Dear Oldfields Alumnae,
I hope you are all doing well during these crazy times in which we find ourselves. If you are on social media, you probably saw the beautiful campus photos the school recently posted—the ones with students in them! I can barely contain the joy I feel knowing the Oldfields has started the academic year in person.
There are new health and safety guidelines in place including physical distancing, facemasks, multiple lunch cohorts, hand sanitizer everywhere, and daily wellness checks. At a time when so many schools are unable to safely open, we are so fortunate that our intentionally small size and 140-acre campus allow for the implementation of protocols designed to keep the School community safe and, most importantly, in classrooms! From all reports, the girls are happy to be with peers, and faculty are excited to teach to a live audience.
Our School is also diligently working to make Oldfields a safe, welcoming, and inclusive campus for our diverse student body. On August 27, Head of School David Perfield and Board Chair Nancy Palmer P'12 shared an update on the School including the progress made on our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Action Plan. If you have not seen the update, click here to read it now.
As always, let us all look forward to a bright future for Oldfields! I've said it before, but please join me in supporting our determined Head of School David Perfield and his team of hardworking faculty and staff in enabling our School to grow and thrive! Besides donating to The Oldfields Fund, please join our mentoring program, write a class note, host a gathering, contribute to the Magazine, or recommend a future Oldfields girl to the Admissions office. Or better yet, give them all a try! View our Oldfields Alumnae webpage to learn more about ways you can participate.
Take care, be kind, and please support Oldfields every way you can, Lulu Laubenstein '72
Celebrating the New School Year 2020-2021 It's a wrap! Our community has a wonderful reopening experience under our belts, and we are looking forward to the months ahead! Move-in day went incredibly well thanks to our families, who did a great job following our health and safety protocols. A shoutout also goes to the faculty and staff who greeted the girls with smiles, helped move everyone into the dorms, and made all feel at home. However, the real rock stars of Opening Days were the students. Their attitude and energy were fantastic as we all got to know each other better through Advisory meetings, games, and of course, classes!
Dinosaur vs. Dragon Calling all Green Team members! Who knows when the Green Team's dinosaur mascot became a dragon and why? Help us solve the mystery by sharing what you know with Director of Stewardship Anne Finney P'97 at FinneyA@OldfieldsSchool.org or at 443-662-1016.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion DEI Action Plan Update Providing a culture of kindness has always been at the very core of the Oldfields Experience. It is our hope that anyone who sets foot on our campus feels the sense of belonging that we strive to create. We believe kindness is inherent, and love is at the center of all we do. We believe that empathy drives connection, removes judgment, and allows us to recognize one another's perspectives. Our community values individuality and independent thinking and encourages our students to use their voices to enhance the student experience.
This spring, the voices of our former and current students of color, particularly our Black alumnae, taught us that there was much work to be done if we were going to uphold the beliefs and values stated above. Their stories demonstrated that mistakes have been made, and we must do better moving forward. The national outcry against systemic racism that is receiving global recognition and support combined with the lived experiences of our students provided the impetus for the creation of a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Action Plan.
Oldfields Celebrates Founder's Day On September 2, 2020, the School celebrated the founder of Oldfields School, Anna Austen
Green and White Challenge Results And the winner of the 2019-2020 Green and White Oldfields Fund Challenge is… the Green Team!
32 people made the difference!
Don't feel badly, White Team, you won the Green and White Cup again …and there's always next year!
Thanks to each and every one of you who Every gift makes a difference, no matter its size.
Green and White Night is Monday, September 14. Help your team get a head start on the
Fall Athletics Reimagined After-school athletics and activities are in full swing, stretch, and stride! This fall we have a multitude of offerings from which the girls can choose. Whether it is disc golf or meditation, soccer skills or fitness conditioning, each Oldfields student has the opportunity to participate in one of 16 different sports or activities from one week to the next. Activities are held in small group settings, with one coach to every nine (or fewer) students. Proper precautions are taken, such as wearing a specific mask for after-school activities, physical distancing, and frequent sanitizing. Last week's rain didn't stop cross country from a run along the campus loop. Riding lessons were held at the Indoor Arena. The gymnasium was a busy place for push-ups, planks, and two-touch soccer passes. And in our spacious dance studio, a sassy jazz combo was being taught. Stay tuned for more focus on mind, body, and spirit as we move through our third week.
Oldfields Spirit Wear The Oldfields Parent Association has teamed up with Big Dipper Graphics to offer a selection of Oldfields Spirit Wear and wanted to share this opportunity with alumnae, too. Below is a link where you can place your order.
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