Over the years I’ve worked with Dr. Reeves, my initial impressions of his character and abilities have not only been confirmed, but elevated. He routinely proves his dedication not only to the profession of education, but also to each of his students themselves; there has never been an opportunity to discuss or act upon an instructional initiative or educational policy when Keith did not centre the conversation on how students would be impacted. Keith is a fierce advocate for student wellbeing and will always defend their right to a caring and developmentally appropriate education. He is unwavering and laser-focused on holistic instruction for his students; while many educators and leaders say students are at the centre of everything they do, Keith lives and breathes this creed as his moral imperative. I can always rely on Keith to be the student-centered compass for any conversation, and he has become one of my greatest role models as a result. Keith’s skill and deep understanding in educational leadership are unsurpassed, and he is the only person I know who could take over for a school and immediately steer the ship without issue. … His pedagogical acumen is immediately evident, and I have rarely encountered another educator with the breadth of knowledge and finesse Keith possesses for instructional design and authentic, research-based assessment. Keith is a forthright and articulate communicator, honest and true to his values, and deeply empathetic to the needs and wellbeing of those he serves. He makes no decision lightly and has the rare ability to see the short-term and long-term ramifications of any choice with unparalleled clarity and foresight. I truly believe there is nothing Dr. Reeves could not do to make the field of education better for students and staff alike. He is exactly the kind of educational leader I would hope to work for, and any school district who hires him will be better for it. ( excerpt)

Keith possesses an innovative mindset that challenges the status quo and asks colleagues to think outside the box. This mindset, coupled with focused action, has resulted in positive outcomes for teaching and learning. Keith is a visionary leader. He led Discovery’s implementation of SBA by sharing the philosophy behind SBA and providing professional learning around it to the entire school community. His leadership facilitated positive shifts in teachers, students, and families’ conceptualization of grading practices, rooted in skill mastery of standards. In addition, Keith has demonstrated his visionary leadership by collaborating with colleagues to create the Profile of a Discovery Graduate with grade level mastery projects. This work included innovative concepts of sustainability, social responsibility, design thinking, computer science, and personalized learning. He teamed up with instructional coaches to establish data protocols for monitoring student progress in reading, writing, and math. Keith also worked with colleagues across APS and a myriad of outside stakeholders to launch several sustainability initiatives and secure numerous awards for Discovery, including the U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon School award. Keith is an action-oriented school leader who has demonstrated skillful leadership. ( excerpt)

Never have I worked alongside a more passionate, more visionary educator. His appetite for knowledge is astounding, but … what sets Keith apart is his constant desire to find a better way. He never tires of seeking the most efficient way to capitalize on instructional time, and to do so in a way that integrates technology and the very latest in pedagogical research. Keith made sure we never felt that way with a new approach he’d proposed to us. He knew how to break down the instructions, ensure we knew the objective of every step we took, and make it abundantly clear to each of us why this new approach was a more efficient, more engaging way to present the material to our learners and make it stick. Keith makes me want to be a better educator. He raises the bar for our profession. He leads by example and he never shies away from the hard work. He rolls up his sleeves and he dives in, and he inspires others to follow his lead. ( excerpt)

When Keith joined our staff, his positivity and team-over-self mentality completely took our school to another level. He became the backbone in creating Discovery’s identity, and committed himself wholeheartedly to the good of our school and its culture, which is now well established. Keith is the most available human I’ve ever worked with. … I’ve never once wondered how or when to reach out to Keith, because he’s made it explicitly clear to us that we are his family, his priority, and he will stick with us through any issue, technology related or not. … Over the years, Keith has cultivated relationships with our students and their families in a way I’ve never seen from a coach. He knows students by name, he communicates with families regularly, and is a physical presence in our building. You’ll find him greeting bus riders at the door in the morning, running fire drills, leading grade level homeroom grouping meetings, and teaching lessons in classrooms. … I feel so lucky to have a coworker who I trust completely, learn from regularly, and genuinely enjoy as a teammate. He is the reason that our staff feels so much like family. He is the quintessential leader: leading by example and fostering a team mindset that allows us all to contribute and feel valued. ( excerpt)

What made Mr. Reeves stand out as an exceptional leader was his ability to collaborate with teachers across all academic disciplines. All teachers in the building knew that if they wanted to implement a creative methodology with technology integration, Mr. Reeves could bring it to fruition. What most impressed his peers was that his lessons were always forward-thinking and often involved emerging and creative technologies. He possesses an intuitive ability to know how to suggest technological solutions even when teachers aren’t specifically seeking his assistance. I experienced this firsthand in 2009 when I was frustrated that my Pre-AP Spanish 4 classes failed to master a concept. Through a casual conversation with Mr. Reeves about this problem, he suggested a way to utilize student video projects to help reinforce the standard, increase language usage, incorporate technology, and ultimately improve student mastery. I was truly petrified to step outside of my technological comfort zone, but Mr. Reeves’ patience, focus, and confidence helped me to see that it was a chance I needed to take. In the end, the project proved to be one of my biggest professional successes that improved student mastery by twenty-four percentage points, and was the impetus for me completely changing the way I utilize technology in my classroom. ( excerpt)

