From the long walk between buildings, to supporting clubs, to finding the stairs to the 4th floor, the high school experience came to life for parents, guardians and caregivers during Back to School Night (BTSN) on Thursday, Oct. 5. The event, which started at 6:15 p.m. and ended at 9 p.m., was an opportunity to meet teachers and familiarize themselves with course content and expectations.
Junior and Senior Keepers were stationed around the school to provide directions for those unfamiliar with the campus. For junior Christina DaRosa, being a Junior Keeper was a longtime goal. She said in her book, Back to School Night was something to look forward to.
“When I heard [BTSN] was coming up, I was all over it,” DaRosa said. “I was assigned to patrol the [rooms around the Atrium] on the third floor. It was really fun and pretty easy. I had three other people helping and the parents were really nice.”
Also in attendance was the Climate and Food Justice Club. The club held a food drive for the Brookline Food Pantry with drop off boxes in the STEM wing and 22 Tappan. The club also invited parents and guardians to sign a petition banning the use of single-use plastic water bottles at BHS.
Climate and Food Justice Club leader and senior Aster Toole said the support from the school community was fulfilling.
“We’re going to try and capitalize on these events [like BTSN] in the future,” Toole said. “It’s really heartwarming to see that people are listening to our message.”
Kate Leslie, American History teacher and Queer Student Union adviser, said the event was a success, who highlighted the benefits of the night from a teacher and parent perspective.
“I love having a better sense of the adults that are connected to certain students,” Leslie said. “I’ve realized how important Back to School Night is as I’ve attended my [own kids’] Back to School Nights. It makes me realize how much parents and guardians really want to be connected to the school and really deserve to have a sense of how to support their teenager.”
