Keystone Academy

I am extremely satisfied with keystone, cant say enough! The staff, the teachers, principle, the deans... Absolutely love their job and go to no end to show it. My children transferred from Lincoln, because of all the violence, drug use, and teachers. They were flunking all their classes, they hated school. My youngest son begged me every day to not make him go, almost in tears. My children now are doing excellent! They LOVE school again :) They really concentrate on rewarding the children on good behavior, & communicate with parents immediately with any concerns, instead of waiting until its too late. Im also impressed on what they teach the children, they go above & beyond what is expected from a school. They not only teach them the basics, but real life issues...such as community,budgeting & moral values to name a few. They give them the tools to succeed in a aspects of life. Projects that get them motivated and excited to do their very best on. I can go on for hours, or you can see for yourselves.. I did, and could not be happier. Thank you Keystone, for making a huge impact in my childrens lives, and a valuable stepping stone towards their future.
—Submitted by a parent

keystone is an amazing school when i was in fiftth grade my teacher helped with stuff i didnt understand it was sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo amazing and it taught me a lot of stuff to help prepare for sixth grade and from when i was in fifth grade i got moved to the proficient class :-) it has never let me down keystone is the best school i've went to so far just joking its not a bad experience at all

My children has been at Keystone for 4 years and it has been a dissapointing experience . The turnover rate is terribly high which makes it impossible to form any real relationships with your child's educators. I have 1 child who consistantly scored very high on exams and finished his classwork quicky but was in a low level class. I had to fight to get him placed in the proper advanced class. He still excells at this level but is very bored . Also the teachers are usually inexperienced ( newly graduating) and have a difficult time making sound choices and decisions with regard to students. The middle school is governed like elemeanary school which makes high school transition very difficult. Additionally the school is NOT the place for an assertive male. I have three sons. There is very little adult male presence. I hate that I wasted so much time at Keystone.
—Submitted by a parent

I cannot say enough wonderful things about Keystone Academy! My kids are continuously challenged in a non-threatening positive environment. I love how parent involvement is welcomed. The staff is very friendly and makes me feel right at home. The kids are grouped based on academic level which, in my opinion, is even better. This type of grouping allows for the children who excel to be challenged at their level and the children who need extra help be able to receive that help without "slipping through the cracks." Great job Keystone!
—Submitted by a parent

My family has been at Keystone for the past 5 years. Over that time, we have been continuously impressed. The teachers are top notch. They challenge the students while still making it fun. There is a strong parent involvement and an amazing PTO that provides support for many school programs and activities. My 2 children are excelling and I could not be happier!
—Submitted by a parent

This school attempts to be very strong academically but my children attended the school for 3 years and it was a very negative experience. While the teachers there are very good, the turn-over rate is high. Most of the teachers are 1st time teachers and when new opportunities arise they leave. Because this is a charter school, the principal and administration do not have the same qualifications as they do in regular public schools. Therefore, I found that they had a difficult time making sound decisions because of their lack of experience. The school does homogeneous grouping and tracking so it makes it difficult for students who do not begin in the advanced classes to move up into them. Even when a child has the qualifications to be placed in the advanced classes, they often are not able to. The new grading system was horrible for the parents & students.
—Submitted by a parent

Just wanted to commend the new administration for 2009-2010! They are doing a fantastic job! There is a lot of excitement in the building & Keystone continues to be an outstanding choice in our area!
—Submitted by Jeanette Barker, a parent

Keystone is a wonderful school, the principal's and hall deans are wonderful this year. We have good communication this year, between the principals and parents. I'm glad we are finally moving in a positive direction.
—Submitted by a parent

The teacher are the best I've ever seen!
—Submitted by a parent

Oh my gosh,keystone was great for friends and stuff but not for help. I was mad that i left that school but now im at Taylor Exlempar academy with mr.price...does teacher really know how to help ther children now im great aty school its awesome
—Submitted by a student

I am so very pleased to have Keystone as a choice in our area. The teachers and administration have the kids best interest in mind. Everyone is so friendly beginning with the office staff. When I have been in the building I have seen how respectful the students are, as well. When my child struggled in math her teacher was will to do afterschool tutoring. This was to my great surprise. Never had she been offered such support in her academics. Keep up the great job at Keystone. For parents looking for a great school this is it!!
—Submitted by a parent

