Inaugural PSI Day at Cate

December 12, 2025

On Saturday, December 6, Cate launched its inaugural PSI Day, an immersive experience where place, service, and inquiry converged across grade levels to deepen learning, strengthen community, and spark curiosity. Organized by the Academic Leadership Team, each class engaged in specific, grade-appropriate programming for an enriching day that was distinctly Cate.

9th grade students participated in an interdisciplinary field day, exploring play and creation through a multifaceted lens. Inspired in part by Art Relay, students worked in groups to create original work through three 45-minute projects that connect to various areas of study, including math, science, and arts. Projects included math sculptures, automatic murals, and a spaghetti architecture challenge, culminating in an all-grade drum circle on Senior Lawn led by Performing Arts Chair John Knecht.

At the beachside Sophomore Retreat, 10th grade students deepened their bonds through thoughtfully designed team-building activities led by Sophomore Seminar Teaching Assistants. With sand in their toes and the sun in the sky, the students built trust, fostered a sense of belonging, and demonstrated joy and connection together. “Sophomore retreat is an incredible opportunity for the 10th grade class to bond over fun activities and games at the beach,” shared Kiy Barry ’26, who is a TA in the program. “As a teaching assistant, I, with my enthusiastic seminar (E-block!), created spirited t-shirts, a chant, and designed a beach fort building competition for all to participate in. Regardless of the results at the end of the day (we won the best team photo and team spirit awards), I noticed how all the 10th graders celebrated each other and their small accomplishments. Overall, I believe that the 10th-grade class is an excellent class, and I feel fortunate to be one of the TAs for them.”

11th and 12th grade students traveled to the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, California, to engage in a docent-led tour of the MONUMENTS exhibit. “The exhibit of decommissioned Confederate monuments presents an outstanding artifact for interdisciplinary inquiry, particularly for our 11th graders who have just begun their study of the Civil War and who are reading Rankine’s Citizen and Morrison’s Song of Solomon,” shared Annalee Salcedo, Dean of Academics.

“Something I found particularly interesting was a question that was raised during our visit to the Unnamed Drone Monument at the Brick: Is it more powerful to destroy Confederate monuments or to change them?” shared Analise Gomez ’27. “Throughout the day, we saw monuments that had been spray-painted or welded into different shapes, showing a conversation between modern-day and Confederate history. I thought this question was particularly powerful!”