Jen Schuckman’s Honor Code Assembly Address
MICDS Middle School kicks off the new academic year with the annual Honor Code Assembly, a time-honored tradition that reminds students of the School’s core values and reinforces a community built on honor, trust, respect, and responsibility. This year, in addition to remarks from Head of Middle School Jen Schuckman, two student speakers and one faculty speaker addressed the audience. Mrs. Schuckman’s remarks are below. Read more from our student and faculty speakers here.
Good afternoon, Middle School! Welcome to our Honor Code assembly. I hope that the first days of school have been good to you. You have been presented with a lot of new, a lot of different, and I am really so proud of how you all have embraced getting back into the routine of school.
Today’s assembly is reserved for one of our Middle School’s most important traditions. For us to really know and understand the Honor Code, it helps to hear from a variety of perspectives, to really know how Trust, Respect, Responsibility, and Honor guide us and maintain our community.
I am so happy to introduce two incredible 8th graders who will share their perspectives with us today. Addie R. ‘31 and Evan S. ‘31 were honored with the Jan DeGreef Jacobi Award last spring. This particular award was established to recognize individuals who truly do the right thing and consistently demonstrate the Honor Code in their words and actions.
You may have noticed that the Honor Code is one of the first things that we discuss in a new school year. So why the urgency? If you have ever flown on a plane or gone down a water slide or visited a trampoline park, you may remember that the first thing you hear about is safety. There are people right there at the start telling you the rules and how to be sure you can have fun while also being alert to the hazards. And they usually end with some version of, “Now sit back, and enjoy the ride.” Today’s assembly is just that. It serves as our safety guide so we can be sure that this community can thrive and be everything we believe it to be. And it begins with the promises we make today. We anchor our decisions and actions on the ideas that Evan and Addie shared and do everything we can to preserve the safety, belonging, and happiness of everyone around us.
And I would never stand here and promise you that there won’t be scary moments or fits of turbulence or disappointing interactions along the way. Life does not happen without those challenges. But what I can promise is that we are here to take care of each other, and any time mistakes happen or feelings get hurt, we will be having a conversation grounded in trust, respect, responsibility, and honor. So when you sign your name today, and it hangs in the hallway, you have committed to every person in this room that you are going to make every effort to not let each other down.
And as the year progresses, you are going to witness moments where we acknowledge and appreciate the efforts of one another, modeling the Honor Code. You may get a secret shout-out from a classmate; you may hear a compliment from a teammate in PE. There will be Rock awards and LEAD moments. And one of the best validations of our Honor Code is seeing it in writing… when teachers see these quiet yet remarkable moments and take the time to send a note of appreciation to you. Listen to a few quick comments that have already been shared this year…
“On multiple occasions, I have seen you walk up to people who were standing by themselves or gravitate toward students who are new to MICDS to make sure they feel welcome and included. Thank you for your kindness and leadership, and for modeling what it means to embrace the MICDS values.”
“I wanted to take a moment to tell you how much I appreciated the work you did with your teammates at the board today! You helped your group present their work in a clear and organized way, and because of that, your team was able to solve many multi-step equations. That kind of contribution makes a real difference for everyone!”
“Thank you for a strong start to the school year. You show up to each band class focused and determined to play well. I also am excited to see you evolve not only as a musician, but as a leader in the band room.”
“When you were leaving ASAP today, you noticed another student’s computer on the floor. You not only picked it up and placed it on the table, but you also took the time to plug it into a charger. Thank you for doing the right thing because it’s the right thing to do. I’m so glad you’re part of the MICDS community.”
Thank you, thank you, thank you. This is how we honor our amazing school. I know there will be many more of these messages as the year moves on. Every one of us is a keeper of our community. Every small decision we make, every word we choose, every kindness that we extend- it all counts and makes this somewhere I love to be every single day.
Do the right thing…[because it’s the right thing to do.]
