MKA Celebrates a New School Year at the All School Gathering

Led by MKA Headmaster Thomas Nammack, over one thousand students, faculty and friends celebrated the formal start of a new school year at the annual All School Gathering held this past Friday.

The event, which took looking to the future as its theme, featured speeches from the President of the Board of Trustees Michael Johnson, President of the Parents' Association Karen Ross and President of the Alumni Council J. Kent Walker '80, as well as from Middle School Student President Madison Rivlin and Upper School Student Body President Kheri Freeman '11.  Envisioning a future school where the three campuses would be connected by an underground transportation system, and video chatting would allow students to take early morning classes at home in their pajamas, Rivlin concluded that the mentality and spirit of MKA would remain, while Freeman looked to a world where the word tolerance would no longer be necessary, and predicted that "We will be the ones who make change in the world – we will be exemplars and leaders."

In addition to the formal acknowledgement of student successes in the fields of academics and athletics with MKA sweater presentations, student talent from all three campuses was celebrated with performances from the third grade Bellringers, the Strings Orchestra, the combined Upper and Middle School Jazz Bands and the Cheerleaders, Step Team, and Upper School dancers.  Two pieces of music drew standing ovations – the Upper School Mastersinger's groundbreaking performance of Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody and a solo by ninth grade chanteuse Chantal Greatorex.

Recognition was given to 30 and 35-year veteran faculty members (Middle School Assistant Librarian Julia Edleman, Upper School faculty members Jan Peterson, Joan Weller and Ellen Iverson and Brookside teacher Pat Parke) as well as to Tri-Campus Nursing Director Toni High and to the 2010 Founders' Cup recipient Nancy Gratz.

While the all-school picnic scheduled for later in the day was rained out, special "Gathering" traditions that span the years continued.  The morning concluded with Kindergarteners handing Seniors pictures depicting their hopes for their future careers and receiving, in return, special MKA Beanie Baby Cougars, and the 2010-11 school year was formally "rung in" by Headmaster Nammack with the assistance of the youngest member of the Class of 2023.

To view photos of The Gathering, click here.