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The Year in School
In September, the bell to open the school year rang out at the Opening Assembly, which featured an excellent new addition to the program: Every member of the Maintenance and Lunchroom staff— and the Front Desk Receptionist— took a moment to introduce themselves to the whole school. Met with uproarious applause, these introductions helped the community start the new academic year with a sense of familiarity and welcome.
we considered how to reimagine the beloved event in the new building. Of course, there was no need to worry; our community brought their typical Fall Festival cheer to the Gym and beyond. We even expanded the party’s sprawl to the Library, where Jenn the Librarian read spooky stories, perfect for those in the mood for a fright—or a reprieve from the bustle of the event!
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encourages students to reflect on the individual “light” they bring to the larger community by pairing older and younger students for a candle-lighting procession. As is our custom, the solemn moment we admired the flickering lights together was quickly followed by perhaps the most spirited moment of the year: our special VCS rendition of the 12 Days of Christmas!
After five pre-recorded virtual Sing-Alongs, our youngest students and their parents were finally able to form a single chorus of voices when they met in November for our first in-person K–2nd Grade Sing-Along since fall of 2020. What could be sweeter?
In January, we always come together as a school to honor the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and this year’s MLK Assembly was a great introduction to our new Director of DEI, Alexus, who helped Upper Schoolers plan their own follow-up assembly in recognition of Black History Month.
Everyone knows October at VCS means Fall Festival, but there were some nerves behind the scenes as
Equally moving was the in-person return of our pre-Winter Break tradition in December: The Ceremony of Lights. This assembly brings the whole school together in recognition of the many winter holidays represented by lights and
