May 4 Highlights

Prom Reception for Parents | Appreciation Breakfast | Family Weekend

Body & Soul Opens Friday

The Department of Theatre and Dance invites you to Body & Soul, directed by Kareem Lewis and Judith Wombwell. This inaugural concert of Andover Dance Ensemble will feature an array of contemporary/modern pieces—from high-energy virtuosic work to more lyrical contemplative pieces—all beautifully danced by the 16-member ensemble. The evening will also feature collaborations with the a cappella Fidelio Society, directed by Abbey Siegfried, and the Academy Jazz Quintet, directed by Peter Cirelli.

Showtimes at the Cristina A. Rubio Dance Studio in the Abbot Academy Dance Suite (Pan Athletic Center, third floor):

Friday, May 5—7 p.m.
Saturday, May 6—8 p.m.
Sunday, May 7—1 p.m.

Seating is first come, first served. We recommend arriving 45 minutes prior to showtime to secure your seats. All persons in your party must be present; there is no saving seats and no late seating.

Families of students involved in the production can check in with the House Manager to receive priority seating. Please arrive 45 minutes early. Due to limited seating, we respectfully ask that families choose just one show for priority seating.

Phillipian Tributes—Last Chance

The Phillipian, Phillips Academy’s student newspaper, will publish its annual Commencement issue the weekend of June 3—it’s a longer version of the paper that captures the major events that occurred throughout the school year.

The Phillipian invites families of seniors to commemorate your student’s achievements through a “family advertisement” in our Commencement issue. Members of The Phillipian will work closely with you to ensure that your family advertisement features all of the photos and messaging you want to include about your child—and/or a favorite student organization, club, or team that your senior has been involved with—to create a meaningful celebration of their time here at Phillips Academy.

Last year nearly 100 families dedicated a commemoration to their student(s); this year, we hope to achieve 100 percent family participation. Please complete this family advertisement form as soon as possible. The deadline is Friday, May 5. Questions? Please email Michael Ma, Phillipian CFO.

Senior Prom June 2

We are excited to announce the Academy’s Senior Prom will be held Friday, June 2.

Prom is a celebration for the Class of 2023. Please note that seniors are not allowed to bring an outside guest (non-PA student) or invite PA students from other grades. ALL members of the Class of 2023 are encouraged to attend—with a friend, with a group, or as a couple!

Prom tickets are on sale now through Monday, May 15, in the BlueCard office in George Washington Hall. Seniors can stop by weekdays 11 a.m.–1 p.m. and 2–4 p.m. to purchase their tickets, which are $150 per person. Payment for tickets can ONLY be made through the BlueCard, so please be sure your child has funds in their account. If you have concerns around the cost of tickets, please email the financial aid office.
Festivities start Friday, June 2, at 5 p.m. with a reception and picture taking in the Greener Quad.
Students will board coach buses at 6 p.m. to enjoy an evening of dinner and dancing at the amazing State Room in Boston. (All students must travel to and from prom in the school-provided transportation.)
Special Reception for Parents of Seniors: 6–7 p.m. in the Snyder Center. See “News from Parent Development” section below for details!
Prom concludes at 11:30 p.m. Students will return to campus by bus for one final “Midnight Munch” in Paresky Commons.

Questions about Senior Prom? Please email Chris Capano, director of student activities.

News from Parent Development

Special Reception for Parents of Seniors: Parents, guardians, and grandparents of seniors are invited to a reception on Friday, June 2, from 6 to 7 p.m. (following the Pre-Prom Procession). Co-hosted by the PSPA, the reception will take place in the Snyder Center and will include:

Drinks & hors d’oeuvres
A toast to the Class of 2023
Brief remarks from the PSPA Senior Class Parent Team and our Parent Fund Committee co-chairs, Mr. Malcolm ’89 and Dr. Monica Palmer P’23

We hope you will join us for this celebratory event to thank you for being such amazing members of the PA community! Please be on the lookout next week for an email invitation and RSVP link.

