News and Media
Celebrating the Class of 2024
When students end their fourth-grade year at Peck—the culmination of their Lower School experience—what awaits them in the next school year is entrance to the Upper School, where they will begin their journey as inquisitive fifth graders. They look forward to exploring new passions and routines, diving deeper into new subjects, and taking on new leadership opportunities. It’s a significant milestone, and one that is traditionally celebrated at Peck with the Robin Ross Ceremony.
The Robin Ross Ceremony celebrates the fourth grade’s Lower School experience, particularly their growth within Peck’s character education program, and welcomes them to the fifth grade. Typically celebrated at the end of the fourth-grade year, it acts as a moving up ceremony for the class.
This past spring had other plans for the Class of 2024, however, as the global COVID-19 health crisis forced Peck to reschedule and re-imagine the class’ Robin Ross Ceremony in a physically-distanced setting. Nevertheless, the spirit of this long-standing tradition still shone through: of recognizing each child personally, and of celebrating a meaningful moment together.
“The teachers and I have seen you grow not only in maturity, but also in your commitment to, and love of, learning,” said Head of the Lower School Nina Sharma, as she addressed the Class of 2024. “We look forward to watching your progress over the next four years at Peck, as you assume even more significant leadership roles in the Upper School.”
The October 7 ceremony was held outdoors on Peck’s expansive Parents Association Quad. With historic Lindenwold as a backdrop, students each received a commemorative book, Pay It Forward by Catherine Ryan Hyde, as well as their “bound book” (another Peck tradition) of their projects, drawings, and writings preserved as a record of their work throughout the year.
The recipients of three traditional Robin Ross student awards (presented virtually during the Lower School Spectrum assembly at the end of last year) were also acknowledged: John Aiello and Heidi Lüer for The Sheila S. Slutsker Lower School Creative Arts Award, Hadley Baker and Stone Steenburg for the Andy Gaffney Lower School Sportsmanship award, and Christopher Birrittella for the John J. Kowalik Lower School InDeCoRe Award.
At the end of the ceremony, Head of the Upper School Sadie Albertyn formally welcomed the Class of 2024 to the Upper School, challenging them to adopt three goals moving forward: to discover new passions, to turn self-advocacy into a superpower, and to ‘fail forward.’
“You have already proven yourself to be stellar fifth graders, she said. “So be brave, take risks, and allow for the unexpected. The Upper School at Peck is the perfect place for you to achieve each and every one of these goals yourself, and in your own way.”
Congratulations, Class of 2024!
THE PECK SCHOOL
247 South Street | Morristown, NJ 07960973-539-8660
Northern New Jersey's timeless and transformative co-ed independent elementary and middle school education for grades K-8.
The Peck School admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.