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Head of School’s Election Perspective
Participation in the democratic process is one of our greatest privileges and responsibilities. I believe this is true for students who are voting for the first time and for those engaging with the issues but not yet of voting age. This is also true for us adults witnessing perhaps the most divisive political season in a lifetime.
Fortunately, at Andover, we have the benefit of deeply held school values to guide us through challenging times. The unity of knowledge and goodness—essential to academic excellence—compels us to face these challenges with intellectual rigor, humility, and empathy.
As students will hear at All-School Meeting on Monday, we must also uphold our community standard of civil discourse. This practice leads to deeper understanding; it is an essential component of an intellectual community; and it is crucial during these turbulent times.
Inspired by our values, faculty and staff are responding to these historic times with educational programs and resources. The library and history department speaker series explores presidential elections, past and present, from a range of viewpoints. CAMD programs examine ballot questions, the Electoral College, and voting rights. EBI instructors are considering a series of prompts to help students process their own experiences.
Preparing the campus community for an outcome in the presidential race or an extended process—perhaps without a winner declared on November 3—also has been on my mind. I am grateful to colleagues in CAMD, the Sykes Wellness Center, the Chaplaincy, and the Brace Center for Gender Studies, who will host Zoom drop-in sessions or affinity spaces for support.
While we are approaching Election Day on the calendar, it is also painfully obvious that the “political season” is anything but seasonal. Combative rhetoric and incivility disrupt our society daily—all the more reason why I am grateful for places like Andover.
This community is passionate about the exploration of ideas and the pursuit of knowledge to advance the human condition. No matter what we may think of an idea, our values ask us to treat those who are part of the intellectual exchange as people worthy of our respect.
In the days ahead, we will lean in to Andover’s mission to educate with a focus on knowledge and goodness. To my mind, there is no better expression of our responsibility to support one another and to advance democracy in action.
—Raynard Kington, MD, PhD, P’24
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Family Weekend Follow-Up
Thank you for joining us for virtual Family Weekend. We have heard a lot of positive feedback and hope that was your experience. Please take a moment to share your feedback by completing this short survey. If you missed some events—or would like to see them again—please check out the recorded programming, available on The Hive and the Andover website.
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CAMD Scholar Presentation Tomorrow
The Office of Community and Multicultural Development (CAMD) is pleased to announce its first virtual CAMD Scholar presentation on Friday, October 30, at 8 p.m. Irene Kwon ’21 will speak on her research project, “The Medical Mystery: Racial Disparities in the American Healthcare System.” Can healthcare be racist? Can science be biased? These questions arise in a contemporary setting in which health outcomes are drastically different depending on the color of one’s skin. Kwon’s faculty advisor is Clair Dahm, instructor in history. Zoom link. Passcode: Irene20
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End of Term Details
Boarding students residing on campus will be required to pack up and move out of their dorm rooms at the end of fall term. Phillips Academy has partnered with Collegeboxes to provide a solution for those who need to store their belongings.
How Collegeboxes Can Help
Collegeboxes will provide packing kits (boxes, labels, markers), and students will be responsible for packing and labeling all items. Collegeboxes will pick up the items, place them in storage, and then deliver them to your child’s dorm room just before the start of next term. There are costs associated with this service. Below is the essential information and important dates.
Monday, November 9
- Last day to sign up AND still receive a Collegeboxes supply kit
Friday November 13
- ABSOLUTE last day to sign up (must purchase/find your own boxes)
- Final delivery of previously ordered supply kits (boxes)
Pick Up
- All boxes must be packed and everything labeled and organized BEFORE the student leaves campus.
Bus Service to NYC
Phillips Academy will offer transportation to New York City, with a stop in Darien, Conn., at 3:45 p.m. on Friday, November 20—the last day of fall term. The cost is $90. Drop-off occurs at the service plaza in Darien and at Dock 2 at the Port Authority Bus South Terminal in New York City. Please read this document for more information and to access the bus form. C&J Bus Lines has successfully transported our students at breaks for the last few years. Only PA students will ride this bus. Students must stay masked for the entire ride, sanitize their hands getting on and off the bus, and will be spread out to maintain social distancing.
For transportation to Logan (Boston) and Manchester (N.H.) Airports, students can make arrangements with private taxi and limousine service providers. Flight Line, Inc. is a popular choice for our students.
If you have questions or need more information, email Claudia Scofield or call 978-749-4124.
Departing Campus- Classes end Friday, November 20, at 3 p.m. Students can leave after their last class, but all students must be out of the dorms by noon on Saturday, November 21. Students who need to leave earlier (and will complete the term remotely) should reach out to their class dean as soon as possible.
Dorm Move-Out- To protect other students living in the dorms, boarders will need to pack and move their belongings out of the dorm by themselves. Ideally, they have followed our guidance to only bring what they are able to carry. Family or friends need to remain in or near their vehicles. Please wear a mask if outside your vehicle.
- Students MUST TAKE EVERYTHING with them. Nothing can be left behind—not in the room, not in the basement, not in common areas. Remove all items from furniture or closet and from the walls.
- Phillips Academy cannot store or ship any items. Refer to Collegeboxes above if you wish to have your student’s items stored.
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Campus Health Updates
Be sure to watch Dr. Amy Patel, our medical director, as she continues to share weekly video updates on the Academy’s public health metrics, local and campus risk levels, and resulting action plans.
