Keystone Academy of Beijing, a hybrid of American boarding school teaching and Chinese learning, is set to open in Fall 2014 to provide a liberal arts and sciences education for both Chinese and expatriate students, grades 1 through 12. The school will be located in the Shunyi district and the construction of its facilities is projected to be completed by the end of 2013.
Initially, the school will register students in grades 1, 2, 3, 7,8 and 9 and will eventually operate with 1500 students at full enrollment. The student body is envisaged to be composed of 80% Chinese nationals and 20% expatriate students. Following American boarding school tradition, full boarding will be provided from grade 7 and up.
The curriculum will be designed so that early year education is bilingual and will progress into English-language instruction for older students. The concept behind this curriculum is to prepare Chinese students for tertiary education in American or other English-speaking universities while allowing them to remain in China so they can retain a clear sense of Chinese heritage, culture and identity. Additionally, Keystone Academy aims to cultivate students who appreciate different cultures and have a commitment to contributing to society.
Educators founding this school include Ed Shanahan, former Headmaster of Choate Rosemary Hall and Malcom McKenzie who will leave his current position as Head of School of the Hotchkiss School in July 2013. Both boarding schools are well known in the United States for sending many graduates to renowned colleges including Ivy League Universities. Keystone Academy plans to maintain a strong link with boarding schools on the East Coast of the United States and to become a hub for Faculty or students interested in visiting China for any duration of time ranging from a week to a whole school year.
Image from Flickr by Simon Shek
