REVIEW OF Keystone School BY parent, Sarah Lee

(5) Student Experience

My daughter completed Grades 10, 11 and 12 at Keystone School. What she needed was a happy school environment and Keystone provided just that. She loved going to school every day, and that's exactly what's most important to us. Everyone in the school knows each other and teachers can spend one-on-one time with students. My daughter improved her academic skills very much and also enjoyed many extracurricular activities during her time at Keystone. The class size was very small (nine students in her class) and that helped my daughter to get help from her teachers whenever she needs to. They also offered school clubs that students can join according to their interests. Overall, we knew we made the right decision with Keystone since day one and my daughter had an amazing time there.

(5) School Leadership

Members of the school administration at Keystone School are actively involved in the school's daily operations and are very good at creating a positive learning environment. They are always easily accessible and helpful. Just like the teachers, administrators also have great relationships with each and every student and they are always there to support them with any problems they have. The administration team was always willing to listen to and solve any problems we could possibly have. I always felt like I could trust the team at Keystone and I was never proven wrong.

(5) Teaching

All teachers at Keystone are extremely knowledgeable and passionate about the subject they teach and they make learning fun for students. The frequent use of hands-on activities and real-life examples in the lessons was my daughter's favorite part. During her time at Keystone, my daughter received regular feedback from her teachers and they always supported her on what to do in order to improve herself. They have always offered students the opportunity to express themselves in different ways. Mathematics has never been my daughter's favorite subject, but we were extremely surprised that her attitude towards mathematics changed positively during her time at Keystone. Whenever my daughter needed support, all of the teachers were always very supportive and always encouraged her to ask questions without hesitation.

(5) Academics

Keystone School has a strong academic program. In order for students to be successful, they need to take their studies seriously and study regularly, which is a habit that will be of great help to them in their university life and is very important for them to acquire. Keystone successfully transports students to university academically, while giving importance to their enjoyment of school and ensuring that they spend quality time at school. During her time as a student at Keystone, my daughter always enjoyed her lessons and knew what her responsibilities were, and met them to the best of her ability. It was always a relief for my daughter to have someone she can consult whenever she needed it during her time in high school.

(4.5) Extracurriculars

My daughter absolutely LOVED the extracurricular opportunities offered at Keystone School. In fact, it was always very difficult for her to choose the activities to join because she wanted to take part in almost all of them. Extracurricular activities helped my daughter become more independent and confident. The teachers made all activities so much fun for students and they made sure there was always a place for everyone.

(5) Students

Students at Keystone School are very friendly and helpful. The school has students from many countries. This allowed my daughter to learn about many cultures and develop an international understanding. Whenever my daughter needed the support of a friend, there was someone who was there. Students are extremely eager to help make each other better. Each and every student enjoys learning from and contributing to others. My daughter was starting to take an interest in playing the piano and a friend of hers had started teaching her to play the piano at break times. Choosing a friend has always been a bit of a challenge for my daughter, but the friendships she has made at Keystone are very valuable to her and are sure to continue for many years to come.

(5) School Life

My daughter enjoyed studying at Keystone very much. She both improved herself academically and made friendships that she valued immensely. In addition, the location of the school gave them the opportunity to enjoy downtown after school hours and during lunch break times. My daughter lived with us, but I remember that the school made the necessary accommodation arrangements for students coming to Toronto without their families. They had a variety of school trips that the students both actively carried out outdoor learning and socialized with each other. I should also add that my daughter would also be very happy with an international trip. Keystone also placed a high value on public service and continually supported students to perform as many public service roles as possible.

(4) Community

Since my daughter was a high school student, I always thought she should be the bridge between me and school. But whenever I had a question about school or needed help, there was always someone I could talk to. I could easily follow what was going on at school through announcements. In general, I think parent participation could have been more with more events, but since I could reach the help and information I wanted whenever I needed it, this was obviously not a shortcoming for me at all. In fact, I believe this helped my daughter become an independent individual who can make her own decisions and take her own responsibilities. I thank the school administration and teachers for giving my daughter the opportunity to take responsibility for her own school life.

(5) School Location

The location of the school is absolutely great. It is located in the heart of Toronto where students can spend time together and socialize after school. There are subway stations and bus stops located very close to school which makes it very convenient for public transport. High school students can go out for lunch and they have plenty of restaurants to choose from.

(5) Admissions

The admissions process at Keystone School was extremely easy and fast. We made our application on the website and sent our documents. Then we had a meeting with the school principal. The school principal took special care of my daughter, tried to get to know her and specifically asked about her areas of interest. This helped my daughter establish a good relationship with the school principal even before her registration was completed. Every detail of school life was explained to my daughter and me, and every question that came to our mind was answered. After my daughter was enrolled in school, she continued to meet with teachers and principals regularly for a while to talk about how everything was going. It was very valuable to me that my daughter's happiness and comfort were so important to the school before and after registration.

(5) University placement and counselling

When my daughter was about to start high school, she had no idea what she wanted to study at the university. That hadn't changed yet when we moved to Keystone for tenth grade. However, even during the registration process, my daughter was asked about her interests and she was asked to think about whether she would like to focus on these areas in the future. Then, through regular meetings, it was ensured that my daughter chose the right courses and that made the university application process as smooth as possible. The guidance provided ensured that my daughter received positive feedback from almost all of the universities she applied to. We had a lot of questions during the university application process and the school management was always very polite and helpful in answering these questions.