Family Notebook

ABOUT THIS NOTEBOOK

Message from Parents’ Association

President Beth Lapczynski

Dear Families,

On behalf of the Key School Parents’ Association (PA), I welcome you to the 2022-2023 school year. I would like to extend a special welcome to the new families joining us at Key. While the last few years have been unpredictable and challenging, Key has persevered because of its strong sense of community. Our goal for this year is to expand upon this sense of community by supporting the work of the faculty and staff and connecting with each other through a variety of events throughout the year.

Get to know other Key parents and guardians by attending the monthly PA meetings and by volunteering and attending PA events. Every helping hand is welcome, so if you have even an hour to give, we would love to hear from you! The PA strongly believes that our students’ experience at Key is enriched by the active involvement of all community members.

The PA is composed of a representative for each Division and a grade liaison (GL) for each grade. Your GLs are a great source of information throughout the year and will provide you with details regarding both grade-specific and school-wide events, in addition to a variety of volunteer opportunities. The PA holds monthly meetings to discuss upcoming events and hear from guest speakers. All parents and guardians are welcome. By connecting with your GL, reading my monthly letter, and attending the monthly PA meeting, you can learn about the many committees that carry out the work of the PA and how you can get involved.

I look forward to serving you as your PA President this year. Please reach out with any questions, concerns or suggestions you may have regarding the PA. Together we can continue to strengthen the Key community.

Sincerely,

Beth Lapczynski

2022-2023 Parents’ Association President Key Parent ’32, ’35 and ’37

ABOUT THE PA

The Key School Parents’ Association seeks to promote the Mission of the School by providing opportunities for service and communication. The PA is committed to sustaining goodwill and unity throughout the School community and believes the active involvement of all families is vital to supporting, understanding and enriching the educational experience for Key’s students.

You are the PA! All Key School community members are automatically members; there are no dues or applications to complete. Parents/guardians are encouraged to come to a PA meeting and get to know other Key families. It is an opportunity to learn about ways to take an active role in planning PA events or participate in whatever volunteer capacity works for each family. Each year, the PA welcomes leadership nominations from the community and is open to all.

PA LEADERSHIP 2022-2023

The PA is led by a group of officers who are guided by the PA bylaws:

Officers

President Beth Lapczynski

Vice President Maria Lochner

Secretary Regina Spruill

Treasurer Chelsea Hartman Chaney ‘07

Nominating & Dale Scriven Volunteer Coordinator

Division Representatives

Upper School Emily Squires

Middle School Christine Fodor

Lower School Rachel Livingston

First School Brooke Bowman

Grade Liaisons

12th Grade Dawn Madak

11th Grade Skye Bailey

10th Grade Kelly Cronenberg

9th Grade Kirsten Chapman

8th Grade Stephanie Simpson

7th Grade Trina Barlow

6th Grade Clare Conger

5th Grade LaToya Asher

4th Grade Shannon Benil

3rd Grade Carla Purdon

2nd Grade Jean Berkinshaw Dixon ‘01

1st Grade Nicole Mainor

Kindergarten Khalid El-Sayed Pre-Kindergarten Bethany King

Pre-School Lauren Ridzon Key-Wee Jess Praley

Event Chairs

5k/10k & Family Fun Run

Megan Hardy Anderson ‘01 and Jay McConnell Annapolis Book Festival Hilary Raftovich

Annual Fund Liaison TBD

Community Building

Kenneth Graham

Faculty/Staff Appreciation Luncheon Emily O’Meara and Shirin Sahandy ‘95

Harvest Dinner Party & Auction

Ice Skating Event

Lori Emrick and Kara McGuirk-Allison

Dale Scriven

Let’s Get Together: Craft Beer Night TBD

Let’s Get Together: Wine & Cheese Kate Curry

Welcome Back Picnic Michelle LaRose and Meg Samek-Smith

PA ACTIVITIES

The PA organizes fun, rewarding and convenient opportunities to keep every community member involved in the life of the School. The PA supports several events that serve as fundraisers and last year donated over $118,000 to Key. The PA will email communications about the events below and other activities through Grade Liaisons, the PA President’s letter, and the Thursday Reminder:

WELCOME BACK PICNIC, SEPTEMBER 10Start the school year off right at this fun and free Key community event. Enjoy delicious food, music, entertainment, and fun family activities on the Manse Field.

