
October 8-10, 2021
Families of students were invited to enjoy a beautiful fall weekend on campus in October. They had the opportunity to eperience school traditions like Step Songs at Main Hall and a bonfire on Tippetts Beach, attend classes, see a Stony Batter Players performance of the play Lost in Yonkers, and cheer on our Blue Storm athletes. Other highlights during Family Weekend included college counseling sessions for parents, a tailgate lunch featuring the inaugural “Mercersburger” competition, and a Chapel service.

Mercersburger Competition
This year we tried something new! We asked the community to submit burger recipes for consideration. Students prepped the recipes in our Mercersburg Test Kitchen (the True Blue Café), a panel of judges narrowed the list down to three finalists that went head-to-head during Family Weekend, and attendees got to pick the winner! Find out who won!
Schedule of Events
Members of a student’s immediate household(s) were invited to attend all events during the weekend. To see all the activities available, explore the schedules below.
8 to 9 a.m. - Breakfast, Ford Hall
8 a.m. to 3 p.m. - Welcome Center open, Simon Student Center
Class fundraisers will be available between 8 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
8 a.m. to 6 p.m. - Registration and Rapid Testing, Sycamore Lane
6 to 8 p.m. - Late arrival testing, Rutherford Health and Wellness Center
9 to 11:30 a.m. - Visit classes
This will provide an opportunity for parents to meet their child’s teachers and to enjoy a small sampling of class activities. In order to avoid crowding in our classrooms, activities and lessons will be brief, allowing families to cycle in and out of a classroom during the allotted time.
11 a.m. to 1 p.m. - Lunch, Ford Hall
12:30 to 1:30 p.m. - Visit classes
This will provide an opportunity for parents to meet their child’s teachers and to enjoy a small sampling of class activities. In order to avoid crowding in our classrooms, activities and lessons will be brief, allowing families to cycle in and out of a classroom during the allotted time.
1:30 to 2:45 p.m. - Departmental Open Houses, Various Locations
English - Edwards Room
Arts - Cofrin Gallery, Burgin Center
History - 2nd Floor, Lenfest Hall
Language - Tent, Prentiss-Zimmerman Quad
Math - 4rd Floor, Irvine Hall
Religion - 4th Floor, Lenfest Hall
Science - 1st and 2nd Floor, Irvine Hall
Department members will be available in the academic buildings for “Open House” time. Parents or guardians are welcome to use this time to talk with teachers and to see a glimpse of the learning spaces utilized by their children.
2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. - Class Fundraisers, Hale Field House Lobby
2:55 to 3:30 p.m. - School meeting with students, faculty, and families, Hale Field House
Watch Live!
To kick off the school year’s theme of Health and Wellness, Mercersburg is planning a school meeting featuring alumni and parents who work in these fields. Mental Illness Awareness Week 2021 runs from October 3 to October 9, so this is a perfect time to talk about mental health.
The panel will be moderated by Jen Cort P ’18, ’23 and panelists are Stephanie Comer-Concordia P ’22, ’22, ’24, Sarah Firestone ’13, Amy Shaffer Post ’02, and Steph Turner McGraw ’06.
3:45 to 4:30 p.m. - Acting Head of School Update with Quentin McDowell P ’25, Hale Field House
Watch Live!
4 p.m. - Athletic events begin, Goldthorpe Athletic Complex
4 p.m. - Girls’ Cross Country vs. Madeira School and Grier School
5 p.m. - Volleyball vs. Bishop Walsh, Plantz Courts, Goldthorpe Athletic Complex
5 to 5:45 p.m. - Global Programs Open House, Edwards Room
5:30 to 7:30 p.m. - All-School Buffet Dinner, Ford Hall
7 to 7:45 p.m. - Meet the Grade Dean, Various Locations
9th grade - Edwards Room
10th grade - Traylor Hall Lobby
11th grade - Prentiss Alumni and Parent Center, North Cottage
12th grade - Irvine Memorial Chapel
8 p.m. - Step Songs, Main Hall
8:30 p.m. - Bonfire, Tippetts Beach
7:30 to 9 a.m. - Breakfast, Ford Hall
8 a.m. to 1 p.m. - Registration and Rapid Testing, Sycamore Lane
1 to 8 p.m. - Late arrival testing, Rutherford Health and Wellness Center
8 a.m. to 1 p.m. - Welcome Center open, Simon Student Center
8:45 to 9:30 a.m. - College counseling sessions for parents
Getting Started: 9th and 10th Grade, Lenfest 201
Presenters: Rachel Mallory and Cindy Fowler
As our 9th- and 10th-grade students begin to explore life at Mercersburg Academy, many are already thinking about college. This session will help parents of 9th and 10th graders to better understand our developmental approach to college counseling as they support their students to be successful at Mercersburg and beyond.