I cannot think of a more supportive, collaborative, and innovative colleague than he was to me. He maintained an “open mind, open door” policy that encouraged all of us to think outside of the box with our instruction and regularly met with those interested in implementing the plans. He was quite helpful when a group of colleagues and I wanted to change our grading policy, as well as when we revamped the biology curriculum. Beyond just suggesting resources as many in his position simply do, Keith invests his time, energy, and talents to making a lesson, unit, or project better than it’s ever been. Keith is a student-focused educator, one that balances a no-nonsense approach with abundant adaptability and flexibility. On a personal note, he’s been a model of inspiration to me for his work both in and out of the classroom. ( excerpt)

Mr. Reeves contributes to our school way outside the scope of Technology Coach. Mr. Reeves has a penchant for contributing to school-wide operations. He consistently makes decisions based on what is best for children. He uses this laser focused lens for all he does. Mr. Reeves is a strong instructional leader. He frequently co-teaches with teachers. He has been instrumental in helping staff develop our standards-based instructional program. He has designed and carried out various professional development opportunities, scaffolding for a variety of different teacher learners. He is a reflective leader who consistently wants to improve his skills. Something that sets Mr. Reeves apart from other candidates is that he is eager to be involved in all aspects of leading a school. He is passionate about contributing to a greater cause and is always willing to offer help in any way possible. His superior written communication has earned our school several awards. ( excerpt)

Keith is a highly talented professional educator. His enthusiasm for technology and his passion for student and faculty success stands out as one of his greatest strengths. He is creative, collaborative, resourceful and is committed to finding innovative ways to enhancing the teaching and learning environment. Keith is a wonderful team player and is an asset to any organization he works with. ( excerpt)

He puts students and teachers first on a regular basis. With this belief, Dr. Reeves developed online learning protocols during the COVID-19 Pandemic, redesigned Standards-Based Assessment, managed home room placements, and worked hand in hand with teachers at our school in implementing research based pedagogy across all grade levels. He embraces opportunities for professional development and is eager to share his knowledge with others through coaching and co-teaching. Throughout his career he has been part of equity, at-risk, IEP, and social emotional learning teams. Dr. Reeves teaches to the whole child and uses these methods to design protocols and strategies for others to do the same. Keith inspires those around him to be the best versions of themselves and lead by example. Currently, our U.S education system is learning more about holistic pedagogy, inclusion, social emotional needs, and diverse teaching strategies. Dr. Reeves is several steps ahead of this, which makes him an ideal school leader. ( excerpt)

I wanted to thank you for the PD activity yesterday. [A colleague] and I were raving about it this morning. This was decidedly the most informative, best run professional activity I have ever taken part in. The presenter respected the level of expertise of the attendees, presented the material clearly and efficiently, and gave the freedom to apply the knowledge without “make-work.” I was able to apply the newfound skills immediately. … Thanks for renewing my faith in the potential of PD activities! ( excerpt)

Mr. Reeves is a talented educator whose multifaceted skill set and leadership style have tremendous impact on culture, climate and student achievement. Mr. Reeves has been instrumental in moving Discovery Elementary forward on numerous fronts; standards-based learning and instruction, our use of technology in the building, our efficacy as coaches and most importantly understanding data and creating a data pipeline that helps all teachers and students. Mr. Reeves is first and foremost a student advocate. Mr. Reeves is a distinguished author, blogger, webmaster, and grant writer. He uses his skills to support student advocacy and improve programs and learning that benefit all students. He improved, trained, and implemented our progress based report card system. He is a team player [and] understands that relationships are key to student success. He knows how to build relationships with both teachers and students. He truly enjoys being around students and participating in the culture of a school. Examples of his relationship building are his daily greeting of both parents and students at the arrival door and his dressing up in costumes to support spirit days. Mr. Reeves would be an asset to any school. ( excerpt)

If you search Google Images for the world educator and a picture of Keith Reeves doesn’t come up, an error must have occurred in the search process. In his time at Port Byron, Keith managed to take a music program to a level that many thought wasn’t achievable. He had a way of connecting and challenging students that was unparalleled to other teachers in the district. In a small, conservative town, Keith’s forward thinking and determination was exactly what was needed. ( excerpt)

Keith Reeves is a visionary educational leader. He holds the foundational belief that students should always be the primary focus of school decision making and has an in depth understanding of innovative, student centered pedagogy. Keith’s leadership and collaboration skills are clearly demonstrated in his work with [VSTE’s] Board of Directors as he guides them to make decisions that will allow our work to reach more educators and, thus, their students. In particular, he encourages the Board to dream the big dreams and then work towards them. ( excerpt)

