REVIEW OF Keystone School BY student, Arina Bahramnejad

(4.5) Student Experience

I've been a student at Keystone International Schools for the past two years. I adore the school and the people who work here. I found it so easy to make new friends when I first came to Keystone International Schools, students and teachers both made me feel so welcome. I am really happy here and enjoy coming to school every day. My teachers are fantastic motivators, and the academic program is excellent. Our time at Keystone International Schools is extraordinary. Students have gained confidence in their academic capacities as a result of small class sizes and tiered instruction. Because it is a small school, there is a smaller student-to-teacher ratio, which gives them more confidence in asking questions, participating in group activities, and having one-on-one time with the teachers.

(4.5) School Leadership

Teachers are motivated by the desire to see their students succeed. They are fantastic at sharing moments of pride they see in your child - their positive behaviors and accomplishments; and they understand the necessity of involving the parents in the event of a problem, and they do so in a respectful, approachable manner. My brother is attending this school as well. If you have any doubts please go and see Doa Demirsu and she will put you at ease. I am blessed that some of the same teachers who taught me are teaching my brother too. Keystone International Schools brings out the best in every child by tapping into their individual strengths while creating an environment of kindness, responsibility, and leadership. Our family is so grateful for our Keystone family.

(5) Teaching

The teachers are really concerned about the education of the students and their development as learners. Adjustments are made as necessary to satisfy the student's needs. The teachers such as Stephanie Guerreiro are engaging, lively and energetic. She is patient and encouraging with both kids and parents. Teachers here motivate students to learn and to work according to their interests to achieve their true potential. Teachers accept ownership over their student's performance in their classroom. They are constantly being held responsible for the performance of their students. They follow the guidelines and rules of the school and teach as per all the requirements of the syllabus. Our teachers always follow an unbiased approach in the evaluations of students' papers and assignments. They sincerely and regularly attend classes and have good knowledge of their area of said expertise.

(4) Academics

Studying at Keystone International Schools is very easy if you do as you're told by the teachers. Our classes are very interesting and the topics we discuss during class are helpful. Our ELA class always keeps on educating us on the social problems of the present time. I really enjoy our chemistry classes as we go to the lab and get to experiment with things ourselves. School is about gaining EXPERIENCE. Something you will use every day of your life. As for everyone who will always say why don't they teach taxes or cooking or something they think is important. Algebra teaches you how to do your taxes, advanced reading and application in English teaches you how to read a cookbook. Schools teach us the necessary skills to think through a problem.

(3.5) Extracurriculars

I enjoyed being part of the student council this year, we were encouraging the school to be more eco-friendly. Classes were given green marble points for turning the lights off when it wasn’t dark. I felt really responsible and made some great friends from other year groups. We did donations to different charities and did decorations for Christmas and Halloween. However, I wish there were more sports-based clubs like volleyball and basketball.

(5) Students

Students are very nice and friendly here. Due to the diversity of cultures here at Keystone, my multicultural experience includes not only my experience brought by exposure to cultures of different countries but also the experience brought by exposure to cultures of different nations and regions through making friends with different students. Students show their consideration for their teachers by obeying their instructions in the class. Students do what they are expected to do without fail. They behave properly inside the class and take notes and ask questions inside the class. The students treat classmates, teachers and staff with respect by valuing each as an individual, respecting differences, and valuing the work that others do. The students here embrace the responsibility required to maintain progress in their schoolwork and other personal goals.

(5) School Life

Keystone International Schools has a very friendly atmosphere to it. It has an environment that stimulates people to learn new things. The one thing that stands out at Keystone is that the school has a unique “everyone-knows-everyone” feel. The school is not a big place but every part of the school is filled with students' artwork so I would not be able to choose a place to take the visitors from outside there so would just start from anywhere. Some students would play the piano located in the main hall to entertain their friends or play table tennis during the breaks. Keystone is a colourful place and it never gets boring. My favorite place is the library. Our library is comfy and peaceful, I can always find myself a corner and read my books and do my assignments.

(4.5) Community

Keystone feels like home to me; everyone's so friendly, kind and respectful. Our teachers and principal are friendly which makes being at school pleasant. To help students feel safe and secure at school, they placed a comfy sofa, soft seating or bean bag chairs in the reading corner. In addition to that, a soft rug, lamp, and a few bookshelves made our reading corner complete. Cozy spaces and alternative seating are a great way to help us feel at home. Keystone promotes respect for ethnic diversity, intolerant of discrimination, supports teachers to implement fair classroom practices and encourage parent involvement in school to build social connections between home and school. Keystone also provides students with healthy and delicious food. The higher level of student emotional and physical wellbeing, the better academic performance and achievement.

(3.5) School Location

Our school is located in the middle of Toronto. It's close to all public transformation and it is easy to go around the city to enjoy your free time. One thing I really like about our school's location is that there are cafes around the school, so if you want to grab a coffee before your class to start your day fresh.

(4.5) Admissions

The admissions process was very easy with the help of the admissions officers at school helping me to get through the whole process of getting me registered for school. They are always available to answer any questions I might have about school or applications for universities. We have an excellent college counselor who helps us with our applications. Ms. Doa and her staff were an amazing support for us when we were snowed under with a lot of work; they made sure we have enough time to do our assignments and projects and that we are not pressured at all. When I wanted to register to Keystone schools I had an interview with Ms. Doa and she made sure I'm comfortable answering any question she had about me.