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Thayer Academy Parent Association
- Welcome!
- Meetings and Events
- TAPA Calendar (full, monthly view)
- The Parents' Independent School Network (PIN)
- Parent Athletic Council (PAC)
Welcome!
Welcome, Parents!
The Thayer Academy Parent Association (TAPA) coordinates volunteers and supports school programs and initiatives for our Upper School (US) and Middle School (MS) communities. Participation in TAPA is a great way to meet other parents and faculty members, while providing the invaluable help we need to support our school. As a Thayer parent – you are a member of TAPA – and we invite you to join us as we work together to create an atmosphere where every family feels included. Please explore the volunteer opportunities available and sign up to volunteer!
TAPA's main goals are:
- Support school administration in its mission "to inspire a diverse community of students to moral, intellectual, aesthetic, and physical excellence so that each may rise to honorable achievement and contribute to the common good."
- Host and sponsor activities to encourage family involvement and foster school spirit.
- Coordinate volunteer participation to support school programs.
- Build a sense of community through communication.
- Assist Thayer Academy's fundraising efforts.
Please feel free to contact the TAPA Executive Board Members with any questions or concerns at tapa@thayer.org. You may also contact Director of Special Events and Parent Programming Renee Forsythe at 781.664.2517 or rforsythe@thayer.org. We invite you to share your ideas, experiences, and concerns as we all work together to make Thayer Academy a place where each member feels they are part of the Thayer community.
Warm regards,
TAPA Executive Board
TAPA Executive Board
The TAPA Executive Board consists of a president, an Upper School vice president, an Upper School secretary, a treasurer, a Middle School president, a Middle School vice president, a Middle School secretary, two volunteer coordinators, a DEI Coordinator, and a PAC coordinator. Every year, a nominating committee suggests candidates for these positions, and the vote occurs in spring at the last TAPA meeting. Meeting minutes and bylaws are available upon request from the TAPA president.
Executive Board 2023-24
President
Kim Millian P '26
Vice President
Kaitlyn Aiello P '26, '28
Treasurer
Margit Foley P '25
Secretary
TBD
Volunteer Coordinators
Dasan Harrington P '27
Laura Query P '29
DEIB Co-Coordinators
Sharisse Cail Perry P '24, '24
Faith Patterson P '26
Middle School Co-Presidents
Heidi Barry P '26, '28
Colleen Hernandez '90, P '26, '28
Middle School Vice President
Yemi Talabi-Oates P '26, '29
Middle School Secretary
Laura Winters P '30
Parent Athletics Council (PAC) Coordinator
Danielle Shahied P '26, '27
Each academic year, funds raised by Thayer’s Parent Association are given back to the school to help support important and popular activities like the following. In addition, TAPA also organizes parent volunteers who provide hundreds of hours of support.
TAPA-Supported Activities
Homecoming
Plan, fund, and staff this day-long community event.
Parent Athletics Council
Support spirit-building initiatives for Thayer’s sports teams.
Student Scholarships
Recognize four graduating seniors at Last Chapel with a scholarship for exceptional dedication to community service.
Teacher Appreciation Events
Plan and sponsor the annual campus-wide Faculty and Staff Appreciation Luncheon.
Class Dinners
Sponsor the 8th grade graduating class dinner as well as the "Last Hurrah" - the annual senior class celebratory event.
Student Social Events
Plan, fund, and staff student social activities such as Sophomore Picnic, Senior Fest, and Prom Transportation.
Student Self-Defense Class
Support the efforts of the Upper School to arm students with the skills to protect themselves in unanticipated situations.
Spring Social
Plan and staff Thayer’s Spring Social fundraising event. Proceeds from the event support TAPA Programming.
Meetings and Events
Missed an event? Many TAPA meetings held over Zoom have been recorded. Click on the links below to access the recordings.
- TAPA 2021-22 Meetings
- Coffees with the Directors (sponsored by TAPA)
- Speaker and Screenings Series
- Community Events
- Social Events for Parents
TAPA 2021-22 Meetings
TAPA hosts one all-school coffee and one general meeting each year. These meetings take place in the fall and winter. We invite all parents to attend and experience our interactive meetings with timely topics and relevant speakers.
