The Celebration of Kingswood Oxford (CKO) took place in the Community Commons on Friday, Feb. 6, 2026, to bring together parents, teachers, and alums to enjoy a fun night out while also serving as a fundraiser for the school.
Held every two years, CKO is both a fundraising event and a way to get parents to see the different aspects of what makes KO great. This year’s celebration went from 6:30-10:30 p.m. There were more than 230 tickets sold, and the event raised almost $100,000. The money earned goes into the Annual Fund to pay for programs, financial aid for students, teacher professional development and more. Although CKO raises significant funds for the school, it also plays an important role in strengthening the KO community.
President of the Parent Association Jenn Palmer P’25 P’27 P’31 worked with other parents to help plan this event. They started planning meetings in early October with the smaller executive board, then gradually expanded to the larger committee to go over extra things that were needed for the event, such as auction items and other important factors. Mrs. Palmer mentioned that the most challenging part was getting sponsorships for the auction items. “It took a team to go out and ask for donations to help make the event successful,” Mrs. Palmer said.
There were many generous donations, such as sports tickets for the Hartford Yard Goats and Boston Bruins, tickets to the Bushnell Theater, gift cards for local restaurants, and even a puppy was donated from a local breeder. All of these donations were able to make the event so much more exciting. Kerry Adamowicz, P’28 P’32 thought the auction part of the event was very entertaining. “Seeing parents or teachers bid on the different live auction items, and seeing how excited the crowd got when the bids would go up was fun,” she said.
Head of School Tom Dillow said that he looks forward to this event every year because of the lasting positive impact it has on the school. “Anytime that we all gather together, particularly in person these days,” Mr. Dillow said. “I think that’s a positive.” He described the event like a fun party complete with decorations, music, and the excitement of dueling pianos. Along with that, a few students who were part of the musical put on a performance for the parents. “It’s so fun as a parent to see some of the students really excelling in things they love and not being afraid to get up there and perform in front of parents,” Mrs. Adamowicz said.
Mrs. Palmer and Mr. Dillow both agreed that while this event included entertainment, it also contributed to building community and helping parents feel more welcome on campus. Mr. Dillow talked about the positive effect that this event has on KO. “The more times that we bring all of us together for a good cause like this, it makes us stronger as a school community,” he said.
Sophomore Dylan Albert helped out at the event, greeting parents as they walked in. “I know a lot of people are from many different towns and areas,” he said, “so events like this, especially just for the parents, are good to meet new people and spend a nice night together.”
The Parent Association hopes that in the future the event will be viewed as not just a fundraiser, but also a fun celebration. In all, they worked hard to make this year’s CKO event a success. “I’m really proud of everybody coming together and working hard to make it a great event,” Mrs. Palmer said. “It just shows that parents are looking for reasons to come to campus, and we’re looking for ways to let them know that they can. They’re welcome, and we can’t wait to meet them.”
