On Friday, December 19, 2025, the Collegiate community gathered for the annual Winter Program. The Winter Program is a coveted event that takes place at the Church of St. Paul the Apostle, where students, parents, faculty, and staff gather to celebrate, sing, and reflect before the start of winter break.

The event began with students and guests singing “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” by Edward Pola and George Wyle. Afterward, the Collegiate Orchestra played “Angels in the Bleak Midwinter” by Larry Clark. Mr. Owen Boynton, Director of Academic Affairs and Student Services, formally opened the program with reflections and a poem titled "Courtesy" by David Ferry. 

Quentin M. ’31, Powers M. ’32, and Wallace W. ’33 read “The Celebration of Light”, which was followed by the Middle School Chorus singing “The Shepard’s Spiritual” arranged by Donald Moore. In recognition of Hanukkah, Ari K. ’26 read a moving piece after which all attendees joined in singing Mordkhe Rivesman’s “Oh Hanukkah”. 

The Winter Program continued with performances by grades two and three, who sang “Ocho Kandelikas” by Flory Jagoda and “Let it Snow” by Jule Styne with lyrics by Sammy Cahn. Logan J. ’26 read Timothy Steele’s “Toward the Winter Solstice”, which was followed by the UnDutchables performing “Angels We Have Heard on High”, a traditional carol with lyrics by James Chadwick. 

The Upper School Chorus performed a seasonal favorite, “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” by Kim Gannon and Walter Kent. Ruben C. ’30 read Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s “Ring Out, Wild Bells” from “In Memoriam A. H. H.” Grade four performed “Feliz Navidad” by Jose Feliciano, and “Winter Song” by Sara Bareilles and Ingrid Michaelson.

At the tail end of the Winter Program, the Collegiate Orchestra, Jazz Band, and Collegiate Chorus performed “Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen. Kindergarten and grade one sang “Simple Gifts” by Joseph Brackett and “This Little Light of Mine” by Harry Dixon Loes. All attendees sang “Winter Wonderland” by Richard Smith and Felix Bernard. The Winter Program concluded with a farewell from Mr. Owen Boynton and the postlude of “A Joyful Celebration” by George Frideric Handel.

Our Fall Convocation formally marked the start of the 2025–2026 school year. To officially kick off the program, Kindergartners entered the John D. Solomon Gymnasium hand-in-hand with seniors. This fittingly nodded to the theme of community that was sprinkled throughout the assembly.

In her welcoming remarks, Head of School Bodie Brizendine reinforced what community means and the active role each person must play in it, stating, “I like to think that community is never accidental…we are all part of the community and we all have a responsibility to be part of the community.” This message—that community requires an intentional choice—effortlessly underpinned the rest of the program.

The program then transitioned to a melodic guitar performance by Ivan V. ’27, of Heitor-Villa Lobos’ “Prelude No. 3.”

A highlight of the morning was the presentation of the 2025 Wilson Parkhill Award to Vera Shi, who is indeed a strong pillar in our community. Students Grayson K. ’30 and Langston T. ’30 introduced Vera Shi, sharing many high praises for her impact on their lives as their Chinese teacher. Grayson K. ’30 described Ms. Shi as “...the kind of teacher that you want to have around for a long time, someone that makes learning both meaningful and fun.” Langston T. ’30 added that Ms. Shi “embodies what a great Collegiate teacher is. She brings excellence into the classroom, not just through what she teaches but in how she teaches it; with empathy, humor, and a lot of genuine care.”

Ms. Shi’s acceptance speech was deeply encouraging and inspirational. She shared valuable sentiments that encouraged the community to persevere despite setbacks:

“As long as you keep going, failure is just part of your journey, not your destination. In the future, when you stand on the higher stage, you will look back at the version of yourself who once fell down and say, ‘Yes, that happened. But it didn’t end me, it shaped me.’”

The event concluded with the singing of the “Alma Mater,” in community—perhaps the most intentional choice of all.

Collegiate School opened its Red Doors for the official start of the 2025–2026 school year on Tuesday, September 3, for grades 1–12 and on Friday, September 5, for Kindergarten! 

The Tuesday opening featured a range of vibrant moments as faculty and students greeted each other with smiling faces and hugs. For seniors, a welcoming line of parents—decorated with congratulatory signage, balloons, and a red carpet—cheered them on as they walked in.

When Friday finally approached, Kindergarten students arrived early with quiet excitement. The joy was contagious, the friendships bloomed, and our Kindergarten students were more than ready to take on the new school year.

We hope that everyone had a great start to the school year!

If one word could capture the spirit of the 2025 Lower School Moving Up Ceremony on June 6, 2025, it would be “generosity”. Students literally—and figuratively—carried this theme into the John D. Solomon Gymnasium as they entered that day. Each class entered with a wooden letter, creatively decorated with a mix of mediums ranging from marker art to mosaic tiles. Alongside the letters, they brought in colorful paper chains, both of which adorned the podium. These creative expressions symbolized the connections and kindness across the community. During her opening remarks, Head of Lower School Melanie Hutchinson shared, “Sometimes we think about gifts, or presents, or money. But I am not talking about that. I am talking about the generosity that comes from your heart. It might be your time, your kindness, your attention, your help, yourself. I saw plenty of generosity this year.” 

The ceremony continued with a performance by the Lower School Choir, poem recitations by faculty members Morgan Evers and Jake Premo, the fourth grade poem “When I Grow Up” by Tim Minchin, and singing. One by one, the fourth graders were called to the stage, marking their moving up into Middle School. The celebration concluded with the singing of the “Farewell Song”. We congratulate the Class of 2033, and look forward to seeing our fourth graders in Middle School next year!

On June 6, 2025, the community gathered in the John D. Solomon Gymnasium to celebrate a major milestone for our Middle School students—their Moving Up Ceremony. After students processed in and took their seats, the event began with opening remarks from Head of Middle School Dr. Hassan Jones. A series of thoughtful and genuine speeches followed, delivered by two student speakers from each grade. Speakers included Mir A.'32, James K. '32, Alexander B. '31, Joshua Y. '31, Langston T. '30, Aiden W. '30, Nicholas L. '29, and Mitchell S. '29. Each speech was unique in offering personal reflections, humorous anecdotes, and words of gratitude. In his closing remarks, Dr. Jones reflected on the year: “We watched you support one another, rise to challenges, and grow in ways that went far beyond academics. Some of you are several inches taller, but even more impressive was how you grew in kindness, resilience, and confidence.”

The event culminated with Moving Up Exercises and the singing of the “Farewell Song” and the Alma Mater. We congratulate the Class of 2029 and look forward to seeing our eighth graders in Upper School next year!