Let the New School Year Begin—Head of US Scott Small Welcomes Students

At the first Upper School assembly of the 2024-25 academic year, Head of Upper School Scott Small welcomed our ninth through 12th graders in Brauer Auditorium as they began the new year. Here are his presentation notes which launched our high schoolers into an exciting new school year ahead.

Welcome, new students! And welcome back, returning students! We are excited to start the new school year with you.

Last year, some of you may remember my opening remarks were themed around Taylor Swift and her 1989 album. This year, an Olympic theme feels appropriate. After all, the Olympics were one of the biggest stories of the summer and one that we at MICDS had a personal connection to. Young alum Bogdan Hamilton, Class of 2022, competed on the Canadian Olympic Fencing team in the Men’s Foil competition in Paris.

With the Olympics as our backdrop, I have two questions to guide us this year. I will return to these questions regularly in assembly and they will also be prevalent in our work in advisory and other community gatherings as lodestars for our commitment as learners and thinkers. The first is, “Who do we want to be?” In other words, how can we be our best selves as students, thinkers, community members, and people? This is an ongoing journey of growth, and it shows our dedication to those who support us.

Why does this matter to MICDS students? Our Mission Statement gives us an enduring roadmap.

Focus on the first two sentences for now: More than ever, our nation needs responsible men and women who can meet the challenges of this world with confidence and embrace all its people with compassion. The next generation must include those who think critically and resolve to stand for what is good and right. Let’s take a moment to reflect on how we can make the most of this school year for ourselves, our friends, our teachers, advisors, coaches, and everyone here to both champion and challenge us.

So what does this look like in practice?

It’s our core beliefs that are ingrained in our Upper School Vision Statement: We build meaningful relationships that champion and challenge students as scholars and global citizens. It’s how we work through differences, how we talk to each other, how we’re accountable for what we do and for what we say.

It’s how we support others: who do we want to be when those around us do something great?

It’s how we celebrate our own successes. Who do we want to be when we do something great? With the following photo, the greatness is as much in the work of the photographer as it is in the athlete.

Also, who do we want to be when things feel insurmountable? (Mr. Small showed this clip from the 1972 Olympics of USA’s David Wottle making a comeback in the 800-meter race). While the school year is a marathon, David Wottle sets an interesting example. In reflecting on the race, he felt like he was out of the race 200 meters in, but he just kept thinking that he could not give up. He just had to stay in the moment and do the best he could. 

All of this leads to our second question: How can we be fully present as thinkers, classroom participants, artists, athletes, community members?

From a commitment to being fully engaged in the classroom to being fully present for the experiences and opportunities inherent in our vibrant US community beyond the classroom, our best path forward to understanding who we want to be in the future and who we need to be in the present is through being fully active in the world around us. 

Yes, this means putting phones away. Their pull has become too great for us to overcome without a collective effort. Let’s fully engage in everything the MICDS community offers. One of my biggest frustrations with social media is its tendency to tear down rather than build community. What if we chose to lean into community instead? We have so many wonderful moments to celebrate being in community together, like the upcoming Class of 2025 Boat Race on September 23rd. This will be led by our own beloved Aussie American, Dean of the Class of 2025, Mr. Chris Ludbrook.

I am so excited for the year ahead, and I can’t wait to see what you will learn and achieve, and how you will come together to make this community the very best version of itself.