Investigative – KO News

The Power of Change: KO’s New Reduced Faculty Sports Requirement and its Benefits to the Teaching Staff

September 30, 2022September 25, 2022Sophia Brunalli

At most independent schools across the country, teaching comes with the added responsibility of coaching one of the school’s various athletic teams. Throughout the years, this requirement has continued to be enforced to promote active participation from its faculty. This past year, however, the coaching requirement for full-time teachers at KO has undergone a significant […]

Senior Season: a deep dive into the history behind KO’s unique senior traditions

May 27, 2022May 22, 2022Sophia Brunalli

As a private school that dates back to the early 1920s, Kingswood Oxford is full of unique traditions and fascinating history. Although these school traditions have evolved over the years and new traditions have been added, many of the unique traditions from the original Kingswood and Oxford schools are still practiced today at Kingswood Oxford. […]

What sets us apart: A deep dive into the Upper and Middle Schools

April 29, 2022April 24, 2022Emma Barringer

Since its merger in 1969, Kingswood Oxford has been a school that fosters the ideals of vibrant student life, stimulating academics, and competitive athletics. In both the Upper and Middle schools, these factors are considered of the utmost importance. The schools’ schedules set aside time to allow students to develop mentally, academically, and athletically. These […]

Culinary craftsmen: A behind-the-scenes look at Sage Dining

March 11, 2022March 10, 2022Ashleigh Stepnowski

Anyone who has spent any amount of time at KO has likely eaten at the cafeteria at least once. Between optional paid breakfasts, lunch, and special events that require food, Sage Dining and its staff are in charge of all culinary experiences on campus. Staffed by members of Sage Dining, the group is responsible for […]

Who are we: KO by the numbers

February 4, 2022January 30, 2022Ashleigh Stepnowski

The KO community is composed of a variety of individuals, each with a unique background, set of skills, interests, and goals. It would be impossible to generalize the KO community into one box, but aspects of it can be broken down into statistics. By no means does this display the depth of the KO community, […]

Student surveys: meritorious and meritocratic, or meretricious and “meh”?

February 4, 2022January 30, 2022Nate Welsh

Tracy K. Smith, in her final speech as U.S. Poet Laureate, discussed at length the commodification of learning and language in today’s world. One target of her critique: student surveys. “Rate your professor,” she sarcastically yet thoughtfully intoned: “Did she make the material relatable and easily digestible, or did you have to work to learn […]

The Merits of KO College Counseling

December 10, 2021December 6, 2021Nate Welsh

Ask any KO student, parent, or faculty member – ask anyone with connections to high schoolers, really – and they will tell you in no uncertain terms of their conviction that the whole college admissions process is a rather miserable beast. There’s a couple of common complaints one hears: that the process has grown so cutthroat […]

So what’s the deal with Student Government, anyway?

October 8, 2021October 6, 2021Ashleigh Stepnowski, Nate Welsh

Student Government is a KO fixture. It has been around for generations. But apart from its members, practically nobody on campus thinks about it all that often. The lack of student interest in the boards their elected peers comprise is not a unique characteristic of the KO community. Apathy toward student governments in educational institutions […]

Getting schooled: a look into KO’s teacher hiring process

May 27, 2021May 25, 2021Nate Welsh

Think of a teacher you’ve had that has changed your life. It’s not a difficult thing to do – in big ways or small, practically every teacher you have studied under has imparted lessons that have defined what you know, what you’re passionate about, and even who you are as a thinker and as an […]

Uncertain but hopeful: the future of KO and vaccinations

May 27, 2021May 25, 2021Ashleigh Stepnowski

On March 9, 2021, KO hosted an on-campus vaccine clinic. On April 5, vaccines were made available to all people age 16 and up. On May 10, the Pfizer vaccine was expanded to ages 12 and up. By May 21, half of Connecticut residents had become fully vaccinated. Little by little, the tide of the […]