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Student Surveys for Winter Term
Your student will receive a brief online Qualtrics survey this week to verify their home time zone for winter term, as all classes will be remote the month of December. This information will be used to help create accurate winter term schedules. Survey deadline is Monday, November 2. Next week, students will receive an online Academy Compass survey to collect winter term addresses so books can be shipped to the proper location.
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Updates from Parent Development Thank you to everyone who attended this morning's Parent Fund webinar—“The Parent Fund: A Critical Resource during Challenging Times”—with Assistant Head of School for Operations and Finance Ferd Alonso and Secretary of the Academy Thom Lockerby. It was wonderful to share how the Parent Fund is a vital component of the Academy’s budget, especially in this unique year. For those unable to join the webinar, please note that we will be sending you a recording shortly.
Parent participation and your support—Andover aspires to have every family contribute to the Parent Fund annually at whatever amount is right for them. This year is off to a good start, thanks to the 134 families who have already given back to the Academy. In the coming weeks you may be contacted by a fellow PA parent volunteering with the Parent Fund Committee to encourage your support. Please engage with them and ask any questions you may have. Every Parent Fund gift counts toward our collective goal of 100 percent parent participation.
New Parent Fund Committee vice chairs—On behalf of the Office of Academy Resources, we are excited to welcome Malcolm ’89 and Monica Palmer P’23 as the new vice chairs of the Parent Fund Committee for 2020–2021. The Palmers have been connected to and involved with the Academy for many years as (MS)2 Advisory Board members, Reunion Planning Committee members, and most recently as Parent Fund Class Captains. Malcolm and Monica also hosted the Academy’s first reception for Black and Latinx families during Family Weekend 2019. We are delighted to have them both continue on as leaders of the Parent Fund Committee, sharing their experience, enthusiasm, and creativity in support of our philanthropic and engagement goals.
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Pot Pourri Deadline Tomorrow
Parents of seniors: If you would like to place a “Family Ad” in the Pot Pourri yearbook—with a special message to your child that includes photos of your choice—the deadline is Saturday, October 31! January 10 is the deadline for submitting your child’s Senior Portrait.
Please review this important yearbook letter for more information. Families of juniors, lowers, and uppers, please learn how you can help with content this year and how to purchase a yearbook. Questions? Just send the Pot Pourri staff an email.
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Religious Services
Muslim Student Association (MSA) Prayers—Friday, October 30, 12:15 p.m.: Mr. Noureddine El Alam, advisor. Meditation room, lower level of Cochran Chapel. All students approved to be on campus are welcome.
Jewish Shabbat Service and Jewish Student Union (JSU) Meeting—Friday, October 30, 5:30–6:30 p.m.: Led by Rabbi Michael Swarttz. All are welcome! Zoom link.
Protestant (Ecumenical) Service—Sunday, November 1, 6 p.m.: Led by the Reverend Gina M. Finocchiaro, interim Protestant chaplain. Music by Michael Belcher and others. All are welcome! Zoom link.
Roman Catholic Worship—Sunday, November 1, 6:45–7:30 p.m.: Worship with the Catholic Community at Andover, followed by fellowship and discussion led by Dr. Mary Kantor and the Catholic Student Fellowship (CSF) leaders. The worship format follows the Liturgy of the Word (scripture service with reflection, music, and prayers) of the first half of the Catholic Mass, but is not a full live or recorded Mass. All are welcome! Zoom link.
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News from the PSPA
Thank you to the numerous families that joined us for the virtual mixers during Family Weekend! We were thrilled to see familiar faces and many new ones as well. Please visit our website to take a peek at the fun movies and book suggestions shared by fellow parents. Please also take a moment to complete Andover’s Anti-Racist Task Force Family Interest survey.
Virtually Walk or Run 5K With Us—Join your fellow Andover parents and guardians from all over the world for a fun virtual 5K! Walk or run your 5K any time during the weekend of November 6–8 and post your time and photos (optional) to PSPA’s Facebook page or Instagram (#pspaandover). For those without a Facebook or Instagram account, you may email your time and photos and we will post them for you. Exciting Campus Closet prizes will be given to the best time for the runner and the best time for the walker, and possibly for a photo or two! Please email the PSPA with any questions.
In the spirit of non sibi and Thanksgiving, we encourage you to make a food donation to a local charity in your area.
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You Are Invited! - October 29: Meet Our 16th Head of School, Raynard S. Kington, MD, PhD, P’24, hosted by the New York Regional Leadership Team
- November 5: Wine Tasting with Lindsay Hoopes ’99
- November 11: 11th Annual Veterans Day Program with Cmdr. Sali Gear, USN, ’79
- November 12: A Conversation with Megan Greene ’97 and Tedd Parker P’23
- November 17: Meet Our 16th Head of School, Raynard S. Kington, MD, PhD, P’24, hosted by the Pan-European Regional Leadership Team
- November 18: To Make Visible: Art and Activism, 1980–2000, an Addison Gallery Talk
- December 2: How to Non Sibi—Toolkit for a Virtual World
- December 9: Meet Our 16th Head of School, Raynard S. Kington, MD, PhD, P’24, hosted by the Southern California Regional Leadership Team
- December 15: Meet Our 16th Head of School, Raynard S. Kington, MD, PhD, P’24, hosted by the Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia Regional Leadership Teams
All events are virtual unless otherwise noted. Please join us!
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