A Year Of Discovery Across Campus And Beyond

Often depicted in artwork as having one head but two faces; one facing opposite the other, Janus is the mythological Roman god of transitions and duality. And like the month that stems from his name, January and the early part of the new year provides a time both to look back and look forward.

As our campus transitions from one season to the next, it is important to reflect on the successes, joys, and growth of our students since August.

Lower School students created and engaged through their weekly production of KLS, in science classes, and even broke in a brand new playground. The first-ever Lower School Math Mania also took place in the fall, where fourth grade students were given three choices to combine their math and technology skills, and students chose to try their hand at Game Inventor, Architect, and Coding Designer. Lower School students also re-engaged in their partnership with Brighter Bites, where students learned about the organization and facts about food insecurity. That relationship extended itself to allow each fourth grade class to work with volunteers from a local elementary school to organize and pack produce for over 100 at-risk families.

There were carpool redirects, physical and fundraising ground breaking, and more pivots — but this time not for a pandemic, but instead for history making with new buildings whose construction is already underway.

When you take a moment to pause, listen, and look around campus, it’s easy to see that Kinkaid is a place where incredible things continue to happen. And even amid the physical transformations that have begun, the mission of Kinkaid continues to play out in all phases of what we do. Despite the cloudy skies, dreary evenings, and shortened daylight that January and February often bring, the promise of spring is tantalizingly close.

Middle School initiated new themes centered around each grade level as they embarked on their journey this year: Year of Discovery – Year of Exploration, Year of Decisions, and Year of Learning to Lead. Connected to the sixth grade theme of exploration, Middle School students now take a trimester of Latin, in addition to Spanish and French. The annual trip to Camp Olympia also returned to its full glory, while seventh graders will travel to Boston, MA in April for a new annual tradition tied to their study of US History. New leadership opportunities for eighth graders were created for Middle School Athletics and Arts Councils, respectively, while eighth graders also planned and led pep rallies to celebrate HJPC week. The fall gave us the nationally ranked powerhouse of our Varsity Field Hockey team, another win over our cross-town rivals, and with it, a trip to the SPC Championship. Upper School students were also acknowledged for award winning singing, strings, and band playing, not to mention on-stage Swashbuckling and Lard cooking. Oh… and did I mention the Class of 2023 with their 15 National Merit Semifinalists and 17 Commended Scholars?

On the horizon, events like Holi, Field Day, and all of the annual senior celebrations that lead into the summer signal laughter, fun, and celebration. What an extraordinary time to be a Falcon and truly be all in!

My best,

Dr. Matt Rush Assistant Head of School and Head of Middle School