- Saturday, November 8: Andover-Exeter athletic contests. Click here for details.
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Friday, November 21: Students may depart campus after 3 p.m. for Thanksgiving Break.
- November 22–December 2, Thanksgiving Break: Students must depart by noon on Saturday, November 22.
- Tuesday, December 2: Dorms reopen at 8 a.m. Boarding students must return by 8 p.m.
- Wednesday, December 3: Term 2 classes begin for all students.
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Did you know that the Andover-Exeter athletic rivalry is the oldest high school sports rivalry in the country? Come out and support the Big Blue this weekend at the annual A-E fall matchups, held this year at Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire. Click here for details. Go Big Blue!
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Families: Join the “Andover–Exeter Challenge” today! |
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It’s happening NOW: The longest-running sports rivalry in prep school history is back. And while our student-athletes prepare to compete in the Andover-Exeter games, PA families, alumni, and the greater Andover community are invited to rally in a different competition—this one off the field. And we’re in it to win it!
The Andover-Exeter Challenge is a 48-hour fundraising competition that’s all about participation—getting the highest number of people to donate, not the highest dollar amount.
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How can you help us beat Phillips Exeter Academy, our New Hampshire rival?
Participate! Make an online gift—of any size—between now and noon on Friday, November 7. The school with the most donors wins!
Your gift to the A-E Challenge will fuel the Andover Fund, which helps our students WIN every day. You’ll drive their achievements in the classroom. Elevate their performances on stage. Propel their competitive spirit on the field. Most of all, you’ll help them embrace their truest and best selves.
Questions about the A-E Challenge or ways to give? Email Katherine Solimini, associate director of Family Giving.
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Student REACH Leave Requests |
Families, below are some helpful reminders regarding REACH leave requests and the process involved:
If my student will miss classes or other commitments:
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The student will need to create a Dean’s Excuse.
- Student contacts their dean as soon as they know about the leave but no LESS than 2 weeks before departure. Exceptions will be made for unanticipated events.
- After receiving approval from their dean, the student creates the REACH Dean’s Excuse leave request providing detailed and accurate information.
- Once leave content is approved, the leave will go through the approval process (including requiring parent/guardian approval).
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If my student will be hosting PA students on the weekend:
If the student is planning to host 3 or more Phillips Academy students, whether overnight or during the day, they need a REACH Group Excuse.
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- The student visits the Dean of Students Office to discuss the leave and then follows up with an email providing details on location, days and times of departure and return, student guests, etc.
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Dean of Students Office will contact the parent/guardian of the host student and, once approved, will create the REACH Group Leave request for both the host student and all guests.
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If you have any questions regarding REACH or these leave types, contact Claudia Scofield in the Dean of Students Office.
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Local Families: Neighbors in Need Food Drive |
Every year, the Office of Community Engagement sponsors a Thanksgiving food drive to benefit Neighbors in Need, a longtime community partner that works to feed thousands of families in the Merrimack Valley throughout the year. Campus adults, through departments and families, generously donate food items and gift cards that we then deliver directly to Neighbors in Need.
Given the recent changes affecting SNAP benefits and an increased demand for food assistance, we’re inviting local families to join the effort. Donations can be dropped off by students in our office over the next two weeks, or families may come to campus during designated times on Monday, November 17.
If you’d like more information, please fill out this short form by 9 a.m. on Wednesday, November 12. We will then follow up with all the details needed to participate. Questions? Please email Monique Cueto-Potts, director of the Office of Community Engagement.
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Travel Options for Thanksgiving and Winter Breaks |
PA will offer transportation to and from New York City—with a stop in Darien, Connecticut—at Thanksgiving and winter breaks. Students can sign up for one-way travel ($100) or roundtrip ($160).
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- Thanksgiving Break: Buses will depart from campus at 4 p.m. on Friday, November 21, and return Tuesday, December 2, departing NYC at 11 a.m.
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Winter Break: Buses will depart from campus at 4 p.m. on
Thursday, December 18, and return to campus Sunday, January 4, departing NYC at 11 a.m.
