November 16, 2023

Fall end-of-term grades will be posted on The Hive by 9 a.m. ET on Wednesday, November 22.

Important dates:

Kindly review the policies below and be sure your student has made the necessary preparations prior to departing campus tomorrow.

Fall term concerts on YouTube! All fall term concerts are available for your listening pleasure on our YouTube channel.

Did you know that Andover Summer offers two distinct academic enrichment programs that bring together a community of global learners on the Phillips Academy campus? Please join us for an information webinar tonight at 7 p.m. ET to learn more about Andover Summer. Click here to sign up for the webinar and/or get more information about dates and rates for either program. Can’t make this one? Join us for our next webinar on Thursday, December 21.

The fall athletic season has concluded (almost!) with a week of Andover-Exeter contests. Andover earned wins in six of the 14 matchups: varsity field hockey, girls’ varsity and JV soccer, girls’ cross-country, boys’ varsity soccer and JV football. Many thanks to all our PA families and other fans who cheered our athletes on.

Click these links to see Andover-Exeter Weekend photos and Spirit Week photos (like the one above) on PA’s Smugmug site. All can be downloaded for free! Photo by David Fricke

After a five-year hiatus, the Department of Theatre & Dance will present an updated version of The Nutcracker... It is the night of the annual Phillips Academy Holiday Celebration and an early snowstorm has trapped some students on campus over Winter Break. Students are out trying to catch a glimpse of the partygoers when they come upon a room filled with the costumes and set pieces of the old Nutcracker. Magic ensues! The cast of 35 student dancers will be joined by faculty and staff children and adults.

Showtimes in Tang Theatre:

This event is first-come-first-serve seating. We recommend arriving 45 minutes prior to showtime to secure your seat. All persons in your party must be present to claim their seat. Families of students involved in the production and campus adults who arrive before doors open can check in at the Information Desk to receive priority seating. Please arrive 45 minutes prior to showtime.

The deadline for your student to apply to Learning in the World (LITW) faculty-led programs and express interest in affiliate programs is Monday, December 4. Please visit the LITW webpage to learn more about our current offerings, and pay special attention to the “Take Action” page for details on eligibility, financial aid, and the selection process. 

One frequently asked question is whether need-based financial assistance is available for affiliate programs. The answer is YES. Please email Andréa Gerakaris in the Financial Aid office with specific inquiries. Other questions should be emailed to Mark Cutler, LITW director.

All families are encouraged to order a 2024 Pot Pourri, Phillips Academy’s yearbook, by clicking this link: PA Yearbook. If prompted, enter school code 3591. Yearbooks, which are full color and typically about 300 pages, will be delivered to students in mid-May. 

Parents of seniors: Express pride and love and congratulate your soon-to-be-graduate with a fun and heartfelt ad in the Pot Pourri yearbook. Choose from several sizes and full-color or black and white, and include your own special message and photo(s). Simply click Yearbook Order Center to create your ad and submit payment. The “Family message” submission deadline has been extended to January 15.

Senior portraits: A photographer will visit campus for any students who wish to have a senior portrait photo taken. Information has been sent to students. You are also welcome to submit a portrait for your senior via email. The senior portrait submission deadline is January 15.

Class rings: Class rings are a wonderful keepsake of your child’s time at Phillips Academy. Class rings ordered before January 1 will be delivered to your senior before graduation. Our class ring vendor visits campus several times during the school year and can help students with ring sizes, designs, and samples. Find more information on class rings here! Or you can email Mike McCann at Herff Jones, our ring vendor.

All information on yearbook orders, family messages, senior portraits, and class rings can be found on The Hive. 

Campus Closet is open this Friday, November 17, from noon to 4 p.m. Stop by in person and pick up official Phillips Academy gear for your whole family! You can also shop online 24/7. PSPA activities are funded by profits from our volunteer-run Campus Closet.

Please click here to volunteer at Campus Closet and help staff the shop during the holiday months. It’s a great way to meet other parents!

We wish all families and students a relaxing and happy Thanksgiving Break!

There will be no spiritual and religious gatherings this week while students are off campus. 

Lessons & Carols Service: We hope area families will plan to join us for “Lessons & Carols” on Sunday, December 10, at 4:30 p.m. in Cochran Chapel. All are welcome to this candlelit service of music, scripture, and poetry in the season of advent anticipating Christmas. You are also invited to the Pre-Service Reception, for which registration is required. 

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!

Health and safety guidelines, provided here, are also available when you register for an event.

The Office of Family Engagement is here to support you throughout the school year. If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact Director Jennifer Vasquez by email or call 978-749-4068.