April 7 Highlights

PA Giving Day: An Amazing Success!

The PA community showed up for Andover in a big way on PA Giving Day. More than 2,400 alumni, parents, grandparents, and friends from around the world participated in our annual day of giving, raising a record-breaking $2.4 million in critical support for the Academy. These donations will fund financial aid scholarships, health and wellness initiatives, academic program innovations, support for athletics and student activities, and more.

To celebrate achieving our goal of 2,022 PA Giving Day donors, Dylan & Pete’s Ice Cream trucks will be on campus this Friday during lunch period to distribute treats to students. We hope they enjoy this delicious surprise, made possible by our PA Giving Day donors.

On behalf of the entire Andover community, thank you to all who made a gift. The show of support from families this year was simply inspiring. And special thanks to our Parent Fund Committee members for their efforts to encourage fellow parents to participate. Your enthusiasm was contagious, and we could not have done it without you!

Health & Wellness Update

As of Wednesday, April 6, more than 99% of PA students have received 1+ vaccination dose(s) and more than 98% have received a booster (1.9% have received a religious or medical exemption). COVID metrics are starting to increase again across our campus, community, and state. COVID-related hospitalizations remain low, indicating a low level of significant COVID-related illness. We asked all students to test yesterday, April 6, using a rapid antigen test, and our updated 7-day positivity rate remains less than 1%. There are no changes to COVID protocols. To see the complete data from Dr. Amy Patel, Sykes Wellness Center medical director, please visit COVID-19 Updates & Information.

Reminder for campus visitors: All campus visitors—including those attending events and activities noted in the Family Bulletin—must be up to date with their vaccinations and wear masks indoors.

Enrollment Agreement Reminder

The deadline for parents/legal guardians to complete their returning student’s online Enrollment Agreement was Friday, April 1. If you have not already done so, please log in to your SchoolAdmin account and complete this process.

Please note that to complete enrollment for your student for the 2022–2023 academic year, you will have to pay the Enrollment Deposit and set up your payment plan in FACTS. (Both actions can be accessed via your SchoolAdmin account checklist.) Once you complete the online enrollment process, please visit The Hive (on or after May 3) to complete all remaining 2022–2023 registration requirements. Questions? Please send us an email.

Music Concert April 16

The Department of Music invites members of the PA community to a concert, “Three Centuries of Trios,” in Cochran Chapel next Saturday evening from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Find out more here.

Kington Investiture May 7

The Board of Trustees invites the Phillips Academy community to the investiture of Head of School Raynard S. Kington, MD, PhD, P’24, on Saturday, May 7, at 11 a.m. on the Richard T. Greener Quadrangle. Board President Amy Falls ’82, P’19, ’21, will lead the ceremony to formally “charge” our 16th head of school. Refreshments will follow in Flagstaff Courtyard.

We hope you can join us for this historic event. Please click here for more information and to register.

Summer Programs Still Open

Andover Summer’s flagship five-week on-campus program has reached capacity, but not to worry—there are other ways to connect with Andover this summer! We are still accepting applications for our five-week eSummer virtual program, which features 20-plus course selections to satisfy every interest. Or, if you live in the Andover area and your student prefers a shorter academic commitment, consider our open enrollment Advantage program for day students. Questions? Please send us an email.

News from the PSPA

Do you have questions about College Counseling? Join us for a collaborative program on Thursday, April 7, brought to you by the PSPA and the directors of the College Counseling Office. Please note that all campus visitors must be up to date with their vaccinations and wear masks indoors.

PSPA General Meeting & Speaker Series—TONIGHT!

6:15 p.m. ET—PSPA General Meeting: A light dinner will be served at 5:45 p.m. Underwood Room. Zoom link. Passcode: 1WDcGc
7 p.m. ET—PSPA Speaker Series and Q&A with Directors of College Counseling: All PA parents and guardians are invited! Kemper Auditorium. The panel will explore “A Holistic Approach to an Andover Education”—the value of engaging fully in the Andover experience. Learn how you can support your student’s time at Andover and lay the foundation for a healthy, balanced approach to the college application process. Livestream link.

PSPA Book Club—Sunday, May 1: All are welcome! Join us at 8 p.m. ET for our spring term book club meeting. We will be discussing The Last Flight, by Julie Clark. Please email us to receive the Zoom invitation.

Plan Ahead for Graduation: Sunny spring days mean that Commencement is right around the corner!

Diploma Frames: The PSPA partners with Church Hill to offer archival quality diploma frames customized with the Phillips Academy seal and school name. A custom diploma frame is the perfect graduation gift to showcase and protect your student’s achievement. See frames and learn more here.
Senior Lawn Signs: Don’t miss out—order a custom-printed lawn sign for your senior! To honor our graduates, the PSPA has partnered with Kelly Wentworth Photography in nearby Tewksbury to offer lawn signs for the Class of 2022. The sign can be purchased as a yard sign, complete with frame—or as a digital file, which gives you the flexibility to print the sign near you. A portion of the proceeds will go toward PSPA events and activities. Select from three designs and order here by the April 30 deadline.
Campus Closet also has official Commencement ties, graduation gifts, and a great selection of warmer weather clothing and gear. Shop in person tomorrow, Friday, from noon to 4 p.m. (lower level of George Washington Hall). Or shop online 24/7; on-campus delivery is free!

