The cars and yellow school buses glided down the AFS circular driveway on Wednesday morning, carrying students who filled the School once again with fresh energy, excitement and the unlimited possibility of a new academic year — our 320th.

Interim Middle School Division Director Rusty Regalbuto waited at curbside to shake hands with his young charges and offer a personal welcome. Over in the Muller Auditorium, teachers Jenny Burkholder and Lisa Kurtz greeted students by holding the theatre’s doors open for them. Technical Theatre Director Seth Schmitt-Hall keyed up a music playlist for morning assembly that began with “September,” by Earth Wind & Fire, followed by “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard,” and finally, “Thank You for Being a Friend.”

After routine announcements, Upper School students watched a light-hearted video featuring 60 questions from students for new US Director Dominique Gerard, who, in turn, introduced new US faculty and staff members.

Head of School Rich Nourie offered a reflection on the students’ opportunity for personal growth, and employing that growth to make the world a better place. “So, on the first day of school,” he said, “it is important to think about how valuable this education is, what an amazing experience it is … and commit yourself to making the most of this really extraordinary and, we hope, really joyful experience this year.”

Not long after the upperclassmen exited the Muller, the Middle Schoolers took seats in the auditorium for their opening assembly. Rusty opened with remarks about School expectations and the Quaker testimonies, including the value of community and how recognizing “that of God” in each person can change each interaction.

The MS students played a “Matching Game,” emceed by Math Teacher Justin Solonynka, that was designed to help them get to know their teachers better. Which teacher had jumped out of an airplane? Who wouldn’t eat lima beans? Who began surfing at the tender age of 11?

When the MS faculty broke into a dance up on the stage, moving in time to “Can’t Stop This Feeling” by Justin Timberlake, the students burst into giggles and cheers.

Rusty brought the program to a close by telling the students that some of the teachers had been reluctant participants, but they had put their discomfort aside for a bigger purpose — to model that it’s okay to take risks.

“We want Middle School to be a safe space,” he said. “It’s a place for you to take chances and to dance to your heart’s content.”

He then asked the students how many of them were ready to take chances this year? Hands shot up around the theatre.

Outside the Lower School, students were taking chances of a different sort — climbing on the wooden, fort-like towers of the new Headwaters Discovery Playground, sliding (sometimes backward) down a green plastic chute, scrambling over boulders and figuring out how to drain the water from a concrete pond.

The youngsters played with abandon, running from one play space to another, and occasionally stopping just long enough to hug a teacher they hadn’t seen all summer.