Parent Bulletin

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

October 5, 2012

The Kaleidoscope All-School Meeting Series brings a balanced perspective to contemporary issues. In this presidential election year we focus on politics. Last week, a former White House press secretary under President Clinton, DeeDee Myers, offered the Democratic Party perspective. Former Florida Governor and PA alumnus Jeb Bush ’71 followed this week with the Republican point of view. Head of School John Palfrey challenged students to reflect upon anything they heard that was surprising or anything that might have caused them to change their minds. Students and the entire PA community are now using social media to continue the exchange with our guests. See full Kaleidoscope coverage in next week’s News from Andover.

In Touch with…

John E. Rogers, Dean of Studies

Building and maintaining a community of trust is especially vital to an educational enterprise. In such a community, one has the opportunity to move beyond narrow measures of success and achievement and to take the kinds of risks that allow for true growth—academic and personal. Recent unfortunate examples of wide-spread cheating at institutions around the nation remind us of the importance of helping students understand the nature of academic integrity, and of grounding that understanding in a broader notion of shared community values.

One year ago, I wrote to update you on some significant changes in how Andover faculty engage with students on the topic of academic integrity and how we respond when students do not meet our expectations in this area. Those conversations have been renewed in our classrooms and advising groups this fall. Our approach is summarized in my message from last fall.

PSPA News

PSPA Parent Meeting, Tuesday, October 23 at 7 p.m., in Kemper Auditorium. Guest speaker is nationally renowned sleep expert Dr. James Maas, author of PowerSleep: The Revolutionary Program that prepares your mind for peak performance. Join us to hear about Dr. Maas’ sleep research and suggestions. Presentation will be followed by a Q&A session. Dr. Maas will address students the following day at All-School Meeting as the featured Wellness Week speaker.
Parent-to-Parent Forum on PARENTS’ WEEKEND, Friday, October 26, 3–4:30 p.m., in Kemper Auditorium: For the first time ever, PSPA and Graham House Counseling Center are joining forces to offer this new program. A panel of parents and Graham House counselors will address the challenges of parenting adolescents and adjusting to life at PA from the perspective of international parents, local and distant boarding parents, and day student parents. Topics include communicating with your child when they are at boarding school, what to do when things aren’t going well with your child’s health/academic/social life, parental separation anxiety over changing family dynamics, and the challenges of school versus family life. Parents will have an opportunity to talk one-on-one with each other and Graham House counselors after the panel concludes. If you have additional topics you would like to see covered during this session, please email pspa@pspaandover.org before October 19th.
The meeting video from PSPA’s Fall Reception with John Palfrey on September 13 is now available on the PSPA website. PASSWORD: PAparent.

College Financial Aid Information Program

Local families are invited to attend Andover High School’s annual Financial Aid Night on Tuesday, October 9, at 7 p.m. in the Collins Center Auditorium (80 Shawsheen Road, Andover). The program will provide students and parents with critical information about planning and financing a college education. For more information, please contact the PA College Counseling Office at 978-749-4150.

Required Notifications from Environmental Health & Safety

Each year, Phillips Academy is required to inform parents about the management of asbestos-containing materials and the use of termite-baiting stations on campus. This information can be found on the PAnet Parent Portal. To access, click on Parent Resources then Getting Started: FAQ. The notifications are part of the Environmental Health & Safety section. Please contact Deb Russell at 978-749-4349 or drussell@andover.edu if you have any questions.

Upcoming Events

Friday, October 5

Middle East speaker, Avi Melamet, on The Middle East 2012: Winds of Change—The Arab Awakening, Israel and the Region. Mural Room, Paresky Commons 5:30 p.m.
Niswarth Night, a lively and interactive celebration of the academy’s service-learning Niswarth Program. Underwood Room 6–7:30 p.m.
Poetry reading and performance by Willie Perdomo, a prize-winning Nuyorican poet and children’s book author, Kemper Auditorium 7 p.m. This event is free and open to the public.

Saturday, October 6

Non Sibi Day 2012
Sol y Canto, an internationally known Pan-Latin ensemble, Kemper Auditorium 7 p.m. Free and open to the public. For further information please contact the Music Department at (978)749-4260 or music@andover.edu.

Sunday, October 7

Savannah Country Day School Concert Choir in Cochran Chapel 7 p.m. Free and open to the public. For further information please contact the music department at (978)749-4263 music@andover.edu.

Tuesday, October 9

Michael “Giant” Andrew, an Innu activist, reads from his book Giants Dream: A healing journey through Nitassinan. Addison Gallery Museum Learning Center 6–7:45 p.m. See the Addison Gallery website for more information.

Wednesday, October 10

Addison Gallery screenings and discussion about Innu films and the exhibition Pekupatikut Innuat Akunikana/Pictures Woke the people Up: an Innu Project with Wendy Ewald ’69 and Eric Gottesman ’94. Addison Gallery Museum Learning Center 6–7:45 p.m. See the Addison Gallery website for more information.

Saturday, October 13

Celebration & Reception for Pekupatikut Innuat Akunikana/Pictures Woke the People Up: An Innu Project with Wendy Ewald & Eric Gottesman, Addison Gallery, 3–5 p.m. This event is free and open to the public. Visit the Addison Gallery website for more information on this and the ongoing American Vanguards exhibit.

Friday, October 19

Pianist Gabriel Chodos in Cochran Chapel 7 p.m. Free and open to the public. For further information please contact the music department at (978)749-4263 music@andover.edu.