To say Keith is a committed educator is an understatement! Be it through his collaborative approach to both educating staff and students on technology within the classroom, technical support for every departments varied levels/needs for instruction on a daily basis, individually manning the helm of professional development for both new and veteran teachers, efficiently and effectively managing the buildings grading system, or advocating for positive educational change at the individual, department, building, school or community level-Keith professionally handles himself with a confidence in his educational practice and respect for each relationship he builds. Keith truly exemplifies teaching and learning, not only as an educator within our district, but as leader within our local community of professionals. ( excerpt)

In my twenty seven years as an educator I have rarely encountered individuals that are as informed and well researched as. Mr. Reeves. His efforts to ensure his professional growth by participating in countless professional learning communities, including face to face, digital and virtual make visible again his collaborative nature and commitment to excellence. It has become evident to me that Mr. reeves has a well renowned knowledge of traditional pedagogy as well as grounded understanding regarding the benefits of emerging educational technology and instructional trends. He has stimulated, nurtured and supported dynamic, engaging, and rigorous learning experiences for both the educators he coaches as well as the students they serve. ( excerpt)

Keith’s outspoken and passionate voice for authentic assessment makes him one of my favorites in the educational field. His professional position regarding how learning should happen is way ahead of its time and may in fact be the basis for future educational policy. He is an eloquent and engaging speaker who has an incredibly large knowledge base for all things considered instructional technology and pedagogy. ( excerpt)

Keith continues to astound. In collaborating with Keith on the cross curricular opportunities of using the design and function of Discovery Elementary as a live, 3D text book, Keith connects the school’s designs with the students in a way that inspires, challenges and engages. It has been a great experience and our team at CMTA Engineers enjoys seeing what Keith will come up with next. ( excerpt)

Whether in the boardroom, in a staff meeting, or in front of a classroom, Keith Reeves continues to lead no matter the situation he’s put in. Never have I met a more passionate and energetic teacher and leader in education. Keith brings not only years worth of experience and knowledge but the drive to put it to use. He is someone I will continue to look up to for inspiration in my own work for years to come. ( excerpt)

The cornerstone of each community he serves, Dr. Reeves leads confidently with empathy and understanding of all
community stakeholders. He values transparency and clear communication with staff and families alike. During the
pandemic, Dr. Reeves’s role was thrust into the spotlight as we transitioned to virtual and then hybrid learning. I look back at
this time in my career with pride because of the education and empowerment provided to me as an educator by Dr.
Reeves. He created seamless school-wide systems for online learning and communication, and served as a lifeline for our
school community needing support with technology. He also worked to ensure that the needs of all students were met, be it
those receiving special education services, enrichment, or accessing accommodations. He was a fierce advocate for equitable
access to technology and internet for families, and championed educators during a time of ever-changing policies, all while
ensuring we had access to every tool at his disposal to positively impact student learning. Many educational leaders purport
to be advocates for the communities in which they serve, but Dr. Reeves truly embodies what it means to be an advocate for
every community member. His continued demonstration of service and commitment to fostering relationships is unmatched. ( excerpt)

Keith is a leader who leads by example. He is a gifted, articulate presenter that has a collaborative spirit that makes teachers and students want to implement new ideas. As an educator, Keith sets high standards for his teachers and students. Research, data and best practices are where Keith begins when making any and all decisions about students. He encourages his teachers and students to think critically and creatively and only accepts what is best for students. ( excerpt)

He has been nothing short of an outstanding colleague and coach. He is a dedicated professional and works tirelessly to ensure that students and staff have the materials and training they need to succeed. My classroom needs are often very different from general education classrooms and every single time I asked him for help, whether it was hardware, software or modifications so that my students had equitable access, Keith was there with answers and support. ( excerpt)

Keith made our school safe by systematizing our safety procedures. He took this job seriously and it resulted in a solid plan for all emergency and safety situations and drills. He created maps, emergency procedures and ‘go bags’ so our school safety team was prepared for any scenario. It’s hard to think of any aspect at our school that Keith didn’t touch. From class groupings to building spreadsheets, to analysis of SOL scores, he was the person for the job. Above and beyond all the actual tasks he accomplished, he also accomplished becoming the heart of our school. He put our school and staff firmly on his shoulders and cared deeply for every single staff member, student and family. As you know, [2020] was a horrendous year, but Keith managed to hold us together. ( excerpt)

Keith is highly-skilled in consensus building, budget management, curriculum development, evaluation processes, discipline investigations, master scheduling, and analyzing information pertinent to all school processes. Equally, he is committed to social justice, education equity, bilingual education, gifted and talented programming, and raising standardized test scores. ( excerpt)

To say that Keith is the backbone of our school and staff community is an understatement and does not do justice to how critical he is to the success of our school daily. He possesses superior knowledge and critical thinking skills and is passionate about children’s education and their whole well-being. Keith is incredibly accessible as well. If I email Keith with a question, I almost fear something must have happened to him if I don’t get a response within minutes. If he doesn’t know the answer, he immediately acknowledges your question and will go above and beyond to find a solution … Keith is well known by all staff and everyone feels like he is their best friend who would go to the 10th mile for you because he would! ( excerpt)