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Just as a compass always follows true north, Key School strives to live up to our mission and values in all that we do. Our true north is the purposeful alignment of our programs, resources and practices with our mission to more effectively meet the evolving needs of our students.
Key 360° will help us navigate a path to tomorrow for our exceptional School, and, most importantly, support and empower each student on their personal learning journey.
About Key 360°
Key 360° isn’t your typical strategic framework. Like a compass, Key 360° will guide the path forward, not determine the destination or prescribe the way to get there. It is up to us, the Key Community, to choose the best route and adjust course along the way, secure in the knowledge that we will achieve our goals if we steer towards the priorities outlined in Key 360° and center our decision-making around the needs and well-being of our students above all else.
Key 360° Framework
Executive Summary
The development of Key 360° was led by the Key Schol Board of Trustees and created with input from the entire Key Community (students, parents, alums, board members, faculty and staff, and parents of alums). A community survey (600+ respondents) and six listening sessions with stakeholders were a part of the plan’s development and refinement.
Priorities & Goals
Key 360° focuses on five priorities encompassing all aspects of the Key experience, from academic programming and faculty growth to our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, the physical campus, student citizenship, community well-being and ensuring the long-term sustainability of school resources. Each priority is equal in its importance to the School’s future success.
Thriving
Key School students are supported and challenged to excel educationally and personally
and be confident, courageous critical thinkers prepared to engage with the world.
Enhance and align adaptive program offerings to meet the needs and interests of all Key Students, providing an experience that empowers students to pursue continuous growth.
Example: Review the entire scope and sequence of the curriculum Key-Wee - 12 focusing on Critical Thinking Skills to enhance and introduce program elements that promote student ownership of their educational experience.
Explore options for innovative program offerings that foster academic excellence, exploration and self-discovery.
Example: Evolve Upper School elective offerings and explore the feasibility of new co-curricular programming such as service learning.
Continue to leverage elements of curriculum and instructional practices that are unique to Key School, including differentiated instruction, experiential learning and outdoor education.
Example: Develop and execute a marketing and communication strategy around these unique components of our School.
Cultivate students’ critical and creative thinking to prepare them for success in a diverse and evolving world.
Example: Ensure that cultural competency is integrated throughout the curriculum of all divisions.
Leading
Key School teachers are recognized as leaders and role models who are supported in striving
for continuous growth as professionals.
Continue to attract, engage, retain, and grow world-class faculty and staff who excel in delivering holistic programming for Key School students.
Example: Hire additional staff to support curriculum design and alignment, instruction and human resources.
Provide time and resources for faculty to collaborate with colleagues, leading to continuous improvement and mutual support.
Example: Align schedules to allow for recurring engagement beyond traditional divisional silos and areas of focus.
Designate time and resources for faculty professional development to improve professional practice, ensure effective teaching, and accommodate differentiated learning styles.
Example: Increase professional development that focuses on diverse learners and cultural competency.
Encourage and enable teachers to test and apply new pedagogies and curricula, including transdisciplinary approaches in measurable, mission-consistent ways.
Example: Create learning lab opportunities in each Division to allow teachers to apply new practice.
Connecting
The Key School campus is intentionally designed and utilized with spaces
and methodology reflecting our mission and supporting our students, faculty and communitY
Optimize the use of Key School’s outdoor spaces to continue to support innovative teaching and learning.
Example: Construct a new First School outdoor play and learning space.
View the Nature Play and Learning Space Master Plan
Plan and provide for high-quality classroom environments with optimized space and conditions for teaching and learning.
Example: Renovate the Upper School library and create a cycle for the refurbishment of all classrooms and office spaces.
Preserving
The Key School path is supported by an intentional focus on revenue generation and resource allocation,
ensuring long-term sustainability and strength for current and future Key students.
The budget process is structured to support and drive the School’s strategic priorities to provide a sustainable program of excellence for current and future students.
Example: Create and fund a budget that provides resources for the implementation of elements of Key 360°.
Monitor finance and budgeting and establish multi-year targets to ensure a sustainable, high-quality learning environment and that resource growth matches or exceeds the School’s capital and operational needs.
Example: Create a comprehensive set of financial metrics to track revenue and expenditures to support multi-year budget projections that incorporate revenue needs.
Invest in our human, facility and financial resources to further our academic goals.
Example: Redistribute human resources responsibilities from finance and accounting staff to create opportunities for more qualitative and quantitative financial data analysis.
Engaging
Key School students and graduates are continuous learners and ethical global citizens
who strive to positively impact a diverse and evolving world.
Set and reinforce expectations of what it means to be a Key School citizen in an inclusive and diverse community – as a student, Alumni/ae/x, faculty member, or parent – building on the foundation of respect, responsibility and honesty.
Example: Build curriculum around current world issues and events so students can apply skills in a context that has a deeper meaning to their personal experience.
Curate new opportunities for all community members to engage with a broad range of diverse and respectful views.
Example: Facilitate intentional student experiences with diverse individuals who extend beyond the Key School Community – leveraging our Alumni/ae/x and regional connections.
Provide a variety of opportunities for Key School students to engage with our city, country and world to establish networks that will nurture their educational and personal aspirations, engagements beyond the walls of Key School and the positive impact they will have as Key School graduates.
Example: Explore establishing artist-in-residence and scientist-in-residence programs to build meaningful and multi-layered exchanges between the Key Community and established experts around the world.
Enhance our commitment to the development and implementation of programs that balance the emotional, physical and intellectual well- being of students.
Example: Review workload and expectations through the lens of student mental health.