What’s the Buzz?

The ground may be frozen, and the skies may be gray but most of our students have been too busy to notice the dreary winter weather. Here’s what has happened the last couple of weeks:

• Filmmaker Spike Lee spoke at All-School Meeting on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and students and faculty continue to debate the ideas he presented.
• The annual Blue and Silver Dance gave students a chance to dress up and dance the night away. The third annual Gelb Dance, an informal affair located in the science center, was a huge hit and featured different styles of music on the three floors.
• Jewish Cultural Weekend was a big success and students are looking forward to events planned for the upcoming Black Arts Weekend, including a reading by poet and activist Nikki Giovanni on Friday, Feb. 5 at 7 PM in Kemper Auditorium.
• The GeograBee is in full swing and the final round will be held in Paresky Commons next week. This competition began in 1997 as the brainchild of Nels Frye ‘99 and with the support of former international student coordinator Hal McCann. Do you know in which ocean is Nares Deep? Or, in which U.S. state the Smokey Hills can be found? Answers will appear in the next Parent Bulletin.
• Just over a week into the competition, the Green Cup Challenge has already raised awareness and prompted modest savings in electricity usage. Watch News @ Andover for details.

Class Consciousness

Last week’s All-School Meeting block was given over to “All-Class Meetings.” Juniors received an update from Student Council and learned about relief for Haiti and the Green Cup Challenge. Lowers invited representatives from Community Service, music, theater, athletics, and the Student Activities Board to talk about events and activities planned for the remainder of the school year. Uppers discussed the details of the white-water rafting trip planned for their class during spring term. Seniors met with members of the Alumni Affairs Office and the STARS (STudent Alumni RepresentativeS) to begin organizing their class gift. Seniors were also serenaded by the male a cappella group, the Yorkies, and heard about spring events leading up to graduation.

February Freeze

In January, we surprised the students with news of a three-week break in the All-School Meeting schedule for the winter term. Our intent was to give students time to catch up on work and to de-compress. Therefore, we have asked that during the freeze no other obligations be scheduled. Although community members were pleased to be given the gift of time, some students and faculty who had read through the topics listed in All-School Meeting calendar were disappointed to discover that we were not really going to be treated to “The IRS & You: Preparing for a Potential Audit,” “Astrology as a Means of Predicting College Admission,” and “Comma or Semicolon? Can I Start a Sentence with ‘You’?”

Communication Reminders

Good communication between parents and house counselors or day student advisors is often key to a student's success at Phillips Academy. Whether your child is a boarder or a day student, counselors, advisors, and parents can form an effective support network. Please remember to share any developments that affect your child’s life. Faculty need to be well-informed to support your child effectively. Also, if there is a change in your contact information, please forward the new information to delworthy@andover.edu so that we can reach you promptly. Thank you to everyone who has corrected email addresses.