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Dear Reader, “Student journalists have an inherent obligation in decision making to consider the heritage of their news medium, the values of the school community,…and best interests of readers/listeners/viewers.” National Scholastic Press Association Model Code of Ethics Journalism’s core is the constant scrutiny of ethical dilemmas. What is journalistic integrity? How, as a high schooler, can I be a good journalist? What are the boundaries of my reporting? During the past few weeks, the Deerfield Scroll ’s co-curricular has been “Zoom Calling” with some of the past Editor-in-Chiefs, including Joshua Fang ’19, Orlee Marini-Rapoport ’19, and Kevin Chen ’18. During these meetings, we have discussed the ups and downs of joining the Scroll , and all of their current successes at the Harvard Crimson. Of all their insights, to me the most inspiring were moments when their journalistic integrity was questioned.  One of these instances took place on Deerfield’s campus. Two years ago, Joshua Fang decided to publish an article that went into depth on a sexual harassment lawsuit connected to Deerfield. When I first read the article, I was surprised that the Scroll had published such a personal and Deerfield related article. But Josh explained how he analyzed every line of the lawsuit: contacting alumni, teachers, and many more members of the Deerfield Community. The article took months to write, and after two cancellations, was heading to print. This was much to the dismay of Co Editor-in-Chief Orlee Marini-Rapoport. Orlee looked at the article and felt that the Scroll should avoid creating situations that could hurt students’ feelings and faculties’ reputations. Not only this, but referencing situations that teachers and students were a part of to the entire school may be triggering for said members of our community.  During their time at the Harvard Crimson , all three editors were involved in a situation where an ICE protest was held on Harvard’s campus. The Crimson made the controversial decision to ask ICE for a response. Kevin pointed out the importance of journalistic integrity, how students should not be the moral decision makers on who should be given the opportunity to comment. While Orlee expressed concern about how although the protest leaders were Harvard students, they were undocumented, and this raised the concern that contactcing ICE could have put them at risk.  In both of these instances, censorship came from fellow peers but what about when that  censorship comes from the people we need to appease the most? The people we must have a working relationship with, the administration.  The Deerfield administration’s censorship may be important to teach us the boundaries of journalism; however, in a non-traditional sense, we are learning a lot about becoming a successful journalist. Rather than exploring any and every event, writers learn how to fight for a story. How to maneuver a parenting administration and find ways to get quotes. It isn’t easy, and although Deerfield helps us establish these journalistic boundaries, Scroll writers also learn to be persistent. We are in a limbo of determining what is ethical and what crosses a boundary. I started this letter with a quote from the National Press Association’s Model Code of Ethics. During our cocurricular, we have focused on analyzing their 7 key ethics points: be responsible, be fair, be honest, be accurate, be independent, minimize harm, and be accountable. Over the next year, you will see our writers question these boundaries and find new ways to report, but at the heart of all of our decisions will be the impacts on you, our student body. The people we are here to serve.  If you are interested in holding others accountable and experimenting with the boundaries of ethical development, join the Scroll . If you are not, experiment with us. Help us establish these boundaries. Hold us accountable when we cross these boundaries. Isn’t that what Deerfield is all about? Preparing us for “a rapidly changing world”?  Work hard, be kind, get smart, Harry Niles

The first presidential debate was a first on many fronts. From a long overdue discussion on climate change to hostile jabs being thrown between Donald Trump and Joe Biden, the strides taken both forwards and backwards that night have sparked discussions on how to approach change in unconventional times. A running theme throughout these conversations has been the power of communication, and how those in power can take advantage of it. The purpose of the presidential debates is to not only promote the platforms of the candidates, but also portray the integrity of their character and rapport as it would relate to the serious manner of the presidential office. The visual aesthetics of effective communication include listening intently, speaking from the personal perspective, and doing so in turn are just as, if not more, important than the content of the communication itself.  The presidential debates of 2008, comparably, were more civil and followed the guidelines of fair discourse. While Obama and McCain exchanged harsh words with each other, and supporters of each party butted heads, the nature of rhetoric of our current election has changed. The current president utilizes Twitter as a primary source of communication with the public, and bipartisan dialogue is often divisive and focused on attacking the other side. Political scorning of Democratic rhetoric as prioritizing political correctness and Republican rhetoric as inherently discriminatory are ultimately superficial attacks based more on fallacies than objective fact.  Within the classroom, these skills are just as important. As Mr. Lyons pointed out in Convocation his speech, thinking within echo chambers and seeking affirmation rather than growth in communication is a tactic better used in politics than the classroom: “We must be curious and hardworking enough to engage continuously, to listen and empathize, to question ourselves and the ideas of others, as we search for the elusive truth, in our classes, later in our careers and ultimately as citizens seeking to understand and address society’s problems.” Even when it comes to COVID, effective communication within the context of the media, science, and politics is imperative. While experts urge Americans to wear masks in order to protect themselves and the health of the general public, the president of the United States recently removed his mask at a rally, just days after contracting the coronavirus. While non-verbal, these displays are also forms of communicating to the public what is ideal in terms of public health. From there we can circle back to our campus. Administrators have made it quite clear that our cooperation with the various COVID guidelines are what will bring us into phases with less restrictive rules. When seniors fail to wear POM tracers and masks, when juniors fail to social distance, and any other times that our actions deviate from our words, we display ineffective communication. As we begin to increase the time we spend in-person with others, remember to engage with the empathy and humility required to build a safe campus.

