After a year without eighth-grade visitors, Padua has opened up their doors to the Class of 2026. This September and October, girls will be able to get an inside look of what it is like to be a Panda. Due to the global pandemic, potential incoming students could not shadow students in the class above them.

Mrs. Rossi, Head of Admissions, said she is excited to run this year’s tours of the school campus. On Sunday, September 26th, Rossi also ran the Open House to welcome the girls as a kickoff for shadowing.

“We view open houses as a comfortable first visit before shadowing so that students can visit with their parents, which sometimes is more comfortable for a first visit,” Rossi said. “Padua is a very hospitable community. Before the families came in we knew their names and interests to try and make them feel welcomed and personal.”

Rossi said that Padua is an “amazing” community and and that she loves her job as Head of Admissions.

“This job is my greatest joy,” she said. “I always try to think of myself as a mirror so we can mirror back to the faculty, staff, and students how wonderful they are. [I am a] window to allow the families to see what we do and to show others how amazing the faculty and staff is here at Padua.”

Mrs. Giaquinto, the Underclassmen Dean, said she is also very excited about having students coming back to shadow. As a dean, she wants to make every student feel comfortable and as if Padua could be their new community.

“I think that shadowing is a great way to get students into our building and to give the 8th graders an inside view of everything that we do here,” Giaquinto said.

Shadows have visited from schools all around Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Maryland. Phoebe N., coming from Mount Aviat Academy in Maryland, shadowned freshman Bridget McManamon. Phoebe is an athlete who currently participates in volleyball and has played many other sports such as lacrosse and surfing. She said she is very excited to join Panda sports.

Phoebe said she is also anxious even though she thinks Padua is a great fit for her.

“I’m nervous but excited at the same time,” Phoebe said. “I’m coming from a small school so a bigger school will be hard to navigate. ”

Another shadow, Mackenzie R., visited from Avon Grove Middle School in Pennsylvania. She said she loved following freshman Paisley Dunn around campus all day.

“Paisley was a great person to shadow,” Mackenzie said. “We already knew each other before I came here and I feel safe around her.”

Mackenzie loved many locations of the school such as the library, cafeteria, and well-spaced out classrooms, she said. She thought Padua’s learning environment and people were “amazing” compared to her past middle school. She visited the school with goals to pursue her dream job.

“I want to make my own business when I grow up or I want to pursue a job with streaming,” Mackenzie said. “I think I can achieve that here because of all the great things I’ve heard.”