Earth and Sky. Blue and Gold. AGS loves traditions, new and old.

In 2000, AGS was founded on the long history and well-developed educational methods of the best girls’ schools in the country. Our girls take pride in honoring the AGS traditions and creating new ones along the way.

Earth and Sky

The entire AGS community is divided into two teams, Earth and Sky. The divisions reflect the images in the school seal, symbolizing the importance of reaching for the sky while staying grounded to the earth. From the moment a student steps on campus, she belongs to one of these teams. The teams participate in a yearlong friendly competition designed to foster school spirit and pride in the AGS community, and the competition culminates with Horizon Day in the spring.

Horizon Day

Horizon Day is a day of indoor games and outdoor activities. Both Earth and Sky teams are divided into smaller ‘families,’ and these families compete against each other. By the end of the day, the winner of the spirit competition for the school year is crowned, and the Spirit Stick is awarded to the winning team and winning Goddess.

Lavaliere Ceremony

At the beginning of each school year, an AGS lavaliere necklace is given to each new Upper School student. The lavaliere, depicting the AGS laurel branch, celebrates and recognizes the transition from Middle School to Upper School. Most AGS students proudly wear their lavalieres throughout the school year. In 2012, students began the tradition of singing “Oh, Lavaliere” to conclude the annual ceremony.

Oh, Lavaliere
Oh, Lavaliere. Oh, Lavaliere.
We pledge to keep you always near.
Oh, Lavaliere. Oh, Lavaliere.
We wear you ’cause we love it here.
Your laurel leaves show we’re the best.
We’re sisters all at AGS.
Oh, Earth and Sky united by.
Oh, Lavaliere, we hold you dear

Moving Up Ceremony

On the final day of school, after graduation has taken place, students and faculty gather to celebrate “Moving Up.” Faculty enter carrying bunches of wildflowers and are followed by the student body. Once each class has presented its gift to the school, each Grade Level Dean speaks about the respective class and invites them to “Move Up” to their new seats. Beginning with the rising seniors and culminating with the rising seventh graders, the move to their new seats symbolically and physically makes way for welcoming a new sixth grade class into the AGS community. At the end of the ceremony, each student is given a wildflower, symbolizing her individuality, uniqueness, and the talents with which she can take on the world.

The school’s colors are gold and navy blue. These colors are reminiscent of the school’s original colors and continue to symbolize earth (gold) and sky (blue).

School Seal

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The AGS seal was created for the school upon its founding.

In it, a woman clad in a classical toga sits, with an hourglass at her feet, holding a laurel branch in one hand and a globe in the other. The colors in the seal reflect the original school colors: sky blue and earth brown. This image symbolizes the importance of being firmly planted on the ground and in the world while also reaching for new heights.