Class Day and Commencement 2026

Congratulations to the Roland Park Country School Class of 2026! On Wednesday, June 3, 57 graduating seniors were recognized for their academic, athletic, artistic and service and citizenship achievements at an annual Class Day ceremony. Then, on Thursday, June 4, the Class of 2026 and their families, along with the rest of the Upper School student body and all RPCS employees, gathered for Commencement, held in the RPCS Athletic Complex, that was also broadcast live on the RPCS website. Watch the Class Day video recording here and the Commencement video recording here and follow along with the digital program.

 

 

“No matter where your own path takes you, remember to be kind, be thoughtful and be brave,” Mrs. Joan Smith Head of School, told the graduates. “Life is full of adventure and possibilities, and I encourage you to seek and embrace diversity as you meet so many different people along the way. And remember to lead for the greater good. I know you will.”

 

The 2025-2026 Upper School Chorus performed a beautiful rendition of “You’ve Got a Friend,” before Caroline McDermond, 2026 delivered a heartfelt and memorable senior speech in which she explained how RPCS taught the senior class not what they are going to do with the rest of the lives, but who they are going to become. She spoke about the School’s emphasis on the legacies we create, the importance of character, and the ways we treat ourselves and each other.

 

“We have been able to grow so much throughout high school just by believing in each other and believing in ourselves. A lot has changed about us as a class since our first day. We have made new friends and kept the old, cried, laughed, and everything in between. But one thing has always stayed the same. We have always been a class that builds each other up.”

 

 

“Thank you to Roland Park, the faculty, staff, and community for allowing this class to be a small chapter in a longstanding and everlasting legacy,” Caroline continued later in her speech. “It was here where we learned that our future is truly limitless, and with all the support from this school, we have learned how to fulfill our class word in every sense.”

 

As Upper School Head Mrs. Sara Rollfinke, Mrs. Smith and President of the Board of Trustees Kyle Gore distributed diplomas to each senior, Mrs. Smith read brief, personal tributes about them. Then, the seniors and audience sang the school song.

 

In closing, Mrs. Smith told the Class of 2026, “ Please know that you will always belong here. I wish you all the best as you go forth and build a brighter future for all of us. Remember, YOU. CAN. DO. IT!!”

 

We are so proud of this limitless Class of 2026!