Around Campus

We all are enjoying one of the nicest New England springs in recent memory. In spite of some rainy days and the resulting water in our basements, temperatures for the most part have been moderate. Students and faculty have been reveling in the sunshine and opportunities to have class outside or just hang out on the Great Lawn. Every week seems to bring another rite of passage for the senior class. Last week, in between classes and games of Four-Square, they posed for the class photo on the steps of SamPhil. We all are beginning to feel a bit nostalgic.

Housing

While the seniors are making their college decisions, boarding students in other classes are focused on housing assignments for 2010-2011. Parents may hear in the voices of their otherwise calm and self-assured children worry about dorm placement for next year. We can assure you that it will all work out fine in the end. If you have questions about the school-wide lottery system, please consult the Blue Book, page 19. Students with questions or concerns should speak with their house counselors or cluster deans.

Parents of Students at Phillips Academy (PSPA)

As student clubs are changing leadership this term, Parents of Students at Phillips Academy has installed a new board to carry forward the organization’s two-fold mission. The first goal is to provide parents with information about life at PA and a forum for connecting with other PA parents. Monthly meetings feature guest speakers, usually faculty members or administrators, who present topics of interest and update parents on new initiatives. PSPA’s second goal is to support PA students by funding class activities and club grants, purchasing equipment, and providing money for an ongoing endowment fund. To raise money, PSPA sells PA merchandise and the Senior DVD, and also hosts the Summer Opportunities Fair. Throughout the school year, PSPA offers many volunteer opportunities for parents. To learn more, visit pspa@pspaandover.org.

PSPA is governed by a board of 18 members who are elected annually in March and meet monthly throughout the school year. A list of board members appears below; currently, there is open position for a Director of Communication. If you are interested in joining the board, please contact pspa@pspaandover.org.

PSPA Board Members
President	Susan Howell	Susan.Howell@comcast.net
First Vice President	Joe Carrolo	jcarrolo@me.com
Second Vice Presidents (Merchandising)	Lilly Yau Lisa Hanson	wkyau@verizon.net lishans@comcast.net
Secretary	Eileen Rullo	sunsetrock@comcast.net
Director of Communication
Director of Finance	Jennie Gaiss	jagaiss@yahoo.com
Co-Directors of Summer Opportunities	Vineeta Kapoor Tanyeli Ballinger	Vineeta121@gmail.com tanyabb@hotmail.com
Director of Regional Activities	Sandra Terry	lenderterry@yahoo.com
Class Representative	Karen Woonton	woonton@comcast.net
Class of 2011 Representative	Cynthia Kelly	cmkelly18@comcast.net
Class of 2012 Representative	Rosemary Palleschi	RosemaryPalleschi@supermedia.com
Class of 2013 Representatives	Pam Roche Laurie Fraser	pdhv@comcast.net pfraser@comcast.net
Class of 2014 Representative	TBD

PSPA’s next meeting will be on Thursday, May 13th at 7 p.m. in Davis Hall. A panel of senior students, moderated by a college counselor, will discuss “Lessons Learned During the College Application Process.” All meetings are taped and can be viewed 2-3 days later on the Parent Portal.

Thank you, PSPA!

Summer Opportunities

Along with their focus on spring term academics, athletics and activities, many students and their families are making summer plans. PA’s Summer & Interim Opportunities Office is a wonderful resource for students exploring summer programs and adventures, including internships, jobs, academic and language programs, both in the U.S. and abroad. The office is located on the third floor of GW Hall and is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Information is also available online at www.andover.edu/studentlife/summeropportuities.