Rye Country Day School is proud to announce that Ginny Black, beloved Middle School Language Arts Teacher, will be the 2026 Upper School Commencement Ceremony speaker.  

Mrs. Black will offer her insights and wisdom—crafted with her signature love of words and authentic voice—to our graduates before beginning her next chapter in retirement at the end of the 2025-26 school year. Having taught this year’s graduating class and 47 other graduating classes, her remarks are sure to speak to the hearts of generations of Wildcats.

Ginny Black has devoted 48 years to RCDS as a passionate Middle School Language Arts teacher. Since she arrived in 1978, she has taught Grades 5-8 English with passion, rigor, and unmistakable joy, helping students discover the beauty and power of words. She is a graduate of Wilkes University (B.A.), the Bread Loaf School of English at Middlebury College (M.A.), and Manhattanville College (M.F.A.). Mrs. Black believes that reading and writing are ways to examine the world and ourselves—opportunities to explore big ideas, such as the human experience, character, and how we are all connected and called to care for one another. 

Over the decades, Mrs. Black has served as Language Arts Coordinator, Department Chair, committee member, mentor, and trusted advisor to colleagues and students alike. She is a recipient of the Martin L. Kleinbard Award and a 2018 Cohen Award for Excellence in Teaching. Beyond her many official roles, she has been a steady and joyful presence in the life of the School.

We are deeply grateful that Mrs. Black will address the Class of 2026. We eagerly look forward to hearing her reflections—and to celebrating a career that has touched the hearts, minds, and voices of generations of RCDS students and colleagues.