TNN • Tiger News Network • 14 January 2023


 


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Boys varsity hockey will host Lawrence Academy today (Saturday, Jan. 14) at 2 p.m. at Valicenti Rink in Thayer Sports Center. Go, Tigers!

 See all upcoming games, matches, and meets for Thayer teams in the Athletics section.

No School Jan. 16
There will be no school Monday, Jan. 16, in observance of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. Administrative offices will be closed. 

No Classes Jan. 17
There will be no classes Tuesday, Jan. 17, because of a scheduled Faculty Work Day. 

Midyear Sign-up for Private Music Lessons
Interested in music lessons? Midyear sign-ups for Thayer's private music lesson program are now in progress.

Lessons are available for voice, piano, guitar, bass, strings, wind instruments, and drums. Students interested in starting an instrument or continuing the study of an instrument can visit the Academy's private lesson page and fill out the lesson sign-up form.

Lessons meet weekly during an Upper School student’s free period/study hall and a Middle School student's X-Block and Activity period. After-school lessons and Zoom lessons may be available, depending on the individual lesson teacher’s schedule.

If families have questions about the program, please visit the private lesson page for pricing and lesson policies. For all other questions, please contact Private Music Lesson Coordinator Steve Skop P '23

Books, Crafts, and More at Southworth LIbrary
Did you make a resolution to read more in the new year? Looking for a book recommendation? Want to relax and create a craft? Is a jigsaw puzzle your thing? Then head on over to the library! Southworth Library is stocked with great reads, fun winter crafts, jigsaw puzzles, and lots of spaces to take a break.  

Southworth Library hours are: 

  • Monday: 7:45 a.m. until 5 p.m. 
  • Tuesday: 8:45 a.m. until 5 p.m.
  • Wednesday: 7:45 a.m. until 4 p.m.
  • Thursday: 7:45 a.m. until 5 p.m.
  • Friday: 7:45 a.m. until 4 p.m.

Tigers of the Week
Congratulations to our newest Tigers of the Week. Keep up the good work! 

Senior Project Info; Proposal Deadline Is Jan. 27
Attention, parents and guardians of current seniors: The goal of the Senior Project program is to give students a chance to assimilate all that they have learned at Thayer into an individualized internship that serves as a capstone to their time at Thayer. The following provides an update and useful information: 
 
This year, senior projects will be completed from Monday, May 8, through Friday, June 2. Students are expected to complete 20-25 hours per week, five days per week. Exceptions to these hours will be to take AP exams (during the week of May 8) and possibly two Fridays during May (more details to come during the spring). 
 
Southworth Library Assistant Stephanie Rando ‘88 P ‘18, ‘20 and Associate Director of College Counseling Christine Woods P ‘25, ‘27, co-directors of the program, asked seniors to speak with their families and any possible contacts over Winter Recess about potential internship opportunities. Students may need family support throughout this process, and Mrs. Rando and Mrs. Woods are available to help students with any questions or concerns they may have. The two are actively sharing with seniors a list of potential on- and off-campus opportunities.
 
Now that they are back at school, seniors should focus on the details of what they would like to do. Senior Project Proposals are due by Friday, Jan. 27. Students need parent/guardian permission to complete the Senior Project Proposal Form. Within the next month or two the co-directors will post a longer permission form for parents/guardians to complete in the Parent Portal.  
 
If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Rando or Mrs. Woods.

Recording of College Counseling Event
The Pulsifer College Counseling Center held an event Jan. 9 to introduce juniors and their parents/guardians to the college counseling process. A recording of the event includes remarks offered by college counselors as well as a panel discussion with admission directors from Trinity College, WPI, and UMass Amherst. 

College Financial Aid Workshop Jan. 19 for Grades 9 & 10
Attention, parents and guardians of 9th and 10th graders: "Learning How the Financial Aid Process Works and Exploring Your Financial Fit," an online webinar, will take place Thursday, Jan. 19, at 6:30 p.m. 

