Friday, October 16, 2026
The North Shore School District will host its second annual alumni brunch Saturday as part of the district’s homecoming celebrations, continuing an effort to reconnect graduates with the schools and community that shaped them.
The event will begin at 10:30 a.m. at North Shore High School. All district alumni are welcome to attend, and registration is not required.
Board of Education President Andrea Macari said the inaugural brunch last year was among the most memorable events of her seven years on the board, drawing roughly 75 graduates from across generations back to campus.
“Last year’s alumni process, I think, was the high from all seven years,” Macari said. “To me it was the greatest moment or the greatest event that we put on, and to see how so many alumni came back who had graduated decades ago, and they still had such a sentimental feeling about North Shore.”
The gathering gave former students an opportunity to walk through their old schools, share memories and reflect on the influence of their education, teachers and classmates. Macari said she was excited to see the event return for a second year.
This year’s brunch will feature a spread prepared by the district’s food service director, special Viking-inspired mocktails, student musical performances and tours of the high school. The district’s Viking mascot will also return for photographs with alumni.
A new addition this year is an invitation to retired teachers, giving former educators an opportunity to reconnect with students they taught throughout their careers.
Rather than following a formal program, the brunch is intended to provide an informal setting for graduates to catch up with former classmates and teachers while revisiting their school days. Some alumni are also expected to bring their children to take part in the broader homecoming festivities, including the carnival.
The brunch is part of a wider effort by the district to strengthen its relationship with former students. The Board of Education recently established a stipend position for an alumni coordinator, with Shelly Newman taking on the role.
Macari said the position will expand the district’s outreach beyond individual events, with goals that include creating an alumni directory, improving communications and establishing more opportunities for graduates to return to school buildings and work with current students.
“The overall goal is reminding people when they graduate from North Shore that this remains their home for life,” Macari emphasized.
