We’re midway through our 100th school year, and it’s flying by. So much has happened already this fall and we are excited to share these highlights with you!
Love of Learning
At CA, a love of learning animates everything we do:
- This year’s Environmental Symposium put students in touch with CA alums working in environmental service, including Tony Patt ’83, leader of the Climate Policy Lab at ETH Zurich, who shared a message of hope and rapid progress.
- Four seniors presented the medical research they conducted in Boston-based labs last summer during their InSPIRE science internships.
- National Hockey League (NHL) senior executive vice president, Kim Davis, recently made a virtual visit to mathematics teacher Desiree Sheff’s Math and Social Justice class to present about social issues in athletics and how the NHL is diversifying its fan base through demographic research.
- During fall semester final assessments, the British Romantic Poetry classroom transformed into a vibrant gallery space. English teacher Sabrina Sadique put an imaginative twist on exams, inviting students to translate the works of Keats and Coleridge through original visual and verbal artworks.
Arts and Athletics
From the field to the stage, CA students put in their all.
- Our fall athletics season finished up with many successes! Check out our season recap and news on our sixth consecutive Chandler Bowl victory.
- The fall mainstage production She Kills Monsters thrilled with a heartfelt and hilarious performance involving puppetry and professionally coached swordplay.
- CA Dance Project’s contemporary performance, Dark Before Dawn, explored movement, music, and self-expression.
- The semester ended on a high note with our annual Holiday Concert. Advanced Jazz Ensemble, Chamber Music Ensembles, Chameleon Chamber Players, CA Singers, and Chorus shared a joyous evening of music.
Students in Action
Students continue to inspire us with the service they give to the community.
- Several students attended the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) Student Diversity Leadership Conference in San Antonio along with numerous faculty and staff who attended the companion People of Color Conference. We’re excited for how our students will build on this learning experience focused on diversity, intersectionality, and inclusion. They will be putting advocacy in action on campus and beyond.
- A new student-led service club, the Lawrence-Concord Action Partnership (LCAP), has been partnering with community organizations throughout the year to help fight food insecurity in our region.
- A student proposal from last year’s advanced environmental science class became a reality this fall when CA installed new oversized fans in the gym to reduce energy demand. And student leaders on the Sustainable Food Committee shared their goal of reducing food waste by 25% this year, as part of CA’s sustainability commitments.
Heard on Campus
Assembly speakers challenged us to think in new ways:
- Nipmuc author and educator Larry Spotted Crow Mann spoke about the attempted eradication of native culture in the U.S. and opportunities for healing.
- An Innocence Project assembly raised awareness of wrongful conviction and how students can support reforms.
- Richard Selden P’23 shared how he turned his passion for molecular biology into a rapid DNA technology that’s making the world a safer place.
- Documentary filmmaker and author Ken Dornstein P’23 shared a powerful personal story of investigative journalism.
Centennial Celebrations
Our Centennial began last spring with a program focused on service and sustainability. We’re celebrating throughout this year, and these events continue to bring our community together:
- The Chapel Challenge included an 80-mile duathlon, tracing the 1956 route from our Chapel’s original site in New Hampshire to CA’s campus in 1956. For decades this building has been our nonsectarian “house of stories,” where several mornings a week we gather to listen to senior chapels.
- During the Concord Festival of Authors, publisher Susan Knopf ’74 spoke with three of her CA classmates who have become celebrated authors—Julia Glass, Susan Minot, and Ruth Ozeki—at CA Authors Night.
Happy New Year from CA and we wish you a restful winter break!
More News
CA Brings Experts in Peace and Conflict Studies to Campus
On February 1, the Community and Equity Office hosted an assembly about peacebuilding through dialogue in the Performing Arts Center. Presenters Sa’ed Atshan and Karen Ross, both professors of peace and conflict resolution studies, responded to questions submitted by students in advance, shared their life stories, and offered insights on engaging in challenging conversations about global issues, including the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Convocation Ceremony Opens the 2023–24 School Year with Focus on Belonging
The first day of the 2023-24 school year began with a heartfelt Convocation ceremony in the Elizabeth B. Hall Chapel. Modern and Classical Languages Department Head Carmen Welton gave a powerful speech about finding belonging through community that resonated with all. Co-President of the Board of Trustees Jen Burleigh ʼ85, Student Head of School Jessie Ma ’24, and Head of School Henry D. Fairfax also took the podium to offer a warm welcome to CA. We can’t wait to see where the year takes us.
Concord Academy’s Centennial Celebration Energizes the CA Community
From June 9–11, more than 600 CA community members gathered at Concord Academy for the Centennial Celebration. It was a joyous party and a tribute to the power of a CA education. The festive weekend program included reunion class gatherings, panels, tours, and performances — it was truly an unprecedented opportunity for alums across generations to connect.