Thayer has partnered with Paul Martin from College Money Method to offer several online financial aid workshops this year. The Jan. 19 webinar, the first one in the series, is designed to introduce Thayer's 9th and 10th grade families to the financial aid process. For those families unable to attend the workshop, please know that the webinar will be recorded and made available.

The workshop agenda includes a number of important topics for discussion. To access this workshop and future financial aid workshops, please log in to Thayer's landing page with College Money Method. The password is: tacmm2223. 

If you have any questions, please contact the Pulsifer College Counseling Center.

College Athletic Recruitment Meeting Is Jan. 19
The Athletics Department and the Pulsifer College Counseling Center will hold their College Athletic Recruitment Meeting Thursday, Jan. 19, at 6 p.m. While the meeting was initially via Zoom only, it is now a hybrid event — families can join via Zoom or attend in person in the Brickyard. The Jan. 19 meeting is geared for current students in grades 9, 10, and 11 and their families. 

Join for an informative look into the college athletics recruitment process. Director of Athletics Bobbi Moran and Co-Director of College Counseling Cicily Shaw will share information on the process surrounding college athletic recruitment and the resources available to students and families at Thayer.

Once you register, you will receive a Zoom link to attend the meeting. If you plan to attend this meeting in person, please RSVP to cshaw@thayer.org by today (Friday, Jan. 13). 

Upper School Semester Ends
The Upper School's first semester ends today (Friday, Jan. 13). The second semester will begin Jan. 18. 

Grade 9 Field Trip Is Jan. 27
The 9th grade field trip to Frog Pond in Boston will take place Friday, Jan. 27.

Advisor Conferences Are Jan. 23; No Middle School Classes That Day
Middle School Advisor Conferences will be held IN PERSON Monday, Jan. 23, during the school day. These are 25-minute conferences between the student, advisor, and parents/guardians for reflection and conversation at the midpoint of the school year. (There is no school for Middle School students this day.)  

Get Ready for Declamation; Lunch & Learn Is Jan. 18
The Middle School Hale Learning Center will offer a Lunch & Learn Wednesday, Jan. 18, to help Middle School students prepare for Declamation.

Students should bring their lunches to the HLC (Room 219) at the start of the first lunch period. They should also bring their laptops and/or paper copies of their declamations. The workshop will cover memorization strategies, break the declamation into manageable "chunks," and create a study calendar to avoid last-minute panic that can occur when students wait too long to begin memorizing.

Due to space constraints, the HLC needs to limit the number of attendees to eight students, but additional sessions will be offered, as necessary. Please email Learning Specialist Maryann Shafter P '15 to reserve a spot or if you have any questions.

Middle School DEI Conference at Shady Hill School April 1
The Thayer Academy DEIB Office looks forward to bringing a group of Middle School students to the AISNE Middle School Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Conference. The conference is scheduled for Saturday, April 1, from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. at Shady Hill School in Cambridge.

The DEIB Office encourages families to talk about this exciting opportunity at home. If you have questions and/or think your student(s) would be interested in attending, reach out to Sarah Miller or Destiny Palmer.

TAPA Speaker Engagement: 'The Well-Balanced Student' Is Jan. 19
The first TAPA speaker engagement of the year will take place Thursday, Jan. 19, at 7 p.m. in the CFA. TAPA will welcome Jon Kleiman from Challenge Success.

As families are aware, Thayer has partnered with Challenge Success, a consulting firm charged with assisting in transforming the Academy's approach to the student experience. During this event, families will learn about how pressure from parents/guardians, culture, school, and elsewhere can impact students. Parents and guardians will better understand how to help students navigate these stressors and learn more about how Thayer will work alongside families in creating a healthier learning environment.

Please note: This event is being held on the heels of the College Athletic Recruiting Meeting, co-sponsored by the Athletics Department and the Pulsifer College Counseling Center, which will take place at 6 p.m. that same evening.

Parent/Guardian Casual Get-Togethers — Walk or Talk
Winter is all too often a time when people tend to hibernate. If you find it hard to get motivated when the weather is cold or the nights are long, TAPA offers a reason for you to get out and socialize.

