Keystone Oaks School District

👏🏻🎶🎺🎻 This spring, 20 Keystone Oaks Middle School and Keystone Oaks High School student musicians participated in seven different Pennsylvania Music Educators Association festivals!

Three of these students successfully auditioned and were selected to perform in the All-State Concert Band and All-State Orchestra music festivals, earning spots among the top student musicians in Pennsylvania:

⭐️ Senior bass player Kate Moore performed as one of two bassists in the All-State Concert Band.

⭐️ Senior bassoon player Lucy Brooke and junior French horn player Andreh De La Torre-Alvarado performed in the All-State Orchestra. Lucy earned the role of principal bassoonist and played solos in multiple pieces during the concert.

We're of all of our students who represented Keystone Oaks this year!
Learn more about their accomplishments on the district's website: https://www.kosd.org/69712?articleID=66255

💛🐝🎮🤍 In mid-May, Dormont and Myrtle Avenue Elementary Schools held their annual Career Day events, giving students the opportunity to learn from three dozen local professionals representing career fields ranging from beekeeping to video game marketing. 🤍🎮🐝💛

In several of the presentations, students participated in hands-on activities that allowed them to further explore different careers. Thank you to school counselors Steve Hope and Desiree Krawchyk, and all of the volunteers, for making this fun day of learning possible!

Last week, Keystone Oaks Middle School held its annual 8th Grade Celebration. 🎉

Complete with student speakers and recognition of each 8th grade student, this event is a great way to celebrate all that students have accomplished and wish them well as they begin their next chapter - high school!

Congratulations, Keystone Oaks Class of 2030! We can't wait to see what the future has in store for you! 💛🦅🤍

As the 2025-2026 school year draws to a close, we want to recognize seven dedicated employees who are retiring this year and thank them for their combined 194 years of service to Keystone Oaks students, staff, and the community. 💛🦅🤍

This year's retirees were recognized at the Board of School Directors' May meeting and at a luncheon, where they were able to celebrate with their supervisor, district administrators, colleagues, and family members.

This year's retirees are:

🦅 Heather Hardy, School Nurse, Myrtle Avenue Elementary School
🦅 Ken Hustava, Physical Education Teacher, Keystone Oaks High School
🦅 Nancy Kraemer, English Language Arts Teacher, Keystone Oaks High School
🦅 Craig Lawhead, School Counselor, Fred L. Aiken Elementary School
🦅 John Murphy, Social Studies Teacher, Keystone Oaks High School
🦅 Terry Twyman, Second Grade Teacher, Myrtle Avenue Elementary School
🦅 Nicole Varrenti, School Counselor, Keystone Oaks High School

Congratulations on your retirement; we wish you all the best in your next chapter! 🎉

Capturing a few final memories of the playgrounds at Fred L. Aiken and Dormont Elementary Schools before new equipment and rubber surfacing are installed this summer! 💛🛝😀🤍

The new playgrounds are part of the first phase of the Elementary Schools Renovation Project, which also includes HVAC system upgrades that will improve comfort and air quality, and roof repairs and new windows to ensure safe and efficient learning environments.

Both playgrounds will be closed from Monday, June 8 through Friday, July 10, 2026 while work is completed.

Learn more about the Elementary Schools Renovation Project on our website: https://dormontelementaryschool.kosd.org/93593_1

A few moments of pride, joy, appreciation, and love from Keystone Oaks High School’s Class of 2026 commencement ceremony 💛🎓🫶🏻🤍

What a perfect night celebrating our 62nd graduating class!

💛🎓💌🤍 One of our favorite Keystone Oaks High School Senior Class traditions took place today, as students received a special surprise following their final commencement practice - envelopes filled with heartfelt letters from family members, friends, teachers, coaches, mentors, and others who have been a part of their story. 🤍💌🎓💛

These messages of pride, encouragement, love, and hope added a special meaning to this important milestone. Their smiles, laughter, and a few tears said it all!

Thank you to Junior/Senior Class Sponsor and High School English teacher Mrs. Resetar for coordinating this thoughtful and meaningful tradition for the Class of 2026.

💛🎓🤍 This week is all about Keystone Oaks High School's Class of 2026, and it started today with the annual Senior Awards Ceremony! 🤍🎓💛

Students were surrounded by family, friends, and teachers, members of the senior class were recognized for various academic, athletic, and artistic accomplishments:

👩🏼‍🏫 Teachers from each department presented this year's Excellence in Education awards
🦅 The Keystone Oaks Education Association announced this year's scholarship recipients
🎖️Students received chords for National Honor Society recognition
💛 Three students were recognized for earning more than 1,100 hours of community service
⭐️ Twenty-six students received Presidential Educational Excellence Awards
👏🏻 Additional recognitions included the Society of Women Engineers Certificate of Merit, Future Business Leaders of America State Qualifiers, Challenge Program award recipients, Lakyn Shelleby Memorial Scholarship recipient, and multi-sport athletes.

Congratulations, Class of 2026! We're of all of your outstanding achievements!

🎉 🥈We are to share this exciting news! 🥈🎉

With a high jump of 6 feet, 5 inches, Keystone Oaks senior Carmen Pellarin brought home a silver medal in this year's PIAA AA High Jump Championships!

Congratulations, Carmen! 👏🏻👏🏻