Principal's Message 2026/2027

Welcome to Annie Keller Regional Gifted Center!

As the principal, it is my absolute honor to welcome both returning families and prospective members to our school community. Keller has long stood as a beacon of academic excellence within Chicago Public Schools District 299, serving curious, highly motivated learners with a rich tradition of intellectual engagement, creativity, and discovery.

• Our Core Values & Educational Approach At Keller, our mission centers on delivering a differentiated, accelerated, and interdisciplinary gifted curriculum tailored to meet the unique cognitive, social, and emotional needs of every student. Our educational approach relies on three core pillars:

  • • Critical & Creative Thinking: Engaging students in rigorous, inquiry-based learning that challenges their problem-solving abilities and stretches their analytical capabilities well beyond standard grade-level benchmarks.

  • • Academic Rigor & Enrichment: Integrating advanced mathematics, laboratory science, foreign language immersion, fine arts, and project-based learning into our daily instructional environment.

  • • Leadership, Respect, & Belonging: Nurturing character development and social-emotional growth (SEL) to ensure our learners grow into empathetic leaders, critical thinkers, and thoughtful global citizens.

Student Achievements & School Excellence Our students and staff consistently achieve top performance outcomes across the district and state:

  • • High School Preparation: Our 8th-grade graduates routinely transition to top selective enrollment high schools, having already completed high-school-level Algebra and advanced content tracks.

  • • STEM & Fine Arts Recognition: Keller scholars excel in regional science competitions, artistic showcases, and academic bowls, showcasing their innovation and dedication.

  • • Real-World Impact: Through project-based learning initiatives, our students tackle real-world problems, building vital research, collaboration, and public speaking skills.

Key Initiatives for the Academic Year To continuously enhance the educational experience for our scholars, we are focusing on several key initiatives this school year:

  • • Enhanced Technology Integration: Expanding access to modern digital tools to enrich our STEM programs, data analysis, and collaborative research projects.

  • • Social-Emotional Support Systems: Strengthening structured SEL programs that cultivate resilience, self-advocacy, mindfulness, and strong peer-to-peer relationships.

  • • Community & Family Partnerships: Building strong, transparent connections between our administrative team, dedicated educators, and families to support school improvement and student well-being.

None of our achievements would be possible without the vibrant partnership between our dedicated educators, talented students, and supportive families. I invite you to explore our website to learn more about our academic programs, school culture, and upcoming events.

Thank you for your continued support and dedication to the Keller community. I look forward to an exceptional school year filled with growth, achievement, and discovery.

Warmest regards,

Principal C.A. Conley Dunbar