The Wellington School community gathered in Gard Gym on Wednesday, August 27, for The Leap, the annual convocation that officially launches the academic year. From prekindergarten through grade 12, students, faculty, and staff came together to celebrate the start of Wellington’s 43rd year and the largest student body in school history.
Student Body President Zaki Djafi ’26 opened with a reflection on how quickly time at Wellington passes. “It is impossible for you to be a nobody here,” said Djafi. “Your presence and personality really matter. Talk to that person you want to be friends with, join that club, go to that game. Let’s make this our best year yet.”
Head of School Eliza McLaren welcomed 124 new students and recognized the Class of 2026 as leaders of the year ahead. She reminded the community of Wellington’s founding vision of creating a school where children love learning and teachers love teaching. “That vision continues to inspire Wellington as a joyful, ambitious, and essential school that helps students discover their purpose and realize their potential for tomorrow’s world,” she said.
Ms. McLaren also introduced this year’s theme: a culture of challenge. “Raising the bar at Wellington does not stop with grades and test scores,” she said. “We challenge ourselves in kindness, creativity, teamwork, and perseverance. It means trying something new, asking bold questions, cheering for one another, and being proud of the effort, not just the outcome. And the most important part is this: we do it together.”
To symbolize that commitment, Ms. McLaren and the senior class launched a new tradition. The first senior alphabetically rang a bell to open the year, signaling the youngest Jaguars to enter the gym. As Little Jags and prekindergarten students walked in, the entire school waved in silence, the only moment all divisions will share one space this year, capturing the strength of Wellington’s community across ages.
Division heads built on the theme of challenge, showing how it evolves as students grow. In early childhood and lower school, challenge appears in first attempts like tying shoelaces, learning an instrument, or working together on a project.
In middle school, it means moving into the “challenge zone,” where true growth happens. Students dissect crayfish, tackle math problems, audition for a play, or run hundreds of miles in cross country.
In the upper school, challenge deepens with rigorous academics, leadership roles, athletics, and the arts, preparing students to dream big and step confidently into the future.
Students also shared their own perspectives. Emma Lumley ’30 spoke about the middle school house system: “Every one of us has someone who supports us and challenges us to be great, both for ourselves and for a better Wellington community.”
Lower school leaders Charlie Buck ’34 and Kai Patel ’34 closed the ceremony by representing 4th grade leadership. Their presence underscored the spirit of belonging and responsibility that carries through every division.
The Leap set a joyful and ambitious tone for 2025-26, underscoring Wellington’s values of curiosity, responsibility, and academic excellence, and uniting the school’s largest-ever student body in a shared commitment to growth in a culture of challenge.