Kicking Off #GreenhillFirstDay! Welcome to 2018-2019!

Greenhill School’s campus filled with excitement, energy, cameras, smiling faces—and only a few tears, mostly from parents—this morning as families dropped off approximately 1318 students in Preschool, Lower, Middle, and Upper School. Students and teachers, new and returning, greeted each other with hugs and high-fives, and posed for pictures in front of school signs and banners.

 

In other words, the air is buzzing as Greenhill starts the 2018-2019 school year! Most notably, this marks a new era in Greenhill history as we welcome our Head of School Lee J. Hark and his family. Mr. Hark opened doors at carpool, introduced himself to students, visited classrooms, and spoke at Middle School and Upper School opening day assemblies.

 

As Middle School students gathered, Head of Middle School Susan Palmer introduced the annual theme of community. “Together, you and your wonderful qualities combine with our outstanding faculty and staff to build and maintain the Middle School community. Each one of us brings our unique and essential selves to our community, and then we add the missing ingredient. That ingredient is that we are bound together as a community by our mutual concern for the welfare of one another. We care about each other.”

 

As Mr. Hark addressed Middle Schoolers, he spoke of those years as defining his work ethic and love of learning. “I hope you will use Middle School as a time to discover your identity. What do you like? What are you like? It may not feel like it, but you’re in such a good spot – in a great school with amazing teachers and administrators who care only about making sure that you get to become your best self. Give yourself the space and time to do that. And just as important, give your friends and classmates the space to do that, too. Help them discover that about themselves.”

 

Upper Schoolers gathered shortly thereafter, and Mr. Hark spoke to them about how to “win” at high school with funny anecdotes of his lip-syncing, band-fronting days. “So yes, maybe I was a bit limited. But I had one thing going for me. I was enthusiastic. Totally engaged. If I was participating in something, I was 100% all in. I loved school – participating in school life. And I still do.”

 

Mr. Hark closed his message with a charge to the Upper School to be their best selves. “I want this year to be your best year at Greenhill, and I’m going to do everything I can to make that happen. I’m going to need your help, though – talk to me about how to make our school the best it can be. Let’s have a blast this year, and let’s live our values of honor, respect and compassion every day while we work to help everyone in our school find that place of joy and engagement. If we do that, this will be the school we all want it to be, and the school you deserve.”

 

Head of Upper School Mr. Worcester reminded students to live and act in the spirit of community. “Whether you are in a classroom discussion, a rehearsal, a practice, or just relaxing during your unscheduled time – I charge you to speak and act in ways that consistently unite us, rather than divide us. Contribute to the communities to which you belong – large and small – to sustain the strong bonds of fellowship, for these are bonds that will last far past this year. With the Class of 2019 leading the way, we are poised for a great year.”

 

More coming tomorrow as we share highlights of the first days of school. Happy #GreenhillFirstDay. Let’s make it the best year yet because #WEareGREENHILL!