How the newly transformed Hunter Center brought our community together this fall through the Annual Meeting, our first all-school assembly, a milestone class play, and a celebratory dedication.
By Molly McKinnon
Dedham Country Day School has officially raised the curtain on The Hunter Center, a state-of-the-art performing arts venue and schoolwide gathering space that takes center stage in a momentous new chapter for the school. Reimagined from the former Lowell Center, the facility was made possible through the landmark Together Campaign, which raised over $15 million between 2019 and 2025—the largest fundraising total in DCD’s history. Setting the stage for generations to come, the Hunter Center is a place to showcase student voices, foster creative risk-taking, and bring the entire community together.
Taking the Stage Together at the Annual Meeting
DCD’s next chapter took center stage on Oct. 15, 2026, as the community came together inside the newly completed facility for the Annual Meeting. Guided by the theme “Take the Stage Together,” the gathering brought parents, caregivers, alumni families, trustees, faculty, staff, and friends under one roof. Attendees reflected on the people and traditions shaping the school’s foundation, received key updates on DCD’s financial landscape, and gained a firsthand look at how these renewed physical spaces are coming to life.
Curtain Up on Our First All-School Assembly
Just over a week after the Annual Meeting, excitement on campus hit a joyful high on Oct. 23 as students, parents, caregivers, board members, faculty, and staff filed into the theater for the very first all-school assembly. “We had our first assembly in the Hunter Center, and the whole theater was filled! It was so exciting to see everyone together in our new space,” said third grader Ethan, capturing the long-awaited milestone as the entire community settled into their new seating sections together for the first time. A beloved weekly tradition had officially found its new home, complete with a surprise visit from the DCD Hawk mascot in formal theater attire. As third grader Lucy put it, “My favorite part of that assembly was seeing the Hawk all dressed up in a tuxedo!” The morning wrapped up with Kindergarten and 8th Grade Buddies taking the stage together for a heartwarming musical finale led by music teacher Jeffrey Vélez.
Fourth Grade Takes the First Bow in the Hunter Center
The anticipation and excitement carried right into the performing arts as DCD students put the new stage to the test for the very first time. Guided by Drama Director Elisa Sidoli, this year’s fourth graders earned a special place in school history by presenting the inaugural class play in the Hunter Center, after being the last class to perform in the Lowell Center before construction began. For fourth grader Dylan, being part of that full-circle moment was unforgettable. “Our class just performed our play with Ms. Sidoli! It was so much fun to be up on this stage and see everyone watching us. We worked really hard, and the coolest part is that our class was the last to perform in the old Lowell Center and the first to perform in the new Hunter Center! How cool is that? We made DCD history!”
Class plays are a cherished DCD tradition. More than just a show, our class plays are where DCD students practice thinking on their feet, supporting their peers, and finding their voice—turning creative risk-taking into lifelong confidence! First-grader Catherine shared her excitement and anticipation to take the stage: “I love our new theater! I can’t wait for my play. Thank you for making it so special!”
Photo: Fourth Grade Class Play Performance
The Hunter Center Naming Celebration and Dedication Ceremony
The series of inaugural celebrations culminated on November 5, 2026, with the Hunter Center Naming Celebration and Dedication Ceremony. The evening brought together so many in the DCD community, including former Heads of School Sonya Valentine and Nick Thacher. Guests enjoyed musical performances led by Jeffrey Vélez, personal tributes, and the official naming unveiling honoring Susie Hunter.
During the dedication ceremony, Head of School Allison Webster offered a heartfelt reflection on how the new theater nurtures both individual confidence and genuine belonging. For Webster, the true beauty of the room lies in the connection between the performers under the lights and the classmates cheering them on. “When you think of our theater space, you may initially picture it as a place where a child first finds their voice,” she said. “Much as I love all of those moments, I am just as enamored with the audience experience, with the child who listens to the person on stage and develops a new perspective, or is emboldened to try something new, share a laugh, tear, or surprise with the collective. We always work to help children know they belong to something larger than themselves. This room, and this stage, is where we balance the ‘I’ and the ‘we.’”
Webster went on to connect the theater’s purpose to a central theme from the novel Station Eleven—”Survival is insufficient”—reminding the audience that DCD aims for something far higher than basic survival for its students. “Our students thrive on connection, imagination, beauty, play, voice, new learning, curiosity, mastery, accomplishment, engagement, and camaraderie,” Webster noted. “And this room will be the place where all of those strengths can come to life.”
To illustrate how deeply students connect to the theater space, Webster recounted how a second grader became teary saying goodbye to the old Lowell Center after spending just two years there in pre-K and kindergarten. “Just two years created such a deep sense of connection and belonging,” Webster reflected. “Imagine what ten years of memories and experiences in this beautiful new space will mean for a child starting pre-K today.”
As part of the evening’s tributes, Webster celebrated Susie Hunter’s leadership, praising her tenacity and strategic vision. Hunter was presented with special tokens of appreciation, including custom ceramic platters crafted by visual arts teacher Kevin Coakley and a collection of “fan mail” written by students expressing their gratitude for the new space.
For Susie Hunter, whose vision and generosity brought the Hunter Center to life, the campaign has always been a shared story: “To strengthen the school. It takes all of us to guarantee its future. We all stand on the shoulders of people who have come before us.”
Reflecting on the transformation across generations, alum, trustee, and Together Campaign Co-Chair Chris Cheever ’94 noted, “Seeing the old Lowell Center transformed into the beautiful new Hunter Center is truly exciting. I’m proud to have been part of making this vision a reality, and I can’t wait to see the memories that future generations of DCD students will make here.” Eighth grader Quinn summed up what the space means: “Years from now, we might not remember every assembly or every performance, but we’ll always remember how it felt to be part of this community. And that’s what makes this place so special.”