In a normal year, Deerfield actors would be rehearsing lines, blocking scenes on stage, interacting with each other, and preparing for a performance in the Black Box Theatre. There would be a buzz in the air, with students, faculty, and staff alike rushing to get tickets, and a contagious excitement to watch peers perform. But this isn’t a normal year.  Because of COVID-19, person-to-person interactions have been much more limited, but the emotion and hard work that factor into performances remain unchanged. The theater department maintains its spirit of determination and grit as it tackles Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein,” in the form of both a radio play and a film of the process.  Theater Director Catriona Hynds said, “I don’t think Deerfield Academy has ever done a radio play… I am really rather enjoying it!” But what is a radio play? The definition is in the words themselves — it’s as if you were listening to the play on a radio. Most of the acting will be done through voice cues and emotions displayed through speaking, rather than movement.  Preparation for this radio play feels different as well. Grey Holmén ’21, who plays Victor Frankenstein, said, “It feels strange not to be standing up during rehearsal, actively blocking each scene with movements.”  One of the interesting new aspects of voice acting is sound mixing. While the acting is considerably easier because actors no longer have to memorize lines, or act “off-book” (without a script), a new challenge has arisen about how actors can convey emotions that would normally be visually and inferentially perceived by the audience.  Actress Elsa Marrian ’21 says, “The initial preparations of the production have actually been quite similar to a normal Deerfield play. I think the biggest and most obvious difference is that we’re not staging the play so most of the rehearsal time has been devoted to vocal dexterity and pronunciation.” Adding to the new facets of this play, Mrs. Hynds said, “There are around 200 cues mentioned in the text, and the technical team [is] responsible for creating sounds such as fire, rustling leaves, and all of the weird noises in the lab where Frankenstein makes the Creature.” The program is bringing in a professional sound mixer to tape the show, and the taping will be available on the Bulletin by the end of the term. However, the radio play is not the only part being released to the Deerfield public. The theater program is also releasing a film of the production so viewers can understand the backstage process of the play’s creation.  Mrs. Hynds said, “We want you to see how each sound effect is made, and how we have transformed the theater into a safe recording studio, which is why we are filming it too.”  Thus, as viewers, we will both be able to listen to and watch the making of “Frankenstein.” With a great cast, and a new way of viewing, we can expect that this play, to quote Holmén, “will be one for the history books, for sure.”

Social distancing restrictions and health-driven demand shifts have impacted and even closed many businesses in the local Deerfield community since the spread of COVID-19 in the area. Months after the pandemic led the country into a lockdown, small local businesses continue to feel the impact with record-low sales and record-high layoffs as they try to move back to a new normal.  Director of Government Affairs Steve Clark at the Massachusetts Restaurant Association previously disclosed that roughly three to four restaurants were closing daily across the Bay State as a result of the pandemic. Different obstacles, namely retrofitting restaurants and investing in equipment to comply with COVID-19 restrictions, had caused a heavy blow for business owners who attempted to regulate expenses.  Yet, Clark told MassLive that small local businesses, the food industry in particular, would come through the other side. He further asserted that the industry was pliable and would survive the pandemic.  Many restaurants near Deerfield Academy have had to adjust to new COVID-19 policies and procedures upon reopening. When Governor Charlie Baker ordered dining rooms to close in March in an effort to contain the virus, many businesses struggled with the change and fewer customers.  The People’s Pint, a popular location for Deerfield faculty in past years, closed before the Governor’s orders. While they reopened briefly with a curbside pickup system, they have decided to stop the take-out system and wait until they can safely re-open indoors.  As outbreaks ebbed in Deerfield this fall, local administrations offered a slightly looser patchwork of reopening policies in order to supplement businesses’ recovery from the crippled economy.  Champney’s Restaurant and Tavern at the Deerfield Inn elected to reopen with in-door service, albeit with a limited capacity. Dine-in customers must adhere to strict social distancing protocols, while personal protective equipment is provided upon request for guests staying at the Inn.  Similarly, Hope & Olive resumed service for dinner from 5 p.m to 8 p.m, as well as Sunday brunch. The restaurant offers both distanced indoor seating and a takeout system.  However, some businesses have not faced as much of a change. Ben Clark ’96, the owner of  Clarkdale Fruit Farms and a member of the Deerfield Board of Trustees, explained that the farm has still been doing well.  He said, “The demand we’ve noticed is really strong. Sales are up from last year. We just finished our pick-your-own-apples, and that was the best season we’ve ever had.” He added that many other farms in the area are also doing well during this time, despite the COVID-19 pandemic.  Clark explained that Clarkdale Fruit Farms has also benefited from good relationships with major wholesale accounts, one of which is Deerfield Academy. He explained, “we have a good and long standing relationship with Bement, Eaglebrook, and Deerfield. That’s helped us as well this year.”  However, the farm has still faced challenges brought on by the pandemic. “There is definitely an impact from the lack of Parent’s Weekend and other times where there normally would be an influx of people in the area,” Clark explained.  Richardson’s Candy Kitchen is also functioning much the same as it was in previous years. The store offers in-store shopping (masks are required) and curbside pickup, as well as delivery. The store hours have, however, changed: it is now only open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. from Tuesdays to Saturdays, and 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sundays.  The constant changes and backtracking from the nation’s governors reflected immense pressure on business owners. In response, Franklin County announced in July the establishment of a $500,000 grant fund targeting small local businesses to reimburse costs of business interruptions resulting from the ongoing pandemic. Businesses in the area, including those in Rocky Mount and Boones Mill, were able to apply for Recovery grants to help offset financial impacts.

