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A Joyous All-School Meeting
Students gathered last Friday for the All-School Meeting (ASM) opening ceremony, a time to honor students as the inspiration for our education mission—and celebrate the Class of 2023. Watch the video here. ASM videos are typically available on The Hive shortly after the event.
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Meet Dr. Kington in Boston
Families in the greater Boston area are invited to “An Evening with Head of School Raynard S. Kington, MD, PhD, P’24.” This event will take place at Silicon Valley Bank on 53 State Street in Boston on Thursday, September 22, from 6 to 8 p.m. Please register here.
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From the Dean of Studies OfficePlease note that, as The Blue Book states, each student is the only person permitted to use their Phillips Academy credentials. No one else—including parents/guardians—may access a student’s Phillips Academy email, PAnet, or Canvas sites.
Parents have access to The Hive to see all things Andover! Students have access to the new PAnet, the school’s intranet. Having separate places for students and parents to access information builds student independence, self-advocacy, and strong partnerships both on and off campus.
Rest, exercise, and downtime: As homework kicks in and students begin preparing for assessments in the coming weeks, they may experience a bit of unexpected anxiety. Please check in with your child to be sure they are getting enough rest, exercise, and downtime. The past two years have been disruptive, and the return to school in September is always an adjustment. For some students, the adjustment may feel bigger and more challenging this year. Please remind your student to reach out to a trusted adult if they need help. We are so happy to have your child with us on campus—and we are always here for them!
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Music Lesson Signup Tomorrow, Friday, September 16, is the final day to add private lessons for the fall term. Lessons are currently being scheduled and will begin next week. If you have questions or would like your student to enroll in the private lesson program, please email the music department.
Auditions are finished and our large ensembles have started rehearsing! Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel to enjoy our entire concert season; performances will be posted as they occur throughout the year.
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Health & Wellness
COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic—Saturday, September 17: COVID-19 boosters for students will be available on campus from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. COVID-19 boosters for age 12 and up have now moved to the bivalent formulation, which includes coverage against both the original SARS-CoV-2 strain as well as the more recent omicron variants. Pfizer has a bivalent booster available for individuals who are 12 years of age or older, while Moderna bivalent booster is available for individuals who are 18 or older.
Please encourage your student to schedule an appointment via the Sykes Wellness Center Health Portal. Phillips Academy requires that students be up to date with their COVID-19 vaccination, which includes any boosters that have been added to meet the CDC definition of up to date (including the new bivalent booster).
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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. Any visitor who is ineligible or has a medical or religious exemption must mask indoors at all times when on campus. We expect visitors to stay off campus if they have any symptoms of illness and to mask if they develop any symptoms while on campus. 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. 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. 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. If you are feeling unwell, please plan to stay home. In the spirit of non sibi, the Academy trusts that those in attendance will follow these guidelines.
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Standardized Tests—Dates & Deadlines
Click here for details on Phillips Academy standardized test dates, deadlines, and registration information. Tests administered on the PA campus include the SAT, PSAT, ACT, and pre-ACT, as well as AP exams. Questions? Please email Debra Colombo, director of standardized testing.
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Addison Opening Reception Tomorrow
Join us at the Addison Gallery of American Art from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday, September 16, for a festive evening to celebrate the opening of Rosamond Purcell: Nature Stands Aside. Click here to learn more about this significant retrospective exhibition. The opening reception is free and open to the public.
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Fall College Fair
PA will host a College Fair on Monday, September 19, from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Snyder Center for PA students, local high school students, and their families. Representatives from more than 100 colleges and universities from around the world will be on hand to answer individual questions and distribute informational literature. A current list of registered schools is posted on The Hive.
Admission is free and open to the public. Once on campus, please follow the signs to available parking. Please note that students cannot miss any PA commitments to attend the fair.
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Become a Host Family!
Phillips Academy welcomed 54 new international students to our community in September. Most of these students are non–U.S. citizens, some are Americans or joint U.S. citizens living outside the United States, and a few just recently moved to the United States. We are currently seeking host families in the Andover area. Potential host families will welcome and work with a student from Canada, China, France, Hong Kong, Nepal, South Korea, or Switzerland. Note that host families can choose from several levels of involvement.
