Typically, Open House is an in-person event and involved a physical exploration of the campus. For pandemic-related reasons, that couldn’t be done this year, leading to an Open House experience thoroughly different from previous years on February 11.

Teachers had to prepare Zoom sessions or pre-recorded videos for their classes in order to allow students to attend their Open House rooms. Many teachers also held Academy sessions on the day before and/or after the event in order to further allow students to engage with their class. All of this was done in pursuit of engagement in a situation where it’s hard to get that from students.

ASB President senior Sophie Webster said that the Open House is important for new students because “picking schedules each year is a big decision and therefore understanding the classes available and the nature of each course is vital in order to pick a schedule that is right for each individual student.” This importance serves to demonstrate further the importance of having students engage with the Open House.

According to science teacher Jay Chugh, Open House is an important event especially for younger students who do not yet have a good idea of campus culture. “Open House gives new students and parents an opportunity to . . . meet teachers and other staff members, and to get a general sense of Campolindo academic and co-curricular culture.” During the pandemic and distance learning, many freshmen who are in their 2nd semester are still unaware of the campus culture or how to move around campus.