Keystone Academy receives high rankings from different sources

Keystone Academy recently received the $1,500 top prize of the 100 National Heritage Academies in the country for the greatest improvement in attendance over a 10-week competition.
Keystone’s average daily attendance rate during the 10 weeks was 1% higher than the average daily attendance rate before the challenge. Keystone’s chronic absenteeism rate was down 5% this school year.
Now three more recognitions were brought to the attention of the Keystone Board of Directors at its regular meeting on June 12.
Principal Jorvanna Drain announced the following:
• Metro Parent compiled a list of the best charter schools in Wayne County and Keystone was ranked #4.
• Niche, a national organization known for its education data and rankings, gave Keystone a #5 ranking in Charter Elementary and Middle School in the Detroit area. It gave Keystone an A+ for its teachers and an overall grade of A.
• U.S. News & World Report, according to its 2025 ranking, named the Keystone middle school 10th among Best Charter Middle Schools in Michigan.
“As this school year comes to an end, it’s always important to pause and reflect on all the hard work that’s gone into making it a success,” Drain wrote in a report to the board. “Looking back, it’s clear that our efforts have truly made a difference.”
Drain also announced the boys’ cross country team placed in its regional meet and are division champions. The girls’ team placed third. She said Keystone had several runners finish in the top 10.
Also, the girls’ soccer team finished an undefeated season, 7-0, to take home the championship title.
In other business at the June 12 meeting, the board:
• Heard board president Steve Harsant report that the online reauthorization meeting with Bay Mills Community College went well. Drain said she was told, “As long as you continue to do what you’re doing, there won’t have to be a second meeting.” Bay Mills granted the original charter to the school and renewed it at each expiration. The current eight years is up for renewal next year;
• Heard Drain report that Keystone has retained seven students. They will have to retake their previous grade next school year due to individual problems;
• Approved spending up to a total of $900 for board members to attend the 2025 National Heritage Academies Board Symposium on July 14-16 in Grand Rapids. President Harsant said he couldn’t go and neither could secretary Kim Kowalski. Treasurer Charlene Derrick and director Christina Dare will try to adjust schedules to attend some of the symposium. Vice president/incoming president Christine Mihaly is planning to attend. The event will also celebrate the 30th anniversary of NHA;
• Reviewed the Spring 2025 Employee Engagement Survey Summary, with positive scores from 85 to 98 in different categories;
• Approved the 2024-25 final amended $8.7 million budget as presented;
• Adopted the Continuous School Improvement Plan as presented by Drain. Three-year goals include decreasing school absences, English Language Arts and Homeless identification, and improving English Language Arts M-STEP scores. Keystone has 5% ELA (with language problems) and four homeless students;
• Approved the Alternate Agreement for 2025-26 for Food Service, which is the same as last year. The school provides free breakfast, free lunch, and afternoon snacks for all the students. Otherwise, 53% would qualify for free lunches;
• Approved allocating $1,000 to join in with NHA in spending a total of $2,500 to $3,000 to plant a flowering tree with a plaque in the courtyard to recognize the service of Vesta Losen, who retired as board president a year ago. The motion, made by treasurer Charlene Derrick, stated this was to be done as soon as possible. NHA representative Andrew Roth has been talking about honoring Losen for the past year and he had suggested a bench with a plaque for a few months. At this meeting he suggested a tree or working with NHA to come up with something else to honor Losen next school year.