was tested. He did therapy to correct it and now that is no longer an issue. As the optometrist basically stated when we first visited with him, “You know that if your child was at another school, no matter whether public or private, it is very doubtful that his teacher would have detected this. He is very lucky to be at Keystone.”
Another positive is their incorporation of the “Take Flight” reading program. Which is actually much more than that. Plus, they have teachers that are fully trained in this regimen. That definitely helped my son and all of his classmates.
Was I an extremely apprehensive and worried parent when he left this unique environment and started 6th grade in public schools? Yes! I most certainly was. Tests. Grades. Large class sizes. All new classmates. Navigating hallways. Buses. Almost everything new and foreign. So what happened? Well, what happened was that in his second month of public school, he was selected as “Student of the Month”. Woah! Needless to say I was a very proud parent! And he was pretty proud of himself too. Plus, he ended the first semester with straight A’s. And so far, fingers crossed, he has maintained that.
When I asked my Son for one word to describe Keystone, the one word he chose right away was, “WONDERFUL”. Sounds like I was correct at the beginning when I encapsulated his experience into the single word, CHILDHOOD.
A great big thank you and hugs to all those that helped to give all those things to my child.
Jonathon G.
Parent of Keystone Kid
“I’ll often hear her say to herself ‘I’m a Keystone kid!’ “
Brent
Our daughter, Charlotte, attended Keystone from age 3 through first grade and then transitioned to Edmond Public Schools. Our time at Keystone was fantastic– we found a community of like minded parents and educators and most importantly, we found a community that loved and supported our daughter unconditionally. She developed a love of nature, of exploring the outdoor world, and of pushing herself outside her comfort zone. Transitioning to Edmond Schools was seamless for us– Charlotte’s been at the top of her classes in Edmond ever since she started. Perhaps most important to us is the mentality that she learned at Keystone and how that continues to impact her today. It’s been more than six years since Charlotte left Keystone but when she’s faced with a challenge or has to do something that is uncomfortable, I’ll often hear her say to herself “I’m a Keystone kid” before she starts the activity.
Brent B.
Parent of Keystone Kid
“Grades and large class sizes were intimidating. She is a straight ‘A’ student and has found her friend group.”
&
“She was recently honored by her large middle school for being a humble helper. Keystone gave my only child the heart to help her classmates.”
Zonna
My daughter spent eight years as a Keystone Kid. She started out in three-year-old preschool and graduated as a fifth grader. Keystone was a financial stretch some years, and we are incredibly grateful for the donors making it possible to keep her in her school through a scholarship.
My daughter thrived at Keystone. She was given the tools and love there that she needed to grow into the brilliant young lady she is today.
Keystone doesn’t assign grades in the traditional sense. She was so nervous transitioning to a large public middle school. Grades and large class sizes were intimidating. She is a straight ‘A’ student and has found her friend group.
She was recently honored by her large middle school for being a humble helper. Keystone gave my only child the heart to help her classmates.
My daughter thrived at Keystone. She was given the tools and love there that she needed to grow into the brilliant young lady she is today.
Keystone doesn’t assign grades in the traditional sense. She was so nervous transitioning to a large public middle school. Grades and large class sizes were intimidating. She is a straight ‘A’ student and has found her friend group.
She was recently honored by her large middle school for being a humble helper. Keystone gave my only child the heart to help her classmates.
Zonna F.
Parent of Keystone Kid
