The class of 2015 received a warm welcome on Aug. 19, as they visited the Saratoga campus for freshmen orientation. After an enthusiastic greeting from the Link Crew – a special group of grade 11 and 12 students who help the freshmen with their transition to the upper school – the students made their way to the gym, where each one of them was designated a certain type of farm animal, such as a chicken or cow. A fun and hilarious game then ensued, with the students making the trademark noise of their animals to find their advisors and advisory groups. They were also introduced to key administrators such as: Butch Keller, upper school head; Greg Lawson, assistant head of school for student affairs; and Evan Barth, dean of studies .

Everyone then headed to Davis Field to practice for their first emergency drill. Following the drill, the freshmen and Link Crew students enjoyed some fun team-building games out on the field, courtesy of APEX Adventures. In one game, students had to help each other manipulate a wooden structure across the field by pulling on ropes to keep the structure from falling. In another, groups of students raced to fill a tube with water, while other students plugged holes in the tube to keep it from leaking. The day’s warm weather was ideal for swimming, so students also swam and played more games at the Singh Aquatic Center.