Tucked within a thicket of overgrown grass and fallen leaves is a small dirt path leading to an unsuspecting bench. It’s disguised by the busy traffic of the familiar dirt road leading to the lower field.  This bench overlooks the green of Deerfield. Kids going to and from the river, fans in the stands cheering for the Big Green, Choate days, and picnics before the sun sets on campus all lie below.  Gordie’s Outlook is more than a place to sit and admire the beauty, though. It’s also a reminder of Lynn Gordon (Gordie) Bailey Jr. ‘04, who passed away from alcohol poisoning while pledging a fraternity at the University of Colorado Boulder, only four months after graduating from Deerfield. A plaque sits on the ground beside the bench, listing Gordie’s date of birth and passing below lyrics from the Deerfield Evensong, “Deerfield Days are Days of Glory.”  Gordie excelled in many areas on campus, especially sports and the arts, including lacrosse, football, theatre, and music. Gordie received the “Class of 2004 Award for Excellence in Drama” and won the New England Championship with his football team. He served as a proctor and founded the Hug Club, which gave out hugs to people on campus upon request. Gordie’s infectious spirit is his most enduring legacy on campus. English teacher Kimberly Wright said, “Gordie was one of the most genuinely kind students I have ever encountered…Gordie was special because despite his high- profile accomplishments on campus, to my knowledge, he never tried to make anyone feel inferior; he was just humble and friendly to all.” The memorial was dedicated to Gordie in 2005. Over one hundred people, including parents, students, teachers, and alumni, attended the dedication ceremony to celebrate the life of Gordie as his legacy officially made a permanent mark on campus.  At Gordie’s  memorial service, former theater teacher and Gordie’s advisor John Reese wrote, “I don’t believe I have ever known a student in my thirty-six years of teaching that had a sunnier disposition.” In the acting department and on the field, Gordie embodied this “sunny disposition.” At Gordie’s Outlook, this warm spirit can be felt when the sun dips into the west and peeks through the trees, illuminating the monument. Anyone sitting at the monument can watch the afternoon bustle of practices and games on the lower fields. Gordie wrote his senior meditation about his complicated relationship with football. He wrote, “I risk it all for my teammates because I know when it’s their turn, they’re going to risk it all for me. I trust my brothers and they trust me. With few exceptions such as war or medical emergency, I don’t think such trust exists in many other life situations.”  However, Gordie’s legacy was more than his outlook. In his name, the Gordie Memorial Fund was created at Deerfield for financial aid. The film Haze , a part of the Deerfield health curriculum, was made by the Gordie Foundation to educate students about  the dangers of binge drinking.  Gordie’s memorial is a reminder to cherish the days at Deerfield, a reminder to everyone of what peer pressure in the world beyond campus can do to such a bright light.

From plumbers to bus drivers, Deerfield staff members that work behind the scenes have adapted to the pandemic’s professional impacts. Over the summer, the physical plant conducted routine maintenance: repainting rooms and replacing carpets. However, they also had new tasks as a result of Deerfield’s new housing model that prioritized COVID-19 prevention and student health. Facilities Operations Coordinator Amanda Dawicki said, “The volume [of work requests] were the same, but there were different types of requests that we had to adapt to.” The physical plant was in charge of the construction company that oversaw the installation of sneeze guards, created new singles in the common room, took down walls in the Kendal to create bigger spaces, and set up air filters and plexiglasses. The school sent many custodians and housekeepers back home when students were not on campus. Shipping and Receiving Supervisor Joe Garey said he was only working two days a week, for five hours a day, when the pandemic first hit. With some extra time, Mr. Garey would go on walks and bike rides to keep himself active. He also completed a huge puzzle and built a model to keep himself busy.  Even though many worked from home with reduced hours, the school retained the same number of employees without any wage deductions. According to Keith Finan, the Associate Head of School for Operations, the school has allocated $1.26 million on added staffing from the endowment funds.  When school finally started in September, the entire physical plant staff comes to campus for work every day, since most of their jobs are hands-on, rather than working remotely. To ensure everyone’s safety, the administration has been testing the employees living off-campus twice a week.  The physical plant continues to help with setting up tents outside for dining and weekend activities. These tasks have also been more complicated than usual. “There were more layers to procedures, and we had to be fully flexible, knowing that there are a lot of last-minute changes,” Ms. Dawicki explained. As for Mr. Garey, he ensured that all safety precautions were in place while continuing his job. The weirdest part of the job? Not being able to see the faces of students.

