Beyond the Classroom

List of 10 frequently asked questions.

• First Friday

  The first Friday of the school year is a time for celebration and community bonding! Middle school students get to know each other in advisory, complete service projects, and enjoy an afternoon social. Upper school students also begin the day with advisory bonding before moving into the annual Club Fair and closing with a variety of wacky games on the field.  

• Senior Sunrise/Senior Sunset

  During the first week of school, the senior class gathers on campus at dawn to watch the sun rise on their 12th grade year. At the end of the school year, just before graduation, the class gathers again to watch the sunset.

• Convocation

  Marking the ceremonial beginning of the school year, MVS Convocation includes student performances, speeches, and the time-honored Transition Ceremony. During this pass-the-torch moment, seniors give first graders a book (symbolizing the passing down of knowledge), while first graders give seniors a flower (symbolizing how they have blossomed during their time in school). 

• Harvest Gathering

  The annual Harvest Gathering is a picnic-style outdoor party to celebrate the new school year. Expect food trucks, crafts, student performances, and other community fun!

• Homecoming

  The annual MVS Homecoming includes varsity soccer games and a dance for upper school students, as well as a Family Fun Zone with games and inflatables, the Run for the Rams 5K Race, and the Coleman Lynn Wright Kids' Fun Run.
  
  Homecoming is also a popular time for alumni to hold reunions, and the annual Alumni Family Awards are given during Homecoming Weekend. 

• Halloween Parade

  MVS students of all ages wear costumes on Halloween and line the hallways as early childhood and lower school students parade to show off their Halloween finery. 

• All-School Sing

  Held on the last day before winter break, the All-School Sing is a raucous community sing-along of winter holiday songs across traditions, concluding with the traditional grade-by-grade performance of "The Twelve Days of Christmas." 

• Immersion Open House

  This community event in January is a chance for students in all divisions to show what they learned during Immersion Term. 

• Aries Colloquium

  This annual event, held in May, is a time for seniors to present the findings of their Aries Projects. The Aries Project is MVS' senior capstone research experience, with 12th grade students conducting original fieldwork and research in an area of their choice.

• Graduation

  All high schools have a graduation, but MVS' ceremony is unique for its plethora of student performances and speeches, presenting a multifaceted portrait of the graduating class.