2025 First Day of School a Reminder of Core Values

On the first day of the 2025-2026 school year at Colorado Academy, August 20, Head of School Dr. Mike Davis asked Kindergartners in the audience at the opening All-School Assembly what they are most looking forward to in the coming year at CA. “Playing with friends,” “doing math,” and “reading,” the students said into the microphone Dr. Davis held out to them.

 

 

When one final Kindergartner declared, “This year, I want to help make this community bigger and nicer,” cheering broke out among the thousand-plus students, teachers, and staff members spread across the West Lawn of Welborn House, and Dr. Davis declared, “That’s a mic-drop moment!”

 

 

It was a perfect statement on the first day of school at CA, where earlier the Seniors of the Class of 2026 had welcomed Ninth Graders in the Class of 2029 to the Upper School with a dinosaur-themed celebration; where Middle School Principal Nick Malick had manned the doors to his division and reassured nervous new students and families; where coaches and physical education instructors had high-fived Lower Schoolers as they came down the steps of their school buses; and where parents and guardians had held their own welcome with the Parent Association’s Get Involved Fair.

 

 

 

 

 

In his opening remarks, Dr. Davis continued by referring to Jim Valvano, the legendary basketball coach from North Carolina State, who in 1993 delivered one of the most powerful speeches in sports history just a few weeks before he died of cancer. Valvano, Dr. Davis related, stated, “To me, there are three things we all should do every day. Number one is laugh. You should laugh every day. Number two is think. You should spend some time in thought. Number three is you should have your emotions moved to tears—could be happiness or joy. But think about it. If you laugh, you think, and you cry, that’s a full day. That’s a heck of a day.”

 

 

Explained Dr. Davis, “I think Valvano’s words are a great guide for anyone, and I hope this year that we all get to laugh, think, and allow ourselves to be moved by the people around us.”

 

 

“But,” he went on, “these things don’t happen by themselves. They happen because of the extraordinary dedication of our faculty and staff and our commitment to our mission.”

 

 

“Let’s remember these core qualities each day: Being curious means asking, ‘What if?’ or ‘Why not?’ instead of merely ‘What?’ It means approaching each subject with wonder and each challenge as an opportunity to learn something new.”

 

 

“Being kind means creating an inclusive community where we value the complexity of our society, including the richness of each individual’s ideas, identities, backgrounds, orientations, expressions, abilities, and inspirations.”

 

 

“And being courageous means taking intellectual risks and standing up for what is right.”

 

 

“I want to challenge you all to embrace these qualities fully this year. Even during the hard moments, know that there are people around you who are there to support you and lift you up.”

 

 

Dr. Davis gave his traditional shoutout to every member of the Senior class, and then brought the assembly to a close: “Go Mustangs!”

 

 

More Photos from the All-School Opening Assembly   First Day in the Lower School   First Day in the Middle School   First Day in the Upper School   Class of 2026 Welcomes the Class of 2029