Early this fall, Deerfield Academy launched the Oral History Project in order to document the varied experiences of community members during the COVID-19 pandemic. The project hopes to capture the personal voices of students, faculty, and staff members and preserve them for future generations—something that Deerfield lacked during the 1918 pandemic.  “We were receiving a lot of questions about what the school did during the 1918 influenza and we don’t have a ton of information,” Marshall Carroll, Director of the Library and leader of the project, explained.  The difficulty in finding information about the 1918 pandemic inspired Mr. Carroll to start the project so he could document and preserve the different ways COVID-19 has impacted Deerfield students.  “[This project provides] the ability for us to create history for future generations to understand how we engaged, and what we did,” he said.  History and Social Science Teacher Julia Rivellino-Lyons, who is also involved in the project, agreed with the historical importance of the project. “It’s a really good idea to start a collection that is maintained by this institution so that there’s something really specific that people can turn to,” she said.  In addition to serving as a historical reference, the Oral History project allows people to share their unique experiences.  “[It will tell] different personal stories that people have, whether it’s their own oral history, art, or writing,” Mr. Carroll said. “It’s going to be a really rich and interesting repository for those who want to look back on the history.”  The submission form for the project consists of a list of questions, such as “have you learned a new skill or hobby, or tried something new?” and “how has this experience changed/added to your world view?”  Developing the questions has been an extensive process, involving people from various areas of expertise in the Deerfield community. “We put together a committee of ten people from different departments,” Mr. Carroll said. “We also reached out to some historians, and looked at other oral projects to see what kind of questions they asked.”  However, the questions being used in the submission form right now are merely an initial draft and are always subject to change. “We’re looking to change these prompts probably seasonally,” Mr. Carroll said.  Students and faculty are welcome to submit other works to the project as well, including artworks and writings, interviews, and recordings which reflect the circumstances COVID has posed on our community.  Several students have submitted to the school-directed project, including Justin Ahn ’24 and Jeffery Han ’23.  “I have a love for history, and this could be a small contribution I make to Deerfield’s intangible history,” Han explained.  Ahn also emphasized the historical value of the project, saying, “I think [it’s] a really special thing to be able to participate in—creating artifacts with your own hands.”  Ahn submitted a play and podcast and Han an essay on Turkish languages and Central Asian culture. Ahn’s play features a family struck by COVID, and their struggle to receive adequate healthcare.  “In Korea, a child was denied access to testing because he didn’t meet the qualifications. He wasn’t tested, he died, and later in the autopsy, they said he had contracted COVID-19,” Ahn said. “I wanted to put myself in that family’s shoes.”   Ahn’s podcast explores the pandemic through the lens of politics while promoting the importance of empathy. “It’s important for us to remember that these are people,” he said. “There are people behind these numbers.”  Han’s piece focuses on his experience learning about Central Asian cultures during the pandemic. “I was going to travel to Kazakhstan, Turkestan, and Uzbekistan to see these Central Asian cultures firsthand, but my plans were postponed,” he said.  Throughout the essay, Han also hopes to shed light on the political states of these countries. “In Turkestan, Dungans [an ethnic group] are being attacked for not adopting Turkish cultures,” he explained. “If this happened in the United States, that would be all over the news.”   When asked about the significance of the Oral History Project, Han stressed the importance of personal stories. “In history, we like to focus on big, broad ideas,” he said. “We overlook how people lived.”  Ahn highlighted the impact of this project on the Deerfield community. “We’re going to be able to put together perspectives from so many different students,” he said. “Who is Deerfield? That’s shown best in moments like these.”

As part of Head of School John Austin’s Action Plan to Strengthen Equity, Inclusion, and Community Culture, the Discipline Review Task Force has launched its reexamination of Deerfield’s disciplinary process. The twelve-member Task Force, composed of administrators, long-standing faculty on the Disciplinary and Academic Honor Committees, and student representatives, convened for the first in a series of monthly meetings on October 7. The Task Force plans to report its findings to Dr. Austin in March of 2021. The report will suggest policies for next year’s student handbook and a training program for those students and faculty involved in discipline.  “A lot of what we’re doing [in discipline] is incredibly outdated and has been in place for longer than I’ve been here, and that’s over ten years,” Samuel Bicknell, the Dean of Students and a Task Force member, said. “It’s time, and a lot of students, faculty — the community at large, really — are looking forward to seeing some sort of change.” One such change might include the adoption of restorative, rather than punitive, disciplinary practices, Mr. Bicknell said. “We want for students to learn from mistakes, to take responsibility, to be accountable, and for the community to rally around those students as they go through that growth. And we want to make sure that we are supporting those community members who have been harmed,” he explained. Assistant Head of School and Task Force Chair Amie Creagh likewise emphasized the importance of growth-focused discipline. “Mistakes  are really, really important. They’re how you learn and grow,” she said. “And if we’re mishandling mistakes, or not taking advantage of them as learning opportunities, we’ve got to adjust.” Ms. Creagh explained that the Task Force’s report will consider the interests of four Deerfield constituencies: those harmed by rule violations, rule-breakers, on-campus community members, and the off-campus community, including alumni, families, and prospective students. “The essential questions are: how are we representing ourselves through our disciplinary process, and does that align with who we want to be?” Ms. Creagh said. Goal No. 2 of Dr. Austin’s Action Plan, “Strengthening Community and School Culture,” establishes a Discipline Review Task Force “to ensure that they [disciplinary processes] reflect the