High school hopes to hold all classes on campus, splitting students into two groups
Following parent responses, head of school Lee Thomsen and the High School Task Force, led by head of high school Brooke Wells, adjusted the return-to-school p...
Editors’ Picks
As Black Lives Matter protests plateau, Country Day students, teachers grapple with social advocacy
Public discussion on race and criminal justice issues has steadily increased since the death of George Floyd in police custody on May 25. Over this past month,...
Most memorable moments in sports
Coaches, players comment on 2019-20 season highlights. Originally published in the May 26 edition of the Octagon. ...
Counselors fight pressure to apply to ‘trophy schools’
Every fall, Country Day seniors begin applying to colleges, many with high hopes of acceptance into highly selective schools. Associate director of co...
ZOOMING AWAY: Releasing the elephant from the newsroom
This story marks the end of about 1,000 hours poured into the Octagon this year. That’s an average of 27 hours per week! Between attending paste-ups, electi...
How electives adapted to online learning
While electives have made adjustments due to remote learning, some were affected more than others. Music, P.E. and art rely on interactions and on-cam...
Former Country Day Spanish teacher rises to Episcopal bishop on learning odyssey that began in Costa Rica, Peru
Rev. Lucinda Ashby kneels in front of the archbishop in St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Saratoga. Priests gather around her as the audience sings a hymn. Ther...
High school students and teachers adjust to unprecedented switch as school implements virtual instruction
On March 16, head of high school Brooke Wells announced in an email to high school parents and students that, beginning March 18, the school would conduct asyn...
Senior returns to her home in Netherlands, encounters its ‘intelligent’ lockdown
When rumors about flight cancellations and travel restrictions began, a quandary arose for many international students, including me. Should I stay, separated ...
COVID-19 pandemic takes major toll on parent health care workers
Pete Gemmell figures his chances of dying as an emergency room doctor during the coronavirus pandemic are 1 in 200. “I’m willing to take that chance,” said ...