Phillips Academy

Parent Bulletin

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

November 11, 2011

The friendly rivalry between Phillips Academy and Phillips Exeter Academy is a tradition that dates back to the 1800s. This weekend marks the 133rd time the Andover and Exeter football teams will face-off. We have been gearing up all week for this game and all of the other athletic events scheduled for Saturday. Be sure to check out our SmugMug photo gallery for photos from Exeter Geek Day, True Blue Day, the pep rally and game day!

As a part of the annual Fall Andover-Exeter Week, the junior varsity teams competed on the Andover campus on Wednesday. On Saturday, the varsity teams and busloads of supporters from Andover will be traveling to Exeter. Those unable to travel to Exeter can watch the football game via the live webcast that will be delivered on Phillips Exeter Academy’s Livestream channel at http://www.livestream.com/phillipsexeteracademy beginning at 2:15 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time). Several other key Andover-Exeter athletic contests will take place on Saturday, beginning with the boys’ varsity soccer game at 10:30 a.m. Click here for a full list of the day’s games.

While many of our teams are away on Saturday at Exeter, we will be hosting the annual NEPSTA cross-country championship meet here on our campus. Fourteen boys’ teams and thirteen girls’ teams will compete for the coveted interscholastic championship title. Whether in Andover or up north, we will be cheering our athletes to victory. GO BIG BLUE!

In Touch With…
Patricia Davison, Director, Academic Skills Center

Preview, Predict, Plan, Prepare: A Thoughtful Thanksgiving Break

Thanksgiving Break provides a much needed rest for your child as well as an opportunity to get in shape for the final marathon of the term. The Academic Skills Center suggests the following tips to students.

Preview:

  • Which courses have term papers, projects, or portfolios due the week after Thanksgiving?
  • Do I understand the Extended Period Week Schedule?

Predict:

  • How much time is necessary to have projects completed and ready for submission upon return to school?
  • What do I need to review in order to make the best use of the final class week to ask questions or seek clarity?
  • Which kind of final assessment can I expect for each course (department exam vs. teacher exam, oral report, etc.)?

Plan:

  • What are the necessary organizational approaches for each course (flashcards, test corrections, etc)?
  • Are there any teacher led study groups I can attend?
  • Which teachers should I see for the last two conference periods of the term?

Prepare:

  • Collect, organize, and correct tests and quizzes for each class.
  • Prioritize how to spend time relative to each course and type of assessment.
  • Identify questions or concepts that remain unclear.
  • Make a list of all such questions to ask teachers in the remaining week of class.

This information is also being shared with students and we hope that parents will reinforce the message and encourage your children to seek us out in the Academic Skills Center, if they can use some help.

Important Message from the Comptroller’s Office

By now you should have received your fall tuition statement. Payments are due in full on December 1st. If you did not receive your statement, or have any questions, please e-mail billing@andover.edu as soon as possible. Include the student’s name, ID number and your billing address in your email so that the office can check its records and send you a replacement bill.

Please keep in mind that the Comptroller’s Office will close for the holidays beginning on Friday, December 23, 2011 and will reopen on Tuesday, January 3, 2012. Students whose accounts have not been paid in full will not be able to access their schedules online and will not be cleared for registration. Also, to avoid delays at the Andover Bookstore, please make sure that your child’s BlueCard is adequately funded prior to his/her return on January 3, 2012.

There’s still time to order a Care Pack!

Are you interested in putting a smile on your child’s face during Assessment Week? If so, make sure you remember to send them a Care Pack filled with edible goodies to keep them going! If you’d like to send a Care Pack to your child please fill out the form and mail it back to us. The deadline for ordering has been extended to Friday, November 18. Proceeds will help to underwrite the Theatre and Dance Department’s future festival participation.

Upcoming Events

November 11 Theater Performances, “What are You Doing in There”, and “Perfect,” Theater Classroom, 6:30 p.m. Admission is free.

Academy Symphony & Chamber Orchestras, 7:30 p.m., Cochran Chapel. Admission is free.
November 12 Andover/Exeter Athletic Contests (at Phillips Exeter Academy).

Gabriel Chodos, world-renown pianist, performs a program featuring the music of Brahms and Beethoven, 7:30 p.m., Cochran Chapel. Open to the public. Admission is free.

Thanksgiving Break

Friday, November 18, 5:30 p.m. through
Monday, November 28, 8:00 p.m.

Happy Thanksgiving!

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