Yes. If you are planning to attend Winter Family Weekend please register all family members that will attend so that we can provide name tags and plan for meals.
We are pleased to welcome parents, grandparents, siblings, and friends to enjoy the Cushing experience at Winter Family Weekend.
Winter Family Weekend 2025
Friday + Saturday
February 28 + March 1, 2025
We invite parents and families of Cushing students to campus to get a first-hand sense of the Cushing experience at Winter Family Weekend. The weekend includes in-class visits, meetings with teachers and advisors, an art show, winter musical performances, athletic events, and a parent reception with our Head of School.
REGISTER FOR WINTER FAMILY WEEKEND
Scheduling Appointments with Teachers and Advisors
The Pick-A-Time reservation system opens at 10:30 am ET on Friday, February 14. Invitations to book appointments with teachers and advisors will be sent directly to registered families. Appointment slots are filled on a first-come, first-served basis, so we recommend registering for Winter Family Weekend sooner rather than later, to make sure your family receives an early invitation.
Once our reservation system is open, please follow the steps below for scheduling appointments with faculty, advisors, and college counselors during family weekends:
- First go to MyCushing and log in.
- Click on the image that looks like a sticky note that says "Schedule your appointment."
- Once there, select the date on which you'd like to schedule your appointment.
- You will see a color-coded schedule for your child's teachers. Select the colored box that corresponds to the time you'd like to schedule.
- On the next screen, select if you'd like to have a reminder sent to you and click "Create Appointment."
- You will get an email confirmation for your appointment.
- Follow this same procedure for each appointment you'd like to schedule.
Please note: To allow you to have travel time between buildings and rooms, you won't be able to schedule appointments back-to-back. We advise you to schedule appointments for math, science, and performing arts together, as they're generally located in the Joseph R. Curry Academic Center. Likewise, history and foreign language classes are in the Main Building, and Academic Support and English classes are typically located in the English Building next to the Main Building. Art classes are in the Emily Fisher Landau Center for the Visual Arts, which is next to the English Building.
If you have questions about scheduling, please contact us at [email protected] or (978) 827-7400.
2025 Weekend Highlights
- Class visits. Sit in on abbreviated versions of your student’s classes on Friday to get a sense of academic life at Cushing.
- Meetings with teachers and advisors. Schedule appointments with the people at Cushing who work with your student every day. (Appointments will open to registered families about two weeks prior to February 28. Please note: college counseling appointments are for families of juniors only.)
- Enjoy meals with students and faculty in our bustling dining commons.
- Head of School Reception. Meet fellow parents in the Admissions Lounge Friday evening for an adults-only gathering.
- College Athlete Commitment Ceremony. Celebrate student-athletes who have committed to collegiate athletic programs
- Winter Musical. See Cushing's production of Little Shop of Horrors!
- Athletic Games. Cheer the Penguins on at their home matches, including the Rust Cup and Cushing Basketball Invitational.
REGISTER FOR WINTER FAMILY WEEKEND
2025 Winter Family Weekend Schedule
Thursday, February 27, 2025
7:30 pm — Winter Musical: Little Shop of Horrors (Cowell Chapel, Main Building)
Friday, February 28, 2025
- 7:30 - 8:30 am — Breakfast for Students (Fisher-Watkins Dining Commons)
- 8:00 am - 4:00 pm — Registration (Main Building)
Continental breakfast and snacks will be available for parents in the Admissions Lounge - 8:30 am - 12:15 pm — Class Visitation (Various classrooms)
There will be a modified academic schedule on Friday so you can join your student and attend a session of all of your student's classes. (Don't be fooled: you are encouraged to join your child. Many parents report classroom visitation as one of their favorite events of the weekend.) - 8:30 am - 12:00 noon — College Counseling Meetings (College Counseling Office, Main Building, 2nd Floor)
Meeting times with College Counselors are reserved for juniors only. - 9:30 am - 9:55 am Parent Assembly (JRC Theatre Room)
- 11:00 am - 1:30 pm — Lunch (Fisher-Watkins Dining Commons)
- 11:00 pm - 1:30 pm — Family Portraits (Fisher-Watkins Dining Commons Lobby)
- 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm — Teacher/Advisor Meetings (Various Classrooms)
10-minute meetings scheduled in advance of Winter Family Weekend - 3:00 pm — College Athlete Commitment Ceremony Celebrate our student-athletes who have committed to collegiate athletic programs
- 4:30 - 6:00 pm — Head of School Reception (Main Building)
