Happy Spring Term!

This week veteran biology instructor Tom Cone helped the community mark one of my favorite local rites of spring. The recent warm weather caused the giant cherry tree between Sam Phil and Morse to flower 15 days earlier than expected and Tom served cookies to all who took the time during conference period on April 8 to enjoy the blossoms’ splendor. A good time was had by all, hay fever sufferers notwithstanding!

College Counseling

Just as the Class of 2010 completes the college admission process, the Class of 2011 is beginning: to help Uppers launch their college search, College Counseling will host the annual College Fair from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Monday, April 26, in the Cage. Representatives from more than 130 colleges and universities from around the world will be available to answer questions and distribute literature about their schools. This fair is open to the public, so please feel free to share this information with families who do not have a student enrolled at the Academy. There is no charge for admission. The colleges and universities scheduled to attend are listed on the Parent Portal. Read More

Webinars

Campus Outreach Services reports that PA parents rank among the top 15% of school participants in the Parent Connect webinar series. More than 100 parents have joined in the live broadcast of each webinar this year and many more have viewed the archived topics. The April 5th webinar, Healthy Relationships, explores contemporary teen sexuality, the complexities of sexual identity, and critical decision-making skills and strategies for building stronger and more satisfying romantic relationships, and illuminates current trends and research. The final webinar in this year’s series, Depression and Mental Health, will air on Monday, May 3rd. Register for this webinar via the Parent Connect Webinar link on the Parent Portal. Read More

Health Update

The number of students on campus with presumed H1N1 peaked in October with 84 cases and quickly dropped to 8 cases in November. While there have been a couple of presumed H1N1 cases each month, it seems that our preventative measures precluded a widespread outbreak. Thank you to all parents who made sure that their students received the H1N1 vaccine and supported our “don’t shake that hand” policy.

Are You Interested in Purchasing Photos?

PA’s Office of Communication often receives requests from parents asking for copies of photos they’ve seen on the Andover Website or in various printed materials. The requests have caused us to wonder whether PA should offer parents an opportunity to purchase photos of campus events. We are now testing the concept with the help of one of PA’s gifted Phillipian photographers who independently established his own photo Website to promote his work. While this is not an official PA venture, making you aware of it does give us a good opportunity to evaluate the demand for such photos. To view or purchase photos, click here. After visiting the site, please send us an email at sporter@andover.edu to let us know what you think about this venture.