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A new school year brings plenty of excitement to first grade — including two new lead teachers, Ashley Smith and Ginia Oviedo. Both bring a wealth of experience — and plenty of enthusiasm — to their classrooms. We caught up with them to learn a little more about their teaching philosophies, favorite books, first grade memories and what they’re most looking forward to this year.

North Shore Country Day’s Model UN program opened its 2026–27 season with high aspirations, its largest preseason camp to date and a new service initiative connecting the team’s global focus with local action.

For North Shore Country Day eighth graders, the annual trip to Washington, D.C., has offered a chance to experience history, government and civic life beyond the classroom. This year, the longstanding tradition includes a new dimension: a hands-on service experience that asks students to consider how they can contribute to the communities around them.

North Shore Country Day marked the ceremonial opening of its 108th school year on Wednesday, August 26, bringing the entire community together for Opening Morning Ex and a morning filled with tradition, reflection and a warm welcome to the year ahead.

Short stories. Basketball coaching. Middle and upper school mathematics. As far as Rashid Smith is concerned, there is a through line connecting all three.
“I’m a reader of short stories. ‘Hope Dies Last’ or ‘Tuesdays with Morrie.’ Those are my types of reading. Math for me is like that. I know where things are going to end,” he said. “You see math whittle problems down into something concrete. You’re solving for something.”

As Regina George in “Mean Girls,” she delivered cutting lines and icy stares with confidence. Offstage, she made a point of doing the opposite.

Jack, a lifer who joined NSCD midway through senior kindergarten, has spent the past several years documenting the community he grew up in — from games and pep rallies to performances and everyday moments around campus. As one of the school’s first Nathan Simon ’25 Photo Fellows, he worked closely with school photographer Jonathan Gibby while building a portfolio through AP Photography and photographing events across campus.

For Raina Khanna ’26, volunteering with Habitat for Humanity started with building houses. It eventually led her to think bigger — about policy, data and the systems behind housing affordability.

Joshua Lemons ’26 was recently named one of three recipients of the inaugural Jim “Duke” Davis Memorial Award, a scholarship recognizing high school senior athletes who demonstrate exceptional character, commitment and sportsmanship. The award was established by the Davis family in memory of Jim “Duke” Davis ’64, a former NSCD Alumni Board member and beloved member of the Winnetka community who passed away this past year.