Northwood families will come from all over the world, including Spain, Canada, the Caribbean, and Brazil to campus this weekend to gain a deeper understanding of life at school and get their own perspective of the atmosphere here at Northwood.
Family Weekend is this weekend, October 8-10, and is an opportunity for the siblings, parents or grandparents of students to experience Northwood.
“Parents don’t actually know what it’s like here, so I think it’s nice to form that connection between parents and school,” Slater Loffredo ‘22 explained.
Not all families will be able to attend, though. Many international students, especially due to pandemic travel restrictions, won’t see their families this weekend.
“It’s hard for me to see other families together, having fun while mine can’t be there but I think it’s a good concept for those families that can come,” Thebe Mosehathebe ‘23 of South Africa said.
Despite having fewer restrictions on campus this year, families will not be attending classes, but are they able to have personalized discussion with their children’s teachers. Family members can get a sense of how their children are doing and what can be done to aid them in their academics, especially those who have never visited the campus before.
“From my perspective, I think that the most important thing is the parents’ opportunity to meet with their child’s teachers,” Dean of Faculty and Academic Affairs, Noel Carmichael said.” If they didn’t get to meet them on registration day, this will be the best time to do so.”
The weekend is very engaging for visitors as they can learn about the college process from the College Counseling office and learn about the state of the school in an address from the Head of School Michael Maher. The school will also show off signature academic programs such as Advanced Research and Independent Study Programs, “to give a sense of the opportunities here,” explained Carmichael.
Parents and family members will also participate in an interactive meeting at the Innovation Hub and observe what is new with robotics, entrepreneurship, and other innovative courses.
They will be provided entertainment by students’ dance and musical performances. The school community has planned a few Northwood hockey games at the Olympic Center and a hike up the Cobble Trail with the Northwood Outdoor Club. The Northwood crew team will also host a race on Mirror Lake.
“In a nutshell, [Family Weekend] is like a taste test for what Northwood has to offer,” Carmichael summarized.
For a program of activities, visit this website.
