TNN • Tiger News Network • 19 February 2021

Dear Thayer Families,

The 21st annual Winter Wars begins Monday, Feb 22, and continues for eight days of games at the Upper School before ending March 3. Each day’s events start at 10:15 a.m. when the classes gather in Memorial Gym for an hour of highly energized contests and spirited fun! 

Please click here for the link to the Winter Wars Flyer (for dates, times, and info about the games). Please click here for the link to watch the games live each day at 10:15 a.m.

This year there will only be a small number of fans in the gym each day, but we plan to livestream the games in the cafeteria for the remaining seniors; in the Tiger’s Den for the remaining juniors; and in the CFA for the remaining sophomores and freshmen. 

This year the games are twice as long to accommodate both cohorts of students. This way, no one misses any of the events! Each of the days has a theme: Monday and Tuesday are Class Colors; on Wednesday and Thursday, each class has chosen their own fun theme to do; Friday and Monday are USA days; and we wrap up with a two-day Beach Party on Tuesday and Wednesday. 

The classes earn points in a variety of ways. First, they earn points by competing in various events such as: Tugs of War, Relay Races, Group Jump Ropes, a Waiter War, and a “Minute 2 Win It” Challenge. 

They also earn points with the Community Service component of Winter Wars. Students are asked to donate one to two items (or more) — items include canned/boxed goods, toiletries, and new socks — for local charities as well as $1-2 to be donated to the Innocence Project. The more items a class brings in (up to 200 max), the more points they earn. All of the collected items are donated to local shelters. These organizations are eternally grateful for the support that Thayer Academy provides. We are so blessed to be able to support the work of these wonderful institutions!

The third way to earn points is when students bring their spirit in the form of how they decorate the gym each day or how they dress. New this year: we are asking the classes to construct cardboard cutouts of as many members of the class to hang in their area of the gym. At the end of the week, a champion will be crowned and everyone will be energized to finish the remaining four weeks of the term in strong fashion.  

Please help your child to remember their donations (we want every class to try and get max donation points every day this year), to dress in the theme, and (as always) to check the Thayer website and Twitter feed for daily scoring updates.

We look forward to a great week. 

Sincerely,

Skip Schneider P '20, '22
Science Dept.
Sustainability Coordinator
 

To access a specific section in the TNN click below:

Livestream Links for Thayer Weekend Sports
The following livestream links to the Academy's athletic competitions this weekend will allow fans to log in and (virtually) cheer on the Tigers! 

For Today (Friday, Feb. 19): 

For Saturday, Feb. 20: 

Upcoming Parent/Guardian Virtual Meetings
The Academy will host several virtual meetings via Zoom for parents and guardians at 8:30 a.m. on the remaining dates listed below. Links will be shared the evening prior; no RSVP is required. Questions can be submitted in advance to Stefanie Hollister. Please also save the date for upcoming TAPA-sponsored virtual meetings. 

  • Feb. 23: TAPA General Meeting (Presenters: Head of School Ted Koskores '70, P '10, '13; US Director Highley Thompson P '20, '23; MS Director Galen Hamann and TAPA President Maureen Hayes P '21, '24)
  • March 3: TAPA-Sponsored Coffee for MS Parents & Guardians (Presenter: MS Director Galen Hamann)
  • April 14: TAPA-Sponsored Coffee for US Parents & Guardians (Presenter: US Director Highley Thompson P '20, '23)
  • April 28: TAPA-Sponsored Coffee for MS Parents & Guardians (Presenter: MS Director Galen Hamann)

To view a recording of the Feb. 10 meeting (COVID-19 Protocols & Looking Ahead at the Possibilities), please click here. 

Middle School Food Drive Extended Until Feb. 25
The Middle School group Girls in Action recently extended its food drive initiative to benefit the Weymouth Food Pantry. Drop-off boxes are located in the Middle School Forum. The deadline to bring in food is now Feb. 25. Please email Abby Butner or Ms. Francois if you have any questions! Needed items are: 

    •    Beef stew or other hearty soups (e.g., Progresso)
    •    Pasta sauce    
    •    Rice (1 lb. or 2 lb. bags)
    •    Hot oatmeal breakfast
    •    Canned vegetables (low sodium)
    •    Mushroom soup
    •    Baking mixes (cookies, cakes, etc.)
    •    Canned pineapple
    •    Canned pumpkin
    •    Gravy
    •    Cranberry sauce
    •    Stuffing
    •    Canned fruit

The Girls in Action group thanks everyone for their support. 

Take & Make Crafts at Upper School and Middle School
The Upper School and Middle School libraries are now offering supplies for crafts students can make at home. Each month the craft will change. Instructions can be found at our Take & Make TigerGuide. To sign up for this month's craft to do with your student, please fill out our Google form. Your student will be notified when they can pick up their supplies. Happy crafting! 

Save the Date: Founders Day is March 8
A reminder: Founders day, a day of celebration and giving, will take place Monday, March 8. To volunteer, please reach out to Stefanie Hollister. 

