The class of 2027 recently walked Boston's Freedom Trail.

Global Speaker Series Kicks Off Oct. 15

Dr. Robert Putnam, a renowned Harvard scholar and social scientist, will be the guest for Thayer’s first Global Speaker Series event of the year, which takes place Wednesday, Oct. 15, at 7:30 p.m. in the CFA’s Hale Theater. Putnam is the author of the seminal book Bowling Alone and the subject of the Join or Die documentary. To RSVP, Click Here. 

In addition, families have been invited to a parent/guardian screening of the Join or Die documentary tonight (Thursday, Oct. 9) from 6 to 8:30 p.m. in the CFA's Hale Theater. To register for both events, Click Here.

Slideshow From Global Engagement Programs Info Session

Earlier this week Thayer held an info session to discuss its global engagement programs at the Upper School level. To access a slide show from the session, one which includes a travel program timeline, click here. 

Show Your Pride With Senior Yearbook Ads

Attention, parents and guardians of the Class of 2026: The Black & Orange yearbook offers an opportunity for parents and guardians 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 more information, Click Here.

Picture Retake Day Is Oct. 20

Picture Retake Day for the Upper School will be Monday, Oct. 20. Please note: SmilePro will only be on campus that day from 7:30 a.m. until the end of lunch, or approximately 1 p.m. 

College Application Workshop Oct. 15

Attention, parents and guardians of seniors: On Wednesday, Oct. 15, seniors are given a day to work on the college process while the rest of the school has other tasks. Some students 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 does not 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 will 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 be circulating to help anyone who needs it. No RSVP required.

College Visits Have Begun

The Pulsifer College Counseling Center reminds seniors and the families of seniors that college visits to Thayer's campus are underway. Sign-up is through Scoir, and visits take place during the school day. Seniors should remember to get permission — at least 24 hours in advance — from any teacher whose class will be affected by the college visit. Juniors may attend if they have a free period. To see the full list of colleges that will be on campus, Click Here.

Parent/Guardian Conferences; No School Oct. 17

Middle School Parent/Guardian Conferences will take place via Zoom on Thursday, Oct. 16, from 4 to 8 p.m. and on Friday, Oct. 17, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. There is no school on Friday, Oct. 17, at the Middle School only due to these conferences. If you have any questions regarding these conferences, please reach out to Ms. Tenney. 

Halloween Costume Guidelines

All Middle School students are welcome to wear a costume for Halloween on Friday, Oct. 31. There will be an optional costume parade and Halloween celebration during Extra-Help. 

The Middle School encourages students to be creative and build a costume from what they have. Students wearing a costume that day will need to be able to sit and participate in class or they will need to remove it during classes. Students planning a group costume should be mindful to be inclusive — exclusions can be hurtful. Please note: 

• No bare shoulders or midsections
• No dressing up as a certain race or culture 
• No weapons of any kind
• During classes, masks need to come off
• No riding/wearing roller skates, skateboards, or wheeled shoes 
• Follow normal school rules

Middle School Trip Applications

A reminder: Applications for all three Middle School travel programs, which will take place in June, are due today (Thursday, Oct. 9). Please note: there is a part of the application that needs to be completed by both the parent/guardian and the student. If you have any questions, contact Middle School Director Galen Hamann P ’31 or Director of Global Engagement Kim Gilmore. 

Interest in Middle School Robotics? 
Organizers are trying to see if there is enough interest to start a Middle School competitive robotics team. Any eighth grade student interested in joining such a team should send an email to Mrs. Stallings. The team would meet from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays in the Upper School robotics lab. Interested eighth graders would need to make sure they have permission from parents/guardians as well as transportation. Students and parents/guardians can email Mrs. Stallings or Mrs. Macauley if they have questions.

Yearbook Ad Info

Attention, Grade 8 parents and guardians: Don't miss out on the chance to place an ad in your child's 8th grade yearbook. Click here for information regarding how to make, place, and pay for your ad. The deadline for all ads and payments is Nov. 1.

Please help to make this year's Evergreen yearbook one to remember. This is always a favorite section of the yearbook for our departing eighth graders. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Middle School Science Faculty Natalie Young, the yearbook’s advisor.

Picture Retake Day Is Oct. 20

The Middle School’s Picture Retake Day is Monday, Oct. 20. Thayer will again be using SmilePro. If families have any photo-related questions, they can contact the company at info@smilepro.com.

Class Parents/Guardians

TAPA has filled the class parents/guardians roles for all grades and thanks all who volunteered. Keep an eye out for details regarding grade-specific socials from your class representatives. 

Friday Night Lights Is Oct. 10

TAPA's Parent Athletics Council (PAC) and the Athletics Department are excited to host a fall spirit event for the entire Thayer community. On Friday, Oct. 10, Thayer's going back under the lights as the varsity football team hosts St. George's on Ward Donner Field with a 7 p.m. kickoff. Food trucks will provide food for purchase, and there will be giveaways throughout the night. Wear your orange and black, and don’t miss this fun-filled Tiger Spirit event. TAPA will have a merchandise table so families can stock up on Thayer gear. To volunteer at the Merch Table, click here.

And an added bonus: if the skies are clear that night, Cahall Observatory (next to the track and football field) will be available for families to check out some celestial targets. 

Next SEED Session Is Nov. 4

TAPA once again offers SEED (Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity) sessions this year. SEED creates conversational communities that drive personal, organizational, and societal change toward greater equity, diversity, and social justice. All meetings fall on Tuesdays from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the Bakker Reading Room of Southworth Library, and the next meeting is Tuesday, Nov. 4. A sign-up sheet is available for those who would like to join the conversation. 

LGBTQ+ Parent/Guardian Affinity Group

The LGBTQ+ Parent/Guardian Affinity Group welcomes any parent or guardian who identifies as LGBTQ+ or any parent/guardian of a student who identifies as LGBTQ+ or their allies. Please email Caroline Kuhlman P ’25, ’28 if you have any questions or would like to be involved in this group. Join the affinity group for a family meet-up on Sunday, Nov. 2, at 5 p.m . at Sacco's Bowling, 45 Day St., Somerville.

Christian Affinity Group

The Christian Affinity Group welcomes all parents and guardians who identify as Christian as well as those who have children who identify as Christian. The group is a supportive community where members can share their faith, connect with one another, and participate in meaningful discussions and events. Please email Annie Pratt P ’26, ’27 if you have any questions or would like to be involved in this group.

Invitation to Volunteer

TAPA welcomes all new and returning families to the 2025-26 school year. TAPA’s goal is to support the school through sponsoring various social events and programs, thereby enhancing the school experience for all. TAPA is already planning and preparing a variety of great events this year. A list of volunteer opportunities throughout the year is available for review. 

Spirit Jackets Available 
Thayer students can order these jackets directly through Jostens at any time during the year. There are several jackets to choose from, starting at $161.50. You can see the jackets at their web page to learn more. If you have any questions, contact Jostens Representative Kate Toman; she can also be reached at 508.248.9095.

Here to Help

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at tapa@thayer.org or contact any member of this year’s executive board. For more info and helpful resources, visit the TAPA page on Thayer's website.