PA MEETINGS - Monthly meetings open to all families with committee updates and featured speakers.

PA SPIRIT DAYS - Concession sales at Key sporting events with food and refreshments.

PARENT POTLUCKS - Usually scheduled in the fall, each grade hosts a gathering for parents/ guardians to meet each other or reconnect.

5K/10K & FAMILY FUN RUN, OCTOBER 23Lace up your sneakers and run or walk with Key families around the Hillsmere neighborhood during this timed race.

HARVEST DINNER PARTY & AUCTION, OCTOBER 28 - Enjoy a lovely evening of delicious food and merriment with fellow Key parents/guardians at Great Frogs Winery. Bid on dozens of amazing items and experiences.

ANNUAL ICE SKATING EVENT, MARCH 10With School closed for a Professional Development Day, bring the kids to the Naval Academy’s McMullen Ice Arena for an afternoon of skating.

ANNAPOLIS BOOK FESTIVAL, APRIL 29The PA’s premier annual event featuring over 50 authors, dozens of children’s activities, and a huge used book sale. Free and open to all.

CRAFT BEER NIGHT - Gather with fellow Key parents/guardians and enjoy appetizers and libations.

FACULTY/STAFF APPRECIATION

LUNCHEON, MAY 5 -Volunteers prepare and serve food to the Key School faculty and staff with a themed luncheon in the Activity Building.

WINE & CHEESE NIGHT, MAY 19 - Say cheers to a great year at this annual event celebrating the end of the school year with this popular wine and cheese gathering.

PA VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Did you know studies show students improve in academic achievement when their families take an active role in their child’s education? So let’s get started; scan the code with your phone’s camera to find out how you can support events sponsored by the Parents’ Association and help students and teachers in classrooms, offices and libraries. volunteer today!

QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PA? CONTACT:

Trish Gallant Parent Programs and Special Events Director tgallant@keyschool.org 443.321.7820

MISSION

Key School was founded in 1958 by several tutors from nearby St. John's College who were interested in offering their children the finest possible academic foundation.

OUR MISSION

Key is founded upon the conviction that children are innately curious about themselves and the world; they want to learn, they want to discover, and they want to create.

Our mission is to nourish and guide this natural exuberance, energy, and delight in the search for meaning, so that each student embraces lifelong learning and develops into an informed, thoughtful, and constructive member of society.

THE KEY DIFFERENCE

Key's innovative approach to teaching and learning is what sets us apart from other independent schools. Key is renowned for our rigorous academic program, which emphasizes inquiry-based learning, interdisciplinary studies and a global perspective, but Key students also experience meaningful connections, value and respect the differences of others, and have a positive outlook on learning and their future. A diverse, supportive, deliberately small community that values academic excellence and nurtures a love of learning is what makes Key School one of the most sought-after educations in Maryland.

THE INSIDE SCOOP

THE GAZEBO

The distinctive gazebos found on campus date back to the property’s earliest days as a farm and are the inspiration for the School’s symbol and mascot.

CAMPUS BOOKSTORE

Show your Key and Obezag pride with gear from Key’s online Campus Bookstore. Keythemed mugs, tumblers, notecards, jewelry, and pet accessories can be purchased throughout the year. Three times a year, Key also offers an online gift store where you can purchase other unique Key items.

KEY’S MURALS

The murals are certainly one of Key’s most unique campus traditions. Beginning as paintings both inside and outside of various buildings, the more recent murals are studentled endeavors, with seniors memorializing their time at Key as a gift to the youngest Obezags. The murals typically depict beloved characters from children's literature.

