Celebrating Senior Families

As we celebrate the Class of 2025 and look toward Commencement, I want to pause and offer my deepest thanks to the families of our graduating Seniors. This milestone belongs not only to the students who will soon walk across the stage but to every parent, guardian, grandparent, and caregiver who helped make their journey possible.

For many of you, this moment has been more than a dozen years in the making. You’ve walked these hallways, sat on the sidelines, stood backstage, and cheered from the crowd. Some of you have been with Colorado Academy since your children were in Pre-K or Kindergarten—13 years of morning drop-offs, after-school pick-ups, school projects, recitals, conferences, and conversations. And many of you have done it not once, but with multiple children. You’ve watched your family grow as part of this community. So many of you have been partners in this place—volunteering your time, sharing your talents, giving generously of yourselves.

We are profoundly grateful.

As I finalize my Commencement remarks, I find myself reflecting not only on the incredible accomplishments of the Class of 2025, but also on the families who have walked alongside them. In this graduating class, there are a number of families bidding farewell to CA as their youngest child crosses the stage. Remarkably, 13 of these parents are alumni themselves—deepening their connection to this community across generations.

These families have become part of the very fabric of Colorado Academy. They’ve chaired committees, led the Parent Association, served on the Board of Trustees, supported the Auction and the Concert, acted as Admission Ambassadors, Grade-Level Leads, and Host Families. They’ve opened their homes, hosted gatherings, stood in the stands at countless games, applauded from the audience at performances, and supported Horizons and other programs that make CA more inclusive and impactful. Their fingerprints are on every corner of this school.

On a personal note, many of these parents welcomed me so warmly when I arrived at CA. A few were even part of the search committee that interviewed me. They’ve shared the story of CA with me, modeled the school’s mission in action, and offered the kind of wisdom and encouragement that only comes from deep, lived experience. 

At the start of the school year, when our Seniors lined up to welcome the Ninth Graders, I saw so many familiar faces in the crowd—parents whose youngest child was now a Senior—and I was struck by the friendships and relationships we’ve built over these years. It brought a deep sense of gratitude, and more than a little nostalgia.

At the same time, I want to acknowledge all of our Senior families—those who were able to participate actively and those whose support may have been less visible. I hope every parent knows this: Being part of the CA community isn’t measured by how many hours you volunteered or how many events you attended. It’s about how you showed up for your child. It’s about the trust you placed in us to walk beside you in the work of raising thoughtful, courageous, and kind young people. Whether your CA journey lasted 13 years or just a few, your presence has mattered. Your support has shaped this class and this school. You’ve modeled what it means to be part of something bigger than ourselves. And in doing so, you’ve created a legacy that will outlast your child’s time here.

What makes Colorado Academy such a special place is not just our outstanding teachers, our beautiful campus, or our rigorous programs—it’s the people. It’s the consistency, and at times the longevity, of so many families who care. Families who show up. Families who say yes when it would be easier to say no. And I hope, as we send off this remarkable class, that other families feel inspired to follow in your footsteps.

We need you. We need your energy, your wisdom, your perspectives, your talents. Whether you’re new to CA or simply entering a new chapter, I hope you’ll see this community as something that grows richer when more people get involved. You don’t have to be here every day to make a difference. Every act of support strengthens the fabric of who we are.

To our Senior families: thank you. Thank you for your trust, your commitment, your belief in this school, and your love for your children. Thank you for the stories, the laughter, the late-night emails, the hard questions, and the heartfelt conversations. You’ve helped us become better educators and better humans.

We will miss you dearly, but you will always be part of the CA family.