The first items Mrs. Christin Key took from her old chemistry classroom were bright, decorative sunflower heads. Now adorning the ‘WHS’ letter signage atop of her office wall space, she imparts a kind welcome to each visitor, this time as the new International Baccalaureate (IB) Program coordinator. 

With a background of eight years as an IB educator in Round Rock ISD, she brings a robust wealth and depth of knowledge to the role. A nationwide search was conducted, leading over 40 candidates to apply for the vacant position. 

“When we compared all the candidates, Mrs. Key was head and shoulders the best fit and the best person to lead our IB program moving forward,” Principal Dr. Mario Acosta said. “We’re very lucky to have her, [and] we’re excited for the relationships that she already has with our community and for the ideas that she’ll bring to further our program.” 

Resolute in firstly directing her focus to bolster the inextinguishable spirit of community, Mrs. Key identifies interconnectivity as a crucial component of the program she is excited to begin overseeing this upcoming year. A testament to the distinctly holistic process of academic development, balance is maintained through fostering impactful connections beyond classroom walls. 

“One of the reasons I love IB so much is because you’re part of something that’s bigger than just you,” Mrs. Key said. “Students alongside teachers learn together. It’s not about any one person, any one teacher, or the coordinator, it’s about all of us succeeding together. So the way I want to lead is by [supporting one another].”

Following a year of experimentation with the challenges of pandemic schooling, a yearning to embrace normalcy is evident. At the forefront of Mrs. Key’s efforts are prioritizing collaboration with the student leaders of the IB Student Organization (IBSO). With a return to in-person learning, impressionable activities and events will be planned with the aim of reimagining an environment of mutual encouragement. Mentorship responsibilities will see more room for flexibility when utilizing the Flex period in conjunction with designated blocks of time to cater to individual student needs. 

“Once we’re able to have that face-to-face time [to] sit down together and talk to each other, that, of course, opens conversations to work on things going forward,” Mrs. Key said. “I have spent a lot of time thinking about what’s most important. That way, I can work on the community and helping the students adjust to being back at school first, because those are my two primary goals.” 

As an ardent believer in the significance of each learned experience, Mrs. Key is confident in the diversity of her abilities as an educator. While she will be stepping away from teaching, this new role proves to be a refreshing exercise of instructional leadership. With the opportunity to assist both students and staff equally, she cherishes being able to preserve her approaches to interaction-based guidance. As a firsthand observer of the hardships brought upon so many in weathering online learning, Mrs. Key also aims to create a more pronounced framework of support for teachers. Additionally, she believes an emphasis on recognizing barriers to optimal student mental and emotional health will be of the utmost importance. 

“Last year was so hard,” Mrs. Key said. “Not having the students here was really hard on me, and I know on a lot of the teachers, because no matter how much we gave, it wasn’t enough. We weren’t reaching our students because we couldn’t build those relationships. I just want to see all of the students back and be able to have those daily conversations and interactions and do what I love to do.”

For Mrs. Key, this upcoming year will be critical for rejuvenating a wholehearted sense of belonging across the entirety of the student body. She hopes to honor the multifaceted nature of community by developing a nurturing presence to be strengthened over time.

“Education is about relationships, and I think we learned that last year,” Mrs. Key said. “Just talk to me, come by my office, [and] introduce yourselves. Know that I’m here to support you. The best way to support me, [and] really, to support the program, would be just to talk to each other and know that my door’s open.”