Earlier in April, William McCormack ‘18 was elected by his peers in the Fifth Form to serve as School President starting in the fall. Immensely qualified for this position, Will has served in the Senate for all of his years at Belmont Hill: as Vice President in Forms I and II and as President since Form III. While his work in the Senate eats up many hours, he still makes time for a plethora of other commitments. He is an Editor-in-Chief of both The Panel and The Podium, involved in Belmont Hill’s Chinese Club and a self-proclaimed “varsity basketball superfan,” a testament to his enthusiasm for the school.
In looking to next year Will has a number of goals, which he is beginning a discussion about now. Reforming the school’s technology policies and systems sits on the top of his docket. “I look forward to leading the Senate in an effort to continue to increase the dialogue between administrators and students around technology at Belmont Hill. Priorities related to technology next year will revolve around improving student printing, investigating options to improve the wifi, and continue to question the philosophy of blocking sites on school networks.”
Will and his fellow Senate members also hope to formally implement the assessment pledge which was initiated last fall. This pledge, signed at the end of tests and quizzes, is designed to reduce the peer pressure students feel to discuss test material with friends. Always looking to learn more about the world, he aims to increase the number and overall diversity of speakers brought to Belmont Hill. Other items on his agenda include, “implementing a program in which students can contribute to Belmont Hill’s official social media accounts, improving advertisement of extracurriculars on the Belmont Hill website, and reevaluating policies for the boarding program by inviting a formally selected boarding representative to Senate meetings.”
When I sat down with him, Will also spoke about the role he hopes to see the Senate play on campus, saying, “I hope the School continues to be a place where student opinion and voice are valued and acted upon. I appreciate the fact that faculty members and administrators at Belmont Hill are very willing to entertain student opinion; I’m excited to cement this important culture throughout next year.” Finally, he aims to be a strong leader with a good vision for the school during what will be a year marked by both continuity and preparation for tremendous transition. Will says, “As next year is Dr. Melvoin’s last, we in the Senate hope to guide the student body through the beginning of an important transition period. The process of both celebrating and reevaluating the past will be almost as important as pondering the School’s future.”
While these goals are no small undertaking, Will’s experience in the Senate has prepared him well. In his time at Belmont Hill he has worked to organize countless class trips and events. In addition, he and his fellow Senate members have fostered changes in school policy that stemmed from Senate discussions, including changing the midyear exam schedule from after to before Winter Break and securing student representation on the Academic Technology Committee. With this experience under his belt, Will is uniquely capable of implementing his ambitious agenda. Alongside Vice President Jake Carter ‘18, Senators Bennett Morris ‘18 and Ishaan Prasad ‘18, as well as all the other Senate members, we wish him well for a good and productive year!