SUMMER AT KEY

One of the premier day camps in the area, Key’s award-winning camp provides eight weeks of stimulating and engaging experiences. Summer at KEY offers over 150 different camps and attracts over 1,100 campers annually.

KEY WAS A FARM?

Learn more about Key’s history, including photos of campus when it was a working farm. WHY ARE WE THE OBEZAGS?

The name was suggested and adopted by students in the late 1960s who wanted the School’s sports team to have a name that not only captured Key’s unique spirit, but also had a meaning that wasn’t immediately apparent to people outside the community. What’s an Obezag? It’s gazebo spelled backwards (of course). It stuck and “Go ‘Zags” can be heard on the sidelines of fields, courts, tracks, and pools.

GRADUATION TRADITIONS

Commencement is a uniquely Key event. Each year, the senior class designs its graduation invitation and plans the ceremony, enabling each class to put their particular mark on the day. Seniors select an individual to speak on their behalf during the ceremony; these entertaining and often poignant two-minute speeches, given by teachers, classmates, coaches, and family members showcase the value Key places on each individual. In addition to a diploma, all Key graduates receive a pewter medallion embossed with the School’s iconic gazebo logo.

SCHOOL COLORS

Key’s official school colors are navy blue and white. Accent colors used are green, indicative of Key’s commitment to environmental stewardship and barn red as a nod to the property’s origins as a farm. Key athletics use a combination of Navy blue, white and gray.

CAMPUS

FUSCO ATHLETIC PARK is a state-of-the-art facility that includes multi-purpose athletic fields, eight tennis courts, a baseball diamond, a 1.7 mile nature trail, a pavilion with locker rooms, and a fully equipped trainer's room. The Park hosts athletic and recreational activities for students in all divisions.

WINS

impacted by COVID-19

ABOUT KEY

(2019-2022)

Emphasis on cross-divisional connections is a hallmark of the Key Experience. From Senior Buddies, which connects our oldest students with our youngest, World Language grade mash-up events, and spirit events like the Zag Bowl, cross-divisional learning and fun are built into campus life.

LIFE BEYOND KEY

With its first graduating class in 1971, Key is proud to have more than 1,700 graduates living in more than 40 states and 30 countries. Key alumni/ae/x work in a wide variety of professions, including architecture, arts, computer science/information technology, education, engineering, film and television, finance, government/public policy, law marketing/non-profit, medicine, and general science

KEY’S NEWEST ALUMS ARE GOING PLACES!

The Class of 2022 were strong, capable and motivated during one of the most competitive application years in the history of college admissions. The seniors chose schools from all over the country, running the gamut from large research universities and HBCUs to the Naval Academy, Ivy League colleges, all-women’s colleges, and art schools.

FOLLOW KEY ON SOCIAL MEDIA

FACEBOOK: facebook.com/keyschool facebook.com/annapolisbookfestival

INSTAGRAM:

@KeySchool

@KeySchoolUpper

@KeySchoolMiddle

@KeySchoolLower

@KeySchoolFirst @Obezags

@AnnapolisBookFestival

TWITTER: @Obezags

@annapolisbook

FLICKR: flickr.com/keyschoolannapolis

SCHOOL COMMUNICATIONS

IN CASE YOU’RE WONDERING…

Grade Level Class Year

Key-Wee Class of 2038

Pre-School Class of 2037

Pre-Kindergarten Class of 2036

Kindergarten Class of 2035

1st Grade Class of 2034

2nd Grade Class of 2033

3rd Grade Class of 2032

4th Grade Class of 2031

5th Grade Class of 2030

6th Grade Class of 2029

7th Grade Class of 2028

8th Grade Class of 2027

9th Grade Class of 2026

10th Grade Class of 2025

11th Grade Class of 2024

12th Grade Class of 2023

ACCEPTANCES & MATRICULATIONS

Scan the code with your phone’s camera for a full list of college acceptances and matriculations.

