LETTER FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL
August 18, 2026
Dear Waterford Families,
I hope this letter finds you well and that your summer has been filled with moments of rest, adventure, and connection. Whether your family traveled to distant places, explored closer to home, or simply enjoyed the gift of unhurried time together, I hope the season provided opportunities to recharge and create lasting memories.
As September approaches, I also hope there is a growing sense of anticipation for the year ahead. One of my favorite moments each summer is realizing that before long, our campus will once again be alive with learning, laughter, music, questions, discoveries, and the joyful energy that only your children can bring. There is something deeply hopeful about the beginning of a school year!
Appropriately, our school theme this year is Explore.
Jennifer and I spent part of the summer doing a little exploring ourselves. After visiting family in Maine, we took our first adventure in our new Sprinter van through Idaho, Wyoming, and western Colorado—a region that still feels like home after our years in Carbondale. Along for the journey was Anna, our daughter, and Wallace, her rescue Jack Russell-Pit Bull mix, whose enthusiasm for life—and remarkable talent for digging holes in our backyard!—reminds me daily that curiosity is one of life’s great gifts.
One of the unexpected joys of the trip was returning to fly fishing after many years away from Colorado’s rivers. Standing once again in a cold mountain stream, I was reminded that fly fishing is not something you master quickly. It requires patience, careful observation, reflection, and the willingness to learn from countless imperfect casts. The greatest rewards come not all at once, but gradually, through quiet persistence.
The longer I stood in the river, the more I realized that fly fishing wasn’t simply teaching me how to catch trout—it was reminding me how all meaningful learning unfolds.
A liberal arts education is not simply about preparing for college or acquiring knowledge. It is about learning to pay attention—to observe carefully, ask thoughtful questions, persevere through difficulty, and discover beauty and meaning that reveal itself only through time, reflection, and consistent effort. These are precisely the habits of mind and character we strive to cultivate in your children every day at Waterford.
That same spirit of exploration also guides Waterford’s own journey.
As we experience our new organizational structure and continue implementing our strategic plan, our central aspiration remains the pursuit of national preeminence. For us, that aspiration is not about rankings or prestige. It is about continually becoming a better school—attracting and developing extraordinary teachers, strengthening every aspect of the student experience, and never becoming complacent in our commitment to your children.
Waterford has always been a school animated by curiosity, reflection, high expectations, and continual growth. Those qualities have long defined our liberal arts mission, and they continue to guide us today. We are a school on the move—not because we are changing who we are, but because we are committed to becoming an ever fuller expression of who we can be.
Everything we do—every lesson, every rehearsal, every practice, every conversation, and every strategic decision—is ultimately directed toward one purpose: deepening the mission impact on every child in our care.
Thank you for your partnership, your trust, and the privilege of educating your children. We are deeply grateful that your family is part of the Waterford community, and we look forward to welcoming you back to campus for our Opening Family Brunch on Saturday, August 29.
Andrew MenkeHead of School
Celebrate 5 years since graduation with your classmates. Reconnect, reminisce, and enjoy an evening of conversation, shared memories, and celebration with fellow members of the Class of 2021. Hearty appetizers and a selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages will be provided.
Register for the Class of 2021 Reunion
Celebrate 10 years since graduation with your classmates. Reconnect, reminisce, and enjoy an evening of conversation, shared memories, and celebration with fellow members of the Class of 2016. Hearty appetizers and a selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages will be provided.
Register for the Class of 2016 Reunion
Celebrate 15 years since graduation with your classmates. Reconnect, reminisce, and enjoy an evening of conversation, shared memories, and celebration with fellow members of the Class of 2011. Hearty appetizers and a selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages will be provided.
Register for the Class of 2011 Reunion
Celebrate 20 years since graduation with your classmates. Reconnect, reminisce, and enjoy an evening of conversation, shared memories, and celebration with fellow members of the Class of 2006. Hearty appetizers and a selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages will be provided.
