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Parent Bulletin
Phillips Academy
February 7, 2014
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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News from PSPA
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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.
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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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