“Positive change flows from a human connection,” says Lyn Burr Brignoli ’62. She received the 2017 Joan Shaw Herman Distinguished Service Award in recognition of her sustained personal efforts on behalf of education both locally and internationally. As a volunteer teacher for children with Down syndrome and other special needs in her Connecticut community, she traveled to Ghana in 2000 with a Fulbright group of teachers. Following that initial trip, she has returned twice to undertake work on a girls’ education initiative.

During reunion weekend, Dave Cavell ’02 and Meg Ansara ’97 joined moderator and history teacher Stephanie Manzella P’14, ’17, ’18 to discuss emerging opportunities to make a positive impact in a changing political landscape. The conversation with these alumnae/i who have made their careers in politics addressed ways to break out of the “blue bubble,” the importance of working to reinstate civil discourse, and the skills necessary for working as campaign managers and organizers. The upshot: Local and state elections still matter.

Around 225 alumnae/i returned to Concord Academy for reunion weekend, June 9 through 11. Sunny skies and balmy temperatures made it feel like the unofficial start of summer, as old friends and faculty members reconnected over music, food, and fun. Alumnae/i shared many laughs and smiles as they measured the passage of time — both in one another and in the evolution of CA.

At the end of the spring 2017 season, a number of Concord Academy competitors have received special distinction from the Eastern Independent League (EIL) and New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC). Congratulations to all of of CA’s dedicated student-athletes.

Concord Academy provides final reports for your children electronically on the school’s Student Information Portal. These spring semester reports will be available through the Portal starting on Monday, June 19.

A very big thank you to all the parents who helped support CA Parents programs, events and activities this year. Your efforts have helped enrich the quality of student life, the parent experience and the greater Concord Academy community. CA’s level of parent involvement is a measure of how much you care. This article highlights of all that we’ve accomplished this year thanks to you.

The Exam Treats team would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the CA parent community. We are so grateful for the help and support from so many parents who made the exam treats such a success this year. From dropping off candy, sending in treats via Amazon, to helping us stuff and deliver the sweet treats to the students mailboxes — we could not have done it without you! A special thank you to Amy Sagalyn for her role in making the exam treats run so smoothly.  We hope you all have a wonderful summer!

The skies were bright on June 2 for Concord Academy’s 95th Commencement exercise. The class of 2017 and their families listened to many words of reflection, celebration, and encouragement, while the values of the community took pride of place in the Commencement address from Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey. The message was clear: The future is bright in the hands of this generation.