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Upper School Picture Day Is Sept. 28
Upper School Picture Day for students in grades 9-11 will take place Monday, Sept. 28, from 7:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m., rain or shine. This date is also the makeup day for seniors who missed their photo day earlier this month.
For students in grades 9-11, mandatory Monday “Assembly Dress” is expected, and the school’s dress code with a “dressed up” spirit is appreciated. These are the photos used in the Black & Orange yearbook as well as the school’s MySchoolApp platform.
Parents/guardians will receive ordering information from the photography company, Smile-Pro Portraits; if you have any questions about ordering photos, please contact them.
If you have questions about picture day or the yearbook itself, contact Ms. Blanco, the yearbook’s advisor.
Senior Yearbook Ads Now Available
Attention, parents and guardians of the Class of 2027: The Black & Orange yearbook offers an opportunity for families to purchase an ad to congratulate the graduating senior in their lives. The deadline for these senior yearbook ads is Nov. 15; the purchasing process takes place online. For detailed information, including ad sizes and pricing, click here.
Upper School Back-To-School Night Is Oct. 1
Attention, Upper School parents and guardians: Back-To-School Night for students in grades 9-12 will take place Thursday, Oct. 1, beginning at 6:30 p.m. The purpose of the evening is to give parents and guardians of Upper School students the opportunity to meet their student’s teachers and to learn about course goals, homework expectations, grading policies, and other information related to the curriculum.
Parents and guardians will visit their student’s classes that meet on Wednesdays and Thursdays. The 2026-27 Back-to-School Night schedule will be available in MySchoolApp in the Files and Forms area by the evening of Tuesday, Sept. 29.
The night begins with a 10-minute group meeting with a student’s advisor. Advisors will provide a hard copy of a particular student’s schedule for the evening at this time. Advisors will reach out via email with their advising location, i.e. where parents/guardians will meet their student’s advising group.
Here’s the Back-to-School Night Schedule:
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Advising: 6:30 to 6:40 p.m.
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A Period: 6:45 to 6:55 p.m.
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B Period: 7 to 7:10 p.m.
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C Period: 7:15 to 7:25 p.m.
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D Period: 7:30 to 7:40 p.m.
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E Period: 7:45 to 7:55 p.m.
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F Period: 8 to 8:10 p.m
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G Period: 8:15 to 8:25 p.m.
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H Period: 8:30 to 8:40 p.m
If there is a gap in time on the schedule, that means it’s a free period. For example, if one’s first class is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m., that means that person has A Period free. During free periods, parents/guardians are welcome to visit with other parents/guardians and faculty in the lobbies of both Main Building and Glover Building where light refreshments will be available.
The evening’s schedule is designed to give parents/guardians a glimpse of what their student’s day is like at school. To have an in-depth conversation with a teacher about a student, please email and/or call that teacher to set up an appointment for a later date when the teacher can dedicate more time to such a conversation.
Hale Learning Center Open House at Upper School
The Upper School’s Hale Learning Center will hold an open house for families Thursday, Oct. 1, from 5:45 to 6:15 p.m. at its location within Glover Building. The open house coincides with the Upper School’s Back-To-School Night, and parents/guardians will have plenty of time to get to their first class. The HLC provides additional support to students who may face challenges within the Academy’s rigorous academic environment. For more information, contact Upper School HLC Director Erica Dunne P ’27, ’32.
After-School Robotics
The Upper School’s after-school robotics program will meet Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. in the Robotics Lab (Glover Building). If you have questions, contact Upper School science teacher Wendy Stallings, the program’s director.
Benelli Writing Center Info
The Upper School's Benelli Writing Center (BWC) is open and ready to help Upper School students with assignments at any stage of the writing process. Students can schedule an appointment online by going to the "Benelli Writing Center Appointments" box on the Resources page in MySchoolApp. The BWC is located in Stacy B. Southworth Library. Appointments are available every day, including the Tuesday 8 a.m. flex block and most days after school. If you have any questions, contact Ms. Jersild.
College Process Day / Application Workshop
Attention, parents/guardians of seniors: On Wednesday, Oct. 14, seniors are given a day to work on the college process while the rest of the school has other tasks. Some seniors may take the day to travel to a college campus, others have interviews scheduled, and some will hunker down at home writing supplemental essays. If your student doesn't yet have plans but has work to do on their applications, encourage their presence in the Brickyard. From 10:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m., seniors gather together for food and college application fun in this unstructured yet productive, supportive, and collaborative event. College search resources will be available, and the college counselors will circulate to help anyone who needs it. The Pulsifer College Counseling Center also has an actual college admissions officer "on duty" from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. to support students with applications and essays. There is no RSVP required to attend the workshop, but counselors will ask students to sign up to meet with the college admissions officer as the date approaches.
College Visits Next Week
The Pulsifer College Counseling Center reminds seniors and the families of seniors that college visits to Thayer's campus are underway. Please note: Sign-up is through Scoir, and visits take place during the school day. Seniors should remember to discuss attending a visit — at least 24 hours in advance — with any teacher whose class will be affected by the college visit. Juniors may attend if they have a free period. Seniors can see all pending visits in Scoir. Remember: Colleges want to meet you!
Monday, Sept. 28
8 to 9:05 a.m.: Furman University
9:10 to 10:15 a.m.: Tufts University
1:15 to 2:20 p.m.: Saint Anselm College
2:25 to 3:30 p.m.: St. Lawrence University
Tuesday, Sept. 29
8 to 8:50 a.m.: Boston University
8:50 to 9:55 a.m.: University of San Diego
10 to 11:05 a.m.: Lasell University
11:10 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.: University of South Carolina
1:15 to 2:20 p.m.: Northeastern University
Thursday, Oct. 1
8:50 to 9:55 a.m.: Stony Brook University
10 to 11:05 a.m.: Davidson College
11:10 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.: Hampden-Sydney College
1:15 to 2:20 p.m.: Texas Christian University
2:25 to 3:30 p.m.: University of Vermont
Friday, Oct. 2
8 to 9:05 a.m.: University of San Francisco
9:10 to 10:15 a.m.: College of the Holy Cross
1:05 to 2:10 p.m.: Dickinson College
2:15 to 3:20 p.m.: Haverford College
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