Parent Newsletter by Franny Shuker-Haines

Dear Buxton Families,

I wanted to get a quick letter out to you in advance of our upcoming Spring Arts Weekend!! I think by now you have all gotten an updated schedule from Dedee and have seen how chock-full of events the weekend is going to be. What that means on the ground here at the school is that we are all running around like mad people trying to get everything done. These “crunch” moments feel borderline insane as we are living through them, but when we see and experience all that these amazing kids have to offer over the weekend, it all feels so worth it.

I want to draw your attention to a few details:

The spring play, our ensemble-driven production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, is being done in the round on the floor of the theatre. As this makes seating a little more limited, we are having two performances: on Friday night at 7:30, and Saturday night at 8:00. Parents of kids in the play are, of course, welcome to attend both performances (but don’t feel guilty if you don’t come to both—seriously, I mean it!), but we won’t have room for everyone both times. We’re hoping the audience situation will sort itself out without having to come up with a “system.” Fingers crossed! Looking forward to seeing you there!

For junior parents:

You will see there is a meeting scheduled for you on Saturday morning at 11:00. This is your introduction to the Buxton college-application process! We will explain our approach, review the timeline, introduce you to your child’s college advisor, and try to make this whole ordeal less scary and intimidating for you!

For all parents/guardians:

There is a social gathering just for you guys on Saturday at 5:00. Mainly it’s there to be a respite for you in the middle of the artistic whirlwind of the weekend. We’ll have wine and beer and cheese and crackers, and you’ll have a chance to hang out with your fellow Buxton peeps for a hot second. We’ll stop and focus at some point just to share a few stories, thoughts, and suggestions, and to talk about ways for parents to be further involved in the life of the school. Should be fun!

I’m sure there’s lots I’m forgetting, but once you get here, we will all be around to answer your questions and, more importantly, to revel with you in the shocking abundance of hard work, talent, and passion on display throughout the weekend. Hard to believe 90 kids can do so much!

See you all soon!

Best,

Franny