I found this school to be very effective at practicing for state administered tests, but my son went here for kindergarden and never toughed scissors, construction paper or paint. The teaching methods are not very creative and I never thought they did much to stimulate the children's minds. In the end I have decided to send my boy to the local public school . I don't think that Keystone is a bad place , just that they are going to turn out students that would grow up qualified to work for the National Heritage Foundation, and that is just a little too much to the Right for me....
—Submitted by a parent

I have two children at Keystone, a 6th grader and a 3rd grader. My 6th grade son has special needs and has always had accomodations made available to him. I feel he is successful because of his time at Keystone where he is able to get individual attention. I have always been able to easily access the teaching and administration staff and feel that any concerns I have are addressed adequately. My 3rd grade daughter does not require any accomodations and is excelling with the material presented to her. The workload is intense but she is learning rapidly and loving it.
—Submitted by a parent

My oldest child went to public school. I decided to put my next child at Keystone Academy. Wow, what a difference in the curriculum. Keystone is much more advanced in their curriculum than the public school. My child is thriving! This school is teaching my child how to excel in school as well as teaching organizational skills and moral focus that will greatly help in life. Parents have a choice. If you want your child challenged, Keystone is the place for you!
—Submitted by a parent

We had been at Keystone since its opening and now after five years we have had enough of Keystone Academy! We have heard enough of their bulling and assurances they were qualified to teach our special needs child to read. Should your child show any deficiency academically, Keystone is not the school for you. Keystone is only interested in the students who produce the best test scores; insuring that teachers will receive bonuses for producing those scores and Keystone will receive incentives for those scores from NHA. Make no mistake; they will accept any child, they want your tax dollars from the public schools, that s how they make their money. Just don t expect them to help a child with any learning deficiencies large or small because they lack the expertise and qualifications. My biggest regret is waiting so long and listening to Keystone Academy instead of to my gut.
—Submitted by a parent

It has been sometime since sending my child to Keystone. I have no regrets in removing my child from Keystone. I still speak to friends who have attending children and most of them would like to remove their children, but that the options are slim. I must say that Keystone is very comparable in Meap scores to the local schools for lower levels, they only greatly improve at the middle school level. I did take my child to one of the local public schools for meap testing and must say I was surprised with the environment. The adminstration was much warmer and caring than what we experienced at Keystone in our last year. Sadly, NHA seems more concerned with the finacial part of their business, rather than what is best for the students.
—Submitted by Jill

I pulled my child from this school because the lack of help given her. The prinipal never e-mailed back and the teachers would rather put a student back a grade than give her extra help.
—Submitted by a parent

I am now an 8th grader and this school is trully awesome. The teachers prepare you for life and they have andvanced placement classes but they arent called that for the students who may be a little behind on the curriculum which shows they really care about the students. The principal knows your name (most of the time) and is always smiling. I usually have a hard time in the beginning meeting new friends but here the teachers encourage you and though the school is a little cliqish but the students open up quickly. They challenge you to do your best. When I came from my last school I used to be the person who would be done early and you would come to for help but the role was switched around here. I am now at the top of my class. This is the place to send your child!
—Submitted by a student

I too disagree with the negative comments about the new administration. It's true, Mr. Price was a great leader and continues to be, just for another school who needed his services more right now. The new Principal is more than capable of sustaining this school in the community and giving our children the best education possible. The parents who make these negative comments are likely the parents who don't care to be significantly involved in their son/daughter's education and thats a shame. If you want a great education from teachers who care about their students, then send your child to Keystone!
—Submitted by a parent

I totally disagree with the last couple of parents. Keystone is a wonderful school. I drive 30 minutes each way to take my kids there. The principal is very nice and she is always smiling and laughing. She truly loves and cares for the children. The office ladies are awesome; they are helpful and caring. The teaching staff is also fabulous. They welcome you in the classroom and appreciate any help you can give them. Don't hesitate to send your children to Keystone.
—Submitted by a parent