CLASS OF 2022 STUDENT OUTCOMES

Key School strives to communicate effectively with families and manage the volume of email. Below is a sample of the types of regular communication families can receive:

• A monthly e-newsletter, The Key Connection

• A weekly email reminder, Thursday Reminder

• Division Head/teacher/All-School email

• Email and text notifications of weather-related closings, delayed openings or other necessary changes in School schedules or operating protocols

• Family Notebook

PARENT PORTAL

Go to the password-protected Parent Portal ( www.keyschool.org/parent-portal ) for the most up-to-date School information.

• See reports, keep household information up-to-date, and add money to the Osprey’s Nest account in Family Center.

• Access the online/printable Student/Family Directory

• Get forms and other resources

• Access Magnus Health

• Find information about the PA and PA events

KEY’S CARPOOL MODULE

The Parent Portal has a carpool module, which is a Google-based map that allows current families to view other Key School families who live in close proximity.

CALENDARS

ACADEMIC YEAR CALENDAR

Provides important school dates that affect all division levels, including the start of school, holiday breaks and planned school closures.

Friday, August 26 New Student Orientation

Monday, August 29 School Opens

Monday, September 5 Labor Day - NO SCHOOL

Monday, September 26 Rosh Hashanah - NO SCHOOL

Wednesday, October 5 Yom Kippur - NO SCHOOL

Monday, October 10 Professional Development Day - NO SCHOOL

Tuesday, November 22 Thanksgiving Holiday begins at end of the day

Monday, November 28 School Resumes

Friday, December 16 Winter Holiday begins at noon - no After School Program

Monday, January 2 School Resumes

Monday, January 16 Martin Luther King Jr. Day - NO SCHOOL

Friday, February 17 Mid-Winter Break begins at end of the day

Monday, February 27 School Resumes

Friday, March 10 Professional Development Day - NO SCHOOL

Friday, March 31 Spring Break begins at end of the day

Monday, April 10 Professional Development Day - NO SCHOOL

Tuesday, April 11 School Resumes

Monday, May 29 Memorial Day - NO SCHOOL

Thursday, June 8 Last Day of School (Normal Dismissal TimeAfter School Program available)

Friday, June 9 Commencement 10:00 a.m.

Monday & Tuesday, June 12 & 13 Snow Contingency Days

ONLINE COMMUNITY CALENDAR - Provides a detailed view of daily life at Key including School-wide, PA, grade level, and division events, filtered by your interests. Sync the calendar to your computer or phone for easy access to information.

ATHLETICS SCHEDULE - Provides information of each team’s practice and game schedules as well as a button to view that day’s events.

VITAL INFORMATION

CALLING KEY:

Main Campus 410.263.9231

First School 443.321.7866

Lower School 443.321.7871

Middle School 443.321.7876

Upper School 443.321.7881

CALLING AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM:

First School 443.321.7860

Lower School 443.321.7861

Middle School 410.231.9231 x 1270

FINDING FACULTY & STAFF CONTACT INFORMATION: www.keyschool.org/facultyandstaff

QUESTIONS ABOUT...

YOUR STUDENT’S ABSENCE, LATE ARRIVAL OR EARLY PICK-UP:

First School - fsattendance@keyschool.org

Lower School - lsattendance@keyschool.org

Middle School - msattendance@keyschool.org

Upper School - usattendance@keyschool.org

YOUR STUDENT’S MEDICATIONS AT SCHOOL OR OTHER HEALTH ISSUES:

School Nurse Katie Anderson: kanderson@keyschool.org; 410.263.9231, ext. 1204

YOUR STUDENT’S KEY CARD (GRADES 5-12)

Contact your Division Office:

Middle School 443.321.7876

Upper School 443.321.7881

YOUR STUDENT’S OSPREY’S NEST ACCOUNT (GRADES 5-12)

Caroline Ewing - cew ing@ keyschool.org; 443.321.7833

YOUR FACTS ACCOUNT OR OTHER FINANCIAL MATTERS

Sue Clayton - sclay ton@keyschool.org; 443.321.7832

YOUR STUDENT’S ATHLETIC PRACTICE OR GAME SCHEDULE www.keyschool.org /program/athletics

