Students return for Groton School’s 2023–24 academic year

Groton School opened its 139th academic year with new student orientation, Convocation, and resumption of classes.

The new year started much like last year ended: without the cooperation of Mother Nature. But, as with Prize Day in June, the Groton community’s spirit and camaraderie overcame any glitches in the weather.

Students began to return to campus on September 6, as fall athletes and students involved in the fall theater production started their preseason camp. New students and their parents arrived on Saturday for orientation, a barbecue lunch, and a meeting with Headmaster Temba Maqubela. By Sunday, all students—old and new—were on the Circle for their first all-school gathering at Convocation in St. John’s Chapel.

After an opening prayer, English Department Head and Dean of Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging Sravani Sen-Das addressed the audience, saying it was “a joy to embrace new students."

“The Circle is small and beautiful,” she told them, “but also an expansive universe and community.”

Dean of Admission and Financial Aid Ian Gracey was next, sharing a story from his home on the coast of Maine, where there’s often more rock than sand. He explained that, in some pockets along the shore, you can find some stones shaped over centuries of wind and tide, before producing two that the elements had worked on until they were amazingly smooth and round. 

“We affect each other much in the same way through our self awareness and thoughtfulness,” he said. “So let’s get started on that.”

Mr. Maqubela challenged the student body to “show up,” as he often praises the school’s alumni for doing. 

“Show up at Chapel, sit-down dinners, check-in, Parlor, roll call, and of course, show up on time for class,” he said. “Show up for your teammates, in theater productions, art studios, music recitals. Just show up.”

Successfully doing so, Mr. Maqubela said, involves participating passionately in the Groton community; embracing tradition while upholding humility, intentionality, and purpose; making an impact by being thoughtful; and performing simple acts of kindness such as greeting each other when our paths cross.  

“All of us are on borrowed time and merely passing through this place,” said Mr. Maqubela. “You sit where those before you did for 138 years, where some of your parents and relatives sat, and yes, where even a famous U.S. president once sat. They all played their part and paid it forward for you. 

“Play your part by being impatient for inclusion. Show them how we roll at Groton,” he added, before sending the students out into their new year. “Go forth, neighborly neighbors. Show up and make an impact by a simple act of saying hello!”

Originally scheduled to follow Convocation on Sunday evening, the school’s flag procession was postponed to after Tuesday's chapel service due to rain. But a freak storm Monday afternoon dumped eight more inches of rain on Groton, flooding most of campus and forcing another postponement. After even more rain was forecast for Thursday, a Friday morning date was finally settled upon. It was cool, but clear, allowing students to make their long-awaited walk around the Circle to the Schoolhouse, where the flags were placed on display around the Sackett Forum. 

This now traditional parade was once again a concrete display of one of the schools core values, globalism. Including the Groton flag there were fifty flags in total, the largest in the event’s six-year history: Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Ethiopia, France, Ghana, Greece, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Japan, Kenya, Kuwait, Mexico, Nepal, Netherlands, Nigeria, North Korea, Norway, Palestine, Panama, Peru, Poland, Senegal, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, South Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Thailand, Trinidad & Tobago, Turkey, Ukraine, Uganda, United Kingdom, and the United States.