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Parent Bulletin
Phillips Academy Head of School Office
Rebecca Sykes, associate head of school
October 19, 2012
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In Touch with…
Carol Israel, Interim Director of Graham House Counseling Center
Every
Parents’ Weekend for years, Graham House counselors have hosted a
presentation and conversation with parents. Each year we come up with a
different catchy title: “Why Smart Kids Make Dumb Choices,” “What New
Brain Research Tells Us About Adolescence,” “The Challenges of Raising
Adolescents in Today’s World.” But every year the goal is the same—for
parents and counselors to explore together how to make sense of
sometimes perplexing teenage behavior and how we manage to support and
supervise our teenagers when they spend so many hours a day operating
independently. Many parents come to these sessions: to listen to us, and
to talk with each other. They share frustrations and strategies. The
conversations have always been wonderful. Counselors provide a context
for these conversations by talking about the normal tasks of
adolescence, the particular challenges of being a PA student, and by
discussing what Phillips Academy and parents can do to be supportive.
For
this year’s Parents’ Weekend, Susan Howell and the PSPA board proposed a
Parent to Parent Forum that would expand upon the traditional Graham
House presentation. We quickly realized that this was a terrific
opportunity for Graham House to collaborate with PSPA, since we share an
interest in being a resource to Phillips Academy parents. More
information about the event can be found on the Parent Portal under the PSPA Parent Involvement tab. We look forward to seeing you on Friday, October 26, at 3 p.m. in Kemper Auditorium.
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Parents’ Weekend October 26-28
Parents’
Weekend 2012 kicks off Friday, October 26. Highlights include an
All-Parent Meeting with Head of School John Palfrey, a Parent to Parent
Forum co-sponsored by the PSPA
and the Graham House Counseling Center, athletic contests, and student
performances. Please note: There are no classes on Monday, October 29.
Click Parents’ Weekend for more details.
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Wellness Week Begins October 22
Next
week, all students will participate in Wellness Week programs. The
academic workload has been restructured so that students can attend
lectures and workshops and participate in small group discussions
centered on health and wellness. At the All-School Meeting on October
24, students will hear nationally renowned sleep expert Dr. James Maas,
author of PowerSleep: The Revolutionary Program that prepares your mind for peak performance. Parents will have an opportunity to hear Maas at the PSPA meeting on October 23.
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Smartphone App Connects PA Students with Healthy Meal Choices
Phillips
Academy students can now quickly and easily check out the Paresky
Commons menu, find nutrition information, provide feedback and more,
with a click of their Smartphone. Phillips Academy Dining/ARAMARK has
launched its CampusDish® Mobile App to assist students in making
healthy, informed meal selections. The app makes it easy for students to
search for meals meeting specific nutrition requirements, further
promoting healthy eating habits. For instance, if a student is looking
for a meal with less than 500 calories or less than 10 grams of fat, he
or she can input the information and quickly view which menu items are
being served and where they are available. The new app also enables
students to submit feedback about the dining program and offer
suggestions. To download the CampusDish® Mobile App, click on the
desired format below (press the ctrl button and hyperlink
simultaneously):
After installation, search for Phillips Academy and it will bring you to the Paresky home page.
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Care Packs
Help
ease the stress of assessment week with a Care Pack full of edible
goodies. Care Packs will be delivered to your student with a
personalized note from you, just before assessment period begins.
Sponsored by the Department of Theatre and Dance, the Care Pack effort
is a fundraiser to support the Theatre and Dance Touring Scholarship
Fund. The department takes a production on an international tour in
alternating years. The next tour will be in the summer of 2014, when our
students will travel to South Africa to participate in the Grahamstown
Arts Festival. To order, please download a form and send it with your payment to:
Care Packs/THDA Dept.
Phillips Academy
180 Main Street
Andover, MA 01810
Please contact Amy Martin at 978-749-4429 or amartin@andover.edu for questions about Care Packs.
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Upcoming Events
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.
Sunday, October 21
- Your Neighborhood Saxophone Quartet
3 p.m. in Graves Hall. Free and open to the public. For further
information please contact the music department at (978)749-4263 music@andover.edu.
Wellness Week October 22–26
Tuesday, October 23
- PSPA Parent Meeting 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.
Parents’ Weekend October 26–28
October 26 and 27
- Grasshopper Night
Performances: A variety entertainment show produced, directed, and
performed by students. Tickets for parents are distributed to students
in advance. See Parents’ Weekend Schedule for more information.
Friday, October 26
- Phillips Academy Orchestra and Band Concert 8 p.m. in Cochran Chapel.
Saturday, October 27
- Student recital 3 p.m., in the Timken Room, Graves Hall.
Sunday, October 28
- Choral Concert featuring the Phillips Academy Chorus, Fidelio Society, and soloists, 3 p.m. in Cochran Chapel.
Monday, October 29
- No classes, College Visiting Day
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