Back to School

In an increasingly digital world, some things are still best experienced in analog. Determining which school a child should attend is a prime example. While websites, social media, and other digital resources can provide valuable facts about a school’s academic and extracurricular programs, graduation rates, and overall approach to education, there’s just no replacement for seeing a school in person. Open-house events are a great opportunity to do so, according to Maria Breck Gunn, director of enrollment management for the Academy of Notre Dame de Namur, an all-girls, Catholic college-preparatory academy in Villanova. “Open houses go beyond the facts; they provide an environment where families can experience firsthand the culture and community of a school to determine ‘the fit,’” says Gunn. “Fit is what will distinguish one school from another. It will help a student envision herself in a classroom, on a team, meeting friends, and walking around campus. “The greatest value of attending an open house for a student is determining if that school can be a second home,” she continues, “a place where hopes and dreams for the future can be realized, a place where she can be seen, be heard, and be valued. Similarly for parents, an open house is an opportunity to experience the people, places, and programs that will prepare their child to be the best version of themselves.” Germantown Academy, an independent college-preparatory school in Fort Washington, offers multiple ways for prospective students and their families to learn about the school’s culture. At upcoming “am@GA” events slated for September, October, and November, for example, families can tour the campus, inquire about signature programming, and meet with members of the GA community—administrators, educators, coaches, and, most importantly, students. “There’s no better way to learn about a school than to experience it yourself,” says Laura Martin, GA’s director of admission, enrollment, and financial aid. “Our students are a huge piece of our events; there are no better storytellers than our GA students. We can provide a lot of information by sending out mailers or posting it on the web, but to experience the school and feel it in person will guide families as to what will be their best choice. “They get to see and feel the school in action, and it’s important to pay attention to how you feel when you walk around,” she continues. “For parents, they’re asking themselves, ‘Is this a place where we can see our family?’ For students, they’re asking, ‘Can I see myself going to school here?’” Most open-house events last an hour and a half to two hours—a worthwhile investment of a family’s time, according to Gunn of the Academy of Notre Dame de Namur: “It is an opportunity to have questions answered and determine what sets a school apart from other institutions.” While area schools prepare to welcome students back to the classroom after summer break, they’re also putting the finishing touches on open houses scheduled for autumn. If they haven’t already, schools in Philadelphia and surrounding counties, including those listed here, will soon announce upcoming open-house events on their websites and/or social-media channels. BUCKS COUNTY Archbishop Wood High School archwood.org Conwell-Egan Catholic High School conwell-egan.org Holy Ghost Preparatory School holyghostprep.org Newtown Friends School newtownfriends.org Solebury School solebury.org Villa Joseph Marie High School vjmhs.org/openhouse CHESTER COUNTY The Concept School theconceptschool.org Delaware Valley Friends School dvfs.org Malvern Preparatory School malvernprep.org The Phelps School thephelpsschool.org Villa Maria Academy High School vmahs.org DELAWARE COUNTY Academy of Notre Dame de Namur ndapa.org Archbishop John Carroll High School jcarroll.org Delaware County Christian School dccs.org Innovate Academy innovateacademy.com Monsignor Bonner and Archbishop Prendergast Catholic High School bonnerprendie.com Sacred Heart Academy Bryn Mawr shabrynmawr.org The Shipley School shipleyschool.org Valley Forge Military Academy & College vfmac.edu MONTGOMERY COUNTY Abington Friends School abingtonfriends.net Academy of the New Church ancss.org AIM Academy aimpa.org The Agnes Irwin School agnesirwin.org The Baldwin School baldwinschool.org Center School centerschoolpa.org Dock Mennonite Academy dock.org Friends’ Central School friendscentral.org Germantown Academy germantownacademy.net Gwynedd Mercy Academy High School gmahs.org The Haverford School haverford.org Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy jbha.org La Salle College High School lschs.org The Meadowbrook School themeadowbrookschool.org Merion Mercy Academy merion-mercy.com Mount Saint Joseph Academy msjacad.org Perkiomen School perkiomen.org PHILADELPHIA The Crefeld School crefeld.org Father Judge High School fatherjudge.com Nazareth Academy High School nazarethacademyhs.org Roman Catholic High School romancatholichs.com St. Joseph’s Preparatory School sjprep.org West Catholic Preparatory High School westcatholic.org DELAWARE Archmere Academy archmereacademy.com Salesianum School salesianum.org Tatnall School tatnall.org Ursuline Academy ursuline.org NEW JERSEY The Bridge Academy bridgeacademynj.org The Lawrenceville School lawrenceville.org Notre Dame High School ndnj.org The Pennington School pennington.org Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart stuartschool.org Published (and copyrighted) in Suburban Life magazine, August 2024.