Amid ongoing campus construction, the School has canceled this fall’s Grandparents and Special Friends Day for the first time in recent memory, though Monday’s Thanksgiving assembly and early dismissal will still take place before the Upper School closes for the rest of the week.

This annual tradition invites grandparents, alumni, and other special guests to campus to visit classes and attend the Thanksgiving assembly.  

Upper School Head Joshua Neudel outlined the reasoning behind the cancellation. 

“We didn’t feel like we could properly provide a safe way for people to come in without creating traffic issues,” Neudel said, noting that the safety of visitors on campus was a primary concern, especially with construction equipment and barriers around campus.

With parking limited by the ongoing construction of the new Recreation & Wellness Center, hosting a gathering as large as Grandparents and Special Friends day would overwhelm the School’s current capacity, according to Neudel.  

Currently, the School is also operating with only a modest number of parking spaces–most of which are already used by students and faculty–leaving too few spots to safely accommodate additional visitors for the event. 

In past years, even with full parking capacity, the event pushed the limits of what the School could reasonably accommodate, bringing hundreds of guests to campus.

Looking ahead, Neudel said the School is confident Grandparents and Special Friends Day will return next fall. With the new Recreation and Wellness Center set to open, restoring parking and easing traffic, he expects the event to run more smoothly and feel even more welcoming.

“I know Grandparents and Special Friends Day has been happening way before I came to this School, but in my 10 years here, this event has grown and really strengthened the community,” Neudel said. 

Editors’ note: The School will still hold a special assembly on Monday at 11:30 a.m., which will also be live-streamed.