Lakeside School

Dear Upper School parents and guardians,

The start of the school year is upon us, and Lakeside educators are already at work getting ready to welcome you and your students to campus next week! 

This letter contains important information about upcoming events and processes that are relevant to your family. Please take time between now and the start of school to read and click through all the links so that you are as informed as possible to start the year. 

There is one particular update that I want to share with you before getting to those other details.

We frequently talk about our strong and tight-knit Lakeside community, where we strive for everyone to feel seen and valued. We know that creating that sense of community requires intentionality and consistent effort. The compassion and empathy that our students and adults show each other are rooted in the connections we make each and every day. At the same time, our world is filled with distractions and temptations that pull our attention away from these authentic connections and learning experiences. It is no secret that cell phones and smart watches contribute to these distractions. 

My guess is that some of you may already have heard about the email that Upper School students received yesterday regarding this school year’s “invisible device policy.” Students will not use their cell phones and/or smart watches during the school day, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:10 p.m., and are expected to store them in their bags or backpacks (not in their pockets). We recognize that many students need their phones when traveling to and from campus or for other after-school activities, so this policy is just for the duration of the school day, but it does include free periods and lunch. Additionally, students will continue to have access to their laptops throughout campus for online academic materials.

We have strong reasons to believe that, after a period of transition, our students will embrace this change. Lakeside Middle School has been successfully device-free since pre-pandemic, with students regularly sharing their appreciation for time away from their devices. Most Upper School classrooms and advisories have been phone-free for years. Lakeside Upper School has a long history of device-free activities, most notably in our outdoor and Global Service Learning trips. Students surveyed about their experiences almost uniformly share how liberating it is to be present in the moment with their peers and not pulled away by their phone. 

Lakeside Upper School students, faculty, staff, and administrators spent significant time considering this decision last year. Groups of faculty and staff used professional development days to explore how an invisible device policy could benefit the entire Lakeside community. In the spring, Lakeside’s Upper School Student Government tested a “no phone zone” during lunch and activity period in our community-focused areas, sharing that “[this experiment] comes from the acknowledgement that most of us have a more dependent relationship with our screens than we might like.”

This fall will be a period of adaptation and change. Lakeside administrators have consulted both local and national peer schools that have implemented similar policies and are confident that our community is ready to take this step. Not unlike how we are approaching artificial intelligence (AI), we want technology to work for us and not against our best interests. We ask students to use AI to enhance and augment their learning, not to shortcut the learning process. Similarly, we want students to use their phones before and after school — and perhaps in class when directed by a teacher — when it is essential for their tasks, but we do not want those devices to erode the relationships that are the foundation of what we do in and out of the classroom every day.

This policy will be included in the family handbook; you can find more detailed information in this FAQ page about the policy and resources about the correlation between screen time and adverse health effects for teens .

We are looking forward to a terrific year with our community: One where we are connected with each other in our learning and in our sense of belonging. Please see our additional updates below.

Course Changes

All Upper School student schedules were made available to students through Veracross on Aug. 15. Students also received an email from Academic Dean Hans de Grys that morning, letting them know that their course schedules are available along with all necessary information about course changes. Please tell your student to check their email if they have any questions.

Ordering books

Information about ordering books for your student’s classes can be found in this article, “How to buy Upper School textbooks through eCampus.com Online Bookstore” which was sent out in the Aug. 13 summer mailing. There is a lot of information in that article, so make sure you read all the way to the end. I also recommend reading “Graphing calculators for Upper School students”; please note that students only need to have one calculator for their math class.

You can find the link to the full Upper School family mailing here.

Sept. 2: Upper School orientation

Each year, Lakeside students from the senior class plan a special welcome for new Upper School students. Our 9th grade and new student orientation program will take place on Tuesday, Sept. 2. The entire 9th-grade class and any students who are new to the Upper School will come to campus from 12-3 p.m. Upper School Assistant Director Jeff Bonar emailed students and families on Aug. 20 with details; you can also find the information here.

Students should check in at Red Square beginning at 11:50 a.m. to meet their advisors, check out their advisory space with their new advisory group, and walk together to St. Nicholas Hall for orientation. Once inside, they’ll meet the senior leaders and learn about afternoon activities. Snacks will be provided, but students should eat lunch beforehand. Parents and guardians of 9th-grade students and those new to Lakeside should also know that they will have a chance to check in with their child’s advisor by the beginning of October. Look for more information in the coming weeks on this important connection point for families.

