Dear Members of the Keyes Union School District Community,
I hope everyone is enjoying our beautiful August weather and the remaining days of summer. We have already welcomed our charter students this week and we are eager to welcome all our students on Monday, August 12th, for the first day of the 2019-2020 school year. (Please note that Monday is a half-day for both the KES and SMS Campuses).
During the 2019-2020 school year, we will maintain a focus on social and emotional learning (SEL), which aims to develop resiliency, responsible decision-making, healthy relationships, and empathy. Research continues to show that social and emotional learning not only creates a healthy context for learning to take place, but that these skills enhance academic rigor.
As we prepare to open school next week, it’s impossible to ignore the national context and dialogue defined by the recent events in Gilroy California, El Paso Texas and Dayton Ohio. As a district we take student safety as the number one priority. We continue to revise and enhance our safety plans, so that we are always better prepared to deal with unforeseen and unpredictable evil harm.
More than ever, our students need the skills to make meaning of our past and our current complex and rapidly-changing environment, where access to information and opinion are never more than one swipe away. We all need to work together to reinforce the bonds and beliefs of our community.
On behalf of the incredible team of educators and support staff who serve the children of the Keyes Union School District, thank you for putting your faith in us to provide your children with a world-class education. We look forward to working with you throughout the year to ensure the success of all our students.
Best regards,
Dr. Helio Brasil
Superintendent