The Key School
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| Established | 1958 |
|---|---|
| Type | Private coeducational primary & secondary |
| Head of School | Marcella M. Yedid |
| Students | 740 |
| Grades | pre k–12 |
| Location | Annapolis, Maryland, USA |
| Campus | Suburban |
| Mascot | Obezag |
| Rival | Severn School |
The Key School is an independent private coeducational school, located in the neighborhood of Hillsmere Shores in Annapolis, Maryland. Known simply as "Key" by members of the community, it is one of several independent private schools in the Annapolis area. Though the school is attended by all age groups, from Pre-K through 12th grade, it is extremely small, with about fifty students per grade, and about 750 students in the whole school. Key is a member of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS).
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[edit] Pre-K and Kindergarten
The Pre-K and Kindergarten classes are located in 2 buildings. There is one main building where the normal classrooms are, and then a second building for French students in Kindergarten. The main Pre-K and Kindergarten building also houses the school nurse and one of the Middle School science labs.
[edit] Lower School
The Lower School consists of grades 1-4. Since electives do not appear until Upper School, Lower School students have essentially the same classes. These include French, Music, Science, Math, Language Arts (English) and Computer Studies.
[edit] Middle School
The Middle School consists of grades 5-8. Although there are no electives until students enter the upper school, a range of extracurricular activities are available during a dedicated period. The Middle School continues the required music and language curricula from the Lower School, as well as Key's outdoor education program.
[edit] Upper School
The Upper School is largely based in the Science and Library building, completed prior to the 2000 academic year. This building houses the Upper School library & computer lab, science labs, classrooms, and the 9-12 grade lockers. The Middle School also makes use of the building. The Upper Schoolers at Key enjoy a considerable amount of personal freedom; they can go out for lunch, study outside, and are generally less tightly controlled than in most American secondary schools.
Academically, Key's fundamental approach is a humanities-intensive core curriculum, which reflects its connection with nearby St. John's College. Instead of traditional English and history, students take Civilizations (or "Civ") courses during the first three years of Upper School:
9th Grade: Ancient Civilizations
10th Grade: European Civilizations
11th Grade: American Civilization
These are team-taught, double-credit courses that combine the study of literature and history into one courseload. The required natural sciences also follow a core structure:
9th Grade: Conceptual Physics
10th Grade: Chemistry
11th Grade: Biology
This is the reverse of the normal high school science progression. This is due to the Key philosophy that physics underpins chemistry, which underpins biology; they are thus taught in that order and each class builds on the previous year's work.
Math is required for three years, and goes as high as AP Calculus BC.
In addition, Key also offers many electives, including Advanced Placement courses, fine and performing arts, and foreign languages (including a Latin program).
The annual tuition for the upper school is $19,650. Admissions are need blind.
[edit] Music Program
Key's music program in Lower and Middle School follows the Orff Schulwerk approach, developed by composer Carl Orff.
[edit] History
The school was founded in 1958 by tutors at St. John's College in Annapolis, MD. The school is named after Francis Scott Key, a graduate of St. John's College. Key's history is often contrasted with that of Severn, Key's primary regional rival, which was founded as a prep school for the United States Naval Academy. Both schools have become considerably more mainstream since their formative years, with Key becoming wealthier and larger. The founders bought the school property (4 acres not including the current beach area on the South River), then a farm with a barn and an old mansion, and transformed it into a suitable campus for students.