This Week’s Religious Gatherings

Campus visitors must be fully vaccinated; masks are required indoors.

Friday, April 8

1 p.m.—Muslim Student Association (MSA) Jummah Prayers: Led by Noureddine El Alam. Meditation Room, lower level of Cochran Chapel (side entrance)
5:30–6:30 p.m.—Jewish Shabbat Service and JSU Meeting: Led by Rabbi Michael Swarttz. Paul’s Room, upper level of Paresky Commons. All are welcome!

Sunday, April 10

6:45–7:30 p.m.—Roman Catholic Mass—Palm Sunday: Overseen by Dr. Mary Kantor, Catholic chaplain, with priests of the Archdiocese of Boston presiding. Kemper Chapel, lower level of Cochran Chapel (side entrance). Reception will follow.

Protestant Holy Week Announcements

6 p.m. April 10—Palm Sunday: In anticipation of Holy Week, we will gather with Rev. Gina to decorate Easter Eggs and share a simple children’s book about these holy days. We will meet in CAMD in Morse Hall. Please email Rev. Gina with any questions.
6 p.m. April 14—Maundy Thursday: Join Rev. Gina in her apartment for a simple dinner of soup and bread and some reflective time together for Holy Thursday—the night we retell and remember the Last Supper of Jesus and the events set into motion that night. "All are welcome," says Rev. Gina "but it would be great to know how many are coming so I’m sure to have enough food. Please drop me an email."
5:45 a.m. April 17—Easter Sunday—Sunrise Service: Come for early morning Easter rejoicing and hallelujahs! Rev. Gina will offer a casual sunrise service on the road at the top of the graveyard (the road that runs from Highland Road to the back of Sam Phil). There will be a firepit and breakfast treats! All are welcome. (Boarding students will need to ask permission from their house counselors to leave the dorm extra early on Easter morning.)

Curriculum Corner—Web App Development

Highlights of the Academy’s extensive course offerings

The proliferation of websites and the demand for increasingly complex content have led to an explosion of programming solutions for developing web pages. Web App Development is a computer science course that introduces students to building web pages in the latest versions of HTML and CSS and programming in JavaScript, the most popular option for offering dynamic behavior on the web. Along with exploring the tools needed for deploying and managing their own websites, students get a preview of other aspects of programming for the web, such as databases, server-side systems, and web frameworks.

You Are Invited!

April 1–30 in Dallas and Hybrid: The Family Place Non Sibi Project, with Mimi Crume Sterling ’95
April 15 in Washington, DC: Meals on Wheels Non Sibi Project, with John Patrick ’65
April 16 on Campus: Three Centuries of Trios, presented by the Department of Music
April 20: Peabody Diggin’ In Series: Chicanx in the Wilderness: Arborglyphs, Perceptions of People and Place, and the Role of Archaeology in Chicana/o Studies, with Dr. Troy Lovata
April 21 in New York: Excellence at Our Core, with Head of School Raynard S. Kington, MD, PhD, P’24
April 23 in Concord, MA: Gaining Ground Non Sibi Project, with Jeff Hunt ’82, P’25
April 23 in New York: Flushing Meadows Corona Park Earth Week Non Sibi Project, with Candace Douglas ’00
April 23 in Chatsworth, CA: Operation Gratitude Non Sibi Project, with the Southern California Regional Leadership Team
April 23 in San Francisco: Audubon Society Habitat Restoration Non Sibi Project, with Winston Wyckoff ’78, P’12
April 24 in Andover, MA: Ironstone Farm Non Sibi Project, with Lynne Hunter ’90
April 26 in Washington, DC: Excellence at Our Core, with Head of School Raynard S. Kington, MD, PhD, P’24
April 28 in Seattle and Hybrid: Andover for Afghans Non Sibi Project, with Michael Megalli ’89, P’20
April 30 in Atlanta: Whitehall Terrace Community Gardens Non Sibi Project, organized by Gabe Wardell ’89 and Chrystal Akor ’00
May 1 in Cambridge MA: Transition House Non Sibi Project, with Tiffany Horne Noonan ’99
May 7 on Campus: Investiture of Raynard S. Kington, MD, PhD, P’24
May 14 in New York: Andover Family-Friendly Day at the Park
May 16 in Denver: Excellence at Our Core, with Head of School Raynard S. Kington, MD, PhD, P’24
May 17 in Los Angeles: Excellence at Our Core, with Head of School Raynard S. Kington, MD, PhD, P’24
May 18 in San Francisco: Excellence at Our Core, with Head of School Raynard S. Kington, MD, PhD, P’24

Many events are now in person. Join us whenever and however you can! Remember, all campus visitors must be up to date with their vaccinations and wear masks indoors.

Please check the Events Calendar on Andover’s website regularly for additional in-person and online events that may be open to families. The Weekender is the Academy’s one-stop guide to weekend student activities, opportunities, club-organized events, guest speakers, performances, and athletic contests.

Family Bulletin Archive »

Phillips Academy
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Andover, MA 01810

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