#KEYLife

The energy on campus during the weeks before the official start of school is almost palpable. Efforts to incorporate into the curriculum the summer professional work that teachers engaged in moves into high gear, classrooms are prepped for the arrival of your children, and students and families begin to arrive on campus for summer meetings with faculty and pre-season athletic practices. It is clear that we are awaiting the official start of school, and the arrival of your children, with eager anticipation.
 
Despite challenges that the heavy rains in July and the dry hot days that followed brought, work at Fusco Athletic Park is progressing. We remain on a schedule that will enable utilization of the park in the spring of 2019, and are excited about the opportunities that this wonderful space affords us. On campus, smaller, but equally impactful, improvements have occurred as well. We are very excited about the creation of a new Makerspace on the second floor of the Barn, adjacent to the FKB Library, and the curricular opportunities that this space will provide.
 
During the summer Jenifer Moore, our new Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and Becky Fetters, who has had a smooth transition from the classrooms of Key into her new role as the First School Division Head, have been deeply engaged in preparing for the start of the school year. Their contributions to the Administrative Team are making an already highly functioning group even stronger.
 
A degree of change is healthy for every organization, and we are pleased to have twelve new faculty and staff members joining Key. The Division Heads have shared in their summer communications information about the new members of the faculty (who are also highlighted on #KEYLife), and I know you will enjoy getting to know this outstanding group of educators who are joining our remarkable faculty.  It should also be noted that Akeembra Lawrence and Erika Cartledge have joined the Advancement Office this summer and are already hard at work supporting our community-building and fundraising efforts.  Akeembra and Erika will be in attendance at several events during the opening weeks of school and are excited to meet you.

As you and your children return to campus you may notice that entrances to the main buildings have been outfitted with keypads, card readers and/or video boxes.  While more information about upcoming changes to building access at Key will be shared in the coming months, I did want to let you know that we are moving toward a campus-wide automated door system soon.
 
I hope that Key’s 60th year is one in which your children explore their interests to the fullest, and are inspired to pursue academic excellence. I, along with the faculty, staff and administration, look forward to nurturing your children, sparking their innate curiosity, and helping them become confident lifelong learners.
 
I look forward to seeing you at the Back-to-School Coffee in Katharine Hall on Monday, August 27 at 8:00 a.m., or at our first Parents’ Association Meeting of the year on the evening of Wednesday, September 5 at 7:00 p.m.
 
Regards,
 
Matthew