Our Annual Commitment to Trust

Last week, the entire Upper School gathered in Price Auditorium for the annual Honor Code Assembly. After moving remarks from Upper School Head Ms. Bea Fuller, Student Council President Danielle Drury ‘18, and guest speaker Heidi Frye of Gettysburg College, all new Upper School students and faculty signed the Honor Book, a symbol of their commitment to integrity and honesty within our community.

The Honor Code Philosophy

Severn’s Honor Code is written for the students by the students. The code not only maintains but strengthens our trust in each other and in our school. It represents our students' unified understanding that a strong community is built on respect for work, property, and one another. Therefore we pledge not to lie, cheat, or steal. As we live our mission of character, conduct and scholarship, the Honor Code is a reminder that character is the driving force behind who we are at Severn.
"Without character, every word that follows in our mission would be an empty abstraction, meaningless.” — Head of School Doug Lagarde
Severn School student speaks at the podium
Ms. Bea Fuller with new faculty members Mr. Andrew Otero and Ms. Norah Lapolla
As each student signs the book, they pass the pen to their peers to symbolize the link from one person to another.
Severn School students pass the pen to one another after signing the Honor Code Book.
Ms. Bea Fuller, Candy Huang ‘22, and Casey He ‘22

More Than Words on the Page

In the days leading up to the assembly, Upper School students meet with their advisory groups to discuss both the code itself and the larger concept of honesty in the Upper School. They talk about real-life scenarios, both academic and social, where their commitment to the Honor Code could be tested. Through these discussions, our students develop strategies to face these situations with integrity and confidence in their choices. The Honor Code is more than words on a page, it’s alive our halls, in every classroom and within every member of our community.

The Pledge

At the end of the ceremony, Danielle Drury ‘18 leads the entire room in a restatement of the Honor Pledge:
We the members of the Severn community vow to uphold the integrity of the Honor Code which states that we will not lie, cheat or steal nor neglect the actions of our peers who choose to do so. We will treat ourselves, our peers and our community with the utmost respect.
Severn School student speaks at the podium
Danielle Drury ‘18
"The Honor Code Assembly marks an important tradition of our Upper School at Severn as we discuss the value of honor, which plays a crucial role in our school mission of challenging students to pursue excellence in character, conduct, and scholarship. Signing the Honor Book is our public commitment to uphold the honor code, to live by the honor code, and to be part of the Severn Upper School community." — Ms. Bea Fuller
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