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Parent Bulletin
Phillips Academy Head of School Office
Rebecca Sykes, associate head of school
May 1, 2013
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PLEASE
NOTE: We are resending the April 26 issue of the Parent Bulletin
because we just discovered there was a problem with the distribution
list and not all parents received it. We apologize to those who are
receiving it for a second time, and to those we missed last week.
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This
edition of the Parent Bulletin is more “robust” than usual, but we hope
you will read to the end for several important notices about what is
coming up here at Andover. You will note that the local ABC house is
sponsoring a 5K race to benefit their program as well as the victims of
the Boston Marathon bombings. This is but one way in which our extended
community is channeling the reactions to the tragedy into positive
action. Phillips Academy’s Non Sibi Society has also mounted efforts to
raise money for the victims and their families. While the benefits and
news reports remind us daily of the devastation wrought in Boston, our
students are resilient and have generally returned to their routines. We
remain vigilant, however, for any indications that students need extra
support, whether triggered by the awful acts in Boston or other
concerns.
On
Wednesday, May 1, Phillips Academy will be conducting a test of our
emergency notification system. At approximately 10 a.m. EST on this
date, you will receive text and voice messages that will constitute the
test of the system. The text message will come from one of two numbers: 226787 or 67283.
If you create “PA Emergency Alert” as the name for a phone contact for
both of these numbers, you will always know when a notification is
coming from the Academy’s emergency notification system. Please note
that the voice message will appear to come from the Phillips Academy
number 978-749-4102. If you see that you have missed a call from this
number, please do not call the number back. You will have a voice
message indicating the nature of the test.
If, by 10:45 a.m. EST, you have not received an emergency notification text or voice message, please contact Maureen Ferris at mferris@andover.edu
with your cell phone number and email address so that she may ensure
that your information is included accurately in the system. Going
forward, we plan to test the system once per term.
Thanks in advance for participating in this important aspect of our emergency preparedness. |
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In Touch with…
Paul Murphy, Dean of Students
The
Dean of Students Office, located on the garden level of George
Washington Hall, is a busy place!
We have just finished with cluster elections, are in the midst of
approving seniors’ trips to colleges, and are just beginning the
selection of rooms for next year’s returning students
Next
year, we will welcome two new cluster deans. Raj Mundra, who started at
Andover in 1991, will succeed Aya Murata as dean of Pine Knoll cluster,
where she has served since 2005. Aya, who arrived in 1992, will
continue as advisor to Asian and Asian-American students and will join
the College Counseling office. Kate Dolan, who began at Andover in 1988,
will succeed Trish Russell in West Quad South, where she has been
interim dean. Trish, who joined the faculty in 1985, will assume the
position of Dean of Studies next year.
In
the coming weeks, if your child is a boarding student, I am sure you
will feel the energy that is created by the room selection process for
next year. We give students quite a bit of leeway in this process and we
are ready and able to help counsel them in the best way possible. A
system that honors seniority, squatters rights, and cluster affiliation
is augmented by a good old-fashioned lottery system for those who wish
to leave their cluster.
We
know this is also a time of transition for everyone. Seniors are
getting ready to graduate – and we will miss them! Uppers and lowers are
preparing for formal and informal leadership roles next year. Juniors
are looking forward to being “in the know” next fall! We are actively
engaged in shepherding them through each phase.
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Independent School Health Check
The
Community Health Team will administer the Independent School Health
Check (ISHC) to our entire student body on Friday, May 17, 2013 from
9:40-10:20 am. The ISHC is a survey administered to high school students
in independent schools around the country. Several of our peer schools
participate, and 6 of the 8 Eight Schools Association schools will
participate this year. We plan to use this data to guide the enhancement
of the health education program that we will coordinate over the coming
year. The ISHC is given every 2 years, and in 2011 we were able to
achieve 100% participation. We hope to achieve this rate again this
year, and appreciate any support you can lend to this process. |
A Better Chance 5K Race
On
Sunday, April 28, the 3rd annual 5K Fun-Run & Walk held by Andover A
Better Chance (ABC) takes place at 10 a.m., beginning at 134 Main
Street. The first Fun-Run was dedicated as “Hope for Japan” for the
victims of the massive earthquake and tsunami that devastated Japan in
2011. Once again, this 5K event follows on the heels of a tragic and
transformative event, this time much closer to home. Only days after the
Boston Marathon bombings, the lockdown of Boston, and the harrowing
capture of the bombing suspect, we continue to process the events. The
race will give the participants the opportunity to celebrate the
resilient and generous spirit that Boston has shown the world. |
Grandparents’ Day: Saturday, May 11, 2013
Each
spring the Phillips Academy community welcomes grandparents to campus
to spend a special day with their grandchildren and glimpse their
Andover experiences. Grandparents are invited to attend classes with
their grandchild, have lunch at Paresky Commons including a special
dessert celebration with Mr. Palfrey, as well as attend a student
showcase and various athletic events.
If your student’s grandparents need more information about the day or would like to register, please go to www.andover.edu/gpday13. |
Message from PSPA President Tina Kinard
Greetings
from your new PSPA President! My name is Tina Kinard and I am a local
boarding parent living in Lexington, MA. I know how important it is to
feel connected to your child's experience at Andover, and I hope to help
foster and develop that sense of community between PA Parents. Please
feel free to contact me at: pspa@pspaandover.org.
