Family Weekend October 22–24

We look forward to welcoming families back to campus Friday, October 22, to Sunday, October 24. Please mark your calendars!

Family Weekend provides a unique glimpse into your child’s daily life at Andover and includes activities such as classroom visits with your child’s instructors, student performances, and athletic events. Highlights include:

All-School Meeting with Head of School Raynard S. Kington, MD, PhD, P’24
Campus tour
Meet with your boarding student’s house counselor or your day student’s advisor
Cheer on your child during athletic competitions

More information will be coming your way in the next few weeks, and registration will open soon.

In consideration of the health and safety of visitors and our campus community, we ask that attendees be fully vaccinated and wear masks for indoor events. Please monitor your health prior to visiting campus. If you are feeling unwell, please plan to stay home. Thank you!

Health & Wellness—Looking Ahead

An Andover Campus Public Health Update email was sent to families yesterday. After this week’s COVID-19 testing (and the end of our students’ initial quarantine), we hope to achieve a lower risk level—which could be as soon as this Saturday, September 18.

Some of the changes that could be implemented when we reach the lower risk level are:

Although indoor masking will be required until at least October 1, masks will be optional for boarding students within their own dorm. We are not yet allowing dorm visiting.
Fully vaccinated students may walk downtown. When students are indoors downtown, they should mask.
Meals may be consumed in Paresky Commons.
Day Excuses and Overnight permissions—Fully vaccinated students may request day excuses from cluster deans. Overnight permission requests were due to cluster deans by 10 a.m. today (Thursday). Requests will be approved for the following:
- Attend club sport commitments
- Auditions
- Music/dance/theatre rehearsal
- Time-sensitive activities, such as college visits and family events
Student who receive overnight permission will be added to the following week’s testing cohort and test the next two consecutive testing days—Monday and Thursday. Note: These students MUST check back into campus through the Sykes Wellness Center in order to pick up saliva testing tubes. If a student misses a required test, they will lose overnight permission for the rest of the term.

Look for a follow-up communication on Saturday morning with updated information.

From the Dean of Studies Office

Please note that, as The Blue Book states, each student is the only person permitted to use their Phillips Academy credentials. No one else—including parents/guardians—may access a student’s Phillips Academy email, PAnet, or Canvas sites.

Parents have access to The Hive to see all things Andover! Students have access to the new PAnet. Having separate places for students and parents to access information builds student independence, self-advocacy, and strong partnerships both on and off campus.

Rest and Downtime! It is possible in the coming weeks, as homework kicks in and students begin preparing for assessments, that they will experience a bit of unexpected anxiety. Please check in with your child to be sure they are getting enough rest, exercise, and downtime. The past 18 months have been disruptive for many students and they may be feeling all sorts of emotions. The return to school in September is always an adjustment, and the adjustments may feel bigger and more challenging for some students this year. We are so happy to have your child with us on campus! We are always here for them! Please remind them to reach out to their trusted adults if they need help.

Sending Mail to Your Students: We have had several reports of packages being addressed incorrectly and delivered to other addresses in surrounding towns. If you are mailing any package to your student, please address as follows:

[Your Student’s Full Name]
Phillips Academy
180 Main Street
Andover, MA 01810

News from the PSPA

Thank you to everyone who joined us in person and via Zoom and livestream for our first general meeting and speaker series with Dr. Kington, Jenny Elliott, assistant head of school for residential life and dean of students, Linda Carter Griffith, associate head of school for equity, inclusion, and wellness, and Dr. Amy Patel, medical director. A recording of the event is posted on The Hive under Resources/Information Videos.

Volunteers Needed: Please let us know if you would like to volunteer in any capacity with the PSPA. Ways to volunteer—some remote and some on campus—include Campus Closet, Class Rep Parent committee member, Parent Engagement, Virtual Summer Opportunities Fair, and activities planning (such as Casino Night and Andover-Exeter Weekend), marketing and communications, and more. Please email us your area of interest and availability, and we will be sure to work around your preferences!

Virtual Book Club Meeting—Sunday, November 7, 8–9 p.m. EDT: All are welcome! In this first book club meeting of the new school year, we will be discussing The Vanishing Half, by Brit Bennet. Please email us so we can send you a Zoom invitation.

Stay Informed: Connect with the PSPA! Here are four easy ways to be in the know about upcoming events and on-campus activities:

Newsletter: Subscribe to receive PSPA news and updates.
Instagram: Follow us @pspaandover and @pspa_campuscloset.
Facebook: Join our group, Parents of Students of Phillips Academy.
Website: Visit the PSPA website for detailed information and helpful links.

We look forward to an exciting and enriching year together!
—Sonia Virmani P’22 and Gillian Pearlson P’21, ’23
PSPA Co-Presidents

Religious Services This Week

Please note: Masks will be required at ALL indoor gatherings.

Friday, September 17

1 p.m.—Muslim Student Association (MSA) Prayers: Led by Noureddine El-Alam. Meditation Room, side entrance on lower level of Cochran Chapel.

5:30–6:30 p.m.—Jewish Shabbat Service and JSU Meeting: Led by Rabbi Michael Swarttz. Kemper Chapel (side entrance on lower level of Cochran Chapel). All are welcome!

Sunday, September 19

6 p.m.—Protestant (Ecumenical) Service: Led by Rev. Gina M. Finocchiaro, interim Protestant chaplain. Music by Michael Belcher. All are welcome for this time of scripture, prayer, spoken reflection, and music! This week we will gather inside the main chapel of Cochran Chapel.

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

You Are Invited

September 22: Peabody Diggin’ In Series—Episode 4: The Indigenous Paleolithic of the Western Hemisphere, with Dr. Paulette Steeves
October 4: Blue Runs Deep Industry Series: A Conversation with Alumni in Law
October 5 in Boston: Excellence at Our Core, in person with Head of School Raynard S. Kington, MD, PhD, P’24
October 7: Excellence at Our Core, with Head of School Raynard S. Kington, MD, PhD, P’24
October 22–24 on Campus: Family Weekend 2021
October 29: Andover Alumni Award of Distinction 2021
November 6 in New York: Meals on Wheels Non Sibi Project, with Marcia McCabe ’73
November 8: Blue Runs Deep Industry Series: A Conversation with Alumni in Medicine
November 11 on Campus and Online: 12th Annual Veterans Day Program and Dinner, with LCDR Ali Ghaffari ’98, USN
November 18: Excellence at Our Core, with Head of School Raynard S. Kington, MD, PhD, P’24

All events are virtual unless otherwise noted. We hope you can join us!

Please check the campus Events Calendar weekly. You’ll find additional campus and online events that may be open to families, including special student presentations, music, theatre, and dance performances, and athletic competitions.

Phillips Academy
180 Main St.
Andover, MA 01810

You received this message because you are a valued member of the Andover community. We are obligated to communicate with you, and require you to be on our email list while your student(s) attends Phillips Academy. For more information contact the Dean of Studies Office.