Parent Bulletin

Phillips Academy Head of School Office
Rebecca Sykes, associate head of school

February 8, 2013

Andover is on the cusp of its first major snowstorm of 2013 with heavy precipitation beginning late today and continuing tomorrow. The majority of our students and faculty live on or near campus and we plan to hold a full day of classes today. It is unfortunate that the storm coincides with Andover’s mid-winter holiday, when many boarding students plan to head home or somewhere else fun for the three-day weekend. If you feel it is necessary for your child to leave earlier than planned, please email his or her house counseling team and cluster dean. For all students, safety is our primary concern. We encourage you to heed the travel advisories issued by state authorities and wish you the best if you are traveling this weekend. Students remaining on campus will find updates to weekend activities on Campus News.

Emergency Text to Include Parents

In the last Parent Bulletin we wrote to you about testing our campus-wide emergency text system. We are planning to expand this emergency alert system to include parents. If there have been changes to your cell phone number since the beginning of the school year, please notify Anne Burgess, assistant registrar, at aburgess@andover.edu or 978-749-4031.

In Touch with…
Mary Ellen Witman, Manager of the Phillips Academy Computer Center (the PACC)

Phillips Academy loves its acronyms! My favorite is the PACC, a computer and audiovisual lab located on the lower level of the Oliver Wendell Holmes Library. You may wonder what happens at the PACC, since students typically come to school well equipped with myriad personal electronics. Students love to study in the PACC, which is open more than 75 hours each week, and is known to be the quietest place on campus. Along with up-to-date technology, the PACC provides quick access to library resources, tech support, and a knowledgeable and supportive staff. Parents may be pleased to know that every Thursday from 4 to 7 p.m. an outside vendor is available in the PACC to provide additional hardware and software support.

English, history, statistics and biology classes are often held in our computer classrooms, where students and faculty have access to state-of-the-art video and sound equipment. The PACC is also home to the Writing Center, which is open from 8 to 9:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday. Students may work with an English teacher or with peer tutors to edit and refine their writing assignments.

The PACC is one more valuable resource to assist your child’s learning. Please stop by on your next visit to the Academy; we would love to show you around!

A Message from the Comptroller’s Office

Winter term billing statements will be sent out early next week and payment is due in full on March 1, 2013. If you do not receive your statement, or have any questions, please e-mail billing@andover.edu. Keep in mind that students whose accounts have an outstanding balance may not be able to attend any activities such as music tours or athletic trips until their accounts are in good standing. In addition, students will not be able to access their spring schedules online until bills are paid.

The new online portal is available to make payments. Simply go to the Phillips Academy website, click Quicklinks at the top of the page and select Comptroller. The links for Online Domestic Payments and International Payments are located on the Comptroller’s Office page or in the navigation to the left. If you have any questions about electronic payments, please contact Ann Pimentel at apimentel@andover.edu or 978-749-4504.

Spring Break Travel

Phillips Academy will be offering bus transportation for spring break to New York City with stops in Hartford and Darien, Conn. Buses depart Friday, March 15, and return Monday, April 1. 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. Contact Claudia Scofield at cscofield@andover.edu or 978-749-4124 for more information.

Upcoming Events

Tuesday, February 12

•	All-School GeorgraBee Final, 5:30 p.m., Paresky Commons

Wednesday, February 13

•	Chinese New Year Talent Show, 6:30 p.m., Kemper Auditorium

Friday, February 15

•	CAMD Scholar Angela Leocata ’13 presents “The Effect of Socioeconomic Class on the Educational Process,” 6:30 p.m., Kemper Auditorium. (Free and open to the public.)

Thursday, February 21

•	PSPA meeting, 7 to 8:30 p.m., Kemper Auditorium. Introduction to College Counseling for Parents of Juniors/Lowers with Director of College Counseling Sean Logan. Please visit www.pspaandover.org for more information.

Sunday, March 10

•

David Lasry (P ’16), founder of Two Palms Press in New York City, and master printmaker Craig Zammiello, will discuss the complex ideas and processes that go into creating prints such as those featured in the Addison Gallery exhibition Stone, Wood, Metal, Mesh: Prints and Printmaking. This event will be held at the Addison Gallery from 2 to 3 p.m. and is free and open to the public. For more information, please see the Addison Gallery website.