By Avery Maier, ’13, Contributor, and Amanda Young, ’11, News Section Editor
On Monday, Nov. 23, and Tuesday, Nov. 24, more than 500 “grandfriends” – grandparents and other relatives and friends – visited the Lower School and Middle School for the annual Grandparents’ Day. Students invited their grandparents or other friends to come and enjoy the CCDS experience.
“The morning was a great success. We had a wonderful turnout, and the students enjoyed sharing their classrooms with their guests,” said Ms. Jennifer Aquino, Lower School Head. Ms. Aquino commented, “I had one grandmother tell me on the way out that it is a day she looks forward to every year and that she is amazed year after year to see what her grandson is doing.”
“We loved having so many grandparents and friends in the Middle School. It was easy to see how proud the grandparents and friends were of their students,” said Mr. John Polasko, Middle School Division Head.
Mr. John Raushenbush, grandfather of Grace Pettengill, ’17, John Pettengill, ’18, and Sam Pettengill, ’21, was among those grandparents attending. Mr. Raushenbush served as CCDS headmaster from 1977 to 1994 and his wife, Mrs. Marcia Raushenbush, taught kindergarten for 15 years.
“There’s a whole new Upper School building, a new auditorium, and a new lunchroom. Besides that, the students are pretty much the same as they have always been, and the teachers are as good as they have ever been. Many of the ones I hired are still here, and it is a pleasure to see them,” Mr. Raushenbush said. “It has always been a great pleasure for us to come back for events like this,” he added.
Pre-primary students welcomed their grandparents from 9 to 10 a.m. on Monday; primary students hosted their grandparents from 11 a.m. to noon. Hazel Mullan, ’10, and Todd Legette, ’10, put together a video for the guests and students to view and enjoy together in the Keeler Theater at 10 a.m. “The video highlighted each of the Lower School programs and shared a variety of songs, poems, and words of appreciation for our grandparents,” stated Ms. Aquino.
Grandparents’ Day in the Middle School spanned from 8:30 to 11 a.m. on Tuesday. Grandparents attended two classes before enjoying performances by Middle School students in the Keeler Theater.
Other attending grandparents were also impressed with the school. Ms. Sharon Ayers, grandmother of Andrew Ayers, ’15, and Ben Ayers, ’18, said that “for the grade level, I was probably getting this information in college.” When asked about her visit, she exclaimed, “It’s wonderful. It’s a good experience for me.”
Jacob Young, ’16, thought “the first-year grandparents were surprised about the level of technology,” but all “the grandparents were amazed with the style of teaching at CCDS.”
Mr. Donald Lotterer, grandfather of Alex Warner, ’15, and Dima Warner, ’15, said that CCDS’s middle school experience “is much more advanced” than his own. “It’s our third year [attending Grandparents’ Day]. Very well done.”
Photo by Ilana Habib.