Academy’s longstanding commitment to fairness, to the confidentiality and dignity of all students, and to the highest levels of accountability and character.” One reason for the Task Force’s formation, according to Goal No. 2, is to reconsider the circumstances that prompt Deerfield to report student misconduct to colleges. “The specter of college notification and the perceived implication of breaking rules when it comes to college notification has grown vastly in the last ten years. We want to examine that because it now plays an outsized role and in many instances seems like the biggest consequence of breaking a rule, and it’s completely external,” Ms. Creagh said. Goal No. 2 also specifically establishes that the Task Force review DEER (Discipline, Educate, Empower, Reconcile), a joint student and Student Life Office proposal for restorative discipline meant to combat identity-based, and especially racial, discrimination that does not always fall within the scope of current disciplinary practice. Assistant Head of School for Academic Affairs and Strategy Ivory Hills, also a member of the Task Force, said, “One of the nudges that led us here is definitely, at least in part, the DEER proposal. The other is student concern that the rulebook and disciplinary practice may not be dealing with identity-based infractions fairly or properly.” Angela Osei-Amapadu ’21, the Student Council Chair on the Task Force, explained these concerns. “Although our handbook does condemn discrimination of any sort and bullying, sometimes identity-based discrimination can be more nuanced than bullying or may not be defined as bullying. The rulebook isn’t equipped to handle these situations,” she said. In the past, Osei-Ampadu explained, identity-based infractions have most prominently featured the use of racial and sexual slurs. She cited the hate speech written on a window of the Hess Center of the Arts last school year as one prime example. “I know so many black students who don’t report these cases of discimination because they don’t believe that faculty will act on that information,” she continued. “I have friends who have reported these incidents to faculty members, and either the school failed to respond, or the school was not transparent enough about their response, so that it appeared that the school did nothing.” Mr. Bicknell acknowledged a need for transparency in his interview with The Scroll .  “Transparency can be really challenging around confidentiality and privacy of individuals… There are often situations where we do respond, but students or the community at large isn’t in the know about that response,” he said. “We want to be transparent enough that students can have trust in the process.” The Discipline Review Task Force’s formation comes amid mounting internal and external pressure for reform. In September, the Deerfield Black Student Alliance (DBSA) organized a daylong sit-in on the lawn of the Main School Building in protest of perceived discrimination against black students on campus and of the school’s handling of these cases. Chief among the DBSA’s demands were a call for the immediate implementation of DEER. Months prior to the sit-in, in June, CNN , The Boston Globe , and Boston Magazine all reported on blackatdeerfieldofficial, a public Instagram account that relays the experiences of anonymous black students and alumni at Deerfield. The publications all highlighted specific posts and received comments from account administrators Jada Howard ’19, Chenelle Jones ’19, Alexia Baker ’19, Jennifer Brown ’19, and Aminata Ka ’19, who are Deerfield alumni of color. They also reported on similar accounts at peer schools like Tabor Academy, Phillips Academy Andover, Milton Academy, and Groton School. Black at Deerfield has garnered 2, 524 followers as of October 12. The account description promises “an honest look at the reality of black students at Deerfield” and a “safe space for the students the Academy has failed to protect.” Black at Deerfield has recently published a list of demands to the Deerfield administration. According to the account, Black at Deerfield members also met with administrators on August 10 to demand increased racial-sensitivity training for faculty and titled student leaders, greater transparency, the recruitment of more faculty of color, and the implementation of DEER. Black at Deerfield, according to Osei-Ampadu, has “highlighted the negative experiences of students of color on campus—the racism, the discrimination, the hate.” “The reality is one that white students, white faculty, white administrators have never really considered before,” she said. “Black students are afraid, are so nervous about their next actions, and attend school in fear all the time.” In a joint statement to The Scroll , Black at Deerfield’s account administrators wrote, “We hope that the conversations started over the summer will continue to infiltrate the classrooms and dorms to encourage permanent change on campus. We… have received immense support from individual faculty, students, alumni, and parents. We are sure that the administration has heard and is aware of our goals, and we have seen their attempts to meet those goals. We only hope that they continue to follow through and make the necessary efforts.” Over the next months, the Task Force will focus on a review of the strengths and weaknesses of Deerfield’s current disciplinary system and will conduct a thorough reading and discussion of the student handbook. The Task Force will also likely consult, in detail, policies at peer boarding schools, colleges, and public high schools. The next meeting, set for October 20, will feature a reading and discussion of DEER specifically. In November, Roland Davis, the new Inclusion and Community Life Consultant, will meet with student focus groups to obtain impartial feedback on current disciplinary policy. Dr. Davis will also suggest a syllabus and readings to the Task Force and will serve on the Force in other capacities. Ultimately, according to Dr. Austin’s Action Plan, the Task Force’s March report will receive evaluation from third-party experts and consultants. The Board of Trustees may also review the report. “The Board is tasked with the strategic, intergenerational stability and reputation of the school… to manage the school on a year-to-year and decade-to-decade basis,” Dr. Hills noted. “They would not want a change that is so substantial that the identity of the school is dramatically changed or compromised.” Osei-Ampadu nevertheless stressed the importance of disciplinary reform to her and, more broadly, students of color. She said, “I hope that the change that we suggest as a committee gets approved—whether it’s by the Board of Trustees or the administration—and that those people in power understand how important this is to so many students of color and to the next generation of students of color to come to Deerfield.”

