Like an Open Book

Most people probably wouldn’t invest in a new car without taking it for a test drive, or a new home without doing a proper walk-through. The same rationale should apply to an investment in a child’s education. Luckily, local families have plenty of opportunities to “kick the tires”—namely, open-house events. Schools typically host such events in the autumn, though some have opportunities in the spring, too. “Open-house events provide an excellent return on a family’s investment,” says Maria Breck Gunn, director of enrollment management for the Academy of Notre Dame de Namur in Villanova. “With a commitment of one and a half to two hours, students and parents will engage with numerous members of a school community. “Families will explore and get a feel for campus life by visiting classrooms, labs, gymnasiums, and other prominent areas on campus,” she continues. “[They] should leave our open-house events and be able to answer the question, ‘Why Notre Dame?’” Notre Dame is among the many area schools set to welcome prospective students and their families on campus so they can get a clearer picture of what they have to offer. Consult the list below, but we also recommend checking schools’ websites and social media for updated details about open houses and other opportunities so you can determine which school is the best fit for your son or daughter. BUCKS COUNTY Archbishop Wood High School Sunday, October 20, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. archwood.org Conwell-Egan Catholic High School Tuesday, October 8, 5:30 p.m. Thursday, October 24, 5:30 p.m. conwell-egan.org Holy Ghost Preparatory School Sunday, October 20 holyghostprep.org Newtown Friends School newtownfriends.org Solebury School Sunday, October 20 solebury.org Villa Joseph Marie High School Shadow Days through October and November vjmhs.org/openhouse CHESTER COUNTY The Concept School theconceptschool.org Delaware Valley Friends School dvfriends.org Malvern Preparatory School Saturday, October 26, 9 a.m. to noon malvernprep.org The Phelps School Monday, October 14 thephelpsschool.org Villa Maria Academy High School Sunday, October 6 vmahs.org DELAWARE COUNTY Academy of Notre Dame de Namur Open House: Sunday, October 6, 10 a.m. Experience Notre Dame: Thursday, October 17, 6 p.m. Athletics: Wednesday, October 23, 6:30 p.m. ndapa.org Archbishop John Carroll High School Sunday, October 27, noon to 1 p.m.; and 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. jcarroll.org Delaware County Christian School Lower Campus: Tuesday, October 22, 9 a.m. Upper Campus: Tuesday, November 12, 9 a.m. dccs.org The Episcopal Academy Lower School: Saturday, October 26, 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Upper School: Sunday, October 27, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Athletics: Sunday, November 3, 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. episcopalacademy.org Innovate Academy innovateacademy.com Monsignor Bonner and Archbishop Prendergast Catholic High School Sunday, October 27, noon to 2 p.m. bonnerprendie.com Sacred Heart Academy Bryn Mawr shabrynmawr.org The Shipley School Lower School: Wednesday, October 9, 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Middle School: Wednesday, October 16, 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Upper School: Wednesday, October 23, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Arts: Tuesday, October 29, 5:30 p.m. shipleyschool.org Valley Forge Military Academy & College vfmac.edu MONTGOMERY COUNTY Abington Friends School Saturday, October 19, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday, November 12, 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. abingtonfriends.net Academy of the New Church Saturday, October 26, 9:45 a.m. ancss.org AIM Academy aimpa.org The Agnes Irwin School Academics: Thursday, October 17, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Athletics: Tuesday, October 29, 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. agnesirwin.org The Baldwin School Lower School: Thursday, October 10, 9:15 to noon Middle and Upper School: Friday, October 11, 9:15 to noon baldwinschool.org Center School centerschoolpa.org Dock Mennonite Academy dock.org Friends’ Central School Lower School, Nursery to Grade 5: Thursday, October 10, 4:30 p.m. Lower School, Nursery, Pre-K, and K: Tuesday, November 12, 9:30 a.m. Lower School, Grades 1 Through 5: Wednesday, November 13, 9:30 a.m. Middle and Upper School: Wednesday, October 16, 4 p.m. Middle School, Grades 6 Through 8: Thursday, November 14, 5:30 pm friendscentral.org Germantown Academy germantownacademy.net Gladwyne Montessori gladwyne.org Gwynedd Mercy Academy High School gmahs.org The Haverford School Thursday, October 17, 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. haverford.org Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy Middle School: Monday, November 11 Upper School: Thursday, November 14 jbha.org La Salle College High School lschs.org The Meadowbrook School Saturday, October 19, 11 a.m. themeadowbrookschool.org Merion Mercy Academy merion-mercy.com Mount Saint Joseph Academy msjacad.org Perkiomen School Friday, October 11, 10 a.m. to noon perkiomen.org PHILADELPHIA The Crefeld School Saturday, October 26, 10 a.m. crefeld.org Father Judge High School fatherjudge.com Nazareth Academy High School Saturday, October 12, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. nazarethacademyhs.org Roman Catholic High School Sunday, November 3, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. romancatholichs.com St. Joseph’s Preparatory School Sunday, October 20, 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. sjprep.org West Catholic Preparatory High School Thursday, October 24, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. westcatholic.org William Penn Charter School Middle School: Thursday, October 17, 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.; Thursday, November 14, 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Upper School: Thursday, October 10; Thursday, October 17; Thursday, November 7; Thursday, November 14; 8:30 a.m. start Athletics: Tuesday, October 15, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. penncharter.com DELAWARE Archmere Academy Sunday, October 27, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. archmereacademy.com Salesianum School salesianum.org Tatnall School Lower School: Thursday, October 24, 5 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. Middle and Upper School: Saturday, November 2, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Early Childhood: Saturday, November 9, 10 a.m. tatnall.org Ursuline Academy Upper School: Sunday, October 6 ursuline.org NEW JERSEY The Bridge Academy Tuesday, October 15, 9:30 a.m.; Tuesday, November 12, 9:30 a.m.; Tuesday, January 7, 9:30 a.m. bridgeacademynj.org The Lawrenceville School lawrenceville.org Notre Dame High School Thursday, October 24, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. ndnj.org The Pennington School pennington.org Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart stuartschool.org Published (and copyrighted) in Suburban Life magazine, September 2024.