When prospective students and families arrive at MICDS, they come with questions, concerns, and a sincere interest in knowing if this school is the right fit. While our Admissions staff is knowledgeable and passionate about MICDS, prospective families really enjoy tours led by current MICDS parents who can share their favorite aspects of our community and talk earnestly about their own MICDS experiences. “The Parent Ambassadors who helped us when we were going through the decision-making process were so helpful and made me feel at ease,” says Juli Willeman. “I hope I can do the same for other prospective families.”
MICDS parents in all three divisions volunteer their time to make visiting families feel welcome. Their reasons for stepping into the Patent Ambassador role are varied, but each brings a warmth and brightness that personify the welcoming spirit of the MICDS community.
LOWER SCHOOL
Chris Burke P’33, ’36; Parent Ambassador since 2022
Why did you decide to step into the role in the first place?
When our family was exploring different independent school options, we were really blown away with our interaction with MICDS’ parent-led tour—it helped personalize the experience, shed light on the School’s strong community, and gave us a safe space to ask questions. Knowing how important it was for our family, I wanted to pay it forward! Plus, it’s such a fun way to stay up-to-date on all that’s happening at the School. The icing on the cake: you often get to see (and sneak a quick hug) from your child when giving prospective families tours!
What is your favorite stop while giving tours?
There are too many to name! Chatting with our phenomenally gifted and passionate teachers, showcasing the wide variety of special classes offered, and hearing from our student Rambassadors about what they’re excited to learn and work on. If pushed to choose one single location, it probably would be at the playground, because after having highlighted all that makes Beasley a lovely and cozy place for our littlest learners, it’s important to then show how the Lower School sits within the larger MICDS 100-acre campus. From the Beasley playground, I point out the athletic fields, chat about the Middle School competitive robotics team, point out where we host our annual Arts Fest—the hope being that all prospective families, even if they don’t know yet what passions their child might pursue later in life, they fundamentally understand that there is a place for them here at MICDS.
What’s one thing you want visiting families to take away from their tours with you?
The hope is that parent-led tours provide an honest reflection of what makes MICDS, both the School and its community, wonderful. To that end, I’d love for visiting families to walk away excited for their student and family!
Allan Anthonysamy P’37; Parent Ambassador since 2024.
Why did you decide to step into the role in the first place?
I received an email from Bill Senti, Associate Director of Admission – Lower School, about volunteering as a parent ambassador. When we were touring schools for our daughter, I enjoyed going to these tours and learning more about each school. Our parent ambassador during our tour at MICDS, Joe Sonderman, and another parent ambassador, Chris Burke, who we met at one of the welcoming events, were very helpful and made us feel welcome. I wanted to be more involved once my daughter got in, and felt that being a parent ambassador would be something I would love to do based on the experiences we had while touring. I also enjoy meeting prospective parents and sharing my personal experiences.
What is your favorite stop on the tour as you’re walking with prospective families?
My daughter’s classroom. I am able to share more of what the teachers are like, and it is great to see the kids in action.
What’s one thing you want visiting families to take away from their tours with you?
How great the teachers, specialists, and staff are. We are fortunate to have teachers, specialists, and staff who truly care and are deliberate in how and what they do to support each student.
MIDDLE SCHOOL
Juli Willeman P’29, ’31; Parent Ambassador since 2023
Why did you decide to step into the role in the first place?
A friend recommended it when my oldest started at MICDS in seventh grade, and I’m so glad she did! It is an easy way to get involved, meet other parents, and feel connected to the school.
What is your favorite stop on the tour as you’re walking with prospective families?
The classroom of Nolan Clarke, Middle School Science Teacher. I never know what we are going to walk into, but it’s always interesting and always fun! It’s a great example for prospective families to see in action how each child is seen and known in the classroom by how he engages the students and how they respond.
What’s one thing you want visiting families to take away from their tours with you?
MICDS is a special place. Every student is known, challenged, and supported. It’s a community ready to support students and parents alike.
Sarah Plaskett P’30; Parent Ambassador since 2023
Why did you decide to step into the role in the first place?
Kerry Bryan, Associate Director of Admission – Middle School, has always been so friendly to me and suggested I give it a try. I wanted to get to know the School better and what goes on during my son’s day. It has really enabled better and deeper conversations with him.
