Over the past few days, King’s celebrated the beginning of the 2018-2019 academic year with an explosion of energy, optimism and excitement as it welcomed 165 new students to campus. This year, the school is more robust than ever – in addition to a total of 660 students from 40 different countries, King’s also boasts its largest faculty to date, with 110 teachers hailing from Jordan, the United States, and other nations around the world.

The year officially began with three jam-packed days of orientation. The first, on Saturday, thrust new students into a menagerie of activities: first meetings with advisors, raucous house-welcoming ceremonies, fun ice-breaking activities and engaging focus group sessions. In the evening, students danced dabke and raced around playing games on the athletic field. Before all of this action, Headmaster John Austin addressed new students and parents at the Abdul Majeed Shoman Auditorium, underscoring the significance of King’s mission and the strength of the school community.

“The mission of this school is to bring amazing young people together from every background and walk of life on a residential campus to give them the opportunity to learn with motivated, inspired students and teachers and to create an amazing school and community,” said Austin. “That’s why His Majesty founded the school. He knows that the young people of today are everything – they are our future – and we want to ensure that you are doing everything you can so that you can help achieve His Majesty’s vision for this school.”

“You come from all over the world,” Austin continued. “And that is a tremendous strength for King’s. One of the things that we pride ourselves on is that we are a community that is welcoming and a place of kindness and generosity. We embrace everyone who comes here, and over the course of your time here, you will begin to see King’s as a second home.”   

On Sunday, all returning Upper School students arrived on campus for registration, while new students took a closer look at the campus in a post-breakfast scavenger hunt. The afternoon kicked off the Madaba Games, an annual inter-house athletic and arts competition. Activities ranged from volleyball and football to an egg-drop contest from the clock tower and a cupcake-baking event. Exhausted by their heroic efforts, students made their way to the Hess Family Dining Hall, where they feasted on diverse dishes from around the world at an international food fair. 

On Monday, following a short first day of classes and the first advisory lunch of the year, students returned to the auditorium, where the Madaba Games concluded with house skits.  

And on Tuesday, the Middle School kicked off its third year with 85 students across grades 7 and 8, infusing the campus with even more vigor. King’s is officially back and in full swing!