PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCE

[goosemods]

PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCE

Gooseberry's second annual Parent-Teacher Conference! The teachers' feelings on this event range as wildly as the students', with a handful of them looking like they were possibly up all night drinking like some of their charges. Others look thrilled to meet the parents of their beloved students!

Over breakfast, Ms. Vector explains to the students what to expect. Their parents will be arriving just before dinner, and students are invited to wait for their arrival. Some enthusiastic kids make banners and posters to welcome their loved ones.

One of the first matters of business is that as families are reunited, they're shown to a scenic little overlook by the lodge, which is lit up beautifully and looks truly magical in the show. The angle catches the lake and the distant mountains. Ms. Poe and Prospero collaborate to take a family portrait photograph for each individual student, and then a second one in cases of siblings. It's clear that Ms. Poe and Prospero have a friendly relationship. They even tease one another a little.

On Saturday, visiting families will have the freedom to explore campus, but they're reminded to stay on the paths, and not venture out into the woods. The woods are the pride and joy of Gooseberry, second only to the stellar education offered and the brilliant student body. They're magical, and some visitors might be lucky enough to witness some of these unique idiosyncrasies. However, Mrs. Bloom reminds visitors to be respectful, and not venture out into them. They're welcome to attend Saturday's Outdoor Exploration with their student, where Mr. Thorn will be guiding a nature hike. In the evening, everyone is invited to watch the Talent Show.

THE RULES

• Please keep the incidents that happen during the conference more or less within the limits of what you wrote during sign ups.


• Remember, injuries/illnesses/allergic reactions/animal attacks/major incidents/etc. must all be ran by the mods before you post them. There will be teacher reactions and repercussions for relatives getting hurt or behaving in an unacceptable manner.
  
  This includes being cruel to a student, breaking rules, bringing in contraband, or behaving disrespectfully. Mrs. Bloom won't hesitate to ask them to leave the premises or report them to authorities. The school isn't afraid to lose a student or two no matter how prestigious the family, and they won't grovel to parents, so keep that in mind.


• This IC/OOC takes place over three days: 1/26-28. We combined them to save your friends list. However,
  tomorrow there will be a separate post for the Talent Show.


• Graduate visitors may post to both the IC/OOCs, but not to any journal entries. Their old journals are nonfunctional.


• If you're having an issue with getting your graduate journal access, let us know.


• All PTC plans are approved, we just didn't have time to do that last night. Meggie probably should have timed adopting a kitten slightly better.


• We realize this event will probably involve a lot of logistics questions, so ask if there's anything you need to know. If you're not sure, we'll help you out. ♥

FRIDAY 1/26:

» Arrivals: Families begin arriving around 4:30 PM by bus. House elves take their bags to their rooms as students greet their families. There's a little time to show them around campus, and some eager family members take the opportunity to explore. However, there's not much time before...

» Dinner & Evening: Dinner consists of fresh fish caught from the lake yesterday. There are also vegan and vegetarian options available. Mrs. Bloom delivers a speech about the wonderful benefits of Gooseberry, and all of the gifted students that they have the pleasure of teaching. She calls Reece Downing, Sybilla Borgin, and [Senior Volunteer C] to come up to the front of the cafeteria dais to explain and/or demonstrate their senior projects. (Please imagine that these demonstrations were planned two days in advance. Your character will not be caught off guard, and the demonstration must be appropriate for parents, i.e. no explosions please.)

SATURDAY 1/27:

» Around Campus: On Saturday there's much more time for exploring the school! Feel free to show your family around, let them attend clubs with you, and show them your cabins. All parents or standing guardians have scheduled times where they're supposed to meet with teachers for conferences, but they're otherwise free to enjoy the beauty Gooseberry has to offer.

» The Talent Show: To be posted tomorrow!

SUNDAY 1/28:

» Goodbyes: The time has come for parents and loved ones to go home. Some goodbyes are tearful, others are just a relief.

» OOC - Questions, comments, concerns!

Comments

ARRIVALS

[goosemods]

Diego & Open to multiple!

[indiefolk]

Diego walks off the bus, largely unchanged aside from an increasing disinterest in shaving. He's grinning broadly, with a white knuckled grip on his guitar strap, dragging along with him an aggressively hipsterish bag. If he even vaguely recognizes you, then beware making eye contact. He's going to come over and say hi. Oh, no, too late. He's coming for you.

