Open House welcomed both next year’s freshman class and their parents as well as current students and their families to campus on February 6.
This year the event was scheduled in February so that it coincided with 8th Grade Family Night, giving incoming students the chance to visit classes, explore the various sports and clubs, and get a taste of Campolindo culture.
“Parents will get a better sense of what the school is like before students have solidified their schedule. They could check out classes before the students sign up,” said vice principal Sharon Bartlett.
Following the meeting, families were allowed to walk around campus and attend presentations put on by various departments, including performances by music students, and find out more about clubs in the Library.
Teachers also opened up their classrooms. This gave parents and students the opportunity to learn more about course offerings. Principal John Walker felt it was an important component of Open House. “It was a good way for students, especially freshmen, to reach out and get connected,” he said.
Math teacher Bill Doherty gave a presentation on the TI-inspire calculators in his classroom. “It’s been nice that people have a choice of presentations to go see, and then dropping in informally and visiting classrooms. People enjoy seeing all the different things that are going on and the different displays and presentations,” he said.
Math teacher Tom Schumann believed that the presentations were also a very informative part of the evening, although they did have some negative aspects. “I’m seeing fewer parents visit my classroom because of the presentation format, which is actually a good thing because it gives people a very focused area that they can go and see. The con is that the visits to the individual classrooms have decreased,” he said.
Incoming students could also get a taste of the various extracurriculars offered on campus. Drama and Orchestra gave short performances throughout the night. Orchestra student Andrew Wang enjoyed having the opportunity to demonstrate what the class works on during the year. He said, “The experience was magical.”
The Music Boosters Club was also set up in the library. According to president Chitra Suri, the group was there to acquaint incoming freshmen with the music program, and inform to them about upcoming music events. “There are some kids, who maybe had an iffy experience in middle school, and they’re not sure if they want to continue with music, so we’re here just to encourage them,” she said.
In the gym, parents could see a P.E. demonstration and students played several games of Badminton. Coaches from various sports teams were also set up. Boys’ volleyball coach John Vuong said, “It’s getting the word out about different sports. It’s good that they can walk around and meet people and see the different sports Campo has.”
In the library, several clubs and electives were set up to give students the chance to see student life too. Representatives from Chess Club, Bhangra Club, and the Leadership Class were all there to reach out to incoming freshmen. According to ASB Vice President Everett Tsang, the night was a real success. “Incoming freshmen are taking the opportunity to explore and see what’s out there,” he said.
Bhangra Club President Anjali Bajaj was there to recruit students for next year’s Bhangra Club. “I’ve met lots of interesting people, and a lot of 8th graders who seem to want to experience something new, which is good,” she said.
