A school theme matters only if students can recognize it in ordinary moments: a question asked in class, a classmate invited into a group, or an idea tested before anyone knows whether it will work. Morgan Park Academy's 2025 convocation gave those moments a shared vocabulary: live curiously, lead kindly, and act boldly.
Dr. Phyllis Cavallone-Jurek introduced the theme as she welcomed students, faculty, and staff for her first year as Head of School. Her address was a challenge for the 2025–26 academic year, rather than a description of a new program or a promise of measured results.
Curiosity begins with a question
In her convocation message, Cavallone-Jurek encouraged students to ask when they do not know an answer and to explore unfamiliar subjects. She named science, history, the arts, and conversations with classmates as places where curiosity can change how students learn.
That is a useful distinction. Curiosity is more than an interest in a topic a student already enjoys. It also means staying with a difficult question long enough to hear another view or discover what information is missing.
Kindness is a form of leadership
The address defined leadership through conduct toward others, rather than titles or volume. Including someone, offering encouragement, and making space for another voice were presented as deliberate choices. Those examples make the theme relevant to students who may never hold a formal leadership role.
The message also treated kindness as something that can require courage. A student who notices that a peer has been left out has to decide whether to act, even when doing so feels awkward. That small decision is where an abstract school value becomes visible.
Bold action follows thought and care
Cavallone-Jurek urged students to start projects, share ideas, and speak up for what they think is right. She was careful to distinguish boldness from recklessness. In the context of the full theme, action is guided by questions and by concern for other people.
For an education partner, the convocation offers a clear picture of the habits Morgan Park Academy wants its community to practice. The test will be in the classroom and across campus throughout the year, in the everyday choices the speech describes.
Read or watch Morgan Park Academy's full convocation address.
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