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An independent day school educating students PreK-Grade 12

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DEIB In Action

Learn about how we integrate DEIB within our every area of the King School experience. 

Celebrating Community at HoliFest 2023

King School hosted a tent at the India Cultural Center's (ICC) HoliFest 2023. More than ten King families attended Holi, a Hindu festival welcoming spring and celebrating the triumph of good over evil. Gorgeous pastels saturated Roger Sherman Baldwin Park in Greenwich on Saturday, May 6, as crowds turned out to commemorate the Hindu festival by throwing colored powders into the air.

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Prestigious Global Recognition for Global Ed Curriculum

Three King School teachers have earned prestigious Global Expression and Thought (GET) prizes from a leading organization for best practices in global education for K-12 schools.

Teachers Aman Samra and Emily Decker collaborated on the vision and content for their Grade 2 Geometry unit. Ran LaPolla collaborated with alum Mimi White ’20 for the Upper School Themes in Global Art lesson. Both submissions were rooted in authentic experiences, meaningfully connecting the students' lives to the world around them.

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Pride In Our Community

Students, faculty, and staff enjoyed a Day of Action hosted by the Gender and Sexuality Awareness Club (GSA) in King’s Upper School. Community members gathered during the FLEX period for activities and speeches focused on promoting acceptance and a greater understanding of issues relevant to trans youth. 

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An Affinity for Belonging

Members of the middle school affinity group, Students of Color at King (SOCK), enjoyed food, games, and bonding with upper school students from the Black Student Union (BSU), Hispanic and Latin American Affinity Group, and the Asian American and Pacific Islander Affinity Group (AAPI) over lunch on Wednesday, April 13. Led by faculty advisors, the cross-divisional gathering inspired conversation and camaraderie in a welcoming setting.

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King School Attends Student Diversity Leadership Conference

Eight members of the King community attended the Connecticut Association of Independent Schools (CAIS) Commission on Diversity’s Student Diversity Leadership Conference on April 2 at Hopkins School. The event brought independent schools across the state together to foster cross-cultural understanding and take action to improve the school communities regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion.

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Celebrating Black History

Special presentations, discussions, and lessons during Black History Month gave students a deeper insight into the rich history and culture of Black Americans. Celebrating the diverse perspectives and experiences that have shaped our society reinforced King’s values of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging on a community and personal level.

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Students Learn About the Divine Nine as Black History Month Gets Underway

Upper school students learned about African-American fraternities and sororities known as the Divine Nine and about Stepping, a percussive dance traditionally performed by members of those social organizations. Director of Marketing Lakeya Graves delivered the King Talk on Tuesday, February 7, in the Performing Arts Center, coinciding with the start of the annual observance of Black History Month. 

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King Celebrates the Lunar New Year

The Lunar New Year flooded King School with red and gold and traditional decorations. The holiday, one of the most important celebrations of the year among East and Southeast Asian cultures, marks the first days of spring in the lunar calendar and serves as an opportunity to celebrate new beginnings. Students sampled traditional foods, presentations, and performances. 

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King School Celebrates Martin Luther King Jr.

King School’s commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging permeates every aspect of the school’s community, especially in January. At King, celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. spans the entire month as students across the divisions research his life, examine his impact, and recognize the power of his example. The school’s hallways bare his quotes, lessons explore his vision, and conversations echo his dreams.

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King Hosts Award-Winning Authors for Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month

Award-winning authors Veera Hiranandani, Sheela Chari, and Sayantani DasGupta have a few things in common – their Indian heritage, their love of writing, and motherhood. The authors have known each other for over 10 years and have developed a special friendship that offers advice, encouragement, and support in their accomplished careers as Indian-American authors. “It was enlightening to see how their diverse identities have influenced their writing as authors. With this event, we are continuing to provide experiences that seek to educate, engage, and empower students with new perspectives,” said Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Dr. Clyde Beverly III, who organized the event on May 11 in partnership with the Indian Cultural Center (ICC) in celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month. 

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King School Takes Action on National Day of Silence

April 22, marks the annual Day of Silence, led by the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), to raise awareness about the discrimination and harassment LGBTQ+ students face in schools. The Day of Silence has been held each year in April since 1996.

