January 15, 2026

Calendar of Events

Athletics Calendar

The Weekender

Available Fridays at noon on The Hive

In celebration of PA’s 13th annual Mixed Heritage Awareness Week, families are invited to attend a talk titled “None of the Above: Forging an Identity Outside the Box” with artist, writer, adventurer, and comics journalist Tessa Hulls on Friday, January 16, at 7 p.m. in Kemper Auditorium. This event is free and open to the public. Books will be available for purchase, and a book signing will follow the talk.

On Monday, January 19, Andover will honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with a “day on” of special programming in place of regular classes. The day begins at 9:30 a.m. with an All-School Meeting featuring speaker Dr. José M. Hernández, former NASA astronaut and engineer. Students will then participate in workshops, guest lectures, and student-led performances.

At 7 p.m. in Kemper Auditorium (5 Chapel Avenue), families and the public are invited to a presentation titled “Do I Run? Climb? Swim? The Untold Experiences of Mexican Migrants Crossing the U.S./Mexico Border” by Daisy Lopez Vargas ’26, this year’s Barbara Landis Chase CAMD Scholar. Admission is free.

MLK Day reflects months of planning and collaboration. We ask families to support this work by ensuring students engage fully and remain on campus throughout the day.

Connect with your student’s cluster dean and learn about cluster traditions, events, support systems, and more. Register using the links below.

Not sure which cluster your student belongs to? You can find out on The Hive. Questions? Email the Office of Family Engagement.

A practice PSAT will be offered to PA lowers (10th graders) on Saturday, February 21. Registration is open now through noon on Wednesday, January 28. The practice PSAT is a preview of the official College Board PSAT that students will take in 11th grade. It is managed by Compass Education Group and will simulate the digital PSAT. This test does not count in the admissions process, and scores are only provided to students.  

The results of the Practice PSAT and the PreACT can be a guide toward the standardized testing a student pursues in the college admissions process. For more testing information, click here. 

Midpoint grades for Term 2 will be available on Tuesday, January 27, in the Student Reports section of The Hive. Please note that, to allow faculty to enter grades, the GRADES and UNOFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT portions of BlueLink will be unavailable until that date.

While students may receive some brief progress reports from instructors at the winter midpoint, many will not. Instructors have the option to provide verbal feedback to students during individual conferences, replacing a written report. Although instructors will continue grading and offering regular feedback on assignments throughout the year, the next formal writing period is scheduled for the end of Term 3 (spring term).  

This reporting schedule prioritizes more substantial feedback in the first part of the year, aligning with our goal to guide students from increased support at the beginning to greater independence as the year progresses. Students are encouraged to engage in dialogue with instructors about how they are doing and how they might improve and grow. Families are encouraged to talk with students about the feedback received during conferences and about trends that may be emerging in their learning journey. 

Toward the end of the term, students will have an opportunity to write a self-reflection that will be shared with families. As always, if you have questions or concerns after discussing midpoint progress with your student, please contact your student’s point person.

Students will prepare and submit course requests for Term 3 from January 28 to February 11.

Each student will work with their advisor to determine remaining diploma requirements, which of their current courses or sequences will continue in spring, and what space they might have to choose electives. Students should have conversations with adults, including their parents, to consider what the spring might look like in big-picture terms, including sports commitments, extracurricular activities, family responsibilities, and health and well-being. The advising process aims to not only teach students how to navigate complex systems like our program but also how to make good decisions for themselves when presented with options.

House counselors, current instructors, cluster deans, coaches, and the staff in the Academic Skills Center and Sykes Wellness Center can provide valuable support as students figure out whether to take on more, scale back, make changes, or challenge themselves. Course requests also serve as an opportunity for students to develop flexibility and resilience, as they often must be willing to change their current instructors or schedule to secure their top choice of new courses.

Thank you to the parents and guardians who made a gift to the Andover Fund in 2025! 

We are excited to report that over 560 current Andover families have supported the Academy so far this school year. Details will be provided early next month as part of our midyear progress update from Rebecca Brewster, director of Family Giving. 

We love our grandparents: Grandparents are important members of our Andover community, and we want to keep them informed about Academy news and events. To ensure your student’s grandparents receive Andover news and invitations, please complete this form.

Our team is grateful to partner with PA families, and we look forward to continuing to work together. Cheers to 2026! If you have any questions about the Andover Fund and ways you can get involved, please reach out to Katherine Solimini, associate director of Family Giving, via email or by phone at 978-749-4583.

2026 Commencement: We are excited to invite the families of the Class of 2026 to celebrate Commencement on Sunday, May 31, 2026. For a complete schedule of events and FAQs, please visit the Commencement webpage. If you have accessibility needs, such as an ASL interpreter, wheelchair, or other accommodations, please email Naomi Mashburn your request by Friday, February 13.

Questions? Please contact Naomi Mashburn ’08 in the Office of Alumni Engagement via email or 978-749-4225.

Stay tuned for more information in the coming weeks about the following exciting events and ways you can get involved with PSPA: 

Campus Closet

Crew Members Needed: Campus Closet relies on parent volunteers to operate the shop—it’s fun, and you get to meet other parents. To volunteer for a January shift, please sign up here. 

Shop on Campus or Online: Visit our campus store tomorrow, Friday, January 16, from 1 to 5 p.m. (located on the lower level of George Washington Hall) or shop online for PA clothing and merchandise for your whole family. We offer free delivery on campus!

Save the dates! View the Term 2 Theatre & Dance Performance and Concert Calendar here.

Enjoy photos of student-athletes and fans, team news, and player and event highlights in Andover Athletics News.

Friday, January 16

Sunday, January 18

Upcoming Events

February 2-8: United Nations World Interfaith Harmony Week
Stay tuned for more details on the events happening throughout the week!

If you have questions, reach out to chaplains/interfaith advisors Rabbi Josh Greenberg and Dr. Mary Kantor. 

Keep an eye on the Academy’s Events Calendar for more campus and regional gatherings.

The Office of Family Engagement is here to help. Email Director Jennifer Vasquez or call 978-749-4068. 

2025–2026 Information for Families

Andover Family Directory

Family Webinar Series

Guide for New Families

Strategies for Student Success

2025–2026 Academic Calendar

Weekly Class Schedule

2025–2026 Standardized Testing Schedule

Athletic Calendar