Hello Deerfield. We’re back after a long hiatus! For this edition of Grace and Camille providing unwarranted advice, we are here to tell you how to make long distance relationships work. Crazy! Who are we to tell you what to do, but given how we’ve made our friendship work from hundreds of miles away, perhaps our advice can save your failing social and love life. We understand how hard it can be to be at school away from loved ones at home so here are our three best tips.  Tip One: FaceTime often. Whether this be a meet the parents or a dining hall and home cooked meal date, it is important to have conversations in real time. If this is with a romantic partner, set the mood with some fake candles (we can’t legally encourage real ones), whip out the white table cloth, and put on some Morgan Wallen. In the case of a friendship, do as you always would. Run through literally every part of your day—we like to call this our daily debrief. Every part. What did you eat, how many times did you blink, bring them on a socially distanced jog with the new scheme, etc. Kidding… Don’t be insane. Do ask about each other’s day, maybe play some Club Penguin together, or Netflix party before the WiFi turns off.  Tip Two: Send each other care packages. A fan favorite is always their favorite food (Camille, please send me Baked and Wired cupcakes, like now…), a cute letter, or some flowers they’ll throw in the trash. This is a sure way to brighten your loved one’s day and show that you are thinking about them. The river flows both ways, though! Make sure you send the people who are at home something as well- they miss you just as much (cough, Grace this is your cue. Shape up or ship out).  Tip Three: Plan your future visits. Having something to look forward to really gets you through a tough day. Think of fun things to do when you are finally reunited with your “ special friend” or simply, friend. A trip to the aquarium is always a good gameplan, or I don’t know alarm clock shopping. These are some great ideas to get the ball rolling. Apologies, we aren’t that good at this.  We hope that our tips from a 7 month long distance friendship help you out. We sure have learned a thing or two, ‘cuz we’ve seen a thing or two. Hey, Grace stop writing stupid stuff. We love you all! xoxo,  Grace and Camille

COVID-19 restrictions have proven challenging for some students to adhere to in recent weeks, creating a unique dynamic in which small groups of students flaunting rules hinder social privileges for all students on campus.  Several students have already been sent home for COVID-19 violations, while others have asked for more clarity on what specific infractions could lead to repercussions. In a campus-wide email sent on October 7, Dean of Students Samuel Bicknell outlined scenarios that could potentially result in students being sent home for several weeks of online learning. It was the first explicit communication of these consequences that the administration provided, and, prior to Emerging 2.0, the only concrete rule stated was that two dorm room or squad violations would lead to separation from campus. “I had no idea until the email. I was kind of shocked to see that two COVID violations for being in someone else’s room would mean getting sent home straight away,” Elsa Marrian ’21 said.  Every student signed the Community Health Pledge before arriving on campus this fall, agreeing to adhere to a set of rules meant to keep the Deerfield community healthy. Deerfield administrators were unsure of what common violations to expect, according to Mr. Bicknell.  “We’ve been really intentional to keep this separate from normal disciplinary responses,” Mr. Bicknell said. “The last thing we want is to have students separated from campus.” COVID-19 violations only appear on DAInfo — they do not go on transcripts and are not reportable to colleges. “We have to… recognize that our response mechanisms are imprecise and blunt right now,” Assistant Head of School for Student Life Amie Creagh noted. Mr. Bicknell explained that separated students will be allowed to return after two to three weeks – a time period that includes the onboarding process necessary for a safe return. If campus compliance with restrictions was widespread, administrators said students would be able to enter into the “Emerging 2.0” phase on October 5, which granted new freedoms including unmasked, non-distanced hangout time in others’ rooms of the same squad and senior access to the library during study hours. However, after many COVID-19 violations that occurred over the weekend, the administration decided that the community was not ready to make the transition. In an email explaining their decision, Ms. Creagh highlighted the lack of social distancing within gatherings, including a “spontaneous dance that occurred on the tables” in the dining hall tent and a “group of 30+ students” under the library tent. “I think they exaggerated some of the things said in the email, but I agree we weren’t really setting a great example,” said a student that participated in the gatherings, who preferred not to be named. “We were all just really excited to go into 2.0 that we jumped the gun a little, and it was our fault that we didn’t.” Disappointment was widespread among students when they learned the move to Emerging 2.0 was put off until last week. Some students expressed frustration that everyone was held responsible for mistakes that had not necessarily been their own.  “It’s unfair to the people who aren’t breaking the rules and are still being punished for it,” Marrian said. “I’d hope that the people who are breaking the rules and keeping everyone in the first stage of Emerging feel bad about it, because they’re making everybody else suffer with them.” Ms. Creagh explained that the administration does not want to hold all students accountable for the mistakes of a few, but it has been difficult to know for sure who was following the rules and who was not. While faculty have been asked to report all infractions, the administrators recognized that some violations will always remain unreported. “My role is simply to report if I see Covid violations,” Math teacher Lara Du said. “I’m not trying to get that student in trouble, but if they are a repeat offender, it’s a danger for those around them.” In some cases, students reported their own peers. On October 6, multiple students received COVID-19 violations for posting TikTok videos that depicted them breaking Deerfield’s rules by not wearing masks or being in someone else’s room. Since the videos were on a private account, many assumed they were brought to the administration by another student that followed the account. “It feels like there’s a snitch culture that’s developing, and that’s just not a good environment for kids,” one of the students that posted a video said. Some students said they felt that it was important for the health and safety of everyone on campus to report these incidents, while others felt that it was toxic, especially when it came at the possible expense of everyone’s chances for entering Emerging 2.0.  “If something comes across our desk, we need to respond to it, and I think it’s a good reminder to students to be really careful what they post on social media,” Mr. Bicknell said.  This next phase of reopening enabled those in the same squad to go into each others’ rooms unmasked and without distancing. It also brought a hot breakfast option, allowed students to order take-out, expanded campus boundaries to include the small loop, and gave seniors access to the library and Athletics complex during study hours.  In coming weeks, the Deerfield community can look forward to the reopening of the Greer and juniors being granted access to the library as well.

