Sidwell kicked off the 2024-2025 school year by holding its annual Back to School Night on Wednesday, Sept. 25. Parents and guardians of Upper School students were given the opportunity to experience their children’s schedules and interact with the faculty.
With 10 minutes allotted to each class and five-minute passing periods, “[Parents and guardians] get a window into what their students see every day,” Upper School Principal Robbie Gross said.
Parents and guardians are encouraged to attend Back to School Night to experience their students’ schedules and learn what their children will be taught throughout the year. Teachers brief the attendees on their plans for the year, speak on grading policies, and share their teaching philosophies. Some even challenged parents with a mini-lesson.
Upper School English Teacher Connor Larsen said that each year, he encourages parents and guardians to re-enter the mindset of a student, inviting them “to think about the different ways to interpret ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.” The parents are initially reluctant to participate, but soon enough, they ponder Larsen’s prompt and share why specific mythical stories have not yet faded from many people’s memories.
“We are part of a wide community of people who care about learning, growth, and development,” Larsen said. He also affirmed that there is “no one way to be a teacher.” Back to School Night allows teachers to showcase their teaching style to the Upper School parents and guardians, illustrating the myriad of personalities in the Upper School faculty.
Upper School Math Teacher and Sidwell parent Margaret Black appreciates how she can connect her experiences at Back to School Night with what her children tell her at home. Back to School Night enables Black to meet “the [teachers] who spend so much time with [her] children and to see the physical space in which they spend their day.”
On the teaching side, Black enjoys conveying what her classes will cover throughout the year and introducing their “most important aspects.”
Gross also feels passionate about Back to School Night because he loves “the conversations [he has] with parents/guardians at it every year — with those for whom this is their first Upper School BTSN, and with those for whom [it is] their fourth or more.”
According to Gross, Back to School Night allows parents to further connect with the Upper School community by connecting them with teachers and faculty. “It is a night full of appreciation for the faculty, staff, and the school,” said Gross. “Parents [and] guardians [could not] be more excited to meet teachers and get a window into what their students see every day,” he added.
According to Gross, Back to School Night is also a great opportunity for students across all grade levels to volunteer and give back to the community. Junior Vivian Morris explained how she enjoyed the volunteer experience and “talking with other volunteers in the alumni lounge.” Morris added that volunteering was an amazing opportunity to meet new parents and “talk to some of my peers that I would not otherwise interact with.”