Sept. 3: First day of school

We look forward to seeing all students — new and returning — for the first day of Upper School on Wednesday, Sept. 3. You can view a schedule for Sept. 3 through Sept. 5 here; you can also find it—and other helpful information—in the announcements box of the parents and guardians webpage.

Grade-level retreats

Lakeside 9th and 12th-grade classes traditionally go on overnight retreats during the first month of school. As I mentioned above, the foundation of our community is built on connections, and we know from experience that students are more willing to take risks and challenge themselves when they feel seen and valued by those around them. These retreats, along with our robust experiential education program, are invaluable opportunities for students to connect with their peers and the adults who serve as resources to them throughout the year.

Seniors use their retreat on Sept. 15-16 to deepen the bonds they have established over the years before beginning their final year at Lakeside. We expect our seniors to use their wisdom and experience in both formal and informal leadership roles on campus, and the retreat helps focus their efforts for the year ahead. 

The 9th-grade retreat takes place on Sept. 29-30. Senior leaders join this retreat to share their experiences and advice with the newest Upper School students. The 9th graders also spend time getting to know each other and their adult advisors, with whom they are paired throughout their time in the Upper School.

Upper School Assistant Director Jeff Bonar will email families soon with details about these retreats.

Connecting with parents and guardians

Thank you for taking the time to carefully review all the contents of the summer mailing before school begins. The family handbook was sent out in today’s Inside Lakeside newsletter and we ask that you set time aside to go through the school’s policies and discuss them with your child.

We also look forward to hopefully seeing you at a few of our upcoming events. Our All-School Party on the Quad is taking place on campus on Thursday, Aug. 28 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. The Upper School’s Back to School Night begins at 6:15 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 25: it’s a great chance to experience a condensed version of your child’s schedule while meeting their teachers. 

Additionally, all parents and guardians who have a child starting the Upper School this year will have two chances to connect with members of the Upper School administrative team. The first is over Zoom through this link (also sent on Monday, Aug. 25) on Wednesday, Aug. 27 at 7 p.m. and again on Monday, Sept. 29 at 8:30 a.m. in St. Nicholas Hall, just after the 9th grade departs on their retreat.

Review the information below about additional events, and watch your email for invitations and additional details, including upcoming webinars for all Upper School parents and guardians.

• Wednesday, Aug. 27, 7-8 p.m.: Class of 2029 Parent and Guardian Orientation Webinar, on Zoom
• Thursday, Aug. 29, 5:30-7:30 p.m.: All-School Party on the Quad, Upper School Quad
• Monday, Sept. 1: Labor Day; No classes
• Tuesday, Sept. 2, 12-1 p.m.: College Counseling Senior Class Meeting, Kent Evans Auditorium 
• Tuesday, Sept. 2, 12-1:15 p.m.: Welcome coffee for Upper School parents/guardians, Wright Community Center
• Tuesday, Sept. 2, 12-3 p.m.: Upper School New Student Orientation, Upper School
• Wednesday, Sept. 3: First Day of School 
• Thursday, Sept. 4, 3:30-4:30 p.m.: College Counseling Senior Class Meeting, Kent Evans Auditorium 
• Saturday, Sept. 6, 9:30-1 p.m.: SALT Leadership Retreat (for students and advisors), Kent Evans Auditorium
• Tuesday, Sept. 9, 7-8:15 p.m.: College Talk for Senior Parents and Guardians, on Zoom
• Friday, Sept. 12: US Course Changes Close
• Monday, Sept. 15-Tuesday, Sept. 16: Senior retreat
• Monday, Sept. 15, 7-8:30 p.m.: Human Development and Health Parent/Guardian Webinar - Topic TBD, on Zoom
• Monday, Sept. 22-Thursday, Sept. 25: Rosh Hashanah
• Thursday, Sept. 25, 8:30-9:45 a.m.: College Talk on Standardized Testing for Parents and Guardians, Fireplace Room; on Zoom
• Thursday, Sept. 25, 6:15-9 p.m.: Upper School Back-to-School Night, various Upper School locations
• Friday, Sept. 26, 3:30-5 p.m.: Fall tailgate and logowear sale, Upper School Quad
• Monday, Sept. 29-Tuesday, Sept. 30: 9th grade retreat
• Monday, Sept. 29, 8:30-9:30 a.m.: New to US Students' Parent/Guardian Meeting with US Administrators, St.Nicholas Hall; on Zoom

Ryan Boccuzzi is Lakeside’s assistant head of school/Upper School director. Reach him at info@lakesideschool.site.