Head of School

As I finish up my first two months of the school year, my time spent with our students has proven invaluable. I've had the chance to start to build connections with them that will strengthen our School and give them the best SKS experience possible. Our lunchtime conversations are candid and fun and give me the opportunity to get to know them on a personal level. Their honest perspective on school life, from academics and chapel to athletics and after-school programming, provides me insight into what their experience is and how we can best support them. These conversations remind me every day of the reason why we are here. 

After several months of travel all over the country, visiting many of you and hosting regional events, we continue to strengthen the bonds between the School and our alumni. Hearing about your experiences from your time here on the Hillside, your accomplishments, and your professional and personal journeys has been nothing short of inspiring. I am grateful for the warm and inviting reception and invitations I have had from many of you. Your energy and experiences play a vital role in shaping the direction and the future of South Kent, and I am eager to continue to build on these connections. My door is always open, and I'm happy to take a call or a visit if you happen to be nearby. The next few months will be busy as well with travel and alumni events, and I look forward to connecting with many more of you.

Brian D. Sullivan
Head of School

Click this link to learn more about Brian D. Sullivan, South Kent School’s 10th Head of School

Achieving Energy Self-Reliance on the Hillside

If you have visited the Hillside in the last eight months, you may have noticed some sleek and bright additions to the Stockdale Arena Hockey Rink and the field behind the Gilder Hall Dormitory. These areas on campus have been enhanced with captivating solar panel installations that have already made a positive impact on the School and are the result of a lot of hard work and energy from the group of people who made it possible. 

It all started with one of South Kent’s core values: “self-reliance.” 

Board of Trustee Member Tim Richards '75 wanted to make energy self-reliance a priority after doing years of policy work for GE. With a group of dedicated alumni, trustees, and School administrators behind the idea, the School asked the Buildings and Grounds Committee, chaired by Curt Himy '84 at the time, to develop a renewable energy project to help with this cause. 

Read more about South Kent’s Solar Energy Project here.

A Focus on Futures Literacy

To celebrate 100 years of South Kent School, 10th Head of School Brian D. Sullivan has been joining key members of our South Kent School alumni to host Regional Centennial events across the country and present his Strategic Plan and direction for the future. To become an industry leader in small-school, all-boy education and better prepare graduates for the world that awaits them, part of the School's vision is to create more academic offerings that develop futures literacy and mental health, with experiences aimed at educating the whole student. 

The Futures Literacy program is an innovative educational initiative designed to equip students with the skills and knowledge required to thrive in our 21st-century world. This program offers a unique curriculum encompassing a wide range of disciplines, including engineering, robotics, technology, sustainability, artificial intelligence, entrepreneurship, finance, mental health, and healthy living. Students engage in project-based learning, problem-solving challenges, and real-world applications to gain proficiency in these critical areas. By preparing students for the literacies of the future, this curriculum empowers them to adapt, innovate, and excel in a dynamic and increasingly technology-driven global landscape.

Founders’ Day: Celebrating 100 Years

One hundred years ago, on September 26, 1923, South Kent School opened its doors to twenty-four charter scholars who assembled to procure an education for the first academic year. The School commemorated this historic milestone with our school community, alumni, and friends on Saturday, September 30, for an on-campus Founders’ Day Celebration that paid tribute to the School’s incredible history and bright future. The South Kent School community gathered with over 80 alumni and friends in attendance, including the families of the School’s Co-Founders and charter scholars. The day was filled with Hillside tributes to the last 100 years, plus discussions and presentations about South Kent School today and what the start of the School’s next century holds. 

Highlights included a panel discussion with faculty and students about the current state of the School, a strategic plan presentation outlining the Head of School’s vision for the future, a ribbon cutting celebrating the School’s new Sharpe Family Archives Room, a chapel service giving thanks to 100 years of Episcopal tradition, and a Founders’ Day Ceremony with a Head of School portrait reveal and a beautiful recounting of the inaugural academic year (1923) presented by Foster White '55, the son of one of the School’s 24 charter scholars. Current students and employees joined the day’s festivities, allowing the entire South Kent School community to connect and celebrate.

Click here to view and download photos from our 100th Founders' Day celebration. You will have to enter password sks1923 to enter the site and access the photos. 

Expanding our Traditional Athletic Programming

Hockey continues to be an integral part of South Kent’s athletic tradition, preparing student-athletes on and off the ice for the demands of the college and professional ranks since the sport was played on Hatch Pond in the early 20th century. This year, South Kent Hockey has taken another step to keep this narrative alive and expand our traditional athletic programming by establishing the AAA Hockey team, coached by Head Coaches Rich Brande '88 and Dillon Duncan '04 and Assistant Coaches Jason Lefevre and Ross Leblond. The School and coaching staff have committed to a more traditional high school hockey program model, ensuring all student-athletes receive developmental instruction and training on the ice while instilling essential characteristics that will carry them beyond their hockey playing days. 

The new program is made up of students of all grade and experience levels who want to develop and compete in a AAA league. This year's team is slated for a competitive 40+ game schedule against prep schools and club teams predominantly based in the Northeast. As of November 1, South Kent's current AAA team sports a record of 7-9-1, having gutsy performances and holding strong in close games, including a memorable 4-3 home victory over the South Shore Kings on opening night in front of a packed Stockdale Arena. The rest of the season includes road trips to Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Norwich, CT, and Simsbury, CT, plus a week-long trip to Montreal in January, where they will play three games against the renowned Somang Academy. With a coaching staff that provides decades of experience in the hockey world and a dedicated and focused team of student-athletes, South Kent’s AAA Hockey team will undoubtedly bolster the already prosperous track record of the South Kent Hockey program while keeping up with the changing demands of the hockey market.

South Kent School will continue to expand upon our traditional athletic programming in the winter and spring seasons. You will learn more about our Thirds Basketball Team and Lacrosse Program later this year.

Please Join Us!

Our first couple of Centennial regional events have been a huge success, and we hope you will join us for one or more of our upcoming celebrations happening across the country. We will continue to send communications and invitations to all, but you can always check the Centennial Events page on the South Kent School website for the most up-to-date event information.

We look forward to staying connected and wish you all an enjoyable fall!