Residence Hall Happenings

Sun Valley Community School’s annual Residential Parents’ Weekend kicked off with a lovely evening social at the home of Head of School Ben Pettit and his wife Sara. Parents mingled and got to know one another and Ben and his family on a beautiful Sun Valley fall evening. 

Residential parents spent the majority of Friday in their student/parent/teacher conferences, gaining a better understanding of the current classes their children are taking, and getting a glimpse at the amazing academic offerings here at Sun Valley Community School. Friday was capped off with Upper School district boys and girls varsity soccer games held up at the Dumke Family Sagewillow Campus. The games drew huge crowds of students, parents, and alums cheering on our Cutthroat soccer players: school spirit was at an all time high! Following the games, parents had the opportunity to join the Parents’ Association event on the patio at the Limelight Hotel in Ketchum. 

Saturday began with a hike with dorm families and staff to the top of Heidelberg Hill where we were able to look down on the city of Ketchum amidst the changing colors of the Aspen and Cottonwood leaves. In order to give parents a true taste of their child’s experience, we had the families load up on bus #3 for the short ride to Adams Gulch. Our dog loving crowd fell in love with Assistant Director of Residential Life, Briggs Williams new puppy Pancho. Saturday evening was left free for parents to take their children to the dinner of their choice. Residential students took advantage of the opportunity to head out to their favorite restaurants in the valley. 

The weekend concluded on Sunday with a college counseling presentation in Rufus M. Brown Hall’s media lounge, followed by a delicious dinner cooked by our dorm chefs, Tracey Caraluzzi and Vicky Kelley. Chicken and eggplant parmesan were enjoyed by all in one of our last group dinners held outside. As the cold temperatures have officially arrived and the snow guns are firing on the Sun Valley Resort, we are all looking forward to what we all hope will be an epic winter! 

Says Director of Residential Life Clay Wawner, “The annual Parents’ Weekend provides our residential families a chance to gain an appreciation for our school and community. Events like the cocktail party, dorm family hike, and the dorm family dinner bring about a feeling of community and a glimpse into both dorm life and life in the Wood River Valley. We loved having our parents visit, it's a wonderful tradition we all look forward to.”