Testimonials
Dr. Antwan Harris
Principal
Park Center Senior High School
It is with great enthusiasm that I write this testimonial to commend the exceptional work Keary Saffold and his team have done at Park Center High School over the past two years.
Their dedication, professionalism, and ability to connect with our students and families have been truly transformative for our school community.
One of the most remarkable qualities of Keary and his team is their unique ability to build meaningful relationships with students and families, creating an atmosphere of trust and collaboration. This connection serves as the foundation for their impactful work and sets them apart in their field.
Keary and his team offer a wide range of programs aimed at fostering academic success for all students. These programs are thoughtfully designed and skillfully executed, ensuring that the specific needs of our diverse student body are addressed. In particular, the skill-based groups they have facilitated have been highly effective in equipping students with the tools they need to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.
Additionally, their mediation services have been exceptional, helping students navigate conflicts and build stronger, healthier relationships with their peers and teachers. The outcomes of these interventions have been overwhelmingly positive, contributing significantly to our school's overall culture and climate.
What truly sets Keary’s team apart is their attention to detail and commitment to continuous improvement. The comprehensive final reports they provide are invaluable to our administration. These reports offer deep insights into student progress and program outcomes, allowing us to clearly identify where we stand and what steps we need to take to ensure academic success for all students.
I wholeheartedly recommend Keary Saffold and his team to any school district seeking innovative and effective solutions to support student achievement and well-being. Their expertise, dedication, and genuine care for the success of students make them an invaluable partner in education.
Bradley J Ward, Ph.D
Teaching & Learning Coordinator-- Equity & Engagement
Forest Lake Area Schools
It’s with great pleasure that I write this recommendation for Keary Wayne Saffold and his team at KWST behavioral consulting. Keary is a very warm and engaging person. He has provided support for students, families and staff members through his several years of work at Forest Lake Area Schools. Keary has the unique ability to connect with all people at an interpersonal level regardless of their viewpoints or emotional states. ​
I have worked with Keary for several years in my role with the Forest Lake Teaching and Learning department focusing on educational equity and engagement. Keary’s work in Forest Lake started prior to my time in Teaching and Learning when he was brought in to provide guidance and advice for the district as it grew more culturally and ethnically diverse. Keary provided unvarnished truths for the district when school staff or policies were inequitable toward Students and Families of Color. There have been several situations where Keary’s skilled interpersonal skills helped bring emotions down while providing constructive feedback to enact positive change.
Keary’s work in Forest Lake has changed as the needs of the school community changed. Most recently Keary has provided cultural support for student affinity groups at elementary, middle and high school age levels. Keary’s warm personality helps build relationships with students. Keary’s work is not only to build relationships, but to also teach life lessons to students. In Forest Lake, Keary helps provide guidance to African American students as they navigate primarily white institutions and spaces. Keary chooses to lead student groups through empowerment and life lessons encouraging them to uplift each other as they work to enact change.
Keary provides annual reports that detail the lessons he taught students along with recommendations for future years. Additionally, Keary provides other services that have assisted Forest Lake staff. Keary has led professional development for both administrators and teachers using his knowledge systems and his expertise of behavioral interventions. Keary is well connected in the community having people with diverse skills and areas of expertise to provide professional development and advice.
Keary Wayne Saffold is an asset to schools and the people they serve. His ability to form relationships, his passion for Black Excellence and his ability to serve as a role model for students are second to none. He will make an impact for your school community.
Dr. Amy Hewett-Olatunde
2015-16 MN Teacher of the Year/ESL Teacher/Prof./Teacher Educator
St. Paul Public Schools
Keary Saffold speaks with a passion that immediately grabs the room's attention and keeps it. His energy is absolutely contagious. Students lean in, parents feel understood, and staff walk away recharged.
You don't just hear Keary, you feel him. He brings years of hands-on experience with students, families, and educators. So everything he shares is real and practical. He doesn't just talk theory. He's lived this work and it shows, and what's remarkable about Keary's rare gift of connection is that he can make students laugh and open up. Then moments later, guide staff through serious professional growth, whether he is with fourth graders or district leaders, he speaks their language and makes the message stick.
The impact is real. Students leave more motivated and focused. Parents feel seen and equipped with strategies and staff, not only feel inspired that they have tools that they can use the very next day. Keary mixes storytelling, skill building and wisdom in a way that's unforgettable. Students say "he gets us." Parents say, we needed this.
And staff, they say, this is what we do, what we do. Keary Saffold is an inspirational speaker and leader in the world of education, and I completely endorse his abilities.
Carrie Zelin Johnson M.Ed.
“Keary was a guest speaker at a council meeting with parents and staff present. He shared authentic stories that everyone related to on some level —Their feedback and responses demonstrated their engagement to his message and his poignant encouragement to keep on keeping on.”
Rachelle Holm
Executive Director, Bloom Early Learning