The
next PSPA meeting, on May 9 from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in Kemper
Auditorium features a panel of seniors sharing “Lessons Learned from the
College Admission Process,” moderated by College Counseling. This
should not be missed! Please note that the video of April’s PSPA
Parents’ Meeting, Gems of the Curriculum, is now online for viewing. The password to access videos is: PAparent. |
Phillipian Commencement Issue – Parent Submissions
During
the weekend of June 7-9, The Phillipian will publish its annual
Commencement issue, a longer version of the paper—which captures major
events that happened throughout the school year. Parents may submit a
picture or congratulatory message to their child(ren). In years past,
The Phillipian has received so many submissions for this issue that it
has run several extra pages, and parents often see it as a keepsake.
Commencement ads come in five sizes and can be printed in black and
white or color. You can design your own ad and send it as a JPEG to Zoe Gallagher,
or send your desired pictures and text and our staff will help with the
layout! Please send payment to Stephen Moreland at 180 Main Street,
Andover, MA 01810. Checks should be made payable to Trustees of Phillips Academy. Questions? Please contact Rome Arnold, the Phillipian’s director of operations. Submission deadline is May 26. Thank you for your support! |
Annual College Fair April 29
Phillips
Academy will host its annual College Fair from 5 to 7 p.m. on Monday,
April 29, in the Case Memorial Cage. Students and parents are invited to
attend and meet representatives from more than 150 colleges and
universities from around the world. The fair offers high school students
and their families an ideal opportunity to familiarize themselves with a
wide range of colleges and universities. Representatives from the
participating institutions will be available to answer questions and to
distribute informational literature. Admission is free. For more
information, call the College Counseling Office at 978-749-4155 or
e-mail college-counseling@andover.edu. |
Summer Storage Option
Wondering
what to do with your boarding student’s belongings this summer?
Phillips Academy has partnered with Collegeboxes to provide a solution.
There are fees associated with this service. Collegeboxes will provide
the pickup, storage, and delivery service, and Phillips Academy’s
Central Services Department will sell the supply kits. These kits
contain five, double walled 24x18x16 boxes, packing tape, marker, label
pouches, and zip ties. Individual boxes can also be purchased. Pickups
are scheduled Wednesday, June 5; Thursday, June 6; and Friday, June 7,
which is reserved for seniors and those participating in Commencement.
Visit the Collegeboxes
website to sign up. Click on “Summer Storage and Shipping” and choose
Phillips Academy Andover from the drop-down menu for more information.
Additional information can be found on the Parent Portal. If you have
any questions, please contact Claudia Scofield, in the Dean of Students’
Office, by phone at 978-749-4124 or by email cscofield@andover.edu. |
Upcoming Events
Friday, April 26
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Opening reception for the spring exhibition at the Addison Gallery of American Art, 6 p.m. |
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Senior
Recital featuring David Shin, cello, and Harvey Wu, piano, at 7:30 p.m.
in the Timken Room in Graves Hall. (Free and open to the public.) |
Saturday, April 27
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Senior Recital featuring Anna Stacy, voice, at 7:30 p.m. in the Timken Room in Graves Hall. (Free and open to the public.) |
Sunday, April 28
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Senior
recital featuring Ayaka Shinozaki, flute, and Catherine Choi, violin,
at 3 p.m. in the Timken Room in Graves Hall. (Free and open to the
public.) |
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Niswarth
Conference “The Business of Social Change,” featuring Nitin Nohria,
dean of Harvard Business School and corporate responsibility workshops
led by Andover faculty, students and alumni. Visit http://bit.ly/Ypitr6 to register and learn more. |
Monday, April 29
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College Fair from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Case Memorial Cage. (Free and open to the public.) |
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Brace
Fellow Presentation by Tyler Olkowski ’13, “Pelosi & Clinton: the
Effect of Media Bias on Female Politicians,” School Room, 3rd Floor of
Abbot Hall, 6:15 p.m. Dinner will be served. |
Saturday, May 4
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The Town of Andover’s 9th annual Zero Waste Day, Brickstone Square, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. For more details, visit www.andoverma.gov/dpw/zerowasteday.pdf. (Free and open to the public.) |
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Asian
Arts Bazaar: Home-cooked food from a variety of Asian countries will
be available for purchase and guests can enjoy an array of Asian
cultural activities. GW Mail Room, 5 p.m. |
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Asian
Arts Talent and Fashion Show: Dancing, singing and dazzling
traditional fashions from Asia. Kemper Auditorium, 7:15 p.m. (Free and
open to the public.) |
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Senior recital featuring Lauren Kim, piano, at 7:30 p.m. in the Timken Room in Graves Hall (Free and open to the public.) |
Sunday, May 5
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Senior recital featuring Benjamin Croen, voice, at 2 p.m. in the Timken Room in Graves Hall (Free and open to the public.) |
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Senior Recital featuring Dak Song, piano, at 4 p.m. in the Timken Room in Graves Hall (Free and open to the public.) |
Thursday, May 9
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PSPA
meeting, 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Kemper Auditorium. “Lessons Learned from
the College Admission Process,” a panel of seniors, moderated by College
Counseling. |
Saturday, May 11, Grandparents’ Day
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The
New PSPA Merchandise Store, located in the Lower Level of George
Washington Hall, will be open 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Please come visit us!
(Merchandise is also available on our website. All proceeds support
student activities, clubs, and much more! To order your Senior DVD, and
other Graduation Gifts, please visit: http://pspa.myshopify.com) |
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