The Healthy College List (11th- and 12th-Grade Parents), Lenfest 502
Presenters: Michael Conklin and Justin Ledesma
Deciding where to apply—and eventually where to enroll—can be a daunting task for any student. In this session, learn more about how we counsel each student to construct a targeted college list that reflects their interests, priorities, and academic profile. We will discuss our timeline and the many resources available to students and their families as they explore a wide range of college options across a spectrum of selectivity.
8:45 to 10:25 a.m. - Drop-in with college counseling, Hager Reading Room (main level), Lenfest Hall
9 a.m. to 12 p.m. - Adviser meetings for parents
9:40 to 10:25 a.m. - College counseling sessions for parents
When to Apply: The Truth about Early Admission (11th- and 12th-grade parents), Lenfest 502
Presenters: Justin Ledesma and Michael Conklin
A record number of students now apply to selective colleges through early admission programs. In this session, we will consider the potential advantages, as well as the potential drawbacks, of early admission programs, including Early Decision and Early Action. We will offer guidance about how and when to determine if seeking early admission is appropriate for your child.
Athletic Recruitment and College Admission (Parents of prospective college student-athletes), Lenfest 201
Presenters: Glenn Neufeld and Paul Sipes
Is your son or daughter an aspiring college athlete? In this session, our presenters will offer advice to parents who wish to support their student-athlete to achieve their academic and athletic goals. We will consider the implications of being a recruited athlete when applying to college, and will discuss best practices for aspiring NCAA Division I, Division II, and Division III athletes.
10 a.m. to 12 p.m. - Climbing wall open, Masinter Outdoor Education Center
10:25 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. - College counseling meetings for 12th-grade parents
10:30 to 11:15 a.m. - Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Open House, Room 119, Simon Student Center
11 a.m. to 1 p.m. - Blue Storm picnic lunch, outside Tippetts Hall (south side)
Featuring the Mercersburger! Enjoy three sliders and help us select our top burger for this year’s inaugural Mercersburger competition!
12 p.m. - Athletic events begin, Goldthorpe Athletic Complex (unless otherwise noted)
Golf vs. McConnellsburg High School, Chambersburg Country Club
Boys' Varsity Soccer vs. Lawrenceville School
Girls' Varsity Tennis vs. Lawrenceville School
Varsity Volleyball vs. Lawrenceville School
1 p.m. - Athletic events continue, Goldthorpe Athletic Complex
Blue/White Swim Meet
Field Hockey vs. Lawrenceville School
Football vs. Valley Forge Military Academy
2 p.m. - Girls' Varsity Soccer vs. Lawrenceville School
3 p.m. - Boys JV Soccer vs. Woodberry Forest School
5 to 7 p.m. - Postgame supper, Ford Hall
7:30 p.m. - Stony Batter Players Production of Lost in Yonkers, Simon Theatre, Burgin Center for the Arts
Lost in Yonkers by Neil Simon (1991 Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winner) is set in 1942. Come to the Burgin Center for the Arts’ Simon Theatre to see the Stony Batter Players perform this comedy with heart.
8:30 to 10:30 a.m. - Continental breakfast, Ford Hall
11 a.m. - Worship service, Irvine Memorial Chapel
This service includes performances by the Chorale and String Ensemble.
Share the weekend! #MburgFamily