Monday, June 3, was a cause for celebration at KO. Not only did it mark the last day of school with a festive all-the-works barbecue, but it was also our groundbreaking for the Community Commons.

Students gathered in front of the library’s entrance, where a mound of dirt was set up, clutching a memento of small silver shovels. Head of School Tom Dillow offered a few words regarding the imminent project and thanked all the individuals involved, especially school librarian Nancy Solomon.

“When we first started talking about this idea,” Dillow said, “I would go to Mrs. Solomon and share some thoughts, and her eyes would light up. A number of her ideas about the space are present in this design, as well.”

Dillow reminded the students that next year, the campus would look a little different with a modified version of the library in the Leadership Center and the dining hall moved to the Soby Gyrm and asked that they adapt to the change. After these slight inconveniences, he told them there would be a ribbon cutting for the start of school in 2025.

Following his remarks, several students donned hard hats, took hold of shovels and dug into the dirt. The next day, following the last board meeting of the year, the board members assembled in the same location with shovels and stood for a photo.