Getting a head start: Families with young daughters look into Archer

By Jessica Jimenez, Staff Reporter|March 5, 2020

Three+applicants+sit+in+a+couch+in+the+admissions+area%2C+waiting+to+be+called+in+for+an+interview.+They+were+also+given+magazines+from+Archer+to+browse+through+as+they+wait.+

Photo credit: Jessica Jimenez

Three applicants sit in a couch in the admissions area, waiting to be called in for an interview. They were also given magazines from Archer to browse through as they wait.

Archer broke the record of attendance for their Early Look event as 77 parents flooded onto campus to learn about Archer. The event was held on Jan. 15 and allowed parents with daughters in fourth grade and below to look into Archer and gain insight on the process of applying to middle and high school at an early stage in their daughter’s life.

Parents were introduced to Archer through a student panel, presentations by Head of School Elizabeth English and Associate Head of School Karen Pavliscak as well as tours around campus. The student panel was held in the library and consisted of five students from different grades including sophomore Chidimma Nwafor, seniors Anna Brodsky and Kelsey Thompson, seventh grader Sydney Curry and freshman Karen Garcia.

“We had girls from different grades, girls who attended different schools prior to coming to Archer so that the parents in the audience could see girls from different neighborhoods and from different kinds of schools,” Director of Admissions Felicia Paik said.

After hearing from students, Head of School Elizabeth English and Associate Head of School Karen Pavliscak spoke to the parents.

“Ms. English and Ms. Pav spoke to parents and talked a little bit about their educational philosophy and what they believe the mission of Archer is and then they took questions from the audience and answered anything that people wanted to know,” Paik said. “It was really a wonderful event to introduce people to Archer.”

After being spoken to by English and Pavliscak, the parents were taken on tours around campus. From all these activities, parents are able to learn about Archer and decide if it is what they want for their daughter.

Although the daughters of these parents are in fourth grade, maybe even pre-school, Paik believes it is a good way to be introduced to Archer. Not only does it help them get to know Archer, but it also introduces and the whole process to apply to middle school and high school.

“I think there’s a balance between being in fourth grade, and just concentrating on being in fourth grade, but also to look ahead down the road with some amount of preparation, not to be anxious and not be worried but just to have an idea of what the next step could be,” Paik said.