Principal’s Day Tradition Continues Amidst a Remote Spring Term

By Anna Tran

Unlike prior announcements of Principal’s Day, this year’s notification did not receive the typical cheering followed by a night spent planning the next day’s activities. Instead, the Exeter community reflected on how Principal’s Day April 30 would manifest online. 

Due to COVID-19, the Academy decided to extend the online learning throughout the entirety of the spring term, thus putting a pause on many of the planned events. But the school decided to go through with Principal’s Day, releasing a video on Instagram on Wednesday, April 29 of Principal Rawson on a Zoom call with author and Exeter alumni Dan Brown, with Brown announcing that the following day would be Principal’s Day and to make the most of it. 

Rawson explained the thought process behind scheduling Principal’s day. “The decision to have Principal’s Day was my decision, but I consulted with several other administrators,” he said. “I felt, and they agreed, that the community needed a day off as much this year as any other year.”

“This year, the day recognizes that the transition to distance learning and being apart has been very hard for all of us, and we need time for self-care and rest,” Rawson said. “In other years, Principal’s Day provides precious time when we can be together in community with no academic or other work obligations and just have fun.  It is perhaps better than a Sunday, because no appointments of any sort—even student clubs—can be scheduled.  It provides an important break to an otherwise very busy schedule.”

Prep Cindy Su was very excited to receive the news. “I think the school wanted to keep a sense of normalcy,” she said. “Even though we're all in this unexpected situation, I think the school was trying to assure us in a way that our school is adapting and a virus can’t bring us down completely, as cheesy as that sounds.” 

Lower Zander Chearavanont agreed with Su’s sentiment. “Along with upholding tradition, I think it was a good way to alleviate the possible stress that has been piling up on students in high-risk areas or those with loved ones who are infected,” Chearavanont said.

Faculty members, like English Instructor Mercedes Carbonell, also appreciated Principal’s Day from afar.  “It is a day off. It is a gift. Right now, I imagine we all needed it. At this surreal time, it was a chance to exhale briefly,” she said. 

Other students, like upper Alex Tracey, noted some skepticism about an online Principal’s Day. “[Principal’s Day felt] futile in the face of how much work we are given, regardless of the issue the world is facing...every day really feels the same, and Principal’s Day wasn’t any different,” he said.

Lower Chieko Imamura noted that Principal’s Day prompted some wistful feelings concerning prior Academy springs. “It allowed me to think back to previous on campus principal’s days when everyone would be outside together under the New Hampshire sun (or lack thereof),” she said. “I appreciate that Exeter is trying its best to make everything as “normal” as possible by upholding this beloved tradition.” 

Like Imamura, for senior Khine Win, Principal’s Day reminded her of the Exeter community and all she would be missing this spring. “For me, though, Principal’s Day made me sad,” she said. “It was a reminder that we aren’t on campus and a reminder of all the missed opportunities/experiences.” 

All and all, Principal’s Day proved to be a way to remember the Academy even though Exonians are scattered across the globe. Su recalled, “Small bits of joy are really starting to count now in this mundane schedule, so even just that thrill of the announcement made me and many others smile for a while, which I think is so important.”