Head of School Steve Hickman greeting a Lower School family
Collegiate Upper School Head Patrick Loach
Collegiate Upper School SCA Leaders Grant Villanueva and Oliva Jacobs
Con Brio, an Upper School musical group, performed during the Upper School Opening Assembly

1/23

A New Year of Learning, Growing, Seeking and Serving Gets Underway

8/30/2016

Celebrating our shared community. Embracing a determination to get it done.
Deciding to care more deeply about friends, fellow students and teachers.

Collegiate’s Kindergarten through 12th Grade students received these words of encouragement in various ways today as the 2016-17 school year launched. (Junior Kindergartners will start school tomorrow.)

Amid the usual excitement of the first day of school — hugs from favorite teachers, shared stories of special summer experiences and new lessons being rendered — were reminders that students have returned (or have arrived for the first time) to experience new opportunities to learn, grow and serve.

Patrick Loach, new Head of Upper School, shared with 9th-12th Graders the lesson a college professor taught him as he sought to find his footing during his tenure as a student years ago.

Dr. Joe, as Mr. Loach referred to his professor, encouraged him to find his passion and to pursue it with enthusiasm — a practice that could make the learning process a joy rather than a task. That advice resonated with Mr. Loach, and this morning, in his own way, he encouraged Upper Schoolers to do the same.

“You are here to discover and develop who you are and who you will become. You are here to prepare for life, not to get into college … So ask yourself the question, ‘Why are you here?’ I hope it is to gain a love of learning.”

During their opening of school assembly, 5th-8th Graders learned about Head of Middle School Charlie Blair’s adolescent years in the 1960s, which he told them was a turbulent time in America, not unlike the unrest our nation is experiencing today.

“When I was your age, there were times of great strife … If this sounds familiar, it should. Today we see people polarized, or at opposite ends, on these same issues.”

He shared photos, video and music and invited comments from Middle School teachers about the era, and with their help, encouraged students to be good to one another and to themselves.

“We need to strive to create a more accepting community of care for each other. As we begin the school year, keep these (ideals) in mind,” he said.

Head of School Steve Hickman also spoke to Upper Schoolers, and urged them to focus on appreciating our community and on doing what it takes to succeed.

“We have the opportunity to embrace and model one of our core values — the fundamental regard for, dignity of and worth of every individual … Our world sure needs your help.

“If you want to be the best, you have to do things other people aren’t willing to do, “ Mr. Hickman told Upper Schoolers. “Do the work and don’t make excuses …. Let’s get it done and let’s do it together.”

And our youngest Cougars eagerly arrived at Lower School this morning to the warm greetings of teachers and varsity football players, who were on hand to open doors in the carpool line and welcome Kindergarten through 4th Graders. The Lower Schoolers’ smiles and heartfelt hugs they traded spoke volumes about their plans to soak it all in, inside the classroom and beyond.

To see and hear some of their thoughts, view our Start of School video here.

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