Register for the Class of 2006 Reunion
Celebrate 25 years since graduation with your classmates. Reconnect, reminisce, and enjoy an evening of conversation, shared memories, and celebration with fellow members of the Class of 2001. Hearty appetizers and a selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages will be provided.
Register for the Class of 2001 Reunion
Come together with Waterford alumni from across the entire 1990s for an evening of reconnecting and reminiscing! This combined reunion is a chance to celebrate the friendships, memories, and moments that made your Waterford years so special. Enjoy hearty appetizers and a variety of drinks, including alcoholic and non-alcoholic options, while catching up with old friends and sharing laughs about your school days.
Register for the 90’s Reunion
Saturday, May 16 | 7:30 – 11:30 AM | Murray Science Center
We’re bringing back birding! Who remembers the Class IX Bird Project? Don’t miss your chance to join this fun, family-friendly event with Mark Bromley, James Harris, Mike Johnson ‘88, and Bekka Joslin. We will meet at Waterford and take a bus together. Don’t forget to bring your binoculars (we will have extras on hand if you don’t have your own).
Register Here!
Friday, May 15 | 6:30 – 7:30 PM | East Field
We’re excited to see Waterford Alumni at our annual Alumni Soccer Game! This Waterford tradition gives former players the chance to return to the field, reconnect with old teammates, and showcase their skills in a friendly atmosphere. Whether you played with us just a few years ago or several decades ago, we look forward to seeing you back on the field. Make sure to bring friends and family to cheer you on!
Friday, May 15 | 5:00 – 7:00 PM | Main Quad | No Registration Required
Join us for a fun BBQ bash at Waterford with current families and Waterford staff and faculty. It’s a great way to connect with your Waterford classmates and enjoy delicious food before the Alumni Soccer Game!
No registration is needed for the Spring BBQ. Please join us!
Friday, May 15 | 4:00 – 5:00 PM | Haught Visual Arts Gallery at Waterford | No Registration Required
Waterford has always been a place where creativity thrives. Join us for the first-ever Alumni Art Show in the Haught Visual Arts Gallery and reconnect with the creative spirit that shaped your time here. This exhibition features work by 16 Waterford Alumni artists, reflecting a range of disciplines, perspectives, and practices.
Brief Remarks at 4:00 pm will be offered by Gallery Manager and Curator Charlie Tadlock, followed by remarks from some of the Alumni Artists.
Click here for a campus map
Friday, May 15 | 2:15 – 3:30 PM | Miller Student Commons | Registration Highly Recommended
Ever wish you could go back and sit in your favorite class one more time? This Alumni Weekend, you can. We’re bringing you back “Back to Class” where you’ll have the chance to slip into a real, live Upper School classroom and experience Waterford exactly as it exists today. Same teachers, same energy, same magic. Come relive the feeling.
Friday, May 15 | 12:45– 1:00 PM | Miller Student Commons | No Registration Required
Don’t leave lunch just yet. Immediately following the Kick-Off, Head of School Andrew Menke will take a few minutes to share what’s been happening at Waterford; the changes, the milestones, and the exciting things on the horizon. It’s a chance to hear straight from the source about the school you helped shape and where it’s headed next. No sign-up needed, just pull up a seat.
Friday, May 15 | 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM | Miller Student Commons | No Registration Required
Kick off Alumni Weekend the right way — with good food and even better company. Join us in the new Miller Student Commons for Waterford’s all-inclusive dining experience, and spend the lunch hour reconnecting with the faculty who made your time here unforgettable. Pull up a chair, catch up with old favorites, and let the weekend begin. No registration is required for this event.
Friday, May 15 | 1:00 – 2:00 PM | Miller Student Commons | No Registration Required
For many of you, Assistant Head of School, Todd Winters, was the first person who ever showed you and your parents around our 41 acre campus. Now he’s back to do it again! Todd will lead you through Waterford’s beautiful newest additions and recent transformations, giving you a firsthand look at what your years here helped build. Whether it’s your first tour with Todd or your second, you won’t want to miss this one.