Concord Academy’s Family Weekend took place from Thursday, November 20, to Friday, November 21, before students left for Thanksgiving Break. This annual event brings parents and family members to campus to get a glimpse into students’ CA experience. This year, CA welcomed close to 500 people to campus to visit classes, attend sports games, and connect with other families.
With so many visitors, it is quite the logistical feat to coordinate the event. Renee Coburn, Chief of Staff, along with Receptionist and Events Coordinator Colleen Donnelly, Associate Director of Engagement and Parent Programs Meredith Walsh, and Academic Office Coordinator Robin Comley P’22, plans Family Weekend each year. In Coburn’s words, “For the school, [Family Weekend] is a chance to bring all of our constituents together for a joyous occasion.” However, pulling it off takes many helping hands. The planning team meets weekly leading up to Family Weekend, and Coburn notes the essential role that many other community members play in pulling together Family Weekend. The Operations Team, the Communications Office, the Dining Hall Team, and many more invest significant time and energy into ensuring that Family Weekend runs smoothly.
This year, Family Weekend began Thursday, November 20, with open athletics practices and a Dance Project rehearsal in the afternoon. Additionally, Athletics Director Sue Johnson coordinated home games for the Girls and Boys Varsity Basketball teams. On Thursday evening, parents and faculty gathered in the Centennial Arts Center theater to mingle in CA’s newest building. Particularly for families traveling far distances to visit, holding Family Weekend events on Thursday helped to round out the trip and gave parents more of a close-up view of the CA community.
On Friday, parents started the day in the SHAC with a few words from Head of School Henry Fairfax. Following that, they accompanied students to their classes. As has been the case in other years, the Friday of Family Weekend had a shortened schedule, with all blocks meeting for 25 minutes each. Similar to other years, there were drop-in spaces for families of color and international families to connect with each other. In addition, this year’s Family Weekend saw the first gathering for parents of LGBTQ+ students. These gatherings were held during lunch, rather than in the evenings, to accommodate families as they head into Thanksgiving Break.
After the school day concluded, music ensembles held performances, and boarding houses were open for families to visit. No athletics practices took place. At 2:00 p.m., Family Weekend was officially over, and Thanksgiving Break commenced. All boarding houses closed on Saturday, November 22, at noon.
Family Weekend is a hallmark fall event at CA, and this year, like every other, offered students the chance to show their families their lives at school and parents the opportunity to see what CA is really about. As Director of College Counseling and parent to three alumni, Peter Jennings, put it, “CA is about more than just faculty and students; families are vital.”