|
|
News from the Dean of Students
We’re happy to report that students are continuing to return to campus.
Cohort 1 boarding students (9th- and 12th-graders) ended their two-week quarantine this past Sunday. A huge thank you to this group for adhering to our safety rules by diligently wearing their masks, practicing proper hand hygiene, and maintaining 6 feet of physical distance! These students can now pick up packaged meals for lunch and dinner at Paresky Commons, access designated locations for music and athletics, sign up for times to use the Fitness Center and Squash Pavilion, and go outdoors to most places on campus (the wooded sanctuary area is still closed).
These boarding students cannot go inside any administrative or academic buildings or other dorms. They also cannot leave campus, which includes not being able to go downtown.
Cohort 1 day students (9th- and 12th-graders) are also now on campus during the afternoons to participate in athletics, community engagement, and music. They can grab dinner from Paresky and have access to individual study carrels in the Oliver Wendell Holmes Library (boarding students cannot access the library).
Cohort 2 boarding students (10th- and 11th-graders) will register on Saturday, October 10, and Sunday, October 11. An email was sent yesterday to these students and their families. A survey to sign up for a reservation time was also emailed to students yesterday.
To parents of students who have not yet returned to campus: Thank you for your patience!
As always, if you have questions or need anything, please send us an email.
New BlueCard website: Over the summer, the BlueCard website changed. To access your child’s BlueCard to make deposits or monitor transactions, login to the BlueCard Portal. If you have forgotten your username or password or you have questions, please email Claudia Scofield.
Pot Pourri—PA’s yearbook: Hello families of seniors! It’s crazy to think it...but your Class of 2021 student is now a senior! I am Ariana Phillips, editor of the Pot Pourri yearbook. I wanted to get some critical information into your hands—and also reassure you that even though so much about this year is going to be different, there’s one senior tradition that will stay the same: our yearbook! We are committed to telling the incredible stories of this year for the sake of our school and for the history books—and we’re going to need your help to make it happen, especially as we seek content that’s happening off campus.
Please review this letter for specific information about submitting a senior portrait, placing a family ad, and purchasing a yearbook. It is not too early to get this started. We need your participation, especially this year.
Families of juniors, lowers, and uppers, we also need your assistance in providing content for the yearbook. For information on how you can help and how you can purchase a yearbook, please refer to this document. Questions? Please send us an email.
| |
Sykes Wellness Center
Mandatory flu vaccine: Massachusetts state public health officials have mandated influenza immunizations for all children 6 months of age or older who are attending Massachusetts child care, preschool, K–12, and colleges and universities. The new vaccine requirement is an important step to reduce flu-related illness and the overall impact of respiratory illness during the COVID-19 pandemic.
If your student(s) has received the flu vaccine, please make sure the Sykes Wellness Center is notified with a record of the immunization provided. If you previously declined the vaccine, please log onto the health portal here to resubmit the form by Monday, October 5. We expect to vaccinate all students on campus by mid-October.
Counseling Services Webinar: Please view the Sykes Wellness Center’s Counseling Services webinar, a resource created to help parents understand what counseling looks like at Phillips Academy. Topics of parent worry, limits of confidentiality, clarification around the privileges that parents hold, non-diagnostic counseling, when we will reach out to parents, and record keeping distinct from educational records are discussed.
| |
| Catholic Confirmation Program
| |
Dr. Mary Kantor, our Catholic chaplain, in coordination with the Archdiocese of Boston, is leading the remote-learning Confirmation program for Andover students of all grade levels. This intensive program meets on Sunday afternoons when school is in session and lasts through early May. If your child is interested in the program and has not yet been in touch, they should email Dr. Mary Kantor or attend one of the following meetings.
New Confirmation students, joining in the 2020–2021 school year, will meet virtually this Sunday, October 4, from 4 to 5 p.m. This is an informational meeting to go over the outline of the program. Zoom link
Continuing Confirmation students, who began the program in the 2019–2020 school year, will meet Sunday, October 11, from 4 to 5 p.m. This is an informational meeting to go over the outline of the continuing program. Zoom link
Thank you for your ongoing patience as timing, logistics, and specific dates for the Confirmation program, its Sunday meeting times, and the spring ceremony require coordination with the calendars and schedules of the school and the Archdiocese of Boston.
| |
PSPA Special Event Oct. 5
We are excited to invite you to our next PSPA Speaker Series virtual event on October 5! The PSPA has partnered with the Dean of Students Office, Sykes Wellness Center, and the Brace Center for Gender Studies to host Peggy Orenstein, an internationally acclaimed expert on the challenges facing today’s teens. Orenstein will also address students at All-School Meeting that morning.
Monday, October 5, 7–8 p.m. EDT—“Boys & Sex: Hookup Culture, Love, Porn, Consent & Becoming a Better Man”—Known for her provocative insight, conversational style, and surprising wit, Peggy Orenstein will offer a fresh take on such topics as sexual consent; the influences of mainstream media, social media, and pornography; the rise of hookup culture; and gender socialization have made her a sought-after speaker on high school and college campuses. Please join us! (Zoom login; Passcode 044894)
Subscribe to receive PSPA news: Visit our website and link to subscribe to receive our newsletters and emails and to stay connected with us!
Campus Closet open online: Please check out our new merchandise; our popular masks should be back online in the next week! Click here to shop the Campus Closet store online. Students living on campus can choose the pick-up option and have merchandise delivered directly to their dorm. Please make sure to add your name, dorm name, and room number details in the “optional note to seller” field after entering payment information.
| |
Greetings from Parent Development
A big welcome to the 2020–2021 school year to all parents, guardians, and grandparents! The Parent Development team is delighted that you are part of the Andover family.
There are many ways to become involved and to support Andover. This past Friday, we shared an overview of the 2020–2021 Parent Fund goals in our message from Rebecca Brewster, director of Parent Development. You will hear more about our Parent Fund progress and upcoming parent events and programs in the weeks ahead. If you would like to explore becoming a Parent Fund Committee volunteer, event host, or parent welcome volunteer, please email Shannan Clarke, associate director of Parent Development, or call 978-749-4583. We look forward to seeing you for Virtual Family Weekend.
| |
Virtual Family Weekend Oct. 24 and 25
Please plan to join us for our new Virtual Family Weekend in less than a month. Registration will be opening soon! Stay tuned for details.
| |
You Are Invited!- October 6: Meet Our 16th Head of School, Raynard S. Kington, MD, PhD, P’24, hosted by the New England Regional Leadership Team
- October 8: Fearing and Desiring of Black Women, a book talk with Dr. Jasmine Mitchell ’99
- October 14: Meet Our 16th Head of School, Raynard S. Kington, MD, PhD, P’24, hosted by the Northern California Regional Leadership Team
- October 29: Meet Our 16th Head of School, Raynard S. Kington, MD, PhD, P’24, hosted by the New York Regional Leadership Team
- November 12: A Conversation with Megan Greene ’97 and Tedd Parker P’23
- November 17: Meet Our 16th Head of School, Raynard S. Kington, MD, PhD, P’24, hosted by the Pan-European Regional Leadership Team
- December 9: Meet Our 16th Head of School, Raynard S. Kington, MD, PhD, P’24, hosted by the Southern California Regional Leadership Team
- December 15: Meet Our 16th Head of School, Raynard S. Kington, MD, PhD, P’24, hosted by the Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia Regional Leadership Teams
All events are virtual unless otherwise noted. Please join us!
| |
Catch the Latest on Social
| |
|
|
| Parent Bulletin Archive » |
 |
|
|
|
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. |
|
© 2020
|
|
|
.gif){kind=spacer}
