School First on the Vineyard: Bringing Families and Schools Together

On August 4, School First Co-President Linda Talton welcomed Directors of Admission and families to Sailing Camp Park on Martha’s Vineyard for our very first School First on the Vineyard event.

It was a beautiful day and an incredible opportunity for families to connect directly with admission professionals in an intimate and welcoming setting. Families were able to have meaningful conversations about their children, what they are looking for in a school and the communities and opportunities each participating school has to offer.

We were especially grateful to see families School First has worked with over the years join us and share their own School First stories. Those connections are at the heart of what we do, and it was wonderful to bring together families and educators in one space.

A very special thank you to the admission professionals who joined us and generously shared their time and expertise:

Donnie Smith of George School
Karla Vargas-Kennedy of Woodberry Forest School
Marc Boissey of Millbrook School
Bill Warder of Salisbury School
Gina Carballo of Northfield Mount Hermon
Maya Silva Thompson of Miss Porter’s School
Kavita Bafana of Trinity School
Liz Vollinger, Sarah Knowles and Olivia Riddiford of Falmouth Academy

We also extend our thanks to Saddle River Day School for being part of this special gathering.

We are so grateful to the families who took time away from the beach and all the other summer fun Martha’s Vineyard has to offer to spend part of their day with School First.

Our first School First on the Vineyard was about more than learning about schools. It was about relationships, connections and creating opportunities for families to better understand where their children can feel seen, supported and thrive.

Thank you to everyone who helped make our first School First on the Vineyard such a memorable day. We look forward to continuing to bring families and schools together in meaningful ways.