Winter Sports End Date (Change) 
The winter sports season for the Upper School will end Saturday, March 6. Editor's Note: The March 6 date reflects a change in scheduling. Juniors, Seniors to Partner with Wily Network

Junior and senior classes are partnering with The Wily Network this winter in coordination with TAPA and Ms. Gately, Dean of Students, to create 40 care packages for Wily Network Scholars. Anyone interested in supporting this initiative can consider donating items for the care packages. Please use this SignUpGenius wish list and click here for a list with links for online purchasing. Students can drop their donations off in Mr. Odom's office, and gift cards can be given to Ms. Gately. All donations should be made no later than March 3. Care packages will be assembled by the seniors the week of March 8. Please contact Joy Denomme P '23 with questions.(Please see below for related Wily Network information.) 

Speaker Series Event For Seniors and Families is Feb. 25
Attention, seniors and families: The third annual Wily Speaker Series Event, "On Students and Their Mental Well-Being," will take place Thursday, Feb. 25, at 7 p.m. A panel of experts will address pertinent issues regarding mental well-being in the college environment. They will address how to know when things aren't going well and what you can do to support your college student when facing the challenge of staying mentally healthy. The panel will also discuss their personal experiences in their own work and in college campus life. We hope that this information is useful as you think about yourselves and your students entering college life and that it provides some tools to maintain a strong mind and body.
To register, please click here. 

Juniors Can Take ACT, SAT On Campus This Spring
Attention, Parents and Guardians of Juniors: Thayer Academy will serve as a host for both an ACT and SAT test this spring. The ACT will take place April 17 with a registration deadline of March 12. The SAT will take place April 27 with a registration deadline of today (Friday, Feb. 19). This testing opportunity is specifically for Academy juniors, who can sign up for one or both tests. An email with details and registration instructions was sent Feb. 5. Consult your student's college counselor or Christine Woods P '25, '27 with any questions. 

  • To register for the April 17 ACT: please consult the email for helpful registration instructions, as Thayer will not show up on a search of testing locations. Please use the code 253330. 
  • To register for the April 27 SAT: Please click here. 

Does your student want to warm up first? If you are unfamiliar with the ACT or SAT, consider taking a practice test. Please click here to see Summit Educational Groups' schedule of remote and in-person practice tests. Revolution Prep's schedule of online practice tests is available here. 

Standardized Testing Prep for Juniors
Revolution Prep is offering small-group courses for Thayer students preparing for the April 17 ACT and the April 27 SAT. For specific schedules and options, please click here for a useful flyer. 

These live-online, small-group, 12-hour and 24-hour courses are designed to prepare students for the SAT or ACT. These courses include Revolution Prep's confidence-building curriculum and are taught by full-time, expert tutors. All small-group courses include practice tests and a comprehensive improvement plan. These schedules are great for those who want to develop their skills through repetition of concepts and improved test-taking strategies.

Register by clicking here or by clicking on the course links below. You can also contact Revolution Prep Advisor David Zimbalist at 617.640.0744 or David.Zimbalist@revolutionprep.com. 

Seats are limited, and registration closes one week prior to the start of class. Don't see a class that suits your schedule or have other questions? Revolution Prep offers one-on-one tutoring and other courses. Contact David Zimbalist at 617.640.0744 or David.Zimbalist@revolutionprep.com. 

Revolution Prep provides a discount to students who are on financial aid, so please inquire with them if this pertains to you. 

  • Class option preparing for the April 17 ACT: 12-Hour ACT Class, Sundays, 1-3 p.m., starting Feb. 28: Please click here. 
  • Class option preparing for the April 27 SAT: 12-Hour SAT Class, Sundays, 5 – 7 p.m., starting March 14: Please click here. 

Remote Days for February and March added to MS calendar
The Middle School recently added remote days to its calendar for February and March. As these are winter months, if there is snow or other inclement weather that causes an unplanned remote day in the same week as a previously scheduled remote day, the scheduled remote day will become an-in person day. The remaining new remote days are as follows: 

  • Thursday, Feb. 25
  • Thursday, March 4
  • Wednesday, March 10

Next Snack & Study is Feb. 24
The topic of the next MS Hale Learning Center Snack & Study will be "How to Study for Tests / Active Study Strategies" and will take place Wednesday, Feb. 24, at 4 p.m. via Zoom. Knowing how to prepare for and study for tests is a crucial skill middle schoolers (particularly 7th and 8th graders) need to acquire. Re-reading notes or "looking over the chapter" may be a part of a study routine, but they cannot be the sole method of studying. The Feb. 24 session will cover active study strategies so students will know how to properly and effectively prepare for upcoming tests. Please email Maryann Shafter to reserve your spot and receive the Zoom link.

FCD 8th Grade Parent / Student Night is March 4
As part of Freedom from Chemical Dependency Week, which runs from March 1 until March 5, the FCD 8th Grade Parent / Student Night will take place Thursday, March 4, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. 

Winter Sports Season Winding Down 
The winter sports season for the Middle School will end Wednesday, March 3. 

