“The Creek is Beautiful!” Indian Creek Launches 2025–26 School Year with Convocation Ceremony
On Thursday, September 4, the entire Indian Creek School student and faculty body, over 700 strong, gathered to officially open the 2025–26 school year at the annual Convocation Ceremony.
Head of School Booth Kyle opened the event by welcoming the community and leading a round of applause for the 114 new students and 11 new faculty and staff members. After sharing some fun facts about the wide array of backgrounds and interests of these new members of the Creek community, he proceeded to emphasize the school’s commitment to student wellness, stating, “I want you all to hear what is important to me: Your well-being is our priority.”
Mr. Kyle continued to encourage students, emphasizing his hope that everyone feels supported and able to thrive in the immersive learning experience., before concluding his remarks with a message of encouragement: “It is my great pleasure to declare that the 2025-26 school year has begun. Let’s make it a great year.”
The ceremony continued with the Upper School solo choir performance of the National Anthem, followed by a celebratory musical selection directed by Jill Woodward, Director of Performing Arts.
Middle School students Emily ’30, Hadley ’32, Noah ’31, Lexi ’30, and Carter ’30—shared reflections on how Indian Creek’s signature “immersive learning” focus distinguishes their school experience. Lexi invited the audience to consider a thoughtful question: “How can immersive learning help us discover joy, build connections, and support our well-being at school and beyond?”
Upper School Student Government Association President Norah Young ’26 then began her speech by reciting the school’s vision statement. She encouraged the community to turn words into action, saying, “We can talk about being kind and caring for ourselves and others, but to keep that vision statement in reality, we have to follow our conversations with action.” She closed with a powerful reminder to leave with: “Together, we can continue to make Indian Creek the kind of community where even when life isn’t kind, we are.”
Performing Arts teacher AJ Jones ’17 then led the fourth and fifth grade students in singing the ICS spirit song, inviting the entire audience to join in school spirit.
To close the ceremony, Interim Dean of Community and Well-Being Danny Haley shared a reflection inspired by the children’s TV show Bluey, referencing the episode “The Creek.” Drawing a parallel to the Indian Creek experience, he encouraged students to embrace new and uncertain experiences, recognizing that growth often comes from stepping outside of what’s familiar. Mr. Haley ended the assembly with a poignant message: “Let’s make this a year to be proud of because truly, the Creek is beautiful.”
Indian Creek School
Indian Creek school is a co-educational, college preparatory independent school, located in Crownsville, Maryland. Students in Pre-K3 through grade 12 receive a vibrant educational experience based on excellent academics steeped in strong student-teacher connections.
