Can confirm that both of these have happened and are most likely the reason for the change of access. Doubtful the school will change the policy, but the OP/student can organically build their own private directory of the student’s friends as time on campus and at family-oriented school events happen. Should you need to get in touch with another family in your area, contact the school with the reason, and they will help you make the connection. Did any local family reach out to you during decision days? DH and I were given a list of local/regional admitted students after M10 to contact in order to answer questions and make ourselves available in the future for just such things as travel planning. Most likely, your child’s school has a list of parents who are willing to help local families.
And, you can always use this forum to make great friends with helpful parents here. I reached out to this hive once when our son faced a two-day gap during spring break between when Florida crew training ended and dorms re-opened. It didn’t make sense to fly him back to AZ for 48 hours. One of the wonderful posters here offered to pick him up at Bradley, keep him at her farm over that weekend (it was sugar season, and he helped collect sap from the tapped trees!), and deliver him back to Choate. We’re still friends today.