Robin & Open to All

[hisshiss]

Immediately after stepping off the bus, Robin sprints for the treeline to make it look like he just emerged from the woods. It wasn't nearly as subtle or cool as he very clearly thinks it was.

He's also not carrying a bag. There's a good chance all he brought with him is a change of underwear.

Anyways, time to punch some fuckos and solve this new school mystery in like eight seconds 'cause all y'all're fuckin' helpless as shit.

Xavier & Open to multiple

[solveforx]

Oh, hey, it looks like someone found the rest of Nisha's legs on that bus -- no. Wait. Sorry. That's not Nisha. You can tell because the smile is less ominous portents and more Jimmy Buffet.

And also because the owner of these double-sized legs falls off the last step of the bus like an idiot.

Xavier stumbles, narrowly avoiding eating dirt. (Don't worry, there's still time.) Then shoves his fingers through his (even) long(er) hair as he rights himself, laughing bright - the perfect save. He doesn't spot his sister immediately, which makes his smile flicker, but there are plenty of other familiar faces around to distract him for the moment.

Rose Lacroix arrives at the Daughterless Day Spa

[professionalcorpse]

The weather outside borders on distressingly cold, the ground is covered in snow that's been tramped on enough that its begun to turn colors, and there are dozens of people with voices raised in loud greetings - but the woman that makes her way down the steps of the bus looks as though she has entered an (admittedly muddy, so her shoes are sensible) oasis. The smile on her face serene and the sort of unconcerned that comes from being in a place that contains exactly zero of her daughters.

Her son, on the other hand, sticks a hand high over his head in an enthusiastic wave when he catches sight of her, grinning widely and starting forward. The pace takes a frankly dramatic uptick, however, the second Rose hits the bottom step and turns herself to assist the much smaller passenger behind her - Bash's face splitting into a wide grin and very nearly tripping himself up on his own shoelaces.

"Holy shit, Gracieface!" he exclaims, bypassing his mother entirely as he moves to scoop the bundle of toddler straight off of the stairs, pressing sloppy kisses all over her face and fingers into her sides until she's giggling wildly and shoving against his chest with her hands. "You didn't tell me you were coming, you great big liar."

Rose sighs, hefts her bag over her shoulder with a banked fondness twitching at the corners of her mouth. "How lovely it is to see you, Sebastien."

Tess & Open to All

[noblewon]

Tess steps off the bus, watching Robin sprint toward the treeline, and sighs. Whatever. It's probably fine. Right? She's not a prefect anymore. ... She's going to give him thirty seconds before she follows him. Wait, there he comes back, it's fine. She lets out a long sigh, and starts scanning the crowd for familiar faces to pull into a hug.

The Quayles & Open To Multiple

[chryseis]

Cricket spends the ride in staring out the window, half-expecting to see an antlered silhouette or a flash of white. From time to time, she glances up and watches her former peers chatting with their parents and wonders if any of them still have nightmares. Or ever did. She resents Gooseberry and everything that happened to her—no, to her brother. Yet, even so, she misses it. It bothers her how much she misses this place.

Being an adult is stressful. Cricket is indisputably good at being an adult, but that doesn’t make it any easier. Sometimes she wishes she could go back to floundering through Romantic High Tea competitions instead of expertly arranging perfectly... fine V-Day dinner plans. Ghosts and forest demons aside, she has to admit that she’s looking forward to being a kid again for a weekend. Arguably, an older, more responsible kid, but a kid all the same.

“Come on out of that head of yours,” her father says as they approach, patting her companionably on the shoulder, “We’re almost there.”

“I know.”

As they depart the bus, Cricket is all smiles, though she’s clearly distracted. Her eyes scan the crowd, searching desperately for her brother. Probably off being too cool for his lame older sister.

DINNER & EVENING

[goosemods]

Ari & Bert

[novelling]

After seeing her parents, Ariadne has been off-kilter all evening. She's done her due diligence in telling Nia about it, she knows, and she doesn't want to worry her brother. Or talk to him about their parents, which is where that conversation would inevitably lead. But some things are still bothering her, and she's not sure who to ask about them. Jade has enough reason to be angry at the Forest Miscellany already, and she doesn't want her to do anything rash. The rest of the seance-goers are... easy to wind up, and she doesn't want to go to them with a still-unproven theory.

Ari doesn't like Liberty all that much, but she's proven to be level-headed and useful about this topic. So as the seniors give their project presentations, she excuses herself from her seat next to her brother and crosses the cafeteria to the table where the Chans are sitting.

