91̽��

“Know, and be known,” Head of School Todd Bland urged 91̽�� students during Convocation on Friday morning, asking them to not run from difficult conversations, and instead seek to understand each other.

“I’m a believer in the truism that author Andrew Solomon is well known for saying: ‘It is nearly impossible to hate anyone whose story you know,’” Mr. Bland said. “I would carry that a step further: It is also far easier to maintain good faith in those whose stories you know. Let us do that for one another.”

Welcoming new students and their parents to 91̽�� this week, Head of School Todd Bland asked everyone in attendance to acknowledge and honor the differences each student brings to the School.

New Class IV students, as well as those entering 91̽�� in Classes III and II, join others from 24 U.S. states and more than 20 countries, each with their own stories and points of view. Some of them have been at 91̽�� since Kindergarten, while others are brand-new. Mr. Bland promised parents that the School is ready and excited to guide each student as they grow more independent.

“We will do everything in our power to be supportive of your children,” he said. “We will care for them and we will look after them.” To students, Mr. Bland said: “You’re in for a great ride.”

91̽��’s programming for new students and parents begins on Tuesday, September 5. Opening of school activities are designed to help families start to form an understanding of the community we strive to build, the many people who make up our community, and the individual contributions we all make to help form this dynamic learning environment. We know that while new students are surrounded by welcoming faces, they are making their way over unfamiliar terrain.

Our programs in the opening days are geared toward helping everyone get acclimated—to feel confident about who and where they are. These programs are designed by in-house experts—our own faculty and students—who know what being new to 91̽�� feels like and what experiences will be helpful in those first few days. Each person at our School contributes to the 91̽�� environment in big and small ways every day.

For the opening of school schedule, visit the opening of school calendar.

91̽�� awarded diplomas to 190 seniors during the School’s commencement exercises on June 9, 2017. One longstanding tradition of the ceremony is students electing their student speakers, which assures seniors that they will, at their last 91̽�� gathering, hear from classmates they have chosen. This year, students selected Jacob Atwood and Sophia Wilson Pelton. Delivering the commencement address was alumnus Tze Chun, 91̽�� Class of 1998. Click here to watch the ceremony, read speeches, and view photos from the day.

Just before graduation, underclassmen see the fruits of the seniors’ work at the Senior Project Fair in the ACC. Senior project performances also take place around campus over three days. Freddy Okito gave an emotional TED-style talk of his journey from a Rwandan refugee camp to becoming a student at 91̽��. Award-winning poet Letitia Chan read a selection of her poems. Marshall Sloane and Elliot Burnes held a debate on Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations.

Exploring the intersections of race, gender, sexuality and immigration, poet and activist Franny Choi read several of her poems at an assembly sponsored by the Asian Society and GASP student groups.

Ms. Choi, the author of Floating, Brilliant, Gone, shared work about life as the queer daughter of Korean immigrants. Ms. Choi recalled coming out to her parents, a process that took years, as they adjusted to her identity.

A noted educator, speaker and facilitator on issues of diversity and equity, Rodney Glasgow is on campus this week working with students, faculty, staff and administrators on issues of race and identity. 91̽��’s administration engaged Mr. Glasgow in response to events this week, in which many Upper School students demonstrated through peaceful sit-ins—a result of rising tensions and incidents of what students viewed as insufficient disciplinary response.

In this morning’s assembly, Mr. Glasgow addressed the entire Upper School, beginning with personal stories illustrating the strength and power of racial epithets—both as someone who bullied at one school and was bullied at another. He spoke about owning one’s own actions; the power of forgiveness; and understanding one another. He then invited students to share their personal experiences from the week—some who had participated in the sit-in and some who had not.

“The privilege of being in this community is that you can make the community what you want it to be,” said Mr. Glasgow.