School Year Kickoff Coffee
Friday, September 10, 2021
Time: TBD; Location: Online (Zoom)
Coffees with the Directors (sponsored by TAPA)
Upper School Coffees with Highley Thompson
Wednesday, Sep. 21, 2021, 8:30 a.m., Virtual
Wednesday, Apr. 6, 2022, 8:30 a.m., Virtual
Middle School Coffees with Galen Hamann
Wednesday, Sep. 22, 2021, 8:30 a.m., Virtual
Wednesday, Apr. 27, 2021, 8:30 a.m., Virtual
Coffees with the Head of School Chris Fortunato
Wednesday, January 12, 2022, 8:30 a.m.
Thursday, April 21, 2022, 8:30 a.m.
Speaker and Screenings Series
Community Events
Homecoming (Saturday, Sep. 25, 2021)
Homecoming is Thayer’s most highly spirited and anticipated annual on-campus tradition that showcases Thayer’s sports teams from the Upper School. It is a day for all Thayer Academy families, alumni, and faculty to come together and celebrate our community. In addition to the athletic events, activities planned by Thayer’s parents will include carnival games, a petting zoo, face painting and a bake sale.
TAPA Merchandise Sales (Fall)
TAPA offers its “Limited Edition Homecoming Merchandise” online this year, in lieu of the pop-up sale typically held under the Homecoming tent.
Founders Day: A Day of Giving (Monday, Mar. 1, 2022)
Founders Day: A Day of Giving is a one-day campaign for Thayer’s Annual Fund that celebrates the philanthropic spirit of Thayer’s founders. This is a fun community-driven event that includes a phone-a-thon, social media outreach, thank you letter signing, and lots of Tiger pride! All members of the Thayer community are invited to participate - alumni, faculty/staff, retired faculty/staff, students, parents, grandparents, and friends of Thayer.
Spring Parent/Guardian Social (May 19, 2022)
This fundraising event will take place on campus in the gymnasium and feature live entertainment, raffles, food and drink to support TAPA’s activities throughout the year.
General's Open Golf Tournament and Tennis Event (Monday, May 16, 2022)
The Thayer Academy Parent Association and Thayer’s Alumni Association Board team up to plan this annual fundraiser. The funds raised by this event support Thayer’s financial aid program. For more information or to register, click here.
Social Events for Parents
Upcoming TAPA Events
TAPA Calendar (full, monthly view)
Subscribing to Calendars
To pull a Thayer Academy calendar into your device's calendar app (Google Calendar, iCal, etc):
- Click on the gray RSS icon at the top right of the calendar.
- Select the calendar you want and click on the green "iCal" button.
- Click "Add to your default Calendar app".
To receive alerts about calendar changes, click the gold bell icon at the top right of the calendar, and manage your settings.
September 2023
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sun, Aug 27
Mon, Aug 28
Tue, Aug 29
Wed, Aug 30
Thu, Aug 31
Fri, Sep 1
Sat, Sep 2
Sun, Sep 3
Mon, Sep 4
Tue, Sep 5
Wed, Sep 6
Thu, Sep 7
Fri, Sep 8
Sat, Sep 9
Sun, Sep 10
Mon, Sep 11
Tue, Sep 12
Wed, Sep 13
Thu, Sep 14
Fri, Sep 15
Sat, Sep 16
Sun, Sep 17
Mon, Sep 18
Tue, Sep 19
Wed, Sep 20
Thu, Sep 21
Fri, Sep 22
Sat, Sep 23
Sun, Sep 24
Mon, Sep 25
Tue, Sep 26
Wed, Sep 27
Thu, Sep 28
Fri, Sep 29
Sat, Sep 30
The Parents' Independent School Network (PIN)
The Parents' Independent School Network (PIN)
What is PIN? The Parents’ Independent School Network, Inc. (PIN) is a volunteer group of parents with children who are students at New England-area independent elementary and secondary schools. PIN was formed to help parents share ideas and promote worthy programs at these independent schools.
What are PIN's goals?