King School observed the day as a Day of Action with optional student-led initiatives to celebrate and support members of the LGBTQ+ community. The Gender and Sexuality Awareness (GSA) Club in King’s Upper School organized a gathering to mark the occasion. Students also participated by wearing pronouns pins, rainbow stickers, and colorful clothing. “Here at King, part of our values is that individuals are able to be seen as their authentic selves,” said Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Dr.Clyde Beverly III. 

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King School Partners with American School of Warsaw to Learn About the Russia-Ukraine Conflict

When the Russian forces invaded Ukraine at the end of February, upper school students Anabelle Creveling ’22 and Meredith Joo ’23 sprung into action. They started to network, searching for ways to connect with those directly affected by the attacks.

Together they learned that history teacher Lindsey Rossler had a friend and colleague at the American School of Warsaw. Poland, which is adjacent to Ukraine, has welcomed the largest number of Ukrainian refugees since the onset of the conflict.

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El Sistema Music Residency Jams to New Melodies

The seventh annual music residency, El Sistema, returned to King School in person this year with a powerful new sound. Talented student musicians from King’s Middle and Upper Schools collaborated with seven El Sistema USA music programs from New York, New Jersey, Maryland, and Connecticut. The collaboration resulted in an original composition that premiered at a community concert to showcase the learning and partnership that took place over the weekend. The overarching focus of the residency is to inspire a connection between communities of different socioeconomic backgrounds, using music ensembles to encourage deeper communication among its participants.  

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Service Learning STEM Project Connects Students With Learners Abroad

King School’s sixth grade students revved their engines as they built custom-designed Lego cars for students in Peru and Costa Rica. The design process included competition, as students raced against one another, using balloons to propel the cars forward. After perfecting their designs, the students disassembled the cars, carefully packaged them up, and sent them off to fellow students in Peru and Costa Rica. The collaboration is part of King’s partnership with the Orphaned Starfish Foundation (OSF). 

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Exhibit Transports Lower School to Ancient Egypt

Journey back to ancient Egypt with an exhibit curated by fifth grade students at King. The exhibition features Egyptian hieroglyphics, King Tut’s tomb, an informational display of the Nile River, pyramids, mummies, and more. Over the past few weeks, the class has explored the ancient culture and developed projects that best demonstrate their interest.

“I wanted to study sports because that’s something that I’m interested in,” said Paxton Freeman ’29. “I wondered about what types of activities the Egyptians used to do for fun and started researching sports that were around back then. That led me to archery.” Inspired, Paxton made a target, an arrow, and a crossbow out of cardboard box and wood for his project.

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King Celebrates Expressions of Excellence and Joy of the African Diaspora with Special Guests

Throughout the month of February, as King celebrates Black History Month, a host of interesting guests have visited campus to share their unique stories with students. The Middle and Upper Schools welcomed Geiszel and Manual Godoy, owners of Black Sands Entertainment. The Lower School hosted Danielle Robinson, niece of prominent singer and record label executive Sylvia Robinson, and Rochelle Ballantyne, slated to become the first female African American chess master. Each visit contributed its unique perspective to the school’s theme for Black History Month, “Expressions of Excellence and Joy of the African Diaspora.” 

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Sixth Grade Students Debate Controversial Environmental Topics

Sixth grade students faced off in a series of animated debates about climate change and the use of plastic water bottles during their earth science classes. The students were assessed during the exercise, which served as an alternative to traditional testing. “The debate capped off our controversial environmental topics unit,” said associate middle school teacher Katie O’Connor. “We started the unit discussing a variety of environmental issues, including what they are, how our lives are impacted, and what our role may or may not be. We spent a lot of time talking about how people might have different opinions about environmental issues, which led to the debate.”

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Students Become Diplomats for World War I Alliance Simulation

During a lively simulation, Grade 8 students at King School re-enacted alliances and negotiations that developed between countries at the onset of World War I. The students began the role-playing activity with a think-pair-share exercise that encouraged students to reflect on what they learned about war, connect ideas, and discuss questions that stimulate curiosity and critical thinking on the subject. What is war? Why do countries go to war? Is war justified?

