All boys. All boarding. Grades 9-12.
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The Invite-Back Experience
The campus was blanketed in six inches of fresh snow, but at Woodberry Forest, the work was just beginning. By dawn, grounds crews were already clearing paths, housekeepers tidied dormitories, and the dining hall staff prepped meals fit for a weekend that would shape the school’s next class.
This was no ordinary weekend—it was Invite-Back, a pivotal event designed for students admitted in Woodberry’s December Decision pool. For many families, it was the first real taste of life at the Forest, a chance to move beyond the brochures and into the rhythm of campus life.
“We put a lot of effort into making these weekends engaging, informative, and worth the time of both the students and their families,” said Chase Spong, director of admission. “It’s not just about seeing the school—it’s about experiencing the culture that makes Woodberry unique.”
Sydney Woodward, associate director of admission, began planning the weekend months in advance, coordinating schedules, arranging logistics, and ensuring that every detail—from classroom visits to dormitory stays—unfolded seamlessly.
“Sydney ensures everything runs flawlessly,” said Karla Vargas-Kennedy, assistant headmaster and director of enrollment management. “Her work makes these weekends not just successful, but memorable.”
But it wasn’t just the faculty and staff who made the event come alive. Woodberry’s students took center stage, serving as guides, hosts, and ambassadors for the school.
“I had a great time getting to know my prospect,” said Maddox Hesley ’28, a current student who welcomed a visiting boy into his daily routine. “I’m really hoping I see him as my Woodberry brother one day.”
For parents, the weekend offered an in-depth look at academics, campus life, and the traditions that define Woodberry Forest. Between panel discussions and informal chats with faculty, they gained insight into what sets the school apart.
Yet, as Spong noted, the true stars of the weekend were the students themselves.
“They’re the ones who bring Woodberry to life,” he said. “When prospective boys spend a night here, they see what it means to be part of this brotherhood. That’s something no admissions packet can truly capture.”
By the time the last families departed, the snow had melted and campus life returned to its usual rhythm. But for the boys who spent the weekend attending classes, sleeping in the dorms, and imagining their futures here, Woodberry was a place that they might soon call home.
>> Reporting by Marc Greenberg ’26
Woodberry Forest School is an exceptional private school community for high school boys in grades nine through twelve. It is one of the top boarding schools in the United States and one of the only all-boys, all-boarding schools in the country.
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Woodberry Forest admits students of any race, color, sexual orientation, disability, religious belief, and national or ethnic origin to all of the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sexual orientation, disability, religious belief, or national or ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic or other school-administered programs. The school is authorized under federal law to enroll nonimmigrant students.