What is your favorite stop on the tour as you’re walking with prospective families?
I have so many favorite stops, but the top are Mr. Clarke’s science room for comic relief and breaking the ice with nervous/quiet parents, and the squash courts where my son discovered his passion for that sport—stopping by my son’s classroom to get a hug from him! It always makes my day!
What’s one thing you want visiting families to take away from their tours with you?
It’s important to me that visiting families feel heard, have their questions answered, and experience a genuine sense of joy as they walk through the School. It’s something that can’t be explained—they need to witness it themselves by stepping into classrooms and spending time in the community here.
UPPER SCHOOL
Christina Coverdell P’24, ’28; Parent Ambassador since 2021
Why did you decide to step into the role in the first place?
Toward the end of the pandemic, both our daughters started attending MICDS and our family was no longer splitting our time between two schools, so I wanted to find a way to serve the MICDS community as a parent. I also remember being really impressed with the school tour my family received from a parent volunteer. I was intimidated at the thought of leading a tour as a representative of the School. I ended up talking with tour leaders, and once they told me that the School asks tour guides to just be authentic and talk about each family’s own experience, I decided to give it a try. It’s been a great experience, especially getting to spend time with other tour guides who are a lot of fun to be around. Tours have also given me the chance to get a little extra hug from my daughters when I’ve seen them.
What is your favorite stop on the tour as you’re walking with prospective families?
I like stopping in the middle of the second floor of Olson Hall and letting the prospective parents take in a typical day in the Upper School. Some students are usually seated in small groups, collaborating with one another on a group project, while others are working at one of the many desks or chairs intentionally set around the halls. Parents always seem amazed that the school gives this much autonomy to the students and that the students actually work on their assignments while unsupervised. If I happen to give a tour when students are changing classes, parents talk about how they can’t believe how mature, friendly, polite, and calm the students are. It also doesn’t hurt that parents get to see a stellar view of the beautiful campus grounds and athletic fields out the windows of Olson. Seeing the campus from that vantage point always seems to leave a big impact.
What’s one thing you want visiting families to take away from their tours with you?
Just as MICDS wants every student to feel known, to the best of my ability, I try to do the same for the prospective parents and their children. I try to tailor the tour to their interests and help them envision what MICDS could be for their family. I also try to leave them with a recent example of how I’ve witnessed compassion or a kindness at School. It’s really important to me that I convey to them how I regularly see our School community living out one of its most important core values.
Jason Bell P’28, ’31; Parent Ambassador since 2025
Why did you decide to step into the role in the first place?
When we were going through our own decision-making process, hearing directly from our Parent Ambassador was incredibly impactful for my wife and me. This perspective helped us truly understand the MICDS experience from a family point of view, and it even led to a lifelong friendship. As a new parent, I also saw this role as a wonderful opportunity to build connections with the staff, meet other families, and learn more about the School community.
What is your favorite stop on the tour as you’re walking with prospective families?
The library—because they do such a great job explaining the block schedule, which can be tricky for new families to understand. It also saves me from stumbling through it! But honestly, the best moments on the tour are when teachers share their enthusiasm for teaching and talk about their long tenure at MICDS. That passion and dedication really shines through to families.
What’s one thing you want visiting families to take away from their tours with you
That nothing is unattainable here. MICDS offers an incredible range of opportunities and resources to help students discover and pursue their passions and goals.
Bhavana Choudhary P’27; Parent Ambassador since 2023
Why did you decide to step into the role in the first place?
I decided to step into the role because I wanted to give back to the School that gave my daughter so many opportunities. I know my daughter loves being a Rambassador, so I wanted to join her and share that love with her.
What is your favorite stop on the tour as you’re walking with prospective families?
Being a physician, I have a special connection with the STEM building! I enjoy seeing all the biology projects/posters that are up on the bulletin boards.
What’s one thing you want visiting families to take away from their tours with you?
I hope that visiting families view MICDS the same way we as parents do because it’s such an amazing school with tons of resources to help kids reach their true potential.
Thank you to all of our wonderful Parent Ambassadors! You are excellent representatives of our warm, caring community, and we so appreciate the work you do to share the joys of MICDS with others.