‘Most Importantly, Love Yourself’ – All-School Opening Ceremony Kicks Off 2021-2022 School Year

The entire St. Margaret’s community gathered on Wednesday to usher in a new school year, as the All-School Opening Ceremony welcomed the student body back to campus and set goals for the year ahead.
The entire St. Margaret’s community gathered on Wednesday to usher in a new school year full of anticipation and hope, as the All-School Opening Ceremony welcomed the K-12 student body back to campus and set goals for the year ahead.
 
The Class of 2022 attended the ceremony inside Hurlbut Theater, while the rest of the student body watched remotely from classrooms across campus. 
 
The ceremony featured prayers read by Lower School leaders, a reading by Middle School student council president Jack Klausner an opening address by Upper School ASB president Kate Cruse, who eloquently compared the school community at St. Margaret's over the last 18 months to waves in the ocean. 

"Imagine what the ocean looks like each time a new wave forms. Water pulls back, and as energy passes through it, a wave is created and crashes into the shore. The further the water pulls back, the bigger and stronger the next wave becomes," Kate said. "Now picture this process in terms of our greater school community. We experienced a great pull-back and have had time to reflect and grow as individuals. Now it’s time to come back as a collective whole and create a stronger wave of a community."

The ceremony also included a message from Head of School Will Moseley, who laid out this year’s three school-wide goals aligned with the St. Margaret’s mission of preparing students for lives of learning, leadership and service.
 
The goals are:
  • In learning, leveraging new skills in new ways. “Taking all that we have learned last year and bringing it forward,” Mr. Moseley said.
  • In leadership, continuing to prioritize the health and well-being of all members of the St. Margaret’s community.
  • In service, re-engaging relationships within the St. Margaret’s and local communities.
“So many things have changed since the beginning of the pandemic; yet, the most important things have not changed – our love and care for each other and the way we create community,” Mr. Moseley said.
 
St. Margaret’s is fully enrolled for the 2021-2022 school year, a number that includes:
  • 219 newly enrolled students
  • 185 newly enrolled families
  • 35 newly enrolled students with a current Tartan sibling
  • 8 newly enrolled students who have at least one parent who attended St. Margaret’s
  • 4 newly enrolled sets of twins
  • 8 newly enrolled students coming from out of state
  • 6 newly enrolled students coming from out of the country
The Class of 2022 was celebrated at their final All-School Opening Ceremony, in addition to the Class of 2026 in their final year of Middle School, the Class of 2029 in their final year of Lower School and the Class of 2037 newly enrolled in the Early Childhood School.

In his remarks, Mr. Moseley, quoted Matthew 22:40: Love thy neighbor as thyself, and reminded of the serenity prayer, “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”
 
“You are God’s masterpiece. You were wonderfully created for a purpose,” Mr. Moseley said. “The story of your life matters. You matter! You are loved by God just the way you are.”
 
“Your assignment for this year is to be yourself,” Mr. Moseley concluded. “Share your story, love each other, but most importantly, love yourself. May God bless you and may God bless St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church and School.”

To view the ceremony, click here (password: smes)
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An Independent Preschool Through Grade 12 College-Preparatory Day School in Orange County California

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St. Margaret's Episcopal School does not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, color, religion, sexual orientation or national and ethnic origin in the administration of its educational, admission, financial aid, hiring and athletic policies or in other school-administered programs.