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| Family Allyship for LGBTQIA+ School Community Members
Join us on Wednesday, November 12, at noon for an empowering session led by Dave Edwards. This interactive workshop will provide families with tools and language to be active allies to LGBTQIA+ people at Andover. Together, we will explore:
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Foundational definitions for LGBTQIA+ terms and the evolving language of identity
- Current circumstances that impact the safety and belonging of LGBTQIA+ school community members
- Model responses to challenging questions and pushback on LGBTQIA+ topics
- Joyful ways to unapologetically support our young people and their educators
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Theatre & Dance Presents: Sylvia Reclaimed |
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An original ballet set to the celebrated 1876 score by Léo Delibes, Sylvia Reclaimed reimagines the classic work once shaped by myth and classical ideals of love and power.
First premiered at the Paris Opera in 1876, Sylvia was among the first ballets to center a female huntress as its heroine—though within a world defined by mythic romance.
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In this new interpretation, Delibes’s timeless music becomes a landscape for transformation—where strength, perseverance, and integrity guide the journey through challenge and renewal. By reclaiming Sylvia, this ballet honors tradition while offering a renewed vision of resilience and self-discovery.
Showtimes:
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- Friday, November 7, at 7:30 p.m.
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Saturday, November 8, at 7:30 p.m.
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Venue: Pan Athletic Center, Abbot Academy Dance Suite, in the Cristina A. Rubio Dance Studio (third floor)
This event is first-come, first-served seating. We recommend arriving 30 minutes prior to showtime to secure your seat for the show. All persons in your party must be present to claim their seat—there is no saving seats and no late seating. Families of students involved in the production can check in with the house manager (or any event staff) to receive priority seating.
November Theatre & Dance Happenings
The SpongeBob Musical, Theatre MainStage Performance
Showtimes: Three 7 p.m. performances: Thursday, November 13, Friday, November 14, and Saturday, November 15
Venue: Tang Theatre, George Washington Hall
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THD210: Introduction to Theatre & Dance Showcase
Showtime: Saturday, November 15, at 5 p.m.
Venue: Evans DeFelice Theatre Classroom, George Washington Hall (lower level)
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November Music Performances
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Please join us for the following performances in the John Barry Performance Hall, Falls Music Center, which are free and open to the public. Concert livestreams will be available on MediaSpace.
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Academy Orchestras—Sunday, November 9, at 3 p.m.
- Student Recital—Wednesday, November 12, at 1:45 p.m.
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Questions? Please email the Department of Music.
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Veterans Day Dinner & Program November 10 |
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All are invited to join us for the 16th annual Veterans Day Dinner & Program, sponsored by the Andover and the Military Committee and the Office of Alumni Engagement. The guest speaker will be Jesse M. Ehrenfeld ’96, MD, MPH, former U.S. Navy commander, and president of the American Medical Association.
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This free event begins at 6 p.m. on Monday, November 10, and takes place in Kemper Auditorium. The program will be livestreamed for those who would like to join virtually. For more information and to register, click here. Questions? Email Karleigh Antista in the Office of Alumni Engagement.
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Order the 2026 Pot Pourri, Phillips Academy’s full-color yearbook, here. Enter school code 3591 if prompted. Yearbooks will be delivered to campus in May.
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Senior Oasis is Friday, November 7, from 11:15 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the Snyder Center. See “News from the PSPA” for more information and volunteer opportunities.
Upcoming Deadline! Yearbook Family Tribute Messages: Celebrate your senior with a tribute page in Pot Pourri! These personalized messages are a fun tradition and a great way to honor your student’s journey. The deadline to submit is Saturday, November 15. Tribute pages, available for an additional cost, must be created and purchased following the instructions in the Class of 2026 Info Flyer. We hope you’ll consider participating!
Senior Yearbook Portraits: Every senior can have a portrait in the yearbook. Portraits are due by Wednesday, January 7 (we will confirm receipt). If your student had their photo taken by the campus photographer, that photo will be submitted automatically.
To submit your own photo of your student, email it to us with the file named as FirstLastPortrait.jpg (example: ChrisCapanoPortrait.jpg). Please send the largest size possible (at least 300 dpi), without watermarks. Most families choose a simple background and a vertical head-and-shoulders pose, but there’s no official standard—select the photo you and your senior prefer.
Note: If no portrait is submitted, the yearbook will use your student’s BlueCard photo.
Class Rings: You can purchase a class ring for your senior through our vendor, Herff Jones. Questions? Please email Mike McCann.
