From the earliest days in Peck's history, students were welcomed daily by teachers and administrators. In 1954, Head of School Archer Harmon reinforced a standard that every Peck Head of School would follow: standing outside Lindenwold to greet (usually with a handshake) every single student, underscoring the importance of students feeling seen, known, and valued.

While Peck got its first kitchen with the move to Lindenwold in 1948, the Family Dining Program didn't begin to take shape until the construction of a new building in 1955-56. The building (an auditorium/gymnasium space in use until 2019) provided enough space for the entire school to gather at the same time for assemblies, lunch, and sports.

Tied to our belief in developing a notion of consideration of and for others in all students, Peck began partnering with The Neighborhood House here in Morristown in 1977 for an annual Thanksgiving Food Drive. Today, students partner with more than 40 service-oriented organizations.

Outdoor education experiences have been a significant and memorable part of the Peck experience since 1978. Upper School students still begin each fall with advisory trips to YMCA camps across the state.

Kairos, a Greek word for timeless or extraordinary moments, signifies time beyond measure. In fall 2003, guest speaker Peter Cobb introduced the idea of "kairos" to students, families, and teachers during an InDeCoRe character education assembly. Later that year, Peck implemented its first Kairos Night, with no homework assigned to facilitate family time for students.  Today, our community enjoys three Kairos Nights per year, which include a focus on core values during the day, reduction of technology use, mindfulness lessons, and no homework. On Kairos, families are encouraged to power down and spend quality time together.

One of the unique joys of a K-8 school is the number of family events held each year. Since 1893, the school has welcomed grandparents to campus for a day of classroom visits. Downy-Redhead Day began in the 1950s, students have been showcasing their vocal talents at "The Sing" since 1961, and we’ve been celebrating World Cultures since the early 2000s.

Recognizing individual students for their efforts, contributions, and behaviors has long been a hallmark of a Peck education.  A few ways these prominently take place are:

• IROs or "In Recognition of" statements acknowledge the unique gifts, talents, and contributions of individual students. It has been a Peck tradition for faculty to write an IRO for each student since Head of School Rudy Deetjen began the practice in 1977.
• Bound Books, a professionally-bound collection of students' best work, showcases their growth throughout their time at Peck.  Bound Books have been given at the end of each school year for decades.
• Job Well Done tickets and recognitions at assemblies, linked to our yearlong Downy-Redhead competition, began in 2019 as a way to recognize the "every day" actions and effort involved in living our core values.