From the Desk of Jay Rainey – April 15, 2022

Preparing for Monday’s all-school assembly—our first full in-person gathering at MICDS in 868 days—was a tall order. I wanted to lead an activity that would be exciting and joyful for everyone, but in a JK-12 student community, I wondered what could possibly fit the bill. I kept returning to the idea of a “Clash of Classes” trivia contest, and I kept running into the same question: what does a 4-year-old know about that a 19-year-old doesn’t? Then it occurred to me: PAW Patrol.

At the end of last week, in Lower School classrooms and Middle and Upper School advisory meetings across campus, our teachers kindly administered a 17-item trivia contest to test students on their familiarity with characters from some of the most popular children’s television programs of the last two decades. Over the weekend, I tabulated the results by class year, and then, at Monday’s assembly, I projected the correct answers onto a giant screen in the MAC, question by question, along with a steadily changing leaderboard of the top-five classes based on the average accuracy of their responses. When all was said and done, despite close competition from the Classes of 2026 and 2032, the Class of 2030—the fourth grade—emerged victorious. I’ve heard a rumor that there are celebratory Krispy Kreme doughnuts in their future, compliments of the Office of the Head of School. We’ll just have to see if that turns out to be true.

You are welcome to test your own “Nickelodeon knowledge” here. When you are finished, you can check out how you did. Did you get all 17 questions right? Congratulations! You are smarter than a fourth-grader! But you also probably watch too much television. Rather than indulge bad habit after bad habit, I think I will not bring you a Krispy Kreme doughnut as a reward. This is for your own good.

Monday’s assembly was an absolute joy. Every day returns us to community with one another at MICDS in ways great and small. We are a little out of practice (868 days!), but we are committed. Always reason, always compassion, always courage. To those of you celebrating Easter, Passover, or the continuing month of Ramadan, I wish you fulfilling holiday reflections and celebrations. Best wishes to everyone for a happy weekend ahead.

Jay Rainey
Head of School

This week’s addition to the “Refrains for Rams” playlist: Magnolia Blues by Adia Victoria. (Apple Music / Spotify)