Upcoming Science Cafe Presentations
There are at least two more Science Cafe presentations with possibly more to come. Upcoming presentations include: 

  • Wednesday, March 3: Kathleen Regan, a naturalist. 
  • Tuesday, March 9: Dr. Britt Pena '94, a pediatrician. 

Middle School students will be able to sign up a week before each presentation via a Google form that will be shared in daily announcements. Please contact Natalie Young with any questions.

Save the Date: MS Winter Concert is Feb. 26
Cast and parents are invited to grab a snack and join us for a Zoom viewing party of the Middle School Winter Concert performance Friday, Feb. 26, at 7 pm. It will feature Chorus and Ensemble programs From fall and winter electives/activities as well the Dance program from the winter. Zoom links will be shared with students. Production links will be available Feb. 27 for those who cannot attend the Feb. 26 viewing.

Honor Roll Assembly is April 8
The second term Honor Roll Assembly will be held Thursday, April 8, at 8 a.m. via Zoom. Drew Bennett '21 will be our distinguished speaker. More details to come in the following weeks. 

Friday Night Live
The Middle School will host a second Friday Night Live social event Friday, March 5, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. for all Middle School students. 

Reminder on New Travel Policy 
Effective Feb. 12, and with the exception of Spring Recess* (Please see below), Thayer Academy follows the Massachusetts COVID-19 Travel Order. To view the the travel policy on the Academy's website, please click here. 

*Spring Recess: Thayer will conduct all classes remotely during the first few days of the week following the conclusion of Spring Recess. All-school COVID-19 PCR testing is scheduled for Monday March 29, for students and employees who have not traveled outside of Massachusetts or who have returned from travel to Massachusetts at least by Wednesday March 24, and quarantined (which is 96 hours before the PCR testing at Thayer). In-person classes will resume Thursday, April 1, for only those students who have a documented negative PCR test conducted 96 hours after return to Massachusetts. Students who do not meet this threshold must continue with remote learning until they submit the required PCR test results.

New CDC Data about Masks
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated information on Feb 10 about ways to maximize the protectiveness of masks. Of particular importance is to minimize gaps around the masks, to block where respiratory droplets could flow in or out, and to wear a mask with a flexible nose strip.

Thayer Academy has made the recommendation to our faculty and staff to wear a disposable mask underneath a cloth mask to improve mask fit, but this is not mandatory. The only requirement regarding masks that continues at this point is that a multi-layered mask is required by all while on campus or participating in Thayer athletic events. 

Please contact the nurses with any questions: nurse@thayer.org.

Possible Sites for COVID-19 Testing
The following sites provide COVID-19 testing. For more details regarding result wait times, pricing, insurance, and other questions, click on the link: 

TAPA General Meeting is Feb. 23
Save the date for TAPA's General Meeting, which will take place Tuesday, Feb. 23, at 8:30 a.m. Parents and guardians are invited to attend this virtual meeting to hear updates from school administrators and TAPA's president. TAPA executive board positions for next year will also be announced. The link will be shared the evening prior; no RSVP is required. Questions can be submitted in advance to Stefanie Hollister.

Introducing Parent Affinity Groups; Meetings March 9 & 11
TAPA is excited to announce the formation of two parent affinity groups; the Parent of Color Affinity Group, led by Sharisse Cail Perry P '24; and the LGBTQ Parent Affinity Group. Affinity groups provide a space for diverse groups to self-identify and unite; they will engage parents in meaningful conversations and activities. They provide a resource and sense of community to those who might feel they hold an underrepresented status within the broader Thayer culture and community.
To join either group, please sign up here. If you would like to volunteer to serve as the facilitator for the LGBTQ Parent Affinity group, please reach out to Sharisse. Kick-off meetings will be held via Zoom on Tuesday, March 9 (POC), and Thursday, March 11 (LGBTQ). Both meetings will begin at 7 p.m. 

SEED (Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity) comes to Thayer April 12 
As part of the Academy's commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and in anticipation of an official launch in the fall, Sharisse Cail Perry P '24 will host a session Monday, April 12, at 7 p.m. to introduce Thayer parents/guardians to SEED and all it has to offer our community. To learn more about the National SEED Project, please click here. Please reach out to Sharisse if you are interested in attending or have any questions. 

TAPA Community Service Scholarship Applications available Feb. 22
TAPA will award up to four scholarships to members of the Class of 2021 which may be used for each recipient's college expenses. Applications will open online on Monday, Feb. 22, and are due by 3 p.m. on Friday, April 23. Scholarships will be awarded to the applicants who best demonstrate outstanding participation, achievement, and commitment to community service. US Daily Announcements will include the application link.

Don't forget to follow us on social! You don't need to download any apps to see pictures and videos of what's happening all over campus every day. Simply click on the icons below to access Thayer's official Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Click on the book or article titles for the book review or full article.

 

Chief Marketing & Communications Officer Joanna Gilman ‘86 P ‘25, ‘27 is reading Bravey by Alexi Pappas

Associate Director of College Counseling Nellie Brennan Hall is reading There There by Tommy Orange. 
 

Questions about TNN? Suggestions? Please email TNN@thayer.org.

For a complete listing of current events, visit the online calendar.