News & Events

Commencement Class of 2024

Commencement Weekend Schedule

Thursday, May 23, 2024

7:30 p.m. Spring Festival of the Arts, Werner Centennial Center
Required school appointment for all students (exam dress). Parents are invited to attend.

Friday, May 24, 2024

2 p.m. Spring Awards Ceremony, Commencement Lawn
Required school appointment for all students (classroom dress). Families are invited. Visit Westminster Live to view the livestream.
7 p.m. Baccalaureate Service, Andrews Memorial Chapel
Required school appointment for all Sixth Form students. Sixth Form parents are invited. Retiring faculty member Nancy Urner–Berry ’81, P ’11, ’16 will be the Faculty Speaker during the service. Visit Westminster Live to view the livestream.
7:45 p.m. Lawn Ceremony, Sixth Form Lawn
Required school appointment for all Sixth Form and Fifth Form students (classroom dress). Fifth and Sixth Form families are invited. Visit Westminster Live to view the livestream.
8:30 p.m.
Sixth Form Receiving Line, Sixth Form Lawn
All students are invited to attend.
Refreshments for Fifth and Sixth Form Parents, Keyes Patio, Cushing Hall
10 p.m. Boarding Students Check In on Corridor, Day Students Depart Campus

Saturday, May 25, 2024

8 a.m.
Presentation of Sixth Form Flowers, Commencement Rehearsal and Family Photos, Keyes Porch
Required school appointment for all Sixth Form students (commencement dress). Families and graduates are invited to take photos with a professional photographer before or after Commencement rehearsal.
9:30 a.m.
Sixth Form Class Photo, Cushing Hall
Required school appointment for all Sixth Form students.
10 a.m.
Commencement, Commencement Lawn
Required school appointment for all students. Visit Westminster Live to view the livestream. Photographers will be available for family photos after Commencement.
Noon
Buffet Lunch Available, Armstrong Dining Hall
1 p.m. End-of-year departure for Sixth Formers

Commencement Address

After serving 41 years on the Westminster faculty, Scott Stevens P’07, ’09, ’12 will have the honor of delivering the commencement address for the Class of 2024.
Scott arrived on campus in 1983, fresh out of college, teaching English and coaching hockey and lacrosse. His dedication and commitment to the school continued to flourish after he and his wife, Amy, married and began a life together at Westminster. They raised their three children on the Hill: Nick ’07, a graduate of Middlebury College; Abby ’09, a graduate of the University of Vermont; and Will ’12, a graduate of Middlebury College. They also have two grandsons, George and Walt.
During his tenure at Westminster, Scott served in several key positions outside the classroom beginning in 2002 as the director of development and as the assistant headmaster of development for what is now the advancement office. In the latter role, he was an ambassador and fundraiser for Westminster, forging many relationships among alumni, parents and friends. In 2015, he returned to the classroom where he has taught English to Third Formers and Sixth Formers and delighted in observing their progress and insights. When the girls’ varsity golf program started in 2015, he gladly stepped up to coach the team. He has served as dean of students and director of residential life and has been an advisor to countless students. In 1999, he was a recipient of the O’Brien Award, in recognition of his personal commitment toward nurturing and supporting students.
Scott graduated from The Hotchkiss School, earned his B.A. in English from the University of Vermont and his M.A. from Middlebury College, where he and his wife, Amy, completed a five-year program at Middlebury’s Bread Loaf School of English. In 2018, Scott was awarded a sabbatical year allowing the couple to pursue their passion for travel, which included touring Southeast Asia. 
Scott and Amy plan to reside nearby in Simsbury, where they have many ties to the community. While he is retiring from teaching, Scott will continue working as a consultant to independent school administrators, using his decades of experience and knowledge to prepare a whole new generation of educators.

Frequently Asked Questions

List of 10 frequently asked questions.

  • Who may attend Commencement?

    Immediate family members, approximately 10-12 people, are welcome to attend.

  • Where should guests park?

    Guests will be directed to park behind Armour Academic Center. Please do not park around the Sixth Form Lawn during Commencement Weekend. 

  • Are there reserved seats for Commencement?

    Graduates and special guests will have seats reserved at the front of the tent. Seating for families and other guests is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Families or students who wish to hold seats may place a placard on individual seats beginning at 7 a.m. on Saturday. Any placards placed before 7 a.m. will be removed.

  • Where can we stay? Where can we have dinner on Friday evening?

    Please click here to see a list of area hotels and restaurants. Make dinner reservations early and plan to be back to campus before 7 p.m. for the Lawn Ceremony.

  • Where can we have lunch on Saturday?

    Following the Commencement Ceremony, everyone is welcome to enjoy a buffet lunch in Armstrong Dining Hall.

  • Will photographs be taken of each student?

    Highpoint Pictures will be taking candid and formal photos throughout Saturday morning. A professional photographer will take a photo as the diploma is handed to the student and after the student leaves the stage. Guests are encouraged to request a family photo from a photographer before or after the Commencement Ceremony. An email from Highpoint Pictures will be sent to Sixth Form parents about two weeks after Commencement, when the photos are ready to be reviewed and purchased.

  • Will the events be livestreamed? 

    The Awards Ceremony, Baccalaureate Service and Lawn Ceremony on Friday will be livestreamed. Commencement Exercises are scheduled to be livestreamed on Saturday morning. All livestreams can be accessed at www.westminster-school.org/live on the day of the event. 

  • Can the school accommodate guests with mobility issues?

    Guests with mobility issues should be dropped off at the entrance to Armour Academic Center. Golf carts will be available for guests who need assistance getting to the Lawn Ceremony on Friday evening or the tent on Commencement Lawn. Please contact Kerry Masiero, Executive Assistant to the Head of School, at kmasiero@westminster-school.org or 860-408-3012 to address any additional issues. We will make every effort to accommodate your request.

  • When do Sixth Form students depart?

    Sixth Form students depart campus at 1 p.m. following Commencement. Families can pack up before Commencement, or immediately following the event.

  • Are pets allowed on campus for Commencement?

    While service animals are welcome on campus, we request that non-service animals not be brought to campus for Commencement Weekend.

Downloads for At-Home Celebrations

Celebrate the Class of 2024 in style. Below is a selection of logos, graphics and printer-friendly signs so families can decorate their homes with pride. Click the graphic you want to download. Each graphic will open in a new window and allow you to download a pdf of that graphic.

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