To get started, please complete this Host Family Volunteer Form by Thursday, September 22. You will be asked some simple questions about your family, contact information, and hosting preferences. Questions? Please email José Peralta, international student coordinator.
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Mark Your Calendar for Family Weekend
Family Weekend, October 14–16, provides a unique glimpse into your student’s daily life at Andover and includes activities such as classroom visits with your child’s instructors, student performances, and athletic events. Register here today!
Registration Upon Arrival on Campus:
We look forward to greeting families at registration in the Oliver Wendell Holmes Library (OWHL).
- Friday, October 14 (Noon–7 p.m.)
- Saturday, October 15 (7–noon)
Please be sure to pick up your registration materials at the OWHL. These materials include important information to ensure you have a great weekend. If you are unable to arrive at these times, please be sure to have your student pick up your materials.
The full schedule for Family Weekend can be found on the Andover Event Guides app, available through the Apple App Store or Google Play (for Android users).
- Download the Andover Event Guides app (if you didn’t already do so for Opening of School registration).
- Open the app and tap Find Guides (the magnifying glass in the bottom right corner of the app).
- Tap the Have a passphrase? button.
- Type the passphrase Andover1778 to find the PA Families and Campus Community guide for the latest Family Weekend information and schedule. Be sure to “accept notifications” so that you will receive notice of any venue or schedule changes.
Customize your visit on Saturday by using the My Schedule option within the guide. We hope you will attend as many events as possible! If you are unable to download the app, please refer to the schedule of events online—and check back often for updates.
Family Weekend Highlights:
- Parent-to-Parent Forum: “Thriving at Andover”—Friday, October 14, 2:30–3:30 p.m.: Join a panel of experienced PA parents accompanied by Amy Patel, MD, P’26, dean of health and wellness and chief medical officer; Vivian Baez, interim director of psychological services, and Susan Tsao Esty, PhD, P’22, dean of students, for a conversation about parenting PA students. Fellow parents will share their families’ Andover experiences, and topics will include adjusting to Andover life as well as challenges faced by adolescents. There will be an opportunity to ask questions of the panel members. This is an invaluable discussion, especially for first-year parents! Sponsored by the Parents of Students of Phillips Academy (PSPA).
- All-School Meeting for Families—Saturday, October 15, 11:30 a.m.–noon: Welcome remarks and messaging from Head of School Raynard S. Kington, MD, PhD, P’24.
Please note: Students do NOT have classes on Monday, October 17, and Tuesday, October 18.
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News from the PSPA
We invite all parents and guardians to join us for our PSPA Speaker Series kickoff.
PSPA General Meeting & Speaker Series—Tuesday, September 20
- 6:15 p.m. ET—PSPA General Meeting: Join us a little early for a light dinner, which will be served at 5:30 p.m. Underwood Room. Zoom link. Passcode: t8mUd7
- 7 p.m. ET—PSPA Speaker Series: Head of School Raynard Kington MD, PhD, P’24, will launch our 2022–2023 PSPA Speaker Series and answer your questions. Kemper Auditorium. If you can’t attend in person, tune in via this livestream link.
Andover-Themed Book Club: Looking for a way to connect with other parents, dive into a story, and engage in the Andover community? This year, the PSPA Virtual Book Club will explore four books either written by alumni or read in English classes at PA. The club will gather via Zoom on five Sunday nights between now and May, beginning with an introductory session on September 25 at 8 p.m. ET.
Our first book is In the Time of the Butterflies, by Julia Alvarez ’67, which will be discussed on Sunday, October 2, at 8 p.m. ET. You are welcome to join any or all meetings! Please register here for the zoom links.
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Stop by the Campus Closet tomorrow: Show your PA pride! Campus Closet, located on the lower level of George Washington Hall and run by PSPA volunteers, is open Fridays, noon to 4 p.m. Our online shop, open 24/7, offers free delivery on campus.
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Shipping Packages to Your Student
Mail Services accepts all incoming mail and packages as well as certain deliveries on behalf of students. Students may retrieve mail and small parcels from their student mailbox. Large items are delivered to the common room of student dorms. As a reminder:
- Items may not exceed 40 pounds.
- Do not ship anything that requires refrigeration.
- Do not place same-day orders, including food orders.
- Do not send beverages. Packages are too heavy. Filtered water is available in every dorm and throughout buildings on campus.
