Opening of School Recap

Last weekend marked the start of the 146th school year at Tabor. This year, 542 students were welcomed back to campus from all over the world, and new faculty and staff members joined the community.

Leading up to Registration Day on Sunday, international students and student leaders arrived back in Marion starting Friday, September 2. After student leaders had a chance to settle into their dorms, they participated in Global Partners and Navigator trainings.

The sun was shining warmly over Sippican Harbor on Registration Day, and campus was soon filled with tightly packed cars and excited cheers from reuniting Seawolves. In the morning, new families were greeted by Navigators in their bright blue t-shirts. There was also a special appearance from Sammy the Seawolf, who danced into everyone’s hearts. After all the necessary paperwork was filled out and dorms were all moved into, Head of School Tony Jaccaci addressed new students and families in Hoyt before they had to say their final goodbyes. Through tearful hugs and laments of “see you soon,” new students left their families to find their groups and head to lunch. While students ate in the dining hall, there was a new family luncheon along the waterfront. In the afternoon, it was time for returning students and their families to join the rest of their peers. While they moved in, new students practiced the Alma Mater and met with the Health Team. The day ended with a photo scavenger hunt for students, and a Seawolf Stop for returning families.

Registration Day was followed by Orientation on Monday, September 5. Students practiced going to each of their classes, advisory groups, athletics, and co-curriculars. After the academic day ended, there were class bonding activities across the entire campus.

Tuesday was the first official day of school. Students wore formal dress and attended their very first Chapel gathering. There, they listened as Mrs. Sughrue shared an anecdote about birdwatching and the importance of taking a moment to stop, listen, and reflect. Throughout the rest of the week, Seawolves continued to settle into life at Tabor. The first All-School meeting of the year was held Thursday morning. Everyone listened as information about upcoming events was shared, and then witnessed a “What To and What Not To Wear” dress code fashion show, which ended in a banana chase around the auditorium.

The first Tabor weekend was a closed weekend on campus. On Friday evening, each class wore their respective colored t-shirts and competed on the turf, playing games like spike ball and corn hole. The next day, the International center hosted an event in Lillard Living Room in honor of the Mid-Autumn festival. There was also a hypnotist and dance on campus that evening. Then to conclude the weekend on Sunday, the first community service event of the year took place and students served meals at the New Bedford salvation army’s Sunday supper. Sunday evening on the Labyrinth, a memorial was held in remembrance of the tragic events of September 11, 2001.

Like every year, the 2022-2023 school year holds enormous potential for the School by the Sea. Thank you to the entire Tabor community for making the opening of the school a success, we can’t wait to see where our students and faculty will lead us! Please enjoy the slideshow below recapping all the events from this past week.