When my children’s school announced that it will have its first School Open House as part of its 20th anniversary, I took the chance and came. In fact, I did it for two consecutive days since there were separate schedules allotted for each department. Having one child in elementary and one in high school (grade 7 actually) is but a natural result of such decision and I am thankful I had the opportunity and took it, not once but twice.

school open house

What is a School Open House?

A School Open House is just what the term suggests. It is a scheduled school event that opens school doors so parents and visitors who may be interested can observe more closely how the school operates on a daily basis. Some schools take this opportunity to invite the general public to provide information which can help parents decide or consider the school for their children’s education in the near future.

The main purpose is to provide information and show a semblance of what it is like for the children who go to this learning institution five days a week. Aside from seeing the condition of the school facilities, parents can see for themselves how their children are being taught in school. Schools are generally very strict when it comes to allowing access to parents and visitors during school hours. This is quite understandable since the safety and the welfare of the students is the priority. A School Open House offers the rare opportunity to be inside school premises while the students are having their regular classes.

open house school

Why Conduct a School Open House

As mentioned above, the main purpose is to provide information. Information is made more complete by actual experience. It is one thing for parents to be told about the facilities in a school and another to actually see their children using them.

A School Open House is not the time for one-on-one parent-teacher conferences for specific student and parental concerns. There is a separate scheduled event for such purposes. Of course, teachers, when available, can answer some questions  from parents and visitors.

My Say

As a parent, I cannot help but have some recurring questions is my mind whether I made the right choice for my children’s school. Coming to the School Open House helped a great deal in settling those questions. The stories told by my children about their school experiences became clearer as I gained clear visuals of the places and things they would just often have to describe to me.

Attending this event is part of my active involvement in my children’s education. I’m glad I chose not to ignore the invitation to come to the School Open House. I’m glad to confirm that I made the right choice.