With a new Head of School joining our community, we decided to shake up our first all-school assembly for the 2019-2020 school year to have even more fun together. The weather cooperated, allowing us to gather together outside in our beautiful Ron Holtman Stadium. Students, faculty, staff and a few special guests gathered in the stadium to music played by the MICDS Pep Band led by Band Directors Becky Long and Josh Baumgartner before a brief program that included remarks from student leaders from all three divisions, our Board of Trustees Chair Michelle Leith Cohen ’88 and Head of School Jay Rainey.
Mrs. Cohen said, “While Mr. Rainey has been here only a few short weeks, he has already immersed himself in the energy and excitement of our community and made an impact! Mr. Rainey leads with positivity, compassion, integrity and gratitude. He is a careful listener, insightful intellectual and has a terrific sense of humor. He is laser-focused on community and sustaining a school culture centered on kindness, dignity and respect.”
Cheers arose as Mr. Rainey stepped to the mic. He had used his considerable spreadsheet skills to look for similarities in the names of our students, sharing that we have 19 Jacks and only one student with five As in his name. He pointed out that the majority of students have the letters MICDS in their full names, but that every single student is a member of the MICDS family. He said that names are important, and he’s so excited to learn the stories behind all the names here at School. He finished up his remarks by donning a Rams cap and announcing, “We are one MICDS. We are Ram Nation!” The students erupted in applause and more cheers.
As a special surprise, the students welcomed Mr. and Mrs. Rainey to the community by presenting them with some personal gifts. Upper School STUCO co-heads Meredith Goldberg ’20 and Tanay Chandak ’20 gave Mr. and Mrs. Rainey personalized stadium seats for all the bleachers they’ll visit throughout the year. Middle School 8th Grade STUCO leaders gave them an embroidered chef hat and apron, plus a new spatula which will come in handy as they host pancake brunches for students. And Lower School 4th Grade student leaders offered some treats for Silas Rainey, the lovable bulldog. Silas now has an MICDS collar and leash, and a comfortable wagon to ride around. (This is a big campus for short bulldog legs!)
Mr. and Mrs. Rainey were very appreciative of their gifts, and we are sure they will be put to good use. Mr. Dana Self, Upper School Choir Director, directed the Chamber Choir in the singing of the MICDS Alma Mater, before Mr. Rainey dismissed students for a picnic lunch that included Ted Drewes frozen custard (not ice cream!) for dessert.
After lunch, the entire school community engaged in a variety of fun field games together. Different grades joined each other on four fields, and spontaneous foot races broke out between tall Upper School students and much smaller Beasley friends. There was a lot of running and laughing before students headed back to their classrooms to finish the school day.
Check out this video from the presentation: