The school year is off to a great start, with the perfect weather adding to the energy at Fieldston. During A and B periods, the quad is buzzing—friends hanging out, students working on homework assignments or just soaking up the sun.
With homecoming around the corner, the campus is filled with the colors of Fieldston, from posters to the chalk on the quad. “I feel we are all a family. It’s a time to reflect on how much we actually like high school,” shares Cam Buttler, a Form V student. Excitement and school spirit are in full swing as the sports teams are excitedly getting ready for their pep rally dances. “I love my teammates, and I know our captains are not only going to bring us forward in having a 4-2 season, but they will lead us in having the best pep rally dance!” Timin Jain, a Form V student, reports from the Football team.
Students are thrilled to reconnect after a long summer and excited for new experiences. The freshmen are getting adjusted to their new status as underclassmen. “The shift from middle school to high school [is] a little nerve-wracking,” admits Kaia Ginor, a Form III student. Meanwhile, juniors who, for the first time, are taking electives in English and History are “excited starting the new year off with seniors in some of our classes,” Form V student Z Rigos shares.
The start of the year isn’t complete without its stresses. Seniors are feeling the pressure of meeting their deadlines for college applications, and juniors are beginning to feel the stress of standardized test prep. “I really feel the step up from being a sophomore and an underclassman to being a junior as an upperclassman. It’s definitely hard to learn how to balance test studying for the ACT on top of school work and sport,” said Form V student Annabel Farmakis.
After some of the challenges our community faced last spring, “bringing the student body together with shared goals” is a priority for Ellis Lynch-Kahn, Co-President of the Fieldston Student Government. The administration has been working hard towards this goal, shares Upper School principal Dr. Stacey Bobo. You will see a “focus both inside and outside the classrooms on students [learning] to understand the difference between opinion[s] and fact[s] and leaning into listening to perspectives that they don’t necessarily agree with. We will start with class discussions on ‘low stakes’ topics most people will agree on and practice debate.”
As Fieldston moves forward into the school year, there’s a collective hope for continued growth and connection. Whether it’s through homecoming, sports, academics or respectful debates, the Fieldston community is coming together, ready to support one another. “I love being around such a welcoming community. Fieldston really allows for us to act in whatever way we feel comfortable, which is something I learned to appreciate throughout my high school years” sums up Noah Nemirovsky, a Form VI student. So let’s embrace Dr Bobo’s advice for the year ahead: “Have fun and enjoy each other. Time goes by too quickly…you are all going to do well; everything will work out!”
