Head of School

Good day from the Hillside. I hope this finds you and those you love safe and well, which is no small feat in today’s world. The students have all returned to campus, and we have begun the third academic quarter. We are all excited to be underway again.

Due to the rapid spread of the Omicron variant, we have had to establish some new protocols to keep everyone safe, despite the fact that we are a fully vaccinated community for all intents and purposes. We will not hold any all-school gatherings inside: classes will continue to be in-person, with everyone following strict mask-wearing and social distancing guidelines; chapel services and meals will be in shifts to spread out the different cohorts during these events. All students were required to submit a negative PCR test before returning to campus, and will conduct a final round of testing in the next few days after the students have been on campus for five days, all the while hoping that these are temporary adjustments and that we look forward to returning to normal as soon as it is safe to do so.

It is not all gloom and doom however! You all have heard enough from me in the past two years about our battles with COVID, so I thought it would be an informative change of pace to let you hear from some students. 

Matthew McCool, Co-Senior Prefect, Amherst, NH - This is my second year on the Hillside and both have been heavily affected by COVID-19. Unfortunately, I have not experienced a “typical” year at South Kent School. However, I believe the restrictions, frustration, and uncertainty surrounding COVID, have allowed me to grow closer to my peers than I would have under normal circumstances. As students, we don't often have opportunities to see our families which has made it hard, at times, to maintain motivation and optimism. As a basketball player, it has been difficult for my teammates and me to get recruited due to game cancellations and travel restrictions. Regardless, experiencing these difficult times as a brotherhood and as a family has created meaningful connections between everyone on campus.

Junwei Zhang, Co-Senior Prefect, Kent, CT - As I look back and reflect on last year's unique circumstances, I realize the many advantages COVID had to offer. Last school year, without our South Kent School Bubble, I would not have gotten an opportunity to board on campus with my brothers, hike the entire Connecticut stretch of the Appalachian Trail, or create new memories. I credit the entire South Kent School faculty and staff--especially the Health Center--for their continuous efforts in providing a safe environment. This school year, with eased guidelines, I have really enjoyed being able to finally support my brothers in person on the court, pitch, and rink. Overall, the gradual shift into normality excites me and many others, as we all desire and prefer a true experience.

Jacob Fowler, Fifth Form, Melbourne, FL - I would say that one thing that really made me happy was that even in the face of the challenges that came with COVID, the faculty and staff at South Kent School went above and beyond in their efforts and made it easy for me to adjust to living away from home. Throughout the last two years while the world was dealing with COVID I have still been able to continue my academic and athletic pursuits with the help of the South Kent School family. I have benefitted from new experiences and the many friendships that I have made while at the school. Last school year was made more difficult with some of the quarantines, the weekly covid testing, adjusting to online classes when necessary, and not being able to get off campus for community activities. This year, things have been better as some of the Covid restrictions have been lessened and we have a more open campus. I have to especially thank my coaches and the athletic staff for their efforts to continue our training, scheduling games, and making contacts with colleges throughout the pandemic. As other schools completely shut down their athletic teams, we continued our development. I am happy to say that as a result of the work I have put in throughout my time at South Kent School in the classroom and on the ice, with the help of the faculty, staff, and coaches, I have been offered the opportunity to continue my academic and athletic career at Clarkson University.

Graeme Russell, Fourth Form, South Kent, CT - When I first became a student at South Kent School, due to COVID I only caught a glimpse of what made this school exceptional. I began my time on the Hillside restricted solely to my cohort, and therefore was unable to experience a true sense of brotherhood or community that South Kent School is known for. However, this fall I was able to branch out more, which resulted in my ability to capture more of what makes South Kent School notable. Even though COVID restrictions were still in place, there were more opportunities to engage with the whole school, allowing me to feel a part of the larger community. With the inevitable surge of new variants threatening the success of our future, I think it is important to recognize and take into account the struggles our school may face with mental well-being, not just physical well-being. Although COVID has made concern and uncertainty more pronounced at South Kent School, I have still been able to experience some of the School’s greatest traditions, and grow closer to the community.

Kolin Sisson, Third Form, Lincoln, RI - With COVID this year there have been some expected positives and negatives, but some things I am happy about are that we can still eat together in the dining hall, school wide chapel, and also team practices and skills. There are also some downsides to the virus including wearing masks, but other than that I think we do a really good job of keeping things as normal as they can be. Another thing that has gone well are assemblies. I find assemblies a great time to come together and show school spirit. I also like how we are able to see and talk to other sports programs or traditional prep students, especially since I know this was limited last year. Overall, I think everything is going very well and I am thankful we are able to keep everything on campus as normal as possible.
 

While we are hopeful that the Omicron wave will pass quickly and relatively safely, we are prepared for more struggles and obstacles, yet we are still determined to provide our boys with the best SKS education possible. I am proud to work at such a resilient, nimble and optimistic place, where overcoming hurdles is in our DNA. Pigtail against the world!

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