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Joyful Sounds of the Season
Just weeks after being named Andover’s 16th head of school in 2019, Dr. Raynard Kington and his family received a warm and festive welcome as holiday music filled Cochran Chapel. The “Sounds of the Season” All-School Meeting was their first introduction to the campus community—and a beloved tradition—nearly one year ago.
This year’s event offered a different but equally joyful vibe. Tune in to celebrate Andover’s talented musicians and vocalists practicing their craft from all corners of the globe.
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Winter Term Calendar Changes
Please note these important winter term calendar changes:
- Classes will start on Monday, January 4—two days earlier than previously planned.
- There will be no classes February 1 & 2 (midterm weekend and seniors returning to campus).
- Long weekend has shifted one week later to February 15 & 16 (aligns better with public school vacation week).
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Survey for Seniors—Deadline Is Today
Late last week, a survey was emailed to seniors and their families asking them to let us know by Thursday, December 10, whether they plan to come to campus in February. Seniors should complete this survey as soon as possible—the deadline is today at 5 p.m. EST. If you have questions regarding the survey, please email John Wilson, registrar. If you have questions regarding the term itself, please email the Dean of Students Office.
It is important that we hear from you. Your child’s advisor point person will reach out to those who have not replied.
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The Shows Must Go On!
Fall Acting I Showcase: See what THD210 Acting I students worked on in fall term! Visit Acting I Showcase for a compelling collection of scenes and monologues, both classical and contemporary, from plays by authors such as Thornton Wilder, Tarell A. McCraney, David Baker, Dominique Morisseau, and many others.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Saturday, December 12, at 10 a.m. EST: The Department of Theatre & Dance is happy to present a full performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The synchronous interactive video performance, guided by MC Amelia Meyer ’21, will be available via this Zoom link. We hope to see you there!
Midsummer is a collage of performance modes developed in the high flex teaching environment. Inspired by the Shakespeare script and the Mendelssohn score, this project features four seniors and combines theatre and dance, including an ensemble of student dancers, actors, and technicians as well as community member adults and children. Most of the choreography was created by the dancers during their quarantine period, and some of it was shot from various places in the world. The full performance will also be available to view on media space in January—along with outtakes and many other scenes and dances that did not make the video’s final cut.
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PSPA’s Penguins & Parkas on Tuesday
All parents and students are invited to the PSPA Speaker Series event “Penguins & Parkas—4 months living on & under Antarctic Ice” with Robin L. Aiello ’80 on Tuesday, December 15, at 7 p.m. EST. In the late 1980s, scientists in Antarctica carried out “extreme” research. Aiello, with her team of five research scuba divers, was one of the first women to spend four months camping out “in the field” in Antarctica and was one of the first female scuba divers—if not the first—under the thick ice of the Ross Sea. What was she looking for? Well…come and find out. Join Aiello as she shares some of her fascinating and sometimes hilarious adventures of living and diving in Antarctica. Zoom link. Passcode: fmj8Ms
For more information about Robin Aiello’s work and experience at Andover, please visit the PSPA website.
PSPA Book Club meets in January: Please join us for our first PSPA Book Club meeting on Sunday, January 10, from 8 to 9 p.m. EST. We will be discussing A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman. Please email us to learn more or to get on our mailing list.
Campus Closet is open: Please check out our new holiday merchandise! Click here to shop the Campus Closet store online.
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Expert Advice for Parents
How can you best support the personal and academic needs of your children while also attending to your own professional and familial needs? Explore this question and more during a virtual conversation titled “Navigating School During Uncertain Times,” led by Dr. Denise Pope, Stanford Graduate School of Education senior lecturer, on Tuesday, January 12, at 7 p.m. EST.
Pope will share ways parents and caregivers can establish a healthier home environment for their school-aged child, reduce academic stress without sacrificing achievement, and increase their child’s resilience, creativity, and well-being. Co-founder of Challenge Success, Pope is the author of “Doing School”: How We Are Creating a Generation of Stressed Out, Materialistic, and Miseducated Students and co-author of Overloaded and Underprepared: Strategies for Stronger Schools and Healthy, Successful Kids. Additional details, including the link to join the event, will be available on the Tang Institute website.
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Ongoing Wellness Center Services
In case you missed this information last week, we thought it worth repeating that the wellness team is still here for you and your Andover student, even during these two months of remote learning. Most importantly, we wish you peace and great health as we shed 2020 and embrace the New Year!
- Reporting an Illness or Injury—Remember to call if your student is too ill to attend virtual classes, even though they are at home. We can provide guidance and care collaboration/coordination if we are aware of an illness, injury, or health needs. All absences for a health reason must be called into the wellness center (978-749-4455) to ensure excuses can be issued.
- Centralized Information—Help us to keep your student’s record up to date by providing us with documentation of recent physicals, immunizations, or changes in health. Please take a look at the health portal to be sure that your child’s record is complete. For example, if your child obtained their seasonal influenza vaccine at home, please upload documentation.
- Social Media—Follow us on Instagram (@pawellness) for wellness tips, messages, and upcoming challenges.
Hours and contact information: To reach one of our team members by voice, please call 978-749-4455 Monday through Friday, between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. EST. Voicemail messages may be left outside of these hours for a return call the next business day. You can also send us an email. After virtual classes end on December 16, the wellness team will be available by phone Monday through Friday, between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. Please note we will be closed December 23–January 3 and will reopen Monday, January 4, 2021, at 8 a.m.
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Summer Is Coming
It’s hard to plan for six days from now, let alone six months…but summer is coming. What will your kids—and their friends—be doing? While we don’t know exactly what summer 2021 will look like, one thing is for sure: Andover will be offering academic programs to students currently in grades 6–11. If there is someone in your life who might be looking for a summer opportunity, now is the time for them to explore all that Andover Summer has to offer.
Students can fill out the summer application for either our residential or online program, or they can learn more about the program by exploring our website or participating in an admissions webinar. Help us spread the word!
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Pot Pourri Senior Portraits
The deadline for submitting your student’s Senior Portrait for the big, beautiful Pot Pourri yearbook is January 10. Please review this important yearbook letter for more information. Families of juniors, lowers, and uppers, please refer to this document for information on how you can help with content this year and how to purchase a yearbook. Questions? Just send us an email.
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Happy Holidays from Parent Development
The Parent Development team—Becca, Shannan, and Elisabeth—wishes you a healthy and happy holiday season. On behalf of our colleagues in the Office of Academy Resources, we thank you for your partnership and your support of Andover, and we look forward to connecting with you in 2021.
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You Are Invited!- Now through December 21: Non Sibi Project for Greater Boston Food Banks with Taylor Yates ’04
- December 11: “Projecting Power: Post-9/11 Action Films and American Imperial Values,” a CAMD Scholar Presentation with Jerry Shu ’21
- December 14: Af-Lat-Am Community Discussion on Wellness in 2020 and Beyond
- 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
- December 17: Community Celebration to Toast the Holidays
- December 19: Story time with Santa
- January 8: 2021 Finis Origine Pendet Social Gathering
- January 12: Meet Our 16th Head of School Raynard S. Kington, MD, PhD, P’24, hosted by the Hong Kong Regional Leadership Team
- January 18: “Sticky Belonging: Hegemonic Gazes and the Taming of Queer Asian American Identities,” a CAMD Scholar Presentation with Mary Muromcew ’22
All events are virtual unless otherwise noted. Please join us!
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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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© 2020
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