TNN • Tiger News Network • 20 January 2023


 

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The boys JV hockey team will square off against Portsmouth Abbey School tomorrow (Saturday, Jan. 21) 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.

Info for Setting Up Athletics Alerts
In order to set up alerts for athletic contests, please follow these step-by-step instructions. All families should set up alerts through MySchoolApp moving forward as the Athletics Department is able to post more in-depth information about practices, games, and transportation.

If you have any questions, please contact the Athletics Department. 

Virtual Event on Antiracism Is Feb. 16
Join bestselling authors Ibram X. Kendi and Nic Stone Thursday, Feb. 16, for a conversation, How To Be a (Young) Antiracist, that will encourage young people to think critically and empower them to build a more equitable world.

Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions and learn how their voices, actions, and decisions can shape the world and make it a better place for everyone. The conversation is suited for both Middle School and Upper School students. Parents and guardians are invited to attend as well.

Registration is required. If you have any questions, reach out to Assistant Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging Sarah Miller. 

Driving Lessons During Spring Recess
For those families with students approaching driving age, there is a driver's education opportunity provided by Driver's Edge Academy during Spring Recess. More information, including schedule and pricing, is available to those interested. 

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! 

USA Gap Year Fair at Nobles
Thayer Academy students are invited to attend a USA Gap Year Fair tomorrow (Saturday, Jan. 21) from 1 to 4 p.m. at Noble and Greenough School in Dedham. There will be more than 40 vendors in attendance representing domestic and international programs focused on service, cultural immersion, internships, and more. 

A presentation at 1 p.m. will highlight the benefits of a gap year as well as provide a framework for structuring a meaningful gap year experience. 

This event is open to anyone who wants to learn more about gap years. Pre-registration is required. 

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.

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 Monday; 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.)  

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.

Thanks for a Great Event! 
Thank you to all the parents/guardians who attended the Challenge Success speaker engagement last night (Jan. 19). Those in attendance were introduced to the ways that faculty, staff, and parents/guardians can help students work with stressors and issues facing them in and out of the classroom.

For those who were unable to attend, please feel free to reach out to Assistant Head of School for Student Engagement and Well-being Jed Wartman P '30 for additional information about how Challenge Success is improving the way students learn here at Thayer. There will also be a link to a recording of the event in next week’s TNN.

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.): Feb. 22; April 5; and May 3. 

Remaining LGBTQIA+ Affinity Group meeting dates (All meetings begin at 7 p.m.): 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.

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. 

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
 

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

Associate Director of Athletics Brad Peterson ‘11 is reading Take Back the Game: How Money and Mania Are Ruining Kids' Sports — and Why It Matters by Linda Flanagan. 

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

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