Most people probably wouldn’t invest in a new car without taking it for a test drive, or a new home without doing a proper walk-through. The same rationale should apply to an investment in a child’s education.
Luckily, local families have plenty of opportunities to “kick the tires”—namely, open-house events. Schools typically host such events in the autumn, though some have opportunities in the spring, too.
“Open-house events provide an excellent return on a family’s investment,” says Maria Breck Gunn, director of enrollment management for the Academy of Notre Dame de Namur in Villanova. “With a commitment of one and a half to two hours, students and parents will engage with numerous members of a school community.
“Families will explore and get a feel for campus life by visiting classrooms, labs, gymnasiums, and other prominent areas on campus,” she continues. “[They] should leave our open-house events and be able to answer the question, ‘Why Notre Dame?’”
Notre Dame is among the many area schools set to welcome prospective students and their families on campus so they can get a clearer picture of what they have to offer. Consult the list below, but we also recommend checking schools’ websites and social media for updated details about open houses and other opportunities so you can determine which school is the best fit for your son or daughter.
BUCKS COUNTY
Archbishop Wood High School
Sunday, October 20, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
archwood.org
Conwell-Egan Catholic High School
Tuesday, October 8, 5:30 p.m.
Thursday, October 24, 5:30 p.m.
conwell-egan.org
Holy Ghost Preparatory School
Sunday, October 20
holyghostprep.org
Newtown Friends School
newtownfriends.org
Solebury School
Sunday, October 20
solebury.org
Villa Joseph Marie High School
Shadow Days through October and November
vjmhs.org/openhouse
CHESTER COUNTY
The Concept School
theconceptschool.org
Delaware Valley Friends School
dvfriends.org
Malvern Preparatory School
Saturday, October 26, 9 a.m. to noon
malvernprep.org
The Phelps School
Monday, October 14
thephelpsschool.org
Villa Maria Academy High School
Sunday, October 6
vmahs.org
DELAWARE COUNTY
Academy of Notre Dame de Namur
Open House: Sunday, October 6, 10 a.m.
Experience Notre Dame: Thursday, October 17, 6 p.m.
Athletics: Wednesday, October 23, 6:30 p.m.
ndapa.org
Archbishop John Carroll High School
Sunday, October 27, noon to 1 p.m.; and 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
jcarroll.org
Delaware County Christian School
Lower Campus: Tuesday, October 22, 9 a.m.
Upper Campus: Tuesday, November 12, 9 a.m.
dccs.org
The Episcopal Academy
Lower School: Saturday, October 26, 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Upper School: Sunday, October 27, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Athletics: Sunday, November 3, 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.
episcopalacademy.org
Innovate Academy
innovateacademy.com
Monsignor Bonner and Archbishop Prendergast Catholic High School
Sunday, October 27, noon to 2 p.m.
bonnerprendie.com
Sacred Heart Academy Bryn Mawr
shabrynmawr.org
The Shipley School
Lower School: Wednesday, October 9, 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
Middle School: Wednesday, October 16, 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
Upper School: Wednesday, October 23, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Arts: Tuesday, October 29, 5:30 p.m.
shipleyschool.org
Valley Forge Military Academy & College
vfmac.edu
MONTGOMERY COUNTY
Abington Friends School
Saturday, October 19, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Tuesday, November 12, 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
abingtonfriends.net
Academy of the New Church
Saturday, October 26, 9:45 a.m.
ancss.org
AIM Academy
aimpa.org
The Agnes Irwin School
Academics: Thursday, October 17, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Athletics: Tuesday, October 29, 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
agnesirwin.org
The Baldwin School
Lower School: Thursday, October 10, 9:15 to noon
Middle and Upper School: Friday, October 11, 9:15 to noon
baldwinschool.org
Center School
centerschoolpa.org
Dock Mennonite Academy
dock.org
Friends’ Central School
Lower School, Nursery to Grade 5: Thursday, October 10, 4:30 p.m.
Lower School, Nursery, Pre-K, and K: Tuesday, November 12, 9:30 a.m.
Lower School, Grades 1 Through 5: Wednesday, November 13, 9:30 a.m.
Middle and Upper School: Wednesday, October 16, 4 p.m.
Middle School, Grades 6 Through 8: Thursday, November 14, 5:30 pm
friendscentral.org
Germantown Academy
germantownacademy.net
Gladwyne Montessori
gladwyne.org
Gwynedd Mercy Academy High School
gmahs.org
The Haverford School
Thursday, October 17, 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
haverford.org
Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy
Middle School: Monday, November 11
Upper School: Thursday, November 14
jbha.org
La Salle College High School
lschs.org
The Meadowbrook School
Saturday, October 19, 11 a.m.
themeadowbrookschool.org
Merion Mercy Academy
merion-mercy.com
Mount Saint Joseph Academy
msjacad.org
Perkiomen School
Friday, October 11, 10 a.m. to noon
perkiomen.org
PHILADELPHIA
The Crefeld School
Saturday, October 26, 10 a.m.
crefeld.org
Father Judge High School
fatherjudge.com
Nazareth Academy High School
Saturday, October 12, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
nazarethacademyhs.org
Roman Catholic High School
Sunday, November 3, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
romancatholichs.com
St. Joseph’s Preparatory School
Sunday, October 20, 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
sjprep.org
West Catholic Preparatory High School
Thursday, October 24, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
westcatholic.org
William Penn Charter School
Middle School:
Thursday, October 17, 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.;
Thursday, November 14, 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Upper School:
Thursday, October 10;
Thursday, October 17;
Thursday, November 7;
Thursday, November 14; 8:30 a.m. start
Athletics:
Tuesday, October 15, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
penncharter.com
DELAWARE
Archmere Academy
Sunday, October 27, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
archmereacademy.com
Salesianum School
salesianum.org
Tatnall School
Lower School: Thursday, October 24, 5 p.m. to 5:45 p.m.
Middle and Upper School: Saturday, November 2, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Early Childhood: Saturday, November 9, 10 a.m.
tatnall.org
Ursuline Academy
Upper School: Sunday, October 6
ursuline.org
NEW JERSEY
The Bridge Academy
Tuesday, October 15, 9:30 a.m.; Tuesday, November 12, 9:30 a.m.;
Tuesday, January 7, 9:30 a.m.
bridgeacademynj.org
The Lawrenceville School
lawrenceville.org
Notre Dame High School
Thursday, October 24, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
ndnj.org
The Pennington School
pennington.org
Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart
stuartschool.org
Published (and copyrighted) in Suburban Life magazine, September 2024.