"Do you have a moment?" she asks in Liberty's direction, feeling momentarily sheepish about interrupting a family dinner.

Coppertale Jr Boys - Evening

[bitterlysweet]

Spencer collapses into the loveseat. He always takes up too much space, but can be easily pushes aside. Either way, there's room for one, maybe two more. Finally, it's just the five of them again. Cash's parents are gone, but their comments (overt and not-so) replay in Spencer's head. One of his feet his bouncing with uncontrollable energy and his eyes won't leave Cash's face, aside from a few glances at Todd.

"So," he starts, because someone has to start, and Spencer's never afraid of being that person. "What... what's up?"

Calvin's parents meet the boyfriend.

[evercreep]

Calvin walks flanked by two adults. One, a tall gentleman in a nice, but old, suit. His tie is a strange, flashy pattern. The other is a willowy woman with Calvin's round face and Dimi's brown waves. Both frown very similar to Calvin, but in unique ways. From a distance, it's hard to make out what's being said, but Calvin is talking in an animated way while Mr And Mrs Evercreech listen. Eventually, Calvin gestures ahead of the trio, their eyes drift away from their son and land on a short, slight boy with messy hair.

"...he's a photographer and aspirin' director of films. Muggle style films. He's very talented, and he's been my mate for years now." Calvin's explanation is precise, and a little desperate. He'd started all this with the awkward I've never been attracted to girls topic, which embarrassingly enough didn't shock anyone. Calvin knew it wouldn't. But then to segue into Micah's introduction? It has Calvin more defensive than ever.

AROUND CAMPUS

[goosemods]

Jonny and the Wildes (a Novel)

[destructobot]

In between hockey and clubs and grounds touring and cabin visits, the garden is relatively quiet when the Wilde family emerges from the greenhouse. Then it ceases to be.

"Is that it? That's your whole Senior Project?"

"What do you mean, is that it?" Wilde asks, looking at his mother with an unreadable expression. His eyes flick to his brother, Thomas, who shrugs at him with a casual looseness that seems to run in the family. "I mean, it's a work in progress, ma."

Teresa's boots are way too loud on the walkway. "I just thought you'd be doing something... bigger. It's herbology, Jonathan, it's..." Her voice lowers a little. "What you got you in to this school. It's your passion. And you're just writing a paper?"

Wilde doesn't say anything as they continue forward. He just adjusts his neon orange stocking cap, glancing at Thomas again. The way his mother says the word "passion" makes him never want to pick up a spade again. (Also, there's more to it than the paper. For fuck's sake.)

"We're so proud of you! We're so proud of you, Jonny, but I was telling your father this School Team would be distracting," Teresa continues thoughtfully. "You're not going to go pro, you're going to --"

"Yeah, do tell, what am I going to do?" Wilde interrupts. It comes out in more of a huff than he intends, but he commits to it. "'The bakery?'" These words segue a mimic of his father, the plaintive note that inevitably appears whenever they talk about futures or plans. Help out at the bakery, Jonny. Help manage the bakery, Jonny.

"Don't use that tone with me, Jonathan."

"So don't be so... how you are."

"I'm just concerned."

"I'm doing fine. I'm on the honor roll."

"He's on the honor roll, ma," Thomas repeats sagely.

Teresa purses her lips. They walk along in relative quiet for a moment or two, the tension between them laced with familiarity; to onlookers, the trio would appear a cohesive unit despite their unease with eachother, something Wilde would hate to know.

"I'm just saying," Teresa continues, after the silence. "You have to have priorities, Jonathan. It's your senior year. What's Saira doing? You'll tell her hello for me, right? It's such a pity Thomas couldn't meet her while we're here."

"Obviously."

Teresa perks suddenly. "Oh! I know -- why don't you pick up where Thomas left off with his senior project?" She smiles kindly at her elder son, who looks sheepish. "People still talk about it."

"Because I don't fucking want to."

"Jonathan!"

"I'm just saying."

Robin & Fern

[hisshiss]

It probably wasn't a good idea for all y'all to leave Robin unattended on this campus. Like, honestly, give him thirty seconds with nothing else to hold his attention and he will be in those fucking woods trying to take down the newest mystery with a homemade bow and arrow, which, just, Robin no. But no one wants to see him in the actual meetings, and his brother is probably all hiding and shit from his death noogies or whatever, so he's off to fucking wander. Maybe he'll head up to Coppertale (nah), or just, you know, into the woods (yah).