- To discuss topics of mutual concern
- To share ideas and practices which have benefited member schools and their students
- To sponsor educational events
- To support and foster PIN member schools’ community service programs
- To encourage each representative to work closely with his or her school and the school’s parent organization to disseminate ideas and information learned from the meetings
- To share information through our Community Bulletin Board about upcoming PIN member school events open to the public
How do you become a member? Since your child is a student at Thayer, you are already a member of PIN! Thayer's Parent Association, TAPA, pays the PIN dues each year, so all parents may benefit from the parent education programming that PIN organizes. All PIN meetings are open to any parent or guardian who wishes to attend. At meetings, parents gather to share information about topics relating to non-academic issues, listen to speakers and panels, and participate in discussion groups.
What is a PIN representative? To ensure Thayer representation, two parents from both the Middle and Upper Schools volunteer to attend all PIN meetings each year. These representatives serve as the conduit between the diverse school communities. Thayer's PIN representatives will report the information they learned back to Thayer, and these notes are published in the TNN to ensure the whole parent community benefits from this programming regardless of meeting attendance. 2020-2021 PIN meetings will all be held virtually. Meeting dates will be shared in the TNN as the calendar is set.
Who are Thayer's PIN Representatives?
Middle School: Kerri Coughlin P '24, '26 and Dasan Harrington P '27
Upper School: Eileen McCormack P '21, '23 and Mary Michel P '23, '26
Parent Athletic Council (PAC)
Parent Athletic Council (PAC)
What is PAC?
The Thayer Academy Parent Athletic Council (PAC) is a group of Thayer parents whose mission is to support the overall sports experience for our children. This simple mission involves the pursuit of two objectives: to assist with two-way communication between the school and parents regarding sports activities, and to foster the mission of the Independent School League (ISL), specifically: "Striving together through athletic competition to achieve the highest degree of integrity, sportsmanship, fair play and mutual respect in preparation for good citizenship and leadership in society." We support a culture of team spirit that mirrors the school's already-strong sense of community. This mission is accomplished by the volunteer efforts of our Thayer parents working together with our school administrators and students.
What are PAC's initiatives?
- To ensure that all sports experiences at Thayer are positive and even, regardless of the level of participation (Varsity, JV, Thirds, Middle School)
- To serve as a liaison between the TA Athletic Department and parent community, sharing feedback to help strengthen our athletic program
- To provide guidelines and support for all Team/Captain Parents
- To encourage school spirit across all teams and sports by sponsoring community Tiger Spirit Days each season
How can I get involved?
At the beginning of each season, PAC helps to identify parents from each team to serve as Team Parents. The purpose of the role is to be a liaison between the coach and other parents on the team, while also coordinating team bonding events and activities. Read our updated Team/Captain Parent Guidelines.
PAC is always looking for Volunteers to help with our Tiger Spirit Days! Whether it’s a donation of snacks or water, or passing out pizza to hungry athletes after a big game, every contribution helps make these events a success for our students and their families.
To best support the needs of all teams across Thayer, PAC will be comprised of two councils - one focused on the Upper School Varsity, JV and Thirds teams, and one dedicated to the Middle School athletics program. Please see below for contact information for the Upper School council, and reach out with any questions or to volunteer. The Middle School council is in the process of being developed, please reach out to PAC@thayer.org if interested in joining.
We look forward to working with you to serve our Thayer community. GO TIGERS!
Parent Athletic Council
PAC@thayer.org
Danielle Shahied P '26, '27
Nicole Arnold P '24, 25
Cole Barry P '26, '28
Andre Grant P '25
Jen Harper P '25, '26
Novena James-Hailey P '25
Mike Mullin P '26, '27
Upcoming Spirit Events
Middle School Tiger Spirit Day
Thursday, Oct. 5
Celebrating all Middle School fall athletes! View the athletics schedule, field locations and times. Wear your favorite orange and black, and stay after school to cheer on your classmates!
Upper School Tiger Spirit Day
Saturday, Oct. 21
Time to celebrate all varsity and JV fall athletes! View the athletics schedule, and join us to cheer on your favorite Tigers. Stop by the Pavilion on main campus for (free!) pizza, drinks, and snacks. Wear your favorite TA jersey or spirit gear!