Caption: Many of the student games and activities were moved to the back court due to the light but steady rain that day. [provided by Carol]
by Cristina Meier, Ph.D.
The dictionary defines an “open house” event as a day when members of the public are invited to visit a place or institution, especially one in which they do not normally have access. This provides an excellent picture for the activities that took place on Saturday, August 10, at PACA.
Parents and family were invited to attend a special assembly, visit their children’s classrooms and have some time to eat food, watch an Olympic soccer match between the U.S. and Brazil and spend some quality time together as a community.
I have had the privilege to work at several different international schools around the world. I have been to enough open house events to be able to easily spot the ones that feel most like a family gathering and those that feel like a forced commitment to a planned schedule.
I am happy to reflect that both years that I have attended the open house at PACA, I have had a sense of community togetherness. As parents, teachers and students gathered together on a Saturday morning, this was an opportunity to meet and greet some of the wonderful parents who chose to send their children to PACA.
Although the day began with wet, soggy weather, the children’s events and games were swiftly moved to indoor or covered locations in order to keep everyone dry. The grills for the “churrascos” stayed busy all afternoon and bread was in abundance. The line to eat fresh pastel was long, but no one seemed to mind the wait.
Kids rode the “electric bull,” played on bounce houses and ran out their energy, while parents visited classrooms and met up with teachers. I personally benefited from attending the session for senior parents.
The banner with this year’s school theme was proudly displayed where parents could see it. It reminds us that this is God’s Service, God’s Field and God’s Building.
We are all stewards together as we lead the students at PACA through academic and spiritual development. I think it is an inspiring thought to begin the new school year.
