News

The spirit of Oldfields was in the air at the Fall 2020 Awards Ceremony on February 15 as students spread out across the gymnasium floor waving green and white pom poms.  The celebration had been delayed for a variety of reasons, but that did not diminish the enthusiasm as we finally gathered to honor the academic and athletic achievements of the students. Everyone was included, as remote students and faculty joined via Zoom. Faculty children held up cardboard headshots of the students who couldn’t be present to receive their award. Since we were in a celebratory mood, we took the opportunity to hold our mid-year Green and White Ceremony as well, welcoming our 12 new students to their respective teams. Having so many of us together in the same space felt both familiar and wonderful!

From her corner office on the first floor of Rodney Academic Building, Mrs. Thompson greets both students and faculty each day. She refers to her office as the “science wing snack stop”  since girls frequent her office often during the mid-morning break. Mrs. Thompson loves the feel of a community like Oldfields—one where you support one another as neighbors and individuals.

On January 20, Oldfields campus was brimming with hope and excitement as the country watched Kamala Harris take the oath of office as the first Black, South-Asian female Vice President. Alongside Kamala, women were making history on so many levels. Amanda Gorman, the youngest female inaugural poet, captivated our community and country with her words, power, and poise. 

During our first Monday back on campus, Oldfields community members came together for a day of activities, discussion, and service projects to honor the work and life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

As always, the health and safety of our community is our top priority. Therefore, we must pay close attention to our school culture as it directly affects the emotional and physical safety of our community members. Oldfields should always be a place that feels warm, welcoming, respectful, accepting, and inclusive of all who step foot on campus. This spring, the voices of our alumnae helped us understand—more so than ever before—how this has not always been the case for all students at Oldfields, and particularly not for many students of color.

Performers use the term “triple threat” to refer to someone who excels at all three disciplines: singing, acting and dancing. Here at Oldfields, one could consider Arts Chair Carrie Hammond another type of triple threat. Teaching, advising, and raising her two young boys, Ms. Hammond weaves her work and life together effortlessly, like ribbons on a pointe shoe.

History teacher Kate Wyvill’s classroom is a calming space, lit by strands of twinkle lights and decorated with world maps. A classroom that reflects its students, the walls are adorned with favorite quotes made by the girls, a birthday chart, and colorful student artwork. Kate shared, “I want my students to have some ownership of this space. This is a space they can bring their whole self into.”

My favorite part of Mr. Shelton’s class is the interactive learning. We never know what we are going to be doing. He always has fun demonstrations that connect what we are learning to the real world. Mr. Shelton’s teaching is one-on-one, making sure everyone is on track. He is energetic and engaging with the students!    – Madi '22

Our beloved Oldfields tradition, Green and White Night, was held this year on a perfect, crisp September evening. Like always, returning students adorned themselves in bright team colors and costumes and decorated the venue with streamers, balloons, and posters, while new students and faculty practiced the School song and studied Oldfields’ history in anticipation of the ceremony. Everyone gathered on the Commons Lawn for the first full-community dinner of the year to kick off the evening. 

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 all of you, 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!

This is a moment to reflect carefully on the norms, practices, and behaviors that occur at Oldfields and the role we all must play to ensure that we create a true sense of belonging for all of our students—and particularly for our BIPOC students.

On June 26,  Head of School David G. Perfield announced in a letter to families that all students would be welcomed back to campus on August 22. Since early spring, the School has been leveraging external expertise and evolving guidance from local and national authorities to develop health and safety protocols designed to protect the overall well-being of both residential and non-residential students and employees. This remains the highest priority.

Oldfields is committed to doing our part to address the systemic racial injustice that has long gripped our nation. We join together with our students, families, and alumnae of color, particularly our Black community, both on and off our campus, as the nation continues to fight racial injustice. We are committed to working as a community to educate ourselves, better our understanding, and lead change.