Ginger Berry ’21 is a postgraduate swimmer from Rhode Island. Berry began swimming when she was five years old, and continued up until eighth grade. She took a break from swimming from eighth to tenth grade, and joined her high school team her sophomore year for fun. To train more vigilantly, Berry decided to rejoin her club team after her sophomore year swim season in order to have more opportunities to train.  Since deciding to train competitively, Berry has set numerous best times for herself and even some records. Berry was on the A 400 free relay that set her school record, and was First Team All Division for the 500 freestyle and the 200 freestyle.  When asked what her favorite event is to swim, Berry replied “My favorite is the 200 backstroke. It’s my favorite because it’s incredibly strenuous and it’s mentally difficult to get through. But, you keep going and when it’s over you feel so accomplished.”  Berry has quickly assimilated to the Deerfield girls’ swim and dive team during fall training, with captain Charlotte Otis ’21 remarking, “Ginger is beloved by all of the girls on the team…she is overall a natural leader.”  When she isn’t swimming, Berry enjoys playing soccer and lacrosse. She also was invited to the state debate tournament her freshman year, was a member of the student senate during her tenth grade, and was part of her community outreach program. Ginger will be attending Holy Cross next year, and will be a member of the swim team.

Despite Deerfield’s promising announcements, an assessment of progress made since the enactment of the 2016 Strategic Plan for Inclusion is due, especially with the release of the updated  2020-2021 Action Plan to Strengthen Equity, Inclusion, and Campus Culture.  Upon the recent resignation of the former Director of Inclusion and Community Life Marjorie Young, the future of Deerfield’s culture regarding inclusion and coordination of events such as MLK Day remains a question for many students. Head of School John Austin, says in his response to Ms. Young’s resignation letter: “As the school’s first and pioneering Director of Inclusion and Community Life, Marjorie’s accomplishments are many: the planning—and execution—of the school’s first Strategic Plan for Inclusion; collaborative work with the Board of Trustees; championing of cultural competency and other educational initiatives… dedicated and caring support of students and affinity groups; work in admissions and outreach to alumni and parents; and everything she has done to create a greater sense of belonging and community here at Deerfield.” In June, when Black Lives Matter protests broke out across the nation, Deerfield students began to voice their long-held concerns about the political culture and racial injustice on campus. After endless requests sent to the administration to reform the disciplinary system, several student-led inter-alliance meetings, and limelight on social media accounts sharing the reality of racism on campus. Students decided to push more emphasis on the DEER petition and create the Deerfield Anti-Racist Coalition.  In turn, the administration has created a timeline for reviewing and implementing  a version of DEER. Additionally they have released the 2020-2021 Action Plan to Strengthen Equity, Inclusion, and Campus Culture. On October 7, Assistant Head of Student Life Amie Creagh verbally agreed to the students’ demands for transparency and expressed the administration’s commitment to advocate for marginalized students.  Under the Academic Deans’ goals in The Strategic Plan,  there was mention of incorporating and reporting on ways in which the departments promote inclusive practices and discussions in classrooms and school wide community events.  Academic Dean Ivory Hills notes the “very challenging” aspects to undertaking this goal. “We have teacher course expectations and course descriptions and training, but historically we don’t have the ability to visit every classroom and watch every class,” Dr. Hills said. “It’s a bit like Heisenberg’s uncertainty physics principle; when you watch the class—it changes the class dynamic when the teacher and students start behaving differently.”  However, Dr. Hills does believe that the English and History departments have made valuable supplements to the courses over the years, and much of the materials and readings have a more diverse gender, ethnic, and racial representation in authorship.  Dr. Hills continued, “But this is relatively an ongoing and highly challenging task we are trying to undertake. Hopefully when we hire our director of institutional research, they will be able to help us progress with this goal.”  In accordance with Goal #1 from the 2020-21 Action Plan mentions hiring a Dean for Inclusive Teaching and Learning. The timeline for hiring the Dean will range from November to the end of February, in hopes of finding a qualified professional who can do an extensive curricular review for Deerfield. This review will include determining whether the right classes are being taught, and if they are taught in a manner promotive of inclusivity with new ideas that are holistically connectable to course material.  The presence of Dr. Roland Davis as a consultant will also provide a helping hand to understanding the dynamics of student life and inclusion of campus. Dr. Davis is not considered a Deerfield employee, and his exact responsibilities remain unclear.  In addition to the appointment of a Director of Institutional Research, Goal #2 in the 2020-2021 Action Plan to Strengthen Equity, Inclusion, and Campus Culture, the Human Resources department is currently reviewing the job description for appointing a Director of Institutional Research, who will work closely with Dr. Hills. The Director will most likely be an experienced teacher who will bring more exposure to the research-related skills for incorporating inclusive curriculum design, and coaching and initializing the best practices in the areas of inclusive teaching and learning.  The new Deerfield Action Plan referenced “data collection” many times, in instance of Goal #2 which states: “ Collect and analyze data on student growth though educational efforts and supplement future initiatives.”  In response to this goal, Dr. Hills said, “Part of the challenge with Goal 2 is that we don’t feel we have started to measure all of the relevant data. We have yet to develop a full data collection process that we are happy with, because the things that matter most are not easily measured.”  