After careful consideration and planning, The Hun School officially opened its 107th academic year on Sept. 8th following a virtual convocation.
This year’s convocation was symbolic of the times, held virtually in order to welcome all students, faculty and staff at once, according to information provided by the school.
The following day, the school opened with a blended learning model. Students have been divided into two academic teams: Honorem and Scientiam, each attending classes in person and virtually on alternating days. An all-virtual option is available for those who need or prefer it.
Daily health checks, physical distancing, masks, and a host of health and safety protocols are in place to facilitate a safe return, according to the statement.
What’s new this year?
While masks are required and a one-way traffic pattern has been established in the hallways to ensure physically distanced navigation, the COVID pandemic was not the impetus for every change this academic year, according to the statement.
The school is debuting a number of new programs year, including the Freshman Academy. This four-course, year-long program was designed to provide all ninth graders a foundation at Hun.
“We recognize that our students are coming from all over, whether that means different schools, both public and private, or different countries,” Dayna Gash, ninth grade dean, said in the statement. “The Freshman Academy program helps streamline the experience for our students.”
The program is comprised of four distinct courses: Seminar 9, Health and Wellness, Coding, and either Performing or Visual Arts. Each course is assigned per marking period, and each has a unique and distinct purpose. Seminar 9, a course focused on community building and embedded with cultural competency, and Health and Wellness were offered to freshman students in recent years, but foundational coding and the arts courses are new this year.
Project-based, experiential learning, a hallmark of The Hun School, will be on full display in the coding class, where all ninth grade students will receive an introduction to computer science and learn a coding language. Exposure to the arts and seeing firsthand how they enhance our daily lives is the goal of the Visual and Performing Arts courses.
Though the four-part program is new this year, Seminar 9 is a campus success story.
“The relationships forged between students in Seminar class are strong,” Gash said in the statement. “Those students stay close. In fact, one section last year transformed into a club because the students wanted to remain together once the class was over.”
While Seminar 9’s focus is community, the school’s commitment to building a strong community, both on campus and around the world, is evident in its latest offering: virtual community engagement events. Just last week, students entered the Zoom room to participate in several community engagement events such as “Where in the World?” “Tech Tips for Success,” “Hounds of Hun,” and more, according to the statement.
Fresh-Air Fun
A new intramural program will launch this fall in both the Middle School and Upper School. The Athletic Department is currently assessing interest in Ultimate Frisbee, Walking and Hiking, Intramural Tennis, Beach Volleyball, Yoga and Meditation, Wiffle Ball and Kick Ball, Erging, Non-Competitive Cheering, and Novice Fitness Training. Events will begin next week, most taking place 3:30-4:30 p.m. at the Upper School or 2-3 p.m. in the Middle School each day. All intramural activities are co-educational and earn two points per activity toward their Upper School extracurricular requirement.
By the Numbers
107th Academic Year of The Hun School
186 New Students
126 Members of the Senior Class
46 Middle School Students Transitioned to the Upper School
85 Fully Virtual Students
74 360 degree Owl Pro Smart Cameras
23 Teaching Assistants
3 Teaching Fellows
8 New Private Duty Nurses
7 New Outdoor Classrooms
10 Intramurals Added
500 Meals Packaged and Delivered to 83 On-Campus Locations Daily