KEY’S DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION PROGRAM

Jenifer Moore - jmoore@keyschool.org; 410.263.9231, ext 1303

SENIOR ADMINISTRATORS

Head of School

Matthew Nespole 410-263-9231, ext 1222 mnespole@keyschool.org

First School Division Head

Becky Fetters 443.321.7865 bfetters@keyschool.org

Lower School Division Head

Kristen Addison 443.321.7870 kaddison@keyschool.org

Middle School Division Head

Dave Magnus 443.321.7875 dmagnus@keyschool.org

Upper School Division Head

Brian Michaels 443.321.7880 bmichaels@keyschool.org

Director of Enrollment and Outreach

Tom Rossini 410-263-9231, ext 1226 trossini@keyschool.org

Director of Advancement

Stephen Ginter 443.321.7825 sginter@keyschool.org

Director of Finance and Operations

Caroline Ewing 443.321.7833 cewing@keyschool.org

Director of Communication

Kate Austin 443.321.7811 kaustin@keyschool.org

Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Jenifer Moore 410-263-9231, ext 1303 jmoore@keyschool.org

Director of Facilities

Noel Gasparin 410-263-9231, ext 1267 ngasparin@keyschool.org

Director of Academic Technology

Nina Austin 443.321.7804 naustin@keyschool.org

360°

NAVIGATING A PATH TO TOMORROW

Key 360° is the new strategic framework that will help navigate a path to tomorrow for our exceptional School. Key 360° focuses on five priorities encompassing all aspects of the Key experience, from academic programming and faculty growth to 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.

Many Key 360° goals are already in the works, including hiring new faculty focused on curriculum, a Middle and Upper School tech integrator, total transformations of the First School Playground (2022) and the Upper School Science and Library Center (summer 2023), and so much more.

THRIVING

ENGAGING LEADING

KEY’S CULTURE OF GIVING

WHY GIVE BACK TO KEY?

The unparalleled experience students at Key receive is made possible in large part by philanthropy. Key depends on charitable gifts to sustain its strong academic curriculum, support its teachers, enhance its teaching facilities, and strengthen its financial resources. You have the opportunity to align your giving with your passion by electing to support your choice of the School’s ongoing funding priorities.

Annual Fund - Support for Key’s Annual Fund means supporting every student, as well as every member of the faculty and staff who make your students their priority every day. Through cutting-edge curriculum development, new tools and technology for the classroom, visual and performing arts opportunities, or eye-opening outdoor educational experiences, your support for the Annual Fund provides current students with new and exciting opportunities for greatness. Like most independent schools, Key’s Annual Fund provides vital dollars to the operating budget which supplement tuition income and other revenue to cover the full cost of educating each student. Dollars from the Annual Fund are what allow us to respond to new opportunities for students each year and to bring our mission alive each and every day.

Capital Giving - Periodically Key will hold capital campaigns to raise funds in support of special projects like new construction, campus renovation and improvement, or endowed programs at Key. In the spring of 2022, Key School announced the “Key on Three” campaign in support of a new First School Nature Play and Learning Space and significant renovations to the Upper School Science and Library Center.

Endowment Giving - Gifts to the general endowment or any number of named endowed funds support many priorities at Key, including faculty compensation, professional development, teaching and learning, facilities, and financial aid. Key’s Endowment, stewarded by the Finance Committee of the Board of Trustees, ensures Key’s financial position for the years to come.

Planned Giving - By remembering the School in your estate plans, you can make a significant impact on Key's future. Among the many programs critical to Key’s success, our Planned Giving efforts have the greatest opportunity for growth. By definition, a planned gift is any meaningful gift made during one’s lifetime or at death, as part of a donor’s overall financial and/or estate planning. This hugely transformative giving option leaves a lasting legacy for all of Key’s students.

PRESERVING

LEARN MORE ABOUT KEY 360°

CONNECTING