Much of the data which Deerfield currently keeps tabs on includes quantitative statistics of percentage of students and faculty or color; but Deerfield is still working towards creating a system which considers qualitative data of student learning, students’ comfort on campus, student growth over 4 years, etc. “From my perspective—I want to have information and data that helps us make decisions, so that later we can measure the same information and data to figure out if we are improving,” Dr. Hills said.   In terms of statistics, Deerfield has been clear on keeping a record of the increase in faculty of color on campus. Under the Dean of Faculty’s goals, The 2016 Strategic Plan for Inclusion states “Encourage faculty participation on a rotational basis in professional development opportunities related to diversity, inclusion, and cultural competency.” In 2016, the administration wrote an extensive and ambitious plan called  “Attracting, Hiring, and Retaining Faculty of Color,” with the primary goal to “recruit and retain employees who are committed to diversity, inclusion and cultural competency and who represent the diversity of Deerfield’s student body.”  Dean of Faculty, John Taylor, seeks to increase the percentage of faculty of color (FOC) from 14% to 20% by June 2021. Although Mr. Taylor acknowledges that Deerfield has made visible improvement in hiring and retaining faculty of color over the course of 4 years, he believes that they have fallen short. Since his 13 years of working at Deerfield, Mr. Taylor notes that it was this year Deerfield had been most successful at recruiting the most diverse faculty of color — 24 out of the 144 faculty members (about 18%) — but feels that there is still much work that needs to be done.  Additionally, Goal #2 of the 2020-21 Action Plan discusses the appointment of an Associate Dean of Faculty to work alongside Mr. Taylor. Currently, the hiring committee is creating a job description for the position, and will continue the hiring process between Thanksgiving time and mid-March, during which collection and review of resumes and interviews will take place. The Associate Dean of Faculty will be an expert in the fields of recruiting, hiring, and helping retain faculty of color; they will also help improve inclusion practices and aid Deerfield in better reaching their goals since the 2016 Strategic Plan. Mr. Taylor says, “We are confident that these efforts will allow us to make significant progress towards diversifying our faculty. ” Working as a liaison between students and administration, the Disciplinary Task Force which Assistant Head of Student Life Amie Creagh leads, meets weekly, to effectively discuss decisions about cultural competency campaigns and training, events such as MLK day, and alliance support planning. However, Ms. Creagh notes that with the departure of Ms. Young, logistics have become more difficult. “Hopefully, with the work that needs to be done, we are not missing a beat,” she says, “But we are certainly missing [Ms. Young].” In terms of the well-voiced students’ requests for transparency, Ms. Creagh plans to share regular updates with the student body via emails and during school meeting presentations. She also scheduled time for Focus Groups with students in the task force to meet with Mr. Davis, which enables student participation in the process. Ms. Creagh also emphasized her encouragement for students to feel free to send questions, ideas, and input to members of the Disciplinary Review Task Force.  The Disciplinary Task Force plans to read through the revamped DEER proposal. Ms. Creagh says, “For the October 20th meeting, each Task Force member is also looking at policies and processes from peer schools to identify if there are any gaps in our policies and why that may be, while also being critical towards our processes. I would like to prioritize a review of DEER early, because it’s important and I know students want to see that. But at the same time, I also want to keep a very open mind about where the solutions might be. Therefore, I have a little bit of [apprehension] of leaning quickly towards the solution that DEER provides, because I want it to be one of the solutions we want to consider, but I do not want it to preclude other possible solutions.”  Since 2016, another one of Deerfield’s main goals has been “To attract and yield a diverse student population,” listed in the 2016 Statgic Action Plan and Goal #4 of the 2020-21 Action Plan. Senior Associate Director of Admissions Jeff Armes says, “We certainly need to continue addressing the challenges we face in further moving the ball forward in attracting and yielding a diversified student population (particularly during these most difficult times).”  To progress on the goal, the Admissions Office increased travel budgets which help aid “additional recruitment outreach and relationship building opportunities within communities of diverse demographics.” The Diversity Round Table (DRT) has also held considerably more presentations and events in joint partnership with Deerfield. The Ten School Network created the DRT as a collaborative organization to focus on boarding school exploration for families and Students of Color.  Additionally, Mr. Armes notes that there has been a significant increase to the Academy’s Supplemental Aid budget which provides all students equal access to Deerfield Programs. In order to strengthen Alumni of Color participation, the Admissions Office increased efforts in resourcing and captizing recruiting functions and events throughout the country.  Student Body President, Chijioke Achebe says, “The administration has done a lot since the Strategic Plan was introduced. Now I wasn’t here in 2016, but in my time here I’ve been able to see the work that they’ve done. The little things count, in my opinion… The administration has tried valiantly to create a more inclusive campus in general, but it’s hard work. You can’t magically wave a wand and make that happen.” It is evident that, over the past four years, since Ms. Young’s execution of the 2016 Strategic Plan for Inclusion, Deerfield has made notable progress; however, as many members of the administration acknowledge, there is still much room for improvement – whether it may be increasing efforts in hiring and retaining faculty of color, recruiting more students of color, reforming disciplinary policies and promoting community events, or incorporating more visible representation in authorship and racial topics in the academic realm. Most importantly, Deerfield’s greatest steps towards creating an inclusive and diverse campus culture may lie in developing more advocative and supportive relationships between students, faculty, and administration.