Which schools really go out of thier way to welcome new families?

[Anonymous]

Just curious. What has/will your new school do to welcome you to their school beyond the new parents reception? Typically do you not hear from them again until after school starts in the fall? I know many schools have picnics a few weeks after school starts. What else?

TIA

[Anonymous]

Beauvoir
Newly Admitted Parent Reception - March
Transition Meeting - May
New Family Picnic - May
New Parent Dinner - June

[Anonymous]

Beauvoir sound like it has a lot for new parents. What do the other schools do?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Beauvoir
Newly Admitted Parent Reception - March
Transition Meeting - May
New Family Picnic - May
New Parent Dinner - June

Another Beauvoir parent here. Not sure if this counts, but the school sets you up with a "buddy family" (I think that was the phrase), usually with a child 1 or 2 grades ahead. I think the idea is to have at least one get together over the summer -- usually a play date -- for new parents to pepper the "old" parents with questions and get advice. I'm not sure the administrators who set this up, however, exercised any "quality control" in enlisting families to engage in what is clearly a nice idea. My buddy parent was fine, though she had a very tough time setting this up as she "summered" (I think that was the term she used) elsewhere and insisted we do it during the day (even though she knew that I worked full time). But her DC, about to enter 2nd grade, was really a real stick in the mud. It was pretty clear that he was dragged there kicking and screaming. Perfectly understandable. But then rather than just sitting their mute, or wandering around elsewhere, he starts to complain about the school (the teachers, homework, carpool, the food, you name it, he had a negative opinion that he was all too willing to share), exhibits his anger in a borderline violent way at being outplayed in basketball by my younger DC, and then says a number of things this working mom found snotty, if not downright offensive, well, I was grief stricken for a month afterwards, fearing that I had just made a very, very serious school selection mistake. Thankfully, the many wonderful experiences we've had since then have served to erase, almost entirely, that miserable experience with my "buddy."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Beauvoir
Newly Admitted Parent Reception - March
Transition Meeting - May
New Family Picnic - May
New Parent Dinner - June

Another Beauvoir parent here. Not sure if this counts, but the school sets you up with a "buddy family" (I think that was the phrase), usually with a child 1 or 2 grades ahead. I think the idea is to have at least one get together over the summer -- usually a play date -- for new parents to pepper the "old" parents with questions and get advice. I'm not sure the administrators who set this up, however, exercised any "quality control" in enlisting families to engage in what is clearly a nice idea. My buddy parent was fine, though she had a very tough time setting this up as she "summered" (I think that was the term she used) elsewhere and insisted we do it during the day (even though she knew that I worked full time). But her DC, about to enter 2nd grade, was really a real stick in the mud. It was pretty clear that he was dragged there kicking and screaming. Perfectly understandable. But then rather than just sitting their mute, or wandering around elsewhere, he starts to complain about the school (the teachers, homework, carpool, the food, you name it, he had a negative opinion that he was all too willing to share), exhibits his anger in a borderline violent way at being outplayed in basketball by my younger DC, and then says a number of things this working mom found snotty, if not downright offensive, well, I was grief stricken for a month afterwards, fearing that I had just made a very, very serious school selection mistake. Thankfully, the many wonderful experiences we've had since then have served to erase, almost entirely, that miserable experience with my "buddy."

When and how did you get your buddy families name?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Beauvoir
Newly Admitted Parent Reception - March
Transition Meeting - May
New Family Picnic - May
New Parent Dinner - June

Another Beauvoir parent here. Not sure if this counts, but the school sets you up with a "buddy family" (I think that was the phrase), usually with a child 1 or 2 grades ahead. I think the idea is to have at least one get together over the summer -- usually a play date -- for new parents to pepper the "old" parents with questions and get advice. I'm not sure the administrators who set this up, however, exercised any "quality control" in enlisting families to engage in what is clearly a nice idea. My buddy parent was fine, though she had a very tough time setting this up as she "summered" (I think that was the term she used) elsewhere and insisted we do it during the day (even though she knew that I worked full time). But her DC, about to enter 2nd grade, was really a real stick in the mud. It was pretty clear that he was dragged there kicking and screaming. Perfectly understandable. But then rather than just sitting their mute, or wandering around elsewhere, he starts to complain about the school (the teachers, homework, carpool, the food, you name it, he had a negative opinion that he was all too willing to share), exhibits his anger in a borderline violent way at being outplayed in basketball by my younger DC, and then says a number of things this working mom found snotty, if not downright offensive, well, I was grief stricken for a month afterwards, fearing that I had just made a very, very serious school selection mistake. Thankfully, the many wonderful experiences we've had since then have served to erase, almost entirely, that miserable experience with my "buddy."

When and how did you get your buddy families name?

By letter. I forget exactly when, but roughly early summer. Good luck.

[Anonymous]

Newly admitted Beauvoir parent here-
Our buddy family has already called us, but did not suggest getting together.

I have no info on events in May or June - how or when should we have heard about these?

[Anonymous]

oops. I'm 7:09. Just looked at yesterday's mail and the welcome packet was there. Never mind.

[Anonymous]

Langley School (I think we're smaller than B., but I'm not sure)

May - School-wide Ice Cream Social to welcome new families
Summer - playdates for all the kids at the school playground
September - New families dinner, also a school-wide Parents night
Fall sometime - class parents dinner

Basically they definitely try to help new families fit in - I'm sure this is typical at almost every school. They also encourage summer school for new families as a way to get the kids more familiar with the school and future classmates.

[Anonymous]

Lowell has "buddy families" also. Usually assigned during the summer. It was a great way to meet some very nice families beforehand.

Also, a very proactive mom in my daughter's class made playdates with all the other new girls in the class. It was very nice because my daughter got to know her daughter (both new) and were friendly at the start of school and still today, 2 years later.

[Anonymous]

The River School has a Buddy Parent system as well. Ours called us about two weeks ago and they have a child two years older than our daughter. Everyone has been super sweet that I have spoken to thus far.

[Anonymous]

We found St Patrisk's to be incredibly welcoming. Other than the initial new parent reception there was a family breakfast with major playground time that was wonderful. Lots of current parents with their second/next child enetering come too so you meet some current families. You also get a buddy family with a child of the same gender/grade if you enter after nursery. You get great informational packets and immediate opportunites to volunteer. There are other events, too. Its been a few years but our second is entering this fall so I am trying to remember... I can say definitively that we felt incredibly included and warmly enfolded in the school. And best of all, the head of school, Peter Barrett knew our child's name, and that we were his parents, within a week or two. That blew us away!

[Anonymous]

We were new to Sidwell K this year - there was a Spring Festival day where new families were invited and given t-shirts, then throughout the summer there were playdates (some girls only/boys only, some grade wide, some class specific). Great chances to meet new and returning families.

[Anonymous]

We are new at NPS and are being offered many of these same programs/ opportunities. Yes, very welcoming.