Buy Your Tickets for the Winter Play 

Tickets are now available for Kate Hamill’s adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, the Upper School’s winter play, which will take place Friday, Feb. 20, and Saturday, Feb. 21, in the CFA’s Hale Theater. Both performances begin at 7 p.m. 



To purchase tickets, click here. Once on the site, click “Buy Tickets” and then search “Thayer Academy” to find the show. 

Business Masterclass Is Feb. 24

Students, staff, and faculty are invited to the first event in Thayer’s Business Masterclass Series Tuesday, Feb. 24, from 6 to 7 p.m. in the Tiger’s Den. The evening’s guest speaker will be Lindsay Wilkinson, CFO of the Connors Family Office. The Business Masterclass Series offers professionally led presentations, discussions, and opportunities where participants will be introduced to experts in various business fields and become familiar with leadership decisions in real-world scenarios. Dinner will be provided starting at 5:30 p.m. To RSVP by Feb. 20, click here. 

Athletics in College Admission Presentation

Thank you to all who joined the recent Athletics in College Admission presentation. For those who were unable to attend or who would like to revisit the information, click here for the presentation link. Please note: you must download the presentation in order to hear the embedded audio. For your convenience, a PDF version of the PowerPoint is also attached. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Athletic Director Bobbi Moran Director or Director of College Counseling Cicily Shaw. 

Mahjong Meetups

Interested in learning to play mahjong or just practicing your mahjong skills? Join Upper School Math & Computer Science Faculty Leeanne Dillmann and your fellow parents/guardians on the second Monday of each month from 6 to 8 p.m. in Southworth Library.

Meetups will be held on the following dates: 

• Monday, April 13
• Monday, May 11

Beginners are welcome. Contact Ms. Dillmann with questions. 

Virtual College Counseling Workshop Is Feb. 12
Once again, the Pulsifer College Counseling Center is partnering with College Money Method to offer finance and financial aid workshops. The next virtual workshop, Evaluating Loans and Borrowing for Your College Investment, will take place today (Thursday, Feb. 12) at 7 p.m. The workshop examines how to determine your borrowing needs and compare loan options. While it targets 11th and 12th grade families, anyone is welcome to join. To register, click here. 

Diploma Verification Due Feb. 13

Attention, senior parents and guardians: In just a few short months, members of the Class of 2026 will cross the stage at Commencement to receive their diplomas. Part of the graduation process is ordering diplomas. To do so, Thayer will need confirmation of the way the graduating student's name should appear on the diploma itself. Families should log in to MySchoolApp to complete the Diploma Name Verification Form. Families may include the full middle name or just the middle initial as well as any suffix, if applicable. Because the diploma is an official document, please be aware that Thayer cannot include nicknames. To allow time for production, please complete this form by Friday, Feb. 13. 

Driver’s Education for Thayer Students

Attention, Thayer students and parents/guardians: Drivers Edge Academy will hold a Spring Recess driver's education class exclusively for Thayer students. The class for Thayer students will be held from March 9 until March 13 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. This class will be at the driving school’s location at 169 North Franklin St., Holbrook. If interested, visit the driving school’s website to register. If you have questions, email info@driversedgeacademy.com. 

Owls Are Topic of Feb. 24 Science Cafe

The next Middle School Science Cafe will take place Tuesday, Feb. 24, with a naturalist/educator from the Blue Hills Trailside Museum who will bring an owl. Interested Middle School students should sign up and submit questions for the presenter via Google Form by Monday, Feb. 23. This is always a very popular science cafe — and space is limited — so be sure to sign up early. Students will be able to eat lunch together in the science room while meeting with the presenter. Those with questions can contact Middle School Science Department Head Natalie Young. 

Middle School Play Is Feb. 26

The Middle School production of The Odyssey by R.N. Sandberg will take place Thursday, Feb. 26, at 7 p.m. in Thompson Hall. Admission is free, and no ticket is required. 

Directed by Middle School Drama Faculty Sofia Lindgren Galloway, the play offers all Thayer students and families a view into one of ancient Greece’s most epic adventures. After the battle at Troy, Odysseus must find his way home, battling monsters and surviving vicious storms. Meanwhile, his son Telemechus is on a journey of his own, guided by Athena, to find his father and his place in the world. For more information, contact Ms. Lindgren Galloway. 

You’re Invited to Arts Night!

Please join in the fun as Middle School Arts Night takes place Thursday, March 5, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Middle School. This evening celebrates the dynamic work Middle School students have created this term across the arts. As the final Middle School Arts Night of the school year, it’s a meaningful opportunity to gather as a community and recognize the creativity, discipline, and growth these students have demonstrated. Families are invited to explore the gallery spaces at their own pace throughout the evening. Students participating in performances will receive specific arrival and call times in advance.

Students may remain on campus after sports and study hall. Supervision will be provided, and pizza will be available for those staying. If your child plans to remain at school for dinner and the event, please email IDEA Department Head Destiny Palmer by Wednesday, March 4, so that organizers can plan accordingly. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to Ms. Palmer as well. 

Middle School Book Challenge
The fourth annual Massachusetts Children’s Book Award (MCBA) Book Challenge at the Middle School is underway. Fifth and sixth grade students will challenge themselves to read as many of the nominated books on the MCBA 2025-26 nominee list by mid-April. Three of the books on the list were selected by the Middle School’s Book Critics Book Club last spring: Wrecker; The Secret Language of Birds; and Hidden Truths. The MCBA is an annual award chosen by fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students from across the state. The books on the list