Student Body President Kaia B. ’25 and Vice President Bennett B. ’25 jogged up the aisles at Dominican Hall before grabbing microphones and hopping up onto the stage, all to the raucous applause of nearly 400 Upper School students at a weekly community assembly. Speaking with ease and enthusiasm in front of their classmates, Kaia and Bennett MCed their way through the rapid-fire lineup of sharings, celebrations, and announcements before sitting down for a live student interview with Head of School Paul Sanders. The crowd enthusiastically laughed in response to some of Mr. Sanders' answers, especially when he revealed his favorite musician from his high school days: Bob Dylan (“I’ve seen him in concert 31 times!”).
“Assemblies are student-led, by and for the student body,” shares Dean of Students Stacy Cohen. “They are a vibrant part of the Upper School community, and are where culture is both co-created, communicated, and celebrated among the entire student body. In fact, the live interview with Mr. Sanders was their idea. As staff, we didn’t choose any of the questions. Instead, we encouraged them to run the questions by Mr. Sanders in advance, because that’s the right thing to do. We asked the students, ‘What do you want to hear from your new Head of School?’ As it turns out, Mr. Sanders said the questions were fabulous and he answered every single one.”
There is a certain buzz of anticipation in the crowd at these weekly assemblies. “Each starts with a moment of reflection, led by a student,” explains Ms. Cohen, “which is sometimes humorous, sometimes poignant, and always thoughtful. There is music, there is art, there are community announcements. And it always ends with a moment of gratitude. Even if it’s being thankful that the toast didn’t burn in the toaster, connecting to gratitude is purposeful and a powerful practice.”
“This year, we are starting a program called Senior Voice,” adds Cohen, “in which every senior will get up before their community and give a speech about who they are, what their lived experience has been, and what they have to share with their school community. An added benefit to this part of assemblies is to exercise the muscle of standing and speaking in front of your peers, which we all know is a truly valuable skill.”
Over the course of the school year, students get more comfortable stepping on stage to tell everyone about their dance concert, invite their peers to their soccer match, or promote an upcoming Virtuoso Program concert.
“Coming together regularly in a shared space fosters a sense of camaraderie and belonging, of co-creating school culture, of breaking down social barriers and promoting inclusivity,” remarks Ms. Cohen. “Assemblies create moments of collective celebration, reflection, and solidarity, strengthening the bonds that tie the school community together.”