He's honestly only like a few feet from the woods when he gets distracted. Oh, hey, it's Baby Plaid. Robin lets out an obnoxiously piercing whistle and at least two people nearby cover their ears.

"HEY, CACTI!" he hollers, ignoring the newly deafened freshmen. "C'MERE, GIVE OLD MAN DIGDUG HUGS."

Hero & Archie

[victimless]

Hero's been staying out of the way of his friends. Not in any obvious way, of course. He's good with adults, and knows how to use his polished looks and studied manner of speaking to flatter and impress. But he doesn't want to explain why his family isn't here ("ah, you know how they are, last I heard they were deep in the Amazon rainforest"), and he wants, even less than that, to watch them all with their loving parents.

Admittedly, he's... curious about the Archie Situation, but figures the other boy will track him down when—if—he's ready to talk. The fact that Hero's spent the past 15 minutes reading the same page over and over in his Hermeticism textbook certainly doesn't indicate that he's concerned or anything.

Dipshits Solve Absolutely Nothing

[evercretin]

They're not supposed to wander off the paths. So. Here they are. On a path. Not technically in the woods. Behaving.

Dimi's taking pictures. For evidence - honest. Snapping photos of everything around them, especially his friends and especially while they're mid-sentence. He looks endlessly pleased with the results. Candids. Or just purposefully being annoying.

"So," he says to the others, sounding as though the mystery's already solved. "It's just some strange new boggart, right?"

Nisha Seeks Adoption

[godzillabutworse]

Nothing the Lewis family does as a unit could ever be called explosive. Even anger is little more than an ominous rumble beneath a tranquil surface. And as her mother reads her the riot act in a low tone, hands cutting through the air in sharp, swinging movements, Nisha can't help but wish that sometimes there were explosions. Explosions don't drag on for days and weeks.

It doesn't matter what Ankita's saying. It's all hot buzzing nonsense. Things she's heard before. Most of it's bad, but this weekend even compliments are barbed, so it's in one ear and out the other. Nisha's eyes follow her mothers fingers until they can't anymore. Her gaze wanders, desperately searching for her brother - her shield - until her mother's hand falls on her shoulder. "Look at me when I'm talking to you."

Nisha recoils. "No."

"Nisha Gretchen."

But she's taking one step back, and then three. "I gotta--I've got to go. Find. My brother."

Wherever she goes, sure her mother will not follow. Just stew. It'll be worse, later. But that's later. And Nisha's barely out of the lodge before she's stumbled upon familiar faces. Her cheeks red from fighting back against the lump in her throat, she stares at the giant man in front of the lodge. It's easy to guess who this is.

She rubs her eyes with her sleeve, hopes she doesn't look too awful, and approaches with the confidence of a too precocious child. "Roxie said you weren't sure what shirt to wear." She pauses. "You look good!"

GOODBYES

[goosemods]

OOC 👪 QUESTIONS/DISCUSSION

[goosemods]

mods are still on hiatus don't burn this school down

OOC 👪 TEACHER FEEDBACK APPROVAL

[goosemods]

We rapidly skimmed read everyone's comments to the PTC post and you've all been approved for your stuff. HOWEVER if you just need a place to get confirmation/approval for anything teachers might say about your character, you can ask here and I'll do my best to get back you asap. ♥

Re: OOC 👪 QUESTIONS/DISCUSSION

[hisshiss]

😎😎😎

Re: OOC 👪 QUESTIONS/DISCUSSION

[wilhelmeana]

MANX, mods being on hiatus is obviously inconvenient for your plans, but I am still around, just slow! (Meggie's life has been claimed by a very needy kitty.) Just lmk how you want to do this and I'll be happy to post :)))

And so I don't spam, Sy, Iliya and Micah all have parentals here and if people particularly want them (Alex, Meggie?) then we can plot. Hero and Ruby are hanging around too????

OOC 👪 QUESTIONS/DISCUSSION

[chryseis]

One super judgey big sis coming right up.

Re: OOC 👪 QUESTIONS/DISCUSSION

[quickbuck]

Reece for volunteer A? he won't even make Ulysses go up with him

Re: OOC 👪 QUESTIONS/DISCUSSION

[indiefolk]

:') Okay Diego is here!!! I'm... GRADUALLY convincing my cat that he does not need to be in constant physical contact with me.

And if anyone needs any of my others (Reid, Kenzie, Spencer, Calvin, Archie), let me know. I'm definitely going to be slow today but I want to play. ♥