Check the TAPA list of 2023 Winter Walks and Coffees and then join your fellow parents/guardians on a brisk walk or gather together at a local coffee shop for a warm chat. 

Parent/Guardian Affinity Groups
TAPA and the DEIB office welcome participation in upcoming affinity group meetings for BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ parents and guardians. Affinity groups are a resource to provide a sense of community and a safe space for parents and guardians to unite and support one another in meaningful conversations and activities.

Please note: affinity group meetings are intended to be a safe space for those individuals in our community who self-identify as a member of that designated group and are able to speak from the "I" perspective. These meetings should only be attended by those individuals; they are not intended for those who identify as allies.
 
For any questions about the BIPOC Affinity Group, please contact TAPA DEIB Coordinator Sharisse Cail Perry P ‘24 ‘24. For any questions about the LGBTQIA+ Affinity Group, please contact Julie Austin-Johnstone P ‘24.

Remaining BIPOC Affinity Group meeting dates (All meetings begin at 7 p.m.): Jan. 18; Feb. 22; April 5; and May 3. 

Remaining LGBTQIA+ Affinity Group meeting dates (All meetings begin at 7 p.m.): Jan. 18; Feb. 21; April 6; and May 10.

Academy Jackets: On-site Measurement Day Is Jan. 25
The new year is upon us, and so, too, are new sports teams and new activities. Academy jackets serve as a unique way to highlight these accomplishments. The customized jackets can be personalized with any sport, activity, or club that a student participates in at school. The jackets are ordered directly through Jostens and can be purchased throughout the year.

Representatives from Jostens will be on-site Wednesday, Jan. 25, in the Student Commons starting at noon. They will have a variety of sizes of coats on hand to help with the ordering process.

If you have any questions please contact; Mary Chenaur P ’24, ‘26; Martha McNally P ’22, ‘24, ‘27; or Jostens representative Kate Toman. Toman can also be reached at 508.248.9095.

Ongoing Volunteer Opportunities: Senior Activities
For our senior parents and guardians, this time of year brings thoughts of graduation as families are deep in the throes of college applications. Perhaps it has fostered some thoughts of all the activities that the school hosts on behalf of graduating students. TAPA sponsors The Last Hurrah! dinner, Senior Fest, and other spring activities. TAPA seeks a few parents/guardians to chair and volunteer for these events. Both senior and junior parents/guardians are encouraged to sign up. Please reach out to TAPA President Martha McNally P ’22, ‘24, ‘27 (last year’s chair) with questions or to participate.

For those interested in participating in the organization of the May Parent/Guardian Social, come ready to brainstorm in the new year. This committee will meet in January to start the planning process. TAPA also needs volunteers to help with decor, food selection, and auction item collection.

Review and/or sign up for all volunteer needs. 

Here to Help
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to us at tapa@thayer.org

Martha McNally P ’22, ‘24, ‘27: President
Caroline Kuhlmann P ’25, ‘28: Vice President
Lee Sentnor P ’21, ‘24, ‘26: Treasurer
Kaityln Aiello P ’26, ‘28: Secretary
Heidi Barry P ’26, ‘28: MS President
Colleen Hernandez ‘90 P ’26, ‘28: MS Vice President
JoAnn Brown P ’27: MS Secretary
Sharisse Cail Perry P ’24, ‘24: DEIB Coordinator
Kim Millian P ‘26: Volunteer Coordinator
Dasan Harrington P ’27: Volunteer Coordinator
Nicole Arnold P ’24, ‘25: Parent Athletic Coordinator (PAC)
Yemi Talabi-Oates P ‘26, ‘29: MS DEIB Coordinator
 


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Click the title of the book or article to read a book review or the article itself. 

Director of Counseling Mysha Kuhlmann is reading Girls on the Brink by Donna Jackson Nakazawa. 


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For a complete listing of current events, visit thayer.org/calendar.