All parents are invited to a parent reception hosted by Dr. Randy Bertin - 5:00 - 7:00 pm — Dinner (Fisher-Watkins Dining Commons)
Athletic + Performing Arts Events
- 6:00 pm — RUST CUP: Boys' Varsity B Hockey vs. Winchendon School (Iorio Arena)
- 7:30 pm — Winter Musical: Little Shop of Horrors (Cowell Chapel, Main Building)
- 8:00 pm — BASKETBALL INVITATIONAL: Boys' Varsity Basketball vs. Wilbraham & Monson (Watkins Field House)
Saturday, March 1, 2025
- 8:30 am - 12:00 noon — Registration (Main Building)
Coffee and snacks will be available in the Admissions Lounge - 9:00 am - 12:30 pm — Teacher/Advisor Meetings (Various Classrooms)
10-minute meetings scheduled in advance of Winter Family Weekend - 9:00 am - 12:30 pm — College Counseling Meetings (College Counseling Office, Main Building, 2nd Floor)
Meeting times with College Counselors are reserved for juniors. - 10:00 am - 1:00 pm — Brunch (Fisher-Watkins Dining Commons)
Athletic Events+ Performing Arts Events
- 2:00 pm — RUST CUP: Boy's Varsity B vs TBD (Iorio Arena)
- 3:00 pm — Girls' Varsity Basketball vs St. Pauls (Watkins Field House)
- 4:00 pm — BASKETBALL INVITATIONAL: Boys' Varsity Basketball vs. TBD (Watkins Field House)
- 4:30 pm — Girls' Varsity Hockey vs. Choate (Iorio Arena)
- 7:30 pm — Winter Musical: Little Shop of Horrors (Cowell Chapel, Main Building)
Away Athletic Events
- 4:00 pm — Boys' Thirds Basketball @ Worcester Academy
- 2:00 pm — Boys' Varsity Hockey @ Governors Academy
Please note: You may take your student off campus using our REACH system only after their last commitment (a game, practice, or activity) has concluded.
Monday March 3 is a “free” day with boarders returning by 7:30 pm.
On Friday of Winter Family Weekend (February 28), the earliest departure time from campus will be 12:15 pm as students are expected to attend all classes. Students who have games or performances will need to set their departure for the conclusion of their event. Students are not required to leave and many students remain on campus. We ask that students do not get plane tickets any earlier than 3:00 pm on Friday. Students need to return on Monday (March 3) by 7:45pm check-in. There is no school transportation to/from airports around Winter Family Weekend.
If you cannot make it for Winter Family Weekend and/or your student chooses to stay on campus we will be holding a full calendar of meals and events.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I Have to Register to Attend?
Can Grandparents and Siblings Attend?
Absolutely! All family members are welcome.
How Do I Make Appointments With Teachers and Advisors?
You can schedule individual meetings with teachers and advisors. The system is called Pick-a-Time. To access Pick-a-Time please login to MyCushing and go to the RESOURCE board. You will see a yellow post-it note icon. If you are unable to attend or fit an appointment into your schedule you may email a teacher for a phone call or Zoom appointment after the weekend.
Can I Take My Student Off Campus?
Yes. A student can leave campus (after checking out properly using the REACH system) after their last commitment for the weekend. Students will not be excused from an athletic game or performance commitment. It is a long weekend. Boarding students return by Monday, February 26 at 7:30 pm.
Can Students Stay On Campus All Weekend?
Yes. Not all students have family attending and will be on campus. Dorms are open and supervised and meals and activities are planned.
What Is the Dress Code for Families?
Winter Family Weekend is all about comfort and showing your Penguin spirit by wearing Cushing garb or purple and white if you have it!! The dress code is casual, even for the reception. You will do a lot of walking around campus so please wear comfortable footwear.
Where Do I Park When I Arrive to Campus?
Parking will be available on School Street and Academy Street as well as the Iorio Arena and Watkins Fieldhouse parking lots. Please contact the Advancement Office if you have a family member with mobility issues and we can assist.
I’d Like to Make a Gift to the Cushing Annual Fund. How Do I Do So?
You can make your gift online, by Venmo, or by sending a check payable to Cushing. Find additional information on our Giving Overview Page.
Making Plans
Lodging options in the area are extremely limited. We recommend that you book as soon as possible. Please see a list of options below as well as a list of places to eat in the area.
Hotels
The Colonial Hotel
625 Betty Spring Road
Gardner, MA 01440
978.630.2500
(6.5 miles)
Great Wolf Lodge
150 Great Wolf Drive
Fitchburg, MA 01420
978.343.9653
(9 miles)
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel
99 Erdman Way,
Leominster, MA 01453
978.534.9000
(14 miles)
Springhill Suites by Marriott – Devens Commons Center
27 Andrews Parkway
Devens, MA
978.772.3030
(23 miles)
Inns and Bed and Breakfasts
The Maguire House
30 Cobb Rd.
Ashburnham, MA01430
978.827.5053
(1.5 miles)
The Monadnock Inn
379 Main Street
Jaffrey, NH 03452
603.532.7800
(20 miles)