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Black History Month at King: Expressions of Excellence and Joy of the African Diaspora

King School is kicking off Black History Month under the unified theme “Expressions of Excellence and Joy of the African Diaspora.” King’s Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Dr. Clyde Beverly III announced the theme to upper school students at a King Talk on January 31. “This year, we’re using a theme to guide us in moving away from talking only about the negative. Yes, those things are real and factual, but there’s a lot more that has happened that wasn’t always taught,” said Beverly. 

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Middle School Jewish Student Union Observes International Holocaust Remembrance Day

The Jewish Student Union is an affinity group in King’s Middle School designated as a safe space for students who identify as Jewish to discuss matters related to pride in their ethno-religious identity. The students met on Friday, January 28, just one day after International Holocaust Remembrance Day, to discuss its impact on the world at large. The discussion was led by the group's advisors, history teacher Kenneth Lewis and Associate Head of Middle School Ben Magidson, both of whom also identify as Jewish. 

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Juana Martinez-Neal Visits King for Author Visit Day

For Juana Martinez-Neal, being a children’s book author and illustrator is about more than just creating colorful imagery – it’s about telling a story. During her visit to King’s Lower School, Martinez-Neal shared a presentation that painted a picture of life growing up in Peru and how her upbringing and culture have influenced her interests and career path as an author and illustrator. Using paintings and drawings that spanned her career, Martinez-Neal shared the progression of her experience with various art mediums to tell her own story. 

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King School Recognizes the Life and Work of Dr.Martin Luther King Jr.

This year, King School observed Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day with programming that explored the principles that build and strengthen a community. “Our youngest students learned about the importance of being an upstander and a good friend, while our older students deeply examined King School’s commitment to diversity as an essential element in the school's goal to prepare students to be true citizens of the world. Our entire student body was engaged in this work,” said King’s Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Dr. Clyde Beverly.

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Global Scholars Explore Geography Around the World

Using the SQ3R study method of surveying, questioning, reading, reciting, and reviewing, sixth grade students explored the geography of regions around the world. This five-step process is designed to encourage understanding of a text by engaging the reader throughout the research process. Under the guidance of history teacher Dana Karin, the students studied Africa, Latin America, Monsoon Asia, and Southwest and Central Asia and then designed a poster to present their research. 

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King Embraces Diversity at National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) Conferences

Students, faculty, staff, and administrators from all over the country came together for this year’s People of Color Conference (PoCC) and Student Diversity Leadership Conference. The conferences, hosted by the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), were held online from November 29 to December 3, providing a virtual format of seminars, workshops, and affinity groups for its participants. Dr. Clyde Beverly III, who joined King School in July as the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, reported that over 30 members of the King community participated in the conferences. “If we are to truly be an inclusive, welcoming, and respectful community, it is critical that our students, staff, and teachers engage in learning opportunities such as these,” said Beverly.

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What Does Activism Look Like?

From climate change to education reform, eighth grade students at King School are exploring the role of rights and resistance for political or social change through activism. English teacher Stephanie Hoos and history teacher Kenneth Lewis paired up to propose the essential question, “What does activism look like?” The two teachers put together a list of over 80 activists under the age of 25 for the students to research. 

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Middle School Conducts a Kindness Campaign

Kindness is central at King, so when a few students found a pocket of free time after school, it was recognized as an opportunity, and “Give Back Tuesday'' was born. “We thought of community-based partnerships and a way that would really reach home during the holiday season,” said Ben Magidson, Associate Head of Middle School and Middle School Dean of Student Life. Magidson began working with members of the community to spearhead the initiative.

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King School Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month

Hispanic Heritage Month is an annual celebration that recognizes the contributions and influence of Hispanic Americans to the history, culture, and achievements of the United States. To commemorate the occasion, which spans from September 15 to October 15, King School students immersed themselves in learning-by-doing research, delivering presentations, reading books, listening to music, and watching films on Hispanic culture. 

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Upper School Student Selected to Participate in Virtual Summit for Global Citizens Initiative
 

This summer, King student Tucker Pedersen ’22 was selected to join the first-ever Global Citizens Initiative LEAD Challenge. The virtual summit, which took place from July 26-31, brought together secondary school students from all over the world to learn about leadership, ethics, advocacy, and design thinking. Tucker’s participation in the challenge qualified King School, a member of the Global Citizens Initiative, to become one of 30 schools worldwide to be represented at the summit. 

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