Fall Family Weekend
Families and friends fill campus for the weekend.
The greatly anticipated Fall Family Weekend finally arrived! Freshman parents, who likely feel the distance most accutely, braved the long eight weeks of separation and eagerly returned through the gates of Casa de Piedra last Friday. First order of business: a big hug with their sons and daughters!
Fall Family Weekend is always a whirlwind of activity with students keen on showing family and friends all aspects of their life at Thacher. Friday's festivities began with a class barbeque on the pergola. There students can introduce their family to friends, prefects and teachers and catch up on news from home. From the barbeque folks meandered through the commons–where student artwork hung on display–on their way to the Milligan Center for the Performing Arts to hear remarks from Head of School Michael Mulligan and to enjoy the talents of the Jazz Band, Dance Ensemble, Performance Studies class, Chamber Singers, String Ensemble and Freshman Chorus. The crowd got a surprise treat when William Keeling '20 recited his monologue The Big Bad Wolf that he had prepared as part of the freshman drama program.
After the performances, everyone enjoyed a variety of delectable desserts on the pergola. Then, off to bed for a good night's rest.
For many freshman parents Saturday started bright and early out at the barns as they lent a hand with mucking and other morning chores. For the rest, Saturday's abbreviated classes started at 8:30. In classes, parents got a taste of what their sons and daughters have been working on and learning these first two months. Then it was off to lunch meetings with advisors, college counseling meetings (for sophomore, junior and senior parents), open trapshooting range, and sports contests. The jv and varsity volleyball teams both won their matchups against Providence and the football team defeated Flintridge Prep 68-41.
Many families ventured off campus for dinner in town on Saturday night, but returned for the Mulligan's Open House where they got to experience a typical Saturday night at Thacher: music, games, laughter, conversation, and–of course–warm chocolate chip cookies.
Before the greatly anticipated riding demonstrations on Sunday morning, students and their families gathered in the Outdoor Chapel for a nondenominational service. The speaker for this year’s Family Weekend Service was Carol Earley, mother of Faith '17. (View Carol's full remarks entitled The Value of a Moment here.) Attendees also enjoyed music from Olivia de Polo '18 (violin) and the Chamber Singers, and readings by Faith Earley '17 and Isabel Ouweleen '17.
The Riding Exhibition began with the traditional Grand Entry: over a hundred horses and riders traveling down the winding, boulder-strewn trail to the well groomed Gymkhana Field below, where family, friends, teachers, and peers waited with much anticipation. Upper class flag-bearers led the way down, and after Anthony Nikitopoulos '17, Paiton Gleeson '18, Libby Hatton '18, and Michael Ratsimbazafy '18 had sung The Star-Spangled Banner, the new riders strutted their stuff. The usual drill work—pairs, pinwheels, and thread-the-needle—combined with the more daring: rescue racing, standing on saddles to take a bow, back-flip dismounts, sack racing, and much more. This year's exhibition even included an unprecedented display of freshmen walking across the saddles of eight horses standing in a row. Both seasoned riders and those new to the saddle put together a great show and made their friends and families proud.
The announcement of a school holiday during Wednesday's assembly capped off the festivities. After all their hard work, the students enjoyed some rest and relaxation on Thursday. Many slept in, took the bus to town, caught up on their favorite TV shows, and enjoyed much needed down time.
Back
Fall Family Weekend is always a whirlwind of activity with students keen on showing family and friends all aspects of their life at Thacher. Friday's festivities began with a class barbeque on the pergola. There students can introduce their family to friends, prefects and teachers and catch up on news from home. From the barbeque folks meandered through the commons–where student artwork hung on display–on their way to the Milligan Center for the Performing Arts to hear remarks from Head of School Michael Mulligan and to enjoy the talents of the Jazz Band, Dance Ensemble, Performance Studies class, Chamber Singers, String Ensemble and Freshman Chorus. The crowd got a surprise treat when William Keeling '20 recited his monologue The Big Bad Wolf that he had prepared as part of the freshman drama program.
After the performances, everyone enjoyed a variety of delectable desserts on the pergola. Then, off to bed for a good night's rest.
For many freshman parents Saturday started bright and early out at the barns as they lent a hand with mucking and other morning chores. For the rest, Saturday's abbreviated classes started at 8:30. In classes, parents got a taste of what their sons and daughters have been working on and learning these first two months. Then it was off to lunch meetings with advisors, college counseling meetings (for sophomore, junior and senior parents), open trapshooting range, and sports contests. The jv and varsity volleyball teams both won their matchups against Providence and the football team defeated Flintridge Prep 68-41.
Many families ventured off campus for dinner in town on Saturday night, but returned for the Mulligan's Open House where they got to experience a typical Saturday night at Thacher: music, games, laughter, conversation, and–of course–warm chocolate chip cookies.
Before the greatly anticipated riding demonstrations on Sunday morning, students and their families gathered in the Outdoor Chapel for a nondenominational service. The speaker for this year’s Family Weekend Service was Carol Earley, mother of Faith '17. (View Carol's full remarks entitled The Value of a Moment here.) Attendees also enjoyed music from Olivia de Polo '18 (violin) and the Chamber Singers, and readings by Faith Earley '17 and Isabel Ouweleen '17.
The Riding Exhibition began with the traditional Grand Entry: over a hundred horses and riders traveling down the winding, boulder-strewn trail to the well groomed Gymkhana Field below, where family, friends, teachers, and peers waited with much anticipation. Upper class flag-bearers led the way down, and after Anthony Nikitopoulos '17, Paiton Gleeson '18, Libby Hatton '18, and Michael Ratsimbazafy '18 had sung The Star-Spangled Banner, the new riders strutted their stuff. The usual drill work—pairs, pinwheels, and thread-the-needle—combined with the more daring: rescue racing, standing on saddles to take a bow, back-flip dismounts, sack racing, and much more. This year's exhibition even included an unprecedented display of freshmen walking across the saddles of eight horses standing in a row. Both seasoned riders and those new to the saddle put together a great show and made their friends and families proud.
The announcement of a school holiday during Wednesday's assembly capped off the festivities. After all their hard work, the students enjoyed some rest and relaxation on Thursday. Many slept in, took the bus to town, caught up on their favorite TV shows, and enjoyed much needed down time.
1
/
97
More About Thacher
Interested in learning more about Thacher? Sign up for a virtual visit here.
A college preparatory boarding school for grades 9-12
Notice of nondiscriminatory policy as to students: The Thacher School admits students of any race, color, national, and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the School. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national, and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admission policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other School-administered programs.