News & Events

Dutchess Day School Graduates Eighteen Eighth Graders

On Saturday morning, June 6, amid the flowers of the courtyard garden and surrounded by family, friends, and faculty, eighteen eighth graders graduated from Dutchess Day School. The rains paused and the sun shone as the graduates walked the brick pathway to accept their diploma from Head of School John Cissel and Board President Sarah Stack. A DDS graduation involves weeks of preparation, and the ceremony honors each graduate individually. Each graduating eighth grader receives a book chosen by the faculty to recognize the child’s interests and aspirations. Teachers and advisers write each graduate a citation, which recounts the student’s talents, accomplishments, and experiences. These citations are read aloud at graduation and are glued into the gift books. Mr. Cissel and Mrs. Stack both spoke to the graduates; the former encouraged the students to reach out to the world as they had on a recent trip to Washington, DC, while Mrs. Stack encouraged them to embrace change. Also addressing the graduates was upper school English teacher Laura Roberts, who was chosen by the class to speak. Ms. Roberts reminisced about the many lessons the eighth graders had taught her and encouraged them to return to DDS as they continue their learning. The ceremony included performances by the third-, fourth- and fifth-grade chorus and the sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade chorus, both led by choral director Susan Bialek. The eighth graders closed the ceremony by singing “Come Sail Away,” by Styx. Along with family and friends, all the school’s students from second to seventh grade were in attendance to honor the graduates, seven of whom had attended DDS since kindergarten. The ceremony was followed by a buffet luncheon prepared by school chef Laurie Wilson.