Continuing the Archer tradition of Grandparents and Special Friends Day allows Archer girls to spend time with their grandparents and inform them about their school while strengthening a sense of community on campus.

This year’s Grandparents and Special Friends Day took place on Feb. 17.

“Grandparents and Special Friends Day has been an Archer tradition for as long as I can remember — and far before I became Middle School Director,” Karen Pavliscak, Middle School Director said. “Over the years, we have explored different formats, but this year we tried a new workshop approach that got rave reviews.”

The grandparents signed up for workshops including coding, improv, singing, engineering and dance.

Eighth grader Sydney Banks said, “It was nice to spend time with my grandparents in the workshops.” She attended a puppetry workshop with them and thought it was “fun.”

Pavliscak highlighted the importance of the day.

“Grandparents are some of our biggest supporters. We want to honor them with a firsthand look at our program, teachers and joyful culture,” she said. 

Amy Duarte, Archer’s Assistant Director of Advancement, was in charge of planning Grandparents Day this year.

“It’s important that we build community relations not only with our parents but with our outside supporters. Grandparents truly care about Archer and this is just one of the ways we can bring them on campus and show them what their granddaughters are doing,” she said.

Despite the rain on the day of the event, over 150 grandparents and special friends were in attendance.

Seventh grader Zoe Friedman said that she “want[s] to make sure that [her grandparents] know what’s going on in [her life].” She felt that Grandparent’s Day enabled her to do so.

Chloe Fidler ’22 echoed Friedman’s thoughts.

“It’s really fun to have our grandparents come because we are always here, and it’s nice to finally show them what we talk about and what we do,” she said.

It took lots of work and planning to conduct this year’s annual Grandparents Day.

“It’s all hands on deck,” Duarte said. “Everyone who is part of the Archer family here has something to do with it, whether they are a faculty member, facilities or a staff member.

Pavliscak enjoyed talking to the grandparents after their workshops.

“[A grandfather told me that] Archer students give him hope for the future,” she said. “He got a little teary about it, and I did, too.”