Commonwealth School Alumni/ae

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Commonwealth School Alumni/ae

A page dedicated to connecting alumni/ae of the Commonwealth School

SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY

Commonwealth is delighted to provide a platform for alumni/ae and other members of our community to connect with the school and each other. We trust our social media followers to exhibit the same thoughtfulness, civility, and respect central to all discourse at Commonwealth. Please note that while we are happy to share alumni/ae news, we do not specifically direct or endorse alumni/ae fundraising or business efforts.

09/01/2026

Only one more day until we have a school of Mermaids again! We can’t wait to see you.

08/27/2026

NEXT WEEK: Join Directors of Admissions from Commonwealth School, Boston University Academy, and The Winsor School for a virtual event to learn more about our academic programs and unique communities. ⁠
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Next Thursday, September 3, from 7:00–8:00 p.m. EDT, we will share information about our respective schools and outline our plans for our engaging and exciting admission processes this year. There will also be a Q&A. ⁠
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Register now to get the Zoom link for the event: https://bit.ly/4zMPamf

08/18/2026

It’s a Monday afternoon in early March. The winter play is days away, French and Spanish students are preparing to jet off to their studies abroad, seniors will embark on their projects soon, and the third quarter of the school year is about to end. Despite their novella-length to-do lists, about twenty students are seated in 2C, listening intently while quietly eating their lunches. ⁠
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For these students, lunchtime has turned into “an emergency meeting of Current Events Club,” as announced as recess that morning, given the war with Iran, now on day three. Some students offer thoughts on the motivations for war or pose questions about what they’ve heard online or at home; others provide live updates as they receive news alerts from an ongoing press briefing. The rest simply take in the discussion, digesting their food and the specter of war before resetting for sixth period.⁠
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Whether frequenters of Current Events Club or not, Commonwealth students are grappling with national and world events that will define, at the very least, their high-school years. How do we, as teachers, mentors, and an educational institution, guide them through the realities of our times? It’s a responsibility that stretches across academic disciplines and areas of school life, and one that our faculty and staff approach with varying perspectives but shared intentionality.⁠
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Read more on our blog: https://bit.ly/4wytyqO

08/12/2026

We need to talk about the elephant in the room: we’ve got some (and by some, we mean 100) visitors in our front yard!
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If you haven’t had a chance yet, take a stroll down the Comm Ave Mall to enjoy The Great Elephant Migration, a touring art exhibition raising awareness and funds for wildlife conservation. (Plus, it’s National Elephant Day, so what better time to check it out?)⁠
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The exhibit will remain in Back Bay through September 13. Learn more: https://bit.ly/3Szaril

08/06/2026

Any parent of school-aged children will tell you: filling kids’ summers is hard. But Rod Hsiao ’82 knows the problem goes deeper than the scramble to find summer camps. Those months away from school can torpedo students’ momentum in the classroom and deepen achievement gaps along socioeconomic lines. ⁠
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He’s spent his career trying to close that divide by improving access and outcomes for students, moving from academia to government to the private sector and back again. Commonwealth (and Polly Chatfield in particular) helped propel him down the winding path that eventually led him to co-found InPlay, a nonprofit that helps under-resourced families find the summer and after-school programs that can change the trajectory of students’ lives. ⁠
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Keep reading for a deep dive into his entrepreneurial adventures, followed by our twenty questions interview where he shares memories of Mrs. Chatfield, the misconceptions undermining summer programs’ success, and his definition of nirvana: https://bit.ly/4wLhV0C

07/30/2026

Some things about a Commonwealth education never change: expert faculty, eye-opening classes, commutes through Boston. And among the most meaningful are the friendships forged over years of Hancocks, study sessions, sports practices, club meetings, theatrical performances, and so much more.⁠
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They have a way of lasting a lifetime. ⁠
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Happy International Friendship Day!

07/25/2026

What happens after Commonwealth? Those college decisions that loomed so large in high school: how did they pan out? And how do you figure out what comes next when the clear, prescribed path of education reaches an end? ⁠
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Perri Wilson (’17)’s left her perch in Commonwealth’s art studio for the University of Chicago, where she studied philosophy and a “very Commonwealth major” called Fundamentals that helped her grapple with “big questions.” Questions like, Which passion to pursue: painting or public service?⁠
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Read on for a recap of Perri’s post-Commonwealth journey thus far—but first, her advice for ninth graders, seniors, and her former self: https://bit.ly/4hpBSoP

07/22/2026

Most independent schools have offices of “advancement,” but what are they advancing, exactly? Broadly speaking, these teams help their institutions grow at steady, strategic, sustainable clips through fundraising and community engagement. But you can’t engage a community (at least, not well) without knowing it deeply. ⁠
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So who better to lead this team at Commonwealth than one of our own? As alums, Director of Advancement Alisha Elliott ’01 and Head of School Jennifer Borman ’81 share an understanding of “the unique intensity and magic” of this place, Jennifer says, that other alums instantly recognize, too. ⁠
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Read on as they discuss the critical gaps philanthropy fills at Commonwealth and how our approach to fundraising differs from most schools, what folks can look forward to during the school’s inaugural Alumni/ae Reunion Weekend, and how Polly Chatfield shaped giving over her tenure—and shapes it to this day: https://bit.ly/45f0Fob

07/18/2026

David Gleason '79 has been pondering the benefits and challenges of AI for a long time, especially as he has built a career in information technology helping businesses and nonprofit organizations establish and articulate their values and align those values with stakeholders. ⁠
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He became interested in the intersection of philosophy and science at Commonwealth, as a member of one of the last graduating classes under the leadership of founder Charles Merrill. Now, he's an expert in ethics, business, and technology, and founder and managing editor of MyEthics.net.⁠
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Read on to glean David’s insights as he discusses his career, his concerns, and the community he’s building as he grapples with one of the biggest ethical questions of our times: https://bit.ly/44AknKY

07/10/2026

Looking for a brain teaser to keep your math skills sharp this summer? Check out our Math Club’s Puzzle Magazine to try your hand at a series of puzzles featuring everything from geometry to graphing to a close encounter with a bear…Kudos to Anna ’26, Brian ’26, Jasmine ’27, and everyone who contributed to the magazine!⁠
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Try to crack their codes (and find out how you did with these three!): https://bit.ly/3SURWF1

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