Living with Honor and Integrity at Foxcroft

The Honor Code and Honor Pledge are integrated into all aspects of Foxcroft life, keeping our core values — Respect, Integrity, Kindness, and Service — at the forefront of all we do. Framed copies of the code and pledge hang in classrooms and offices across campus, and students regularly write and sign the pledge on their academic assignments.

At Sunday’s assembly, the community heard several speakers, including London H. ’23, Chair of Honor Council; Sneha K. ’23; Patty A. ’25; Claire M. ’24; Isabelle M. ’23; Head of School Cathy McGehee; and faculty member Dr. James Sweeney, reflect on the meaning of integrity. Senior Heidi D. shared her vocal talents with a performance of “You’ll Never Walk Alone” from Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel, a song with a fitting message for this occasion. 

As Chair of Honor Council, London reflected on Foxcroft’s rules, core values, and our collective responsibility in shaping the environment around us. “The Honor Code is a standard we abide by in order to be responsible community members. It ensures our School is and continues to be a place where everyone feels comfortable so that we can dedicate ourselves to our schoolwork, passions, and personal growth,” she shared. “However, the Honor Code is also something else — it’s an opportunity for us to become proud of ourselves. We can do this by being mindful of how we conduct ourselves, which is with respect to others in our environment and with honesty in our day-to-day life.” London’s words set the bar for living honorably within our community while acknowledging mistakes will be made — and that is where growth and learning can happen. “Together, if we vow to make ourselves proud, we are bound to have a great year.”

Before the assembled students, faculty, and staff signed their names to this year’s Honor Code and Honor Pledge, Dr. Sweeney, the newest faculty member to join the Honor Council, remarked on what moments of honor and integrity look like to him. Some are obvious or taught to us from a young age, he offered, but others may not be. “These are the moments you need to make a conscious decision to do what is best and not what is easy.” How will a student know whether or not they are doing the right thing? “Despite what the movies tell you,” he said, “you won’t have a little angel sitting on your shoulder trying to convince you — you will only have your own moral compass and the desire to do what is right.” 

The Foxcroft community is fortunate to have honorable role models like London, Dr. Sweeney, and the other faculty and student members of the Honor Council helping to guide our moral compasses. 

This year’s signed Honor Code and Honor Pledge will be framed and hung in Schoolhouse as a reminder of each community member’s commitment to living and learning with honor at Foxcroft. Many thanks to all members of the Honor Council — London H. ’23, Sneha K. ’23, Vassiliki-Theodosia M. ’23, Isabelle M. ’23, Claire M. ’24, Sofia R. ’24, Elizabeth V. ’24, Patty A. ’25, Raquel L. ’25, and faculty members Stephanie Young, Dr. James Sweeney, Karin Thorndike, and Erika Page — for helping everyone start the school year with the utmost integrity.