- DO send flowers. Students must pick these up from Mail Services.
- DO send mementos, nonperishable food items, notes, cards, etc.
Use the correct address: There have been several recent reports of incorrectly addressed items ending up in surrounding towns. Letters, packages, and deliveries for your student should be addressed as follows:
Your Student’s Full Name
Phillips Academy
180 Main Street (NOT North Main Street)
Andover, MA 01810
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Spiritual & Religious Gatherings
For general information about our chaplains, faith communities, worship, and student clubs, please visit our website.
Friday, September 16
- 1 p.m.—Muslim Student Association (MSA) Sermon/Jumma Prayer: Led by Noureddine El Alam. Meditation Room, lower level of Cochran Chapel (enter from the outside, left side of building). 5:30–6:30 p.m.—MSA Club Dinner and Discussion: Everyone in the community is welcome to join this gathering. Ada’s Room, upper level of Paresky Commons.
- 5 p.m.—Jewish Student Union (JSU) Shabbat Celebration and Dinner: The JSU will host a Shabbat dinner along with our weekly celebration. Israeli food will be served. You are invited and welcome to join us! Please note change of venue: The Cloister, lower level of Cochran Chapel (enter from the outside, left side of building).
Sunday, September 18
- 6 p.m.—Protestant (Ecumenical) Service: Led by Rev. Gina M. Finocchiaro, Protestant chaplain. All are welcome for this time of scripture, prayer, and spoken reflection! Cochran Chapel (main chapel).
- 6:15 p.m.—Catholic Mass: Note time change from past years. All are welcome to join the PA Catholic community for Mass on Sunday evenings when school is in session. Overseen by Dr. Mary Kantor, Catholic chaplain, with presider Fr. Jack O’Brien and other guest priests from the Archdiocese of Boston. Student leaders participate in liturgical roles as lectors, Eucharistic ministers, and musicians, and help with hospitality. Mass is followed by hospitality and fellowship with snacks and refreshments, and sometimes short programming by Catholic Student Fellowship (CSF) leaders. Kemper Chapel, lower level of Cochran Chapel (enter from the outside, left side of building)
Please join our hospitality team! We are rebuilding our parent hospitality team to help with set-up, serving, and clean-up at our fellowship time after Mass. (Families are also welcome to provide snacks.) If you would like to be a part of this team or have questions, please email Mary Kantor.
Catholic Confirmation Program: Open to Andover students of any grade level, the Catholic Confirmation program is an intensive school-year–long program, with Confirmation celebrated on Sunday, May 14, 2023. Classes meet most Sundays (4:45–6 p.m.) when school is in session (with some exceptions, e.g., Family Weekend, exams week), followed by 6:15 p.m. Mass with the Catholic community. Dinner is provided. For more information, please click here.
Confirmation information sessions for parents/guardians:
- Sunday, September 18, at 4 p.m. ET. Zoom link. Passcode: Catholic
- Tuesday, September 20, at 9 a.m. ET. Zoom link. Passcode: Catholic
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Order a Pot Pourri Yearbook
Families are encouraged to order the 2023 Pot Pourri online (enter school code 3591). Order forms are also available on The Hive. Yearbooks, full color and typically about 300 pages, will be delivered to students in mid-May.
Plan ahead! Create a “family message” for your senior: Express pride and love and congratulate your soon-to-be-graduate with a fun and heartfelt ad in the yearbook. Choose from several sizes and full-color or black and white, and include your own special message and photo(s). Please download the order form, which includes instructions for submitting ad materials and payment. Deadline for submission is January 14, 2023.
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You Are Invited!
Join us in person for An Evening with Head of School Raynard S. Kington, MD, PhD, P’24, as he meets with the Andover community in these six cities:
All events are virtual unless otherwise noted.
Keep an eye on the Alumni & Families Events Calendar for gatherings in your area—and check the Academy’s Events calendar for additional campus and other events that may be open to families (i.e., special student presentations, music, theatre, and dance performances, and athletic competitions).
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Phillips Academy
180 Main St.
Andover, MA 01810
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You received this message because you are a valued member of the Andover community. We are obligated to communicate with you, and require you to be on our email list while your student(s) attends Phillips Academy. For more information contact the Dean of Studies Office. |
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© 2022
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