In 2025-26, Wellington marks its largest enrollment in history—750 students! This figure includes record sizes in early childhood (128), lower school (201), and middle school (216). In other promising news, Upper School has tipped back above the 200 mark, opening at 205. Our retention rate from last school year is 93%, which is well above NAIS and OAIS averages. Our acceptance rate dropped by 14%, meaning we had many more qualified applicants than spots available.

All of this is to say that Wellington’s prioritization of small class sizes—and even smaller groups in literacy and math instruction—and our promise to help students find their purpose and realize their potential is resonating! We do all of this in a connected community that champions curiosity, authenticity, ambition, empathy, and responsibility. Families and students expect the best at Wellington, they are finding it, and they are staying for it.

Please join me in giving a warm Wellington welcome to our 121 new students (53 in early childhood, 24 in lower school, 25 in middle school, and 19 in upper school). These outstanding learners will enrich our school community in countless ways. We are so glad they chose Wellington! This year, Wellington is delighted to welcome a distinguished cohort of 17 new faculty, staff, and administrators. The collective passion and experience of these new Jags is already making a difference, fueling the Welly momentum.

Click here to read about our newest faculty and staff members.

And for those returning students and families, welcome back! I am especially excited to usher in the culminating year of 50 outstanding seniors. The Class of 2026 represent the best of Wellington and we are very proud of them. We can’t wait to celebrate their accomplishments during this milestone year in their academic and personal journeys.

Our returning faculty and staff deserve a hearty welcome, too! Being in the orbit of Wellington educators inspires me to no end! Join me in thanking them for their efforts in preparing for the school year and for all they do day in and day out in support of our mission and our students.

Last year in my opening letter, I shared my belief in our collective responsibility as stewards of the School's mission to exercise discipline in deciding what dominates our time, attention, and resources to stay focused on the needs of “tomorrow’s world.” We each have a role in our shared commitment to Wellington’s continued excellence. In that spirit, I want to share with you my set of priorities for 2025-26, developed in partnership with the Board of Trustees. I will report back to you on progress made at the State of the School in February and again at the end of the school year.

The School Handbook is key to our work toward clear and consistent community expectations. Please review this important document for more information about student and family responsibilities, school policies and procedures, and details about our program and services. Thank you for your partnership in promoting and upholding these community expectations.

On August 5, Assistant Head of School for Academics Shelley Brown published a terrific piece about our Wellington way of meeting each student where they are and offering engaging challenges to foster growth. If you have not yet read Shelley’s blog, I highly recommend it as a detailed look at what our Culture of Challenge looks like! Highlights from the blog include updates about our middle school math program now offering three distinct pathways (at-level, accelerated, advanced); sixth graders exploring French, Spanish, and Latin before settling on one to pursue; new Honors Humanities courses launching in the middle and upper school this year; and the introduction of a 5/4 block schedule that extends instructional time and learning opportunities in upper school.

I especially love and echo Shelley’s closing statement: “At Wellington, challenge is something we embrace, not avoid. When students are surrounded by teachers, classmates, and families who believe in their potential, they are more willing to take that next run…whether it’s the bunny hill or the black diamond. Thank you for walking (and riding the lift!) with us. We’re excited for the 2025-26 school year.”

As I shared with current families last week, we have begun our search for Wellington’s next Head of Upper School to start in July 2026. Carney, Sandoe & Associates, a leading independent school search firm, has launched the initial stages of the search, and you will hear more from me soon.

Keeping our students and educators safe remains my top priority. I appreciate your family's patience with our updated carline procedures, which will take a few days to settle in. I also appreciate your patience with our sign-in systems as new families orient themselves to the protocols. This year, parents are invited to secure parent badges from Willie Gage at our front desk in order to skip the need to sign in upon each entry.

Our dedicated school resource officers will continue to be present on campus each day. Their welcoming presence and partnership are essential for the security of our community—and they love getting those fist bumps from our students in the morning. Safety takes all of us, so please stay community-minded and reach out to your division head, COO Lindsey Smith, or me directly if you have any questions or concerns.