Parent Bulletin

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

March 8, 2013

Our parents’ organization, PSPA, provides many opportunities for parents to get involved and see first hand what life on campus is like. Susan Howell, as president of PSPA for three years, has fostered good communication between the school and our parent body, and with fellow board members, has encouraged parents to connect with one another. Susan is stepping down this spring, to be succeeded by Tina Kinard. We are grateful to Susan for what she has done as PSPA president and to Tina for stepping in to fill Susan’s very big shoes.

The school depends upon the support of parents in multiple ways. If you live nearby and have not gotten involved in PSPA, please consider doing so. If you are outside the area, you can still be connected online. Also for local families, please note the request from the Community Service Office for assistance. We are indebted to those who have volunteered in the past and welcome new recruits!

In Touch with…
Monique Cueto-Potts, Director of Community Service

As our winter term programming ends, the Community Service Office already is busy planning for the spring and next year. On March 16th, during Spring Break, 38 students and 10 faculty members will arrive in John’s Island, South Carolina, for our annual alternative spring break trip. As guests of Rural Mission, Inc., for seven days, the group will repair and renovate homes, attend a number of cultural events, be a part of kitchen and clean-up crews, and engage in thoughtful reflection.

When students return to campus in April, we will select the next cohort of 35 community service coordinators who will lead our 40 ongoing programs in 2013-14. Through a variety of programs that range in time commitment from once per term to several afternoons per week, volunteers address issues such as hunger, housing, education, sustainability, and immigration. Students help run after-school programs, spend time with nursing home residents, or work in our campus garden. They also cook and serve dinners at meal centers, teach swimming to young adults with special needs, help adults prepare for citizenship tests, and sort food at the Boston Food Bank.

Our goal is to provide students with opportunities to become acquainted with people and issues they grow to care about, and we see this happening every day. None of this would be possible without the support of adults in the community. If you live in the Andover area and are interested in assisting with our programs once a week or once a month this spring or next year, we would love to have you join us. Please email me at mcuetopotts@andover.edu, and we certainly will find a way to include you in our fun and exciting work!

Travel over Spring Break

Phillips Academy is offering bus transportation to NYC with stops in Hartford and Darien, Connecticut. Buses depart on Friday, March 15, and return on Monday, April 1. Cost is $90 one-way and $150 roundtrip. 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. Private taxi and limousine services are available for student travel to area airports and train stations. See the Parent Portal for more information.

PSPA News

•	PSPA welcomes Tina Kinard as the new president. Tina looks forward to working closely with the rest of the board to continue PSPA’s mission. New PSPA board members are: 1st Vice President Judy LaRocca; 2nd Vice President Preeti Tadikonda; Assistant Treasurer Anita Gohel; Co-Directors of Merchandise Debby Carbone, Theresa Peluso, and Judy Casagrande; and Parent Rep Class of ’15 Yueping Xu. Many thanks to past president Susan Howell and all outgoing board members for their dedication and hard work!
•	PSPA’s next parent meeting is Thursday, April 11, at 7 p.m. in Kemper Auditorium. The topic is “Gems of the Curriculum” featuring faculty who teach some of the “must take” courses at Andover—courses so interesting and/or unique they qualify as “gems”.
•	The video from the February 21 Parent Meeting “Introduction to College Counseling for Parents of Juniors & Lowers” is now available. The password to view it is: PAparent, http://www.pspaandover.org/index.php/video/

The Lost and Found Closet is Overflowing!

We plan to clear out all items during spring break. Clothing, books, athletic equipment, electronic items, bags and shoes have been sorted and organized and the piles are impressive! We’ve emailed all students asking them to come to the Dean of Students Office between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, to look for their lost items. ANY ITEMS REMAINING AFTER MARCH 15 WILL BE DONATED TO A LOCAL CHARITY. Please encourage your son or daughter to stop by the Dean of Students Office to look for their missing items.

Upcoming Events

Friday, March 8

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Andover Dance Group will perform a dance concert, (e)Merge, at 6:30 p.m. in the Steinbach Theater. Tickets are $5 and may be reserved by calling the box office at (978) 749-4433.

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The Phillips Academy Choirs will present a concert at 8 p.m. in Cochran Chapel. The program will include works by Ola Gjello, Claudio Monteverdi, William Hawley, Felix Mendelssohn, Eric Whitacre, Stephen Foster, Daniel Pinkham, Gwyneth Walker, Stephen Sondheim, and Stephen Paulus. The choral program is under the direction of Christopher Walter. This concert is free and open to the public. For further information please contact the music department at (978) 749-4260 or music@andover.edu.

Saturday, March 9

•	Andover Dance Group will perform a dance concert, (e)Merge, at 7:30 p.m. in the Steinbach Theatre. Tickets are $5 and may be reserved by calling the box office at (978) 749-4433.

Sunday, March 10

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Academy Jazz Band and ensembles will perform the music of Duke Ellington, George & Ira Gershwin, Matt Harris, Bob Mintzer, and Dizzy Gillespie at 3 p.m. in the Cochran Chapel. This concert is free and open to the public. For further information please contact the music department at (978) 749-4260 or music@andover.edu.