In the first few months of each school year, Lower School classes at Germantown Academy in Fort Washington, PA engage in Welcome Walks, which bring together parents from each homeroom or grade level so they can meet, connect, and share time outdoors with their children and teachers. These walks are a fun way for families to build community as they explore the Preserve, the centerpiece of the school’s nature program, a 3.7 acre on-campus outdoor laboratory that borders the Wissahickon Creek. The Preserve features a variety of outdoor learning spaces, and the Green Ribbon Trail, part of the Wissahickon Trail system, runs right through it. 

“This year, our Welcome Walks are doing a fall scavenger hunt,” said Assistant Head of Lower School Allison Sasson. “It’s a fun and casual group walk. Bringing together our community in this way allows for families to get to know each other and the teachers early on in the school year.”

While on the scavenger hunt, students set out along the Berton E. Korman Family Wet Meadow, identifying the grasses and flowering plants that thrive there. They also visited the Preserve’s two outdoor classrooms and the Class of 1990 Dock, which overlooks one of the area’s retention basins.

The Welcome Walks offer more than just a stroll through nature – they reflect Germantown Academy’s commitment to curiosity, connection, and community. As students guide their families through the Preserve, they celebrate not only the beauty of the campus but also the shared joy of learning together.