Roll Call 2021
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Director of Faculty, Mary Jo Burke, delivers motivational 2021 Roll Call to start 144th Academic Year at the Miller School of Albemarle.
MSA’s Director of Faculty, Mary Jo Burke, delivered the 2021 Roll Call to start the school year. This long-standing tradition on the Hill celebrates each grade level and provides students sage advice for the 144th school year at the Miller School of Albemarle.
Read full transcript of 2021 Roll Call:
I’m Mrs. Burke, the Director of Faculty and Curriculum here at Miller School. I’d like to extend a warm welcome to you as we start our year together. It is such a joy to see our community gathered together again in one place. What a long, strange trip it’s been to get us here. The world has changed quite a bit since March 2020 and so have we. Today marks a new beginning -- not only to the academic year, but also for our school community. New students, new teachers, a new library! As we start our year together, I would like to challenge each of you to try new things, meet new people, and take advantage of the opportunities that Miller School has to offer.
Would all the faculty, staff and administrators here please stand? For some of you, this is your first year teaching at a new school; others have spent many years with a long procession of students who have found their way to Miller School. Each of you deserves a round of applause for the hard work and dedication you have shown as educators over the past eighteen months. You went above and beyond to engage with students, provide meaningful lessons in the classroom, and to support one another as members of our community. As we start a new academic year, I am confident that you will take the lessons you have learned and apply them in your classroom, advisory, or office, to create new and exciting opportunities for our students. Thank you for all you do to make Miller the special place that it is.
Class of 2026 (8th graders): You are the newest -- and youngest -- members of our community. For those of you joining us from 7 Rivers, the Miller campus isn’t “new” to you, but being a Miller student is. Use your knowledge of our campus to help your classmates feel at home on the Hill. As all of you navigate the ins and outs of your new school and get to know one another, find ways to bond and forge an identity for your class. Reach out to the older students in your advisory, on your team, or in the dorms, to learn all the things that are special about Miller. Learn from the “lifers” -- those seniors who started at Miller in 8th grade, just like you. They’ve grown into talented and confident young adults during their time on the Hill and so will you. Welcome to your new community!
Class of 2025 (9th graders): Congratulations, 9th graders, it’s official! You have taken the leap into high school. Everything you do gets high school credit! Yes, it is a time to get more serious about your studies, but it’s also a time to explore new things -- classes, clubs, sports -- the possibilities are endless! Many of you are starting your second year in our community; use that know-how to help your classmates who are new to the Hill and need to learn about our traditions and what makes Miller special. I encourage all of you, as you begin your high school journey, to be confident in yourselves as you take your first steps on the road that lie before you.
Class of 2024 (10th graders): 10th graders! You have now reached the midpoint of your time on the Hill — you are no longer the youngest in our community, but the end of high school is still far off on the horizon. You are becoming more mature, gaining confidence in who you are, understanding what you want out of life. You may decide to take more risks: some risks will pay off, others won’t, but all of them are learning experiences, helping you to define who you are and your place in our community. Look to those older than you for help and advice, while simultaneously serving as role models for those younger than yourselves. 10th graders -- embrace the new challenges and opportunities that this year will offer.
Class of 2023 (11th graders): Congratulations on achieving your new status as the “upperclass students” in our community! Some people will tell you that 11th grade is the hardest year in high school. There is some truth to that -- you are taking more challenging classes and starting to think about college and life beyond the Hill. But more importantly, you are becoming young adults -- filled with confidence, strong opinions, and the skills needed to face the challenges that lie before you. As you face those new challenges, remember that this community is here to support you if you stumble, just as you will pick up our younger students if they fall.
And last but not least: the Class of 2022! You have finally made it to your final year of high school. The privileges you have been waiting for --the senior stairs, painting the rock -- are officially yours for the taking. Tonight, you will take part in one of our newer traditions -- the “last first day” celebration. All of these milestones mark your new status as the elder statesmen of our community. You are the leaders of this community, the role models for the younger students, the shoulders upon which your teachers and coaches place increased responsibility. Are you up to this new challenge? YES! But remember to take time to stop, look around, make new friends, and create new memories of the Miller community to carry with you when you leave the Hill. Graduation will be here before you know it.
And now, Mr. Drude, it is my honor to present to you the student body of the 144th session of the Miller School of Albemarle!
