Convocation on Bell Hill

Suffield’s 2021-2022 academic year officially began with a Convocation ceremony on September 10, 2021. It was held on Bell Hill on a beautiful sunny morning.

Head of School Charlie Cahn welcomed students and introduced Suffield’s 12 new faculty members. Student Council President Giselle Ciriaco ’22 then gave an excellent talk highlighting the remarkable opportunities that exist at Suffield Academy and how each student is cherished and valued. Giselle also emphasized the importance of mental health and students using the many resources available on campus.

Dean of Academics & Faculty Sara Yeager highlighted Suffield’s 2021-2022 school theme of hope, referring to her love of the Olympics and how the games are a great symbol of hope. She said, “Hope is an optimistic state of mind based on the expectation of good things to come. It helps us define what we want in our future and aides in our ability to stay calm and peaceful during challenging times. To have hope is to want an outcome that makes your life better in some way. It is part of the dreams about our lives we have running in our heads.” Sara closed by saying, “Look around and be inspired by the beauty and amazement of our campus. Dream big, believe in hope, keep trying, always do the right thing (and you know what that is), and you’ll have an amazing year.”

In concluding the Convocation, Head of School Charlie Cahn reaffirmed Suffield Academy’s mission and purpose. He said, “Our core values are unwavering and non-negotiable: respect for others, hard work, honor and discipline in our behavior, and kindness. Suffield’s essence—our foundation—rests on community members being kind and supportive. Our school brings together people of different backgrounds and life experiences and some key shared goals. It is all here: wonderful spaces for learning and living, and students and teachers who are fiercely proud to be at this specific school. We have learned so much from the challenges of COVID-19, especially to cherish every moment we are together.” 

The event was an uplifting, warm way to begin the new school year.