North Shore Private School Open House Season Offers Insight

There are many ways to learn about independent schools on the North Shore, but no research, information fairs, or neighbors’ enthusiasms can top the impact of a first-hand visit. Now that the fall open house season is in full swing in the region, what should you look for as you walk the halls, speak with teachers and admissions officers, and experience a school in action?

According to Lee Carey, a longtime admissions director at Shore Country Day School in Beverly, “We process facts, figures, and program details with our brains, but we respond to school ’cultures’ on a more visceral level.”

So how can parents get a feel for a school’s culture? Advises Carey, “Notice how teachers speak to students and how students speak to each other. Are students excited to share their knowledge? Can you feel the degree of professionalism in how teachers interact among peers or with school leadership? Is student energy and enthusiasm celebrated and addressed in comfortable ways? ’Gut reactions’ to all of these, and more, are important and worthy of our attention as we evaluate potential options for our children.”

With 30 years of experience in admissions, Carey offers five rules to keep in mind when visiting independent schools:

Rule #1: You are the customer. Rule number one is actually the foundation for all the rules that follow. Independent schools throughout the North Shore region are fantastic in their variety of programs and resources for our children. Make sure that each one you explore delivers the information you need.

Rule #2: You know your child best. Schools engage in exuberant marketing practices. What you will hear will likely sound wonderful, but be sure that it also sounds like a genuine fit for your child. Sometimes we do give in and buy the shoes that are fashion-forward but we know will hurt our feet. In the end, that wrong choice will give us blisters.

Rule #3: Be nosey. While all our children are unique, ask for testimonials at your grade level, or gender, or geographic region, or area of special interest or talent. Schools will connect you with happy parents, a.k.a. satisfied customers, but do not hesitate to drill down in your conversations for any areas of dissatisfaction.

Rule #4: Insist on a first hand look. All schools will want you to visit, but if the opportunity is not presented on tour to step inside an active classroom or to converse with teachers and administrators, then be sure to ask. Classrooms, teachers, and leadership are what you are investing your tuition dollars in. As you would in any shop, try it on, touch the material, kick the tires: shopping metaphors apply to checking out schools, too.

Rule #5: Visit multiple times if you need to. Everyone absorbs information at his or her own pace. Some can feel and understand a school’s vibe in a single tour. Others can only digest with longer, deeper, or more frequent exposure to the many facets that comprise a school culture. Ask about the best ways to increase your knowledge. You might need only a bit more time with teachers or administrators, but often there is just as much to be gleaned from enjoying school events such as student plays, concerts, or exhibitions.

Carey also recommends looking for opportunities to visit schools outside the confines of the traditional open house, if possible. “At Shore,” she reveals, “among our favorite ways for parents to visit are ’First Fridays.’ On the first Friday of nearly every month throughout the school year, the Admissions Office offers drop-in morning visits. Parents can experience our community-wide, weekly ’House’ meeting, and then explore campus, which is open for tours to every grade level. Visitors are paired with current parents to show the way and share perspectives.”

Different from a planned tour with an admissions director or the orchestrated events of an open house, says Carey, “First Fridays are about unscripted moments. For some parents, a campus stroll might be a perfect occasion for casual observation. Others will arrive with copious questions on the tips of their tongues. Making the visit personal and useful is the true bottom-line.”

Whether you choose one of the many scheduled open house opportunities this season, or drop in for a less structured visit like Shore’s First Fridays, the region’s independent educational choices are sure to offer something for nearly every family. Below are just a few of the upcoming open house events on the North Shore.

• Shore Country Day School: Middle School Open House November 18, 6 p.m.; All Grades Open House January 24, 11 a.m.
• Brookwood School: Open House November 14
• Glen Urquhart School: Open Houses November 19, 22
• Tower School: Open House November 19
• Waring School: Open School November 14