Letter from the Editorial Board – Spring/Summer Issue

With only one week left in May, the end of the 2021-2022 academic year is quickly approaching. For seniors like us, classes have largely ended, and the usual final weeks of senior festivities–field trips, prom, skip day–have begun.

As we reflect on our time at Conard and our final year, several themes stick out, many of which are reflected in this issue's articles.

Perhaps the most poignant lesson of this issue is the need for and capacity for change in the Conard community. Articles in former issues have highlighted the immense tradition at Conard, a point we've seen with the heated mascot debate of this year; the unique culture of our school; and recent developments. Now, as we reflect on a school year almost at its end, articles that discuss crucial topics like support for victims of sexual assault as well as the ongoing "bathroom situation" make important contributions towards improving the school environment. Here at the Courant, we operate from a philosophy that each writer has the ability to effect true change.

In other news at Conard, the selection of a US Presidential Scholar from our senior class, stories from this week's signing day, and the melange of field trips now taking place remind us of the strength of our curriculum and culture, a legacy that our students and writers alike shape with each article. As you read the array of essays in the Spring/Summer issue, we invite you to, like our authors, reflect on the year. Certainly for students, teachers, and staff, this was a trying time. What worked? What didn't? What traditions have we vanquished, and which will become new institutions at our school for decades to come?

Enjoy the issue,

The Conard Courant Editorial Board, 2021-2022