Phillips Academy

Parent Bulletin

Phillips Academy

February 7, 2014

The campus is beautiful covered in snow, but stormy days like this past Wednesday bring challenges to our community. Safety is our highest priority when these weather conditions occur; however, since the majority of our students and faculty live on campus, we strive to maintain our academic schedule, despite the snow. Day student families are urged to exercise their best judgment, and we fully support those who decide to avoid travel during inclement weather. We are indebted to the Physical Plant team who worked tirelessly to keep our paths, steps and roadways clear, and to the Paresky Commons staff who braved the elements to keep the dining hall open.

 

In Touch with…
Carlos Hoyt, Associate Dean of Students

Reflections on Wellness Week 2014

I understand it's not possible, however I wish there were a way to have everyone attend or maybe watch [every] workshop or learn the same information, not missing out on something very important. On a separate note, I wanted to say that Wellness Week is wonderful so far and I've loved the emphasis on all these things that my old school didn't put much effort into emphasizing. – From an upper

During Wellness Week 2014, January 27-31, our students participated in programs specifically designed to promote health and reduce risk. Our youngest students gained crucial knowledge about drugs and alcohol from the Freedom from Chemical Dependency educators, all of whom share the unique perspective of having overcome dependency. Our lowers, uppers, and seniors attended two required programs that addressed developmentally targeted subjects including the psychology of happiness, successfully navigating college life, and sexual assault prevention. Students chose a third program from 17 options that included meditation, Pilates, salsa and Zumba, stress reduction and management, and understanding and addressing depression in young men.

This year’s Wellness Week was distinguished by Dr. Catherine Steiner-Adair’s compelling All-School Meeting address on the topic of keeping our online activities from negatively affecting our “real life” connections and integrity. Andover TED talks, prepared and presented by students, featured powerful programs on CPR, nutrition, disordered eating, sexual safety, and misuse of prescription drugs.

We are currently reviewing our students’ evaluation of their Wellness Week experiences, and we will use their feedback to continually improve our efforts to maximize their knowledge, goodness, and wellness. If you have questions about Wellness Week, contact me, Carlos Hoyt, at choyt@andover.edu.

Message from the Comptroller’s Office

Winter term bills have been posted and are available online on your student account center; simply log onto www.andover.afford.com. Bills must be paid in full by March 1. Please keep in mind that students whose accounts have outstanding balances will not be able to access their spring schedules online until bills are paid. If you have any questions, please contact Ann Pimentel at apimentel@andover.edu.

Enrollment for the 2014-2015 school year is coming up soon! Enrollment will be done electronically through InfoSnap. Electronic invitations to enroll will be sent to parents/guardians the week of March 17. To participate in electronic enrollment and to make your deposit payment online, we must have a unique email address for all legal guardians. If your email address has changed since the last enrollment, please verify that we have the correct email by contacting Anne Burgess at aburgess@andover.edu.

Send a Care Pack – and a smile

Want to put a smile on your child’s face during Assessment Week? Make sure to send a Care Pack filled with edible goodies. To send a Care Pack, please fill out the form and mail it back to us. All orders must be received by Friday, February 21, for winter term Care Packs to be delivered on time. Questions? Please contact Amy Martin at amartin@andover.edu or 978-749-4429.

News from PSPA

The next PSPA meeting will be held in Kemper Auditorium on Thursday, February 20, at 7 p.m. The topic, An Introduction to College Counseling, will address a number of questions: What makes a student attractive to a college? How important is a student’s GPA vs. essays vs. SAT scores vs. extracurricular activities? How do colleges measure Andover’s students against students from other high schools? In addition to demystifying the college admission process, Sean Logan, director of college counseling, will discuss statistics and trends relative to the Classes of 2013 and 2014 to help you and your student develop a successful admissions strategy.
Would you like to have some fun, do some good, and develop a richer connection to the school, faculty, and other parents? Join the PSPA Board! Candidates for the positions of Second VP, Treasurer and Director of Regional Activities are still under consideration. Please review the position descriptions, and/or contact PSPA President Tina Kinard.
The PSPA Campus Closet is creating a new committee to support the merchandise managers with sales and other aspects of the store. We are looking for local parents of current juniors and lowers. This is not a board position; it has less responsibility, but there is room for advancement. Deadline for interested parents is Friday, February 14. Please contact the PSPA Merchandise Team with any questions or to express interest.

Spring Break Info

Dormitories close at 12 p.m. on Friday, March 7, and reopen on Monday, March 24 at 8 a.m.; students may not enter dormitories during these times. Specifically, dormitories are not open on Sunday, March 23.

New this spring break, Phillips Academy will offer bus transportation to/from New York City with a stop in Darien, CT, and bus transportation to JFK airport.

JFK: The bus transporting students to JFK airport will leave campus Thursday, March 6, at 3:30 p.m. from GW Circle and is expected to arrive at JFK around 10 p.m. The fare is $100. We will not offer transportation from JFK at the end of spring break.

NYC/CT Buses: Buses depart campus Friday, March 7 at 9:00 am, and return Monday, March 24, leaving NYC at 11:00 am and arriving on campus at 4:00 pm. Cost is $90 one-way and $150 roundtrip.

Private taxi and limousine services are available for student travel to area airports and train stations. See information posted on the Parent Portal.

To access forms, log into the Parent Portal and choose the Student Life tab under the Dean of Students section. Please contact Claudia Scofield at cscofield@andover.edu or 978-749-4124 for more information.

Save the Date: Grandparents Day May 10

Each spring the PA community welcomes grandparents to campus to spend a special day with their grandchildren and get a peek inside their Andover world. Grandparents are invited to spend the morning with their grandchild, attend open houses at the Addison and Peabody museums, have lunch at Paresky Commons, hear remarks from the Head of School, and attend a student showcase and various athletic events.

For more information about the day visit www.andover.edu/gpday14.

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