From September 5th-8th, students began to return to Grier, filling up the quiet halls with their usual melodic chatter. On September 9th, we watched the leaves start to fall through the windows of familiar classrooms. And as the trees started to turn red and gold, the student body settled into the 2024-2025 school year. Here is an overview of some of the main events that we have celebrated this semester at Grier.
From October 18th to the 20th, parents visited campus to live a day in the life of a student. Parents arrived bright and early on Saturday to have breakfast on the colonnade, enjoying coffee and donuts from a local food truck before heading to the dance building for an assembly and a viewing of Grier TV. Afterwards, they could experience their child’s daily schedule, spending ten minutes at each class to meet the teachers and hear about the school year.
The afternoon swept the parents through the dorms to view the Halloween door decorating contest and to the dining hall for lunch. Parents could also spend time enjoying Fall activities like s’mores on the Lodge Lawn or a hay ride around campus. In the afternoon, parents filled the dance building to watch incredible performances by both the dancers and musicians. As afternoon turned to evening, the parents were able to enjoy a riding exhibition held in the show barn. Throughout the day, an international club fair was also held. So whether students prefer to be in the AV room or experimenting in the Science building, everyone could show off their on campus club, sport, or hobbies to their parents.
Sunday had a relaxing brunch and a few activities around campus, designed to be a cool down from the rush of the day before. Students and parents could relax, watching the chill breeze sweep the leaves through the campus. To top off this exciting weekend, all students were able to sleep in on Monday, enjoying a much needed rest before heading back to class.
Halloween found an array of characters wandering the halls of Grier. The annual Halloween costume contest, hosted by the student council, took place during Extra Help. The student council was dressed as Despicable Me characters. “I look really good in yellow,” Vice-President Sara Velez said when asked about her costume choice as a minion. Members of the student council decided the winners of the five costume categories: Funniest/Cutest, Most Creative, Scariest, Best Duo/Group, and Best Teacher Costume.
While the competition was stiff and often hard to decide, the winners all definitely brought their A-game. The winners included:
- Funniest/Cutest: Isa Alcala, Alanna Rodriguez, Miranda del Real as Oompa Loompas
- Most Creative: Addie Franklin and Cassie Solow as Coraline and Wiley
- Scariest: Mr Jefferson as a math teacher and Emily Ding as a homicidal easter bunny
- Best Duo/Group: Kylie Willier, Emily Adler, Emily Frantz, Lily Frantz, and Palmer Kellog as Phineas and Ferb characters
- Best Teacher Costume: Dance teacher Jocie as Ennui
As an extra treat, there was no study hall, so students were able to trick or treat as darkness fell on campus. After trick-or-treating, they could party at the 1853 Boo Bash hosted by NHS, dancing near the bonfire or enjoying other treats. Periodically, a hay ride would come and pick people up for a bewitching ride around campus. The night ended sweet and spooky as everyone returned to their rooms with arms full of candy.
Grier held their first annual homecoming “Fox-Trot” on November 9th. Girls spent much of the early evening getting dressed up before heading to the gymnasium as night fell. The gymnasium was decorated with lights and circular tables, making it possible to take a break from the dancing and relax with some snacks or a drink. The dance floor was filled with girls dancing until their feet hurt to a playlist designed with input from each grade-level. The arrival of a group of boys from Kiski School made the dance extra exciting for many of the students. There was also a photo booth–a very popular addition to the dance festivities. The next day, while many complained about their feet hurting, the consensus was that it was most definitely worth it.
On November 27th, the annual Friendsgiving celebration was hosted at Grier. Instead of having classes, throughout the day, girls participated in activities with their friends. Students could choose to relax in the auditorium, eat popcorn, and watch a marathon of the sitcom, Friends. Some students came extra-prepared for this event, bringing blankets, pillows, and stuffed animals with which to cuddle while watching the marathon. Alternatively, students could make leaf and flower crowns in the Art Building or finish decorating their Grier sweatshirts from a previous event. There was also a Green and Gold competition, in honor of school spirit. Finally, girls had the option of writing a letter to their best friend, wrapping up the event on a sweet note.
Your donation will support the student journalists of Grier School. Your contribution will allow us to purchase equipment and cover our annual website hosting costs.