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Senior Oasis: The PSPA is partnering with the Academy’s Empathy, Balance & Inclusion program and the Dean of Students Office to host the annual “Senior Oasis” on Friday, November 7, from 11:15 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. This popular food- and fun-filled event marks the end of early college applications and celebrates wellness and well-being. Volunteers are needed! Please sign up here.
Crumblween Recap: What a fun moment around Paresky Commons brought to life by the PSPA! Huge thanks to all the parent volunteers who filled our Amazon Wish List and helped at the table. The kids loved the sweet spooks and cookie smiles.
Campus Closet
Shop for PA gear on Fridays from 1 to 5 p.m. on the lower level of George Washington Hall—or anytime online with free dorm delivery. All proceeds from Campus Closet fund the work of the PSPA. Want to help? Volunteer for a November shift.
Get Involved with the PSPA:
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Sign up here to stay informed.
- Follow us on Facebook (@Parents of Students of Phillips Academy (Andover) and Instagram (@pspa_campuscloset).
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Subscribe to our newsletter for updates!
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| Read the latest headlines and happenings from campus at Andover Today.
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Catch the Latest in the Athletics Newsletter |
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Enjoy photos of student-athletes and fans, team news, and player and event highlights in Andover Athletics News.
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Spiritual & Religious Gatherings |
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1–1:25 p.m.—Muslim Student Association (MSA) Jummah Prayer: Led by Noureddine El Alam. Meditation Room, lower level of Cochran Chapel (enter from left side of building).
- 5:15 p.m.—Jewish Student Union (JSU) Shabbat Celebration: Led by members of the JSU and Rabbi Joshua Greenberg. Paul’s Room, Paresky Commons (second floor).
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5:30–6:30 p.m.—MSA Dinner & Discussion: Led by Noureddine El Alam and members of the MSA. Ada’s Room, Paresky Commons (second floor).
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11:30 a.m.—Protestant Worship: Led by Rev. Gina M. Finocchiaro, Protestant chaplain. Cochran Chapel
- 6:15 p.m.—Catholic Mass: Overseen by Dr. Mary Kantor, Catholic chaplain, with presider Fr. Jack O’Brien and other guest priests from the Archdiocese of Boston. Kemper Chapel, lower level of Cochran Chapel (enter from left side of building).
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November 8 in Palo Alto: Andover-Exeter Viewing Party
- November 8 in Philadelphia: Andover-Exeter Viewing Party
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November 8 in New York: Andover Family-Friendly Gathering at Battery Playscape
- November 10 on Campus—Hybrid: 16th Annual Veterans Day Program and Dinner
- November 13 in New York: Real Estate Seminar with Mindy Diane Feldman ’73
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November 17—Virtual: Navigating a Changing Climate in Higher Education
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November 19 in Washington, DC: Big Blue Connections with Jenny Savino P’21, ’24, Director of Alumni Engagement
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November 20 in Baltimore, MD: Big Blue Connections with Jenny Savino P’21, ’24, Director of Alumni Engagement
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November 23 in Stamford, CT: Domus Thanksgiving Non Sibi Project with Torrance York ’84
- December 4 in London: Toast the Holidays with the Eight Schools Association
- December 9 in New York: Steering Toward the Future: A Leadership Conversation with Board of Trustees President Amy C. Falls ’82, P’19, ’21, and Head of School Raynard S. Kington, MD, PhD, P’24, ’27
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December 11 in Seattle: Toast the Holidays with Deputy Head of School for Academics and Student Affairs Merrilee Mardon, PhD, P’27
- December 14 on Campus: Lessons & Carols Pre-Reception & Service with Head of School Raynard S. Kington, MD, PhD, P’24, ’27, and Peter T. Daniolos, MD, P’24, ’27
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Keep an eye on the Academy’s Events Calendar for more campus and regional gatherings.
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Join the Andover Family Directory
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Want to find other Andover families in your area? Log in now using your Hive credentials. The directory is opt-in; families must log in to be visible to others. You can find tutorials on how to use the directory here. Forgot your password for The Hive? Use the Self-Service Password Reset Portal. Need more help? Reach out to the Technology Help Desk by email or call 978-749-4357.
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The Office of Family Engagement is here to support you throughout the school year. If you have any questions or need assistance, please email Director Jennifer Vasquez or call 978-749-4068.
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Phillips Academy
180 Main St. | Andover, MA 01810 US
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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.
© 2025
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