From the Head of School

Dear Peck Community,

In our last edition of Peck News, we highlighted our eighthgrade program and the wonderful accomplishments and milestones experienced by our oldest Peck students. Fittingly enough, this edition goes back to the beginning and shines a spotlight on our kindergarten program. Frequently dubbed the “happiest place at Peck” and “a magical experience,” our kindergarten program is remarkable. It is the perfect way to begin a Peck journey.

Personally, it’s a bittersweet year in the Delinsky household as our youngest child, Will, began kindergarten this fall. Like our other two children (Eve ’25 and Finn ’28), Will and his classmates are soaking up the magic. This grade is a special one: they have their own building to themselves; they have buddies across the school; they are greeted each morning by a role model eighth grader; they experience specials for the first time; they become immersed in a wonderful learning program; they sing The Turkey Song ; they shine in two theatrical productions; and they are the celebrities of the Peck campus. For these reasons and so many more, it is a year to remember!

This year is also special because the Class of 2023 and I began our Peck journey together: this class of eighth graders started kindergarten during my first year as the new Head of School. I remember it like it was yesterday, spending time with the 28 who started that year. Like their parents, I marvel at the remarkable growth they’ve experienced during their Peck journey. The Class of 2023 certainly holds a special place in my heart.

In this issue, you will read more about this incredible kindergarten program, from our approach to the curriculum and our Mystery Reader program, to our Eighth-Grade Kindergarten Helpers and our Spanish immersion lunch program. You will read about our newly launched strategic plan, Deeply Rooted, and the exciting work already underway to strengthen and extend Peck’s rigorous academics, character education, and sense of community.

You will also read how a Peck alum is paying it forward in the field of education when we catch up with Amie (Pierce) McInerney ’91, a kindergarten teacher at Ashley Hall, one of the nation’s top all-girls schools in Charleston, South Carolina.

It’s no accident that a Peck education produces eighth-grade graduates ready to succeed in secondary school, and well-rounded adults leading healthy, productive, and principled lives. We intentionally craft a program that optimizes the learning environment for students’ eager minds and fearless hearts. The outcome is, as we say, magic.

Warmly,

Andrew C. Delinsky

Head of School