Be a Welcome Ambassador! The Parent Development office is seeking volunteers to serve as “welcome ambassadors” for parents and guardians of new PA students. This is a fun and rewarding way to make new connections within the PA parent community.

As a welcome ambassador, you will be assigned a small group of new parents to contact either by phone or email at your convenience during May and June. A template and other guidance will be provided to assist with your outreach. The goal is simple: provide a Big Blue welcome, be a friendly resource, and help grow new parent-to-parent connections.

Last spring our dedicated welcome ambassadors contacted over 250 new PA families. We aspire to provide the same broad outreach to this year’s new families and would appreciate your involvement. To sign up, please complete this form by Friday, May 5. Questions? Email Josie Skelley, assistant director of Parent Development, or call her at 847-714-6645.

Standardized Testing Dates & Deadlines

Click here for details on Phillips Academy standardized testing dates, deadlines, and registration information. Testing administered on the PA campus includes the SAT, PSAT, ACT, and pre-ACT, as well as AP exams. Questions? Please email Debra Colombo, director of standardized testing.

Family Weekend—Save the Date!

To help with travel planning, we are pleased to share that Family Weekend 2023 is October 20–22—and students will not have classes on Monday, October 23. Additional Family Weekend information will be provided this summer.

Storage Option for Boarding Students

Phillips Academy has once again partnered with Collegeboxes to provide a solution for boarders who need to store their clothing, books, furniture, etc., over the summer. Collegeboxes will pick up items, place them in storage, and deliver them to your child’s dorm room just before school starts in the fall. Deliveries to college or the student’s home are also possible. There are costs associated with this service. NOTE: Student belongings cannot remain on campus over the summer.

Essential Collegeboxes information and important dates:

Pickup days are:
Wednesday, May 31—for ALL Students
Thursday, June 1—for ALL Students
Friday, June 2—ONLY for SENIORS and those participating in Commencement
Thursday, May 11: First delivery of supply kits (boxes) to the dorms
Monday, May 22: Last day to sign up AND still receive a supply kit
Thursday, May 25: Final delivery of previously ordered supply kits
Friday, May 26: DEADLINE to sign up for storage BUT too late for a supply kit. Student must purchase/find boxes on their own. After May 26, student will need to find another option for their items.
Pickup details:
Be sure your child enters their CURRENT dorm and room for pickup location.
All boxes must be packed and ready to go by 7 a.m. on the pickup date. Students should finish packing the night before.
Deliveries: We will provide your child’s 2023–2024 dorm and room to Collegeboxes; you DO NOT need to enter this information. Items will be delivered to dorm rooms before students arrive on campus.

Questions? Please email Claudia Scofield in the Dean of Students Office or call 978-749-4124.

News from the PSPA

PSPA Speaker Series Part II—Senior Student Panel on Navigating the College Application Process: Don’t miss the second event of our annual two-part series focused on the college admissions process on Thursday, May 11.

5:30 p.m. ET—Dinner in the Underwood Room
6 p.m. ET—PSPA General Meeting in the Underwood Room—or join us via Zoom. Passcode: 327693
7 p.m. ET—PSPA Speaker Series: Senior Student Panel on Navigating the College Application Process. Join us in Kemper Auditorium as seniors share their stories about applying to college and pass along the lessons learned from their experiences. Livestream link.

Final Day to Order Custom-Printed Lawn Sign: Show your pride! The PSPA is partnering with Kelly Wentworth Photography in nearby Tewksbury, Mass., to offer lawn signs for the Class of 2023. You can either pick up locally or order a digital file to print near you. A portion of the proceeds will go toward PSPA events and activities. Order here by the May 5 deadline.

Campus Closet Has Got You Covered: Order gifts from Campus Closet now for delivery before Mother’s Day (May 14), Commencement, and Father’s Day too! Or come shop in person. It’s Trustee Weekend, so Campus Closet is open two days: Friday, May 5, noon–4 p.m., and Saturday, May 6, noon–3 p.m. Located on the lower level of George Washington Hall, Campus Closet relies on parent volunteers to operate and raise funds to support activities for students and the broader PA community. Please click here to sign up for a few shifts.

You Are Invited: Faculty and Staff Appreciation Breakfast—Friday, May 12: Thank faculty and staff in person for caring for our children all year as you enjoy a delicious buffet-style breakfast available from 7:30 to 10:30 a.m. Volunteers are needed for 90-minute shifts (between 7 and 11:30 a.m.) to set up and host. Choose a shift from this sign-up sheet. It’s a great opportunity to meet other parents!

Social Mixer for Parents—Friday, May 26: Our spring mixer was so much fun that we will be hosting another social for parents and guardians at the Andover Inn on May 26 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Save the date!

Spiritual & Religious Gatherings

Friday, May 5

1–1:25 p.m.—Muslim Student Association (MSA) Prayers and Fellowship: Sermon (Jumma prayer). Led by Noureddine El Alam. Meditation Room, lower level of Cochran Chapel (enter from left side of building).
5:30–6:30 p.m.—MSA Dinner and Discussion: Everyone in the community is welcome to join the gathering. Ada's Room, Paresky Commons.
5:30 p.m.—Jewish Student Union (JSU) Shabbat Celebration: Led by members of the JSU and Rabbi Michael Swarttz. Included are blessings over candles, juice and hallah, community conversation, sharing, and fellowship. Paul’s Room, Paresky Commons.

Sunday, May 7

6 p.m.—Protestant Worship Service: Led by the Reverend Gina Finocchiaro, Protestant chaplain. All are welcome for this time of scripture, prayer, and spoken reflection! Cochran Chapel (main chapel).
6:15–7 p.m.—Catholic Mass at the Log Cabin: This Mass follows the Confirmation Class’s Retreat Day. All are welcome! Overseen by Dr. Mary Kantor, Catholic chaplain, with presider Fr. Jack O’Brien and student leaders in liturgical leadership roles. Mass is at the Log Cabin, located at 206 Highland Road in Andover.

You Are Invited!

May 5–7 on Campus: Body & Soul, presented by the Department of Theatre & Dance
May 9 in Washington, DC: A Conversation with Andover Alumni: Journalism’s Role in Democracy
May 13 in New York: Hudson Guild Non Sibi Project with Thao Nguyen Kelly ’07 and Garth Williams ’97
May 15: A Virtual Conversation with Wendy Ewald ’69
May 23: “The Vers(es) in Diversity: Chinese Students at Andover,” a Virtual Presentation by Frank S. Zhou ’22
June 20 in London: 10th Anniversary Concert Nucleo Non Sibi Project with Lucy Maguire ’08
June 24 in Los Angeles: Houston Astros vs. Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium

Keep an eye on the Academy’s Events Calendar for gatherings in your area and an array of campus and other events that may be open to families (i.e., special student presentations, music, theatre, and dance performances, and athletic competitions). Please join us!

PA Visitor/Guest Health & Safety Guidelines

On-Campus Visitors: In consideration of the health and safety of visitors and our campus community, we expect visitors to be up to date with COVID vaccination, if eligible. We expect visitors to mask at all times or stay off campus if they are a close contact of someone who has tested positive for COVID in the last 10 days, if they are within 10 days of having been diagnosed with COVID, and/or if they have any symptoms of respiratory illness. In the spirit of non sibi (not for self), the Academy trusts that campus visitors will follow these guidelines.

Guests at Off-Campus/Regional Events: In consideration of the health and safety of our Andover community, we ask attendees to be up to date with COVID vaccination, if eligible. We require all attendees to adhere to the public health guidelines established by the CDC and your state and local health officials, as well as to follow venue guidelines and regulations that are in place at the time of the event. Venue-specific guidelines will be shared close to the event date. Prior to attending, we ask that you monitor your health. We expect attendees to mask at all times—or not attend the event—if they are a close contact of someone who has tested positive for COVID in the last 10 days, if they are within 10 days of having been diagnosed with COVID, and/or if they have any symptoms of respiratory illness. In the spirit of non sibi, the Academy trusts that those in attendance will follow these guidelines.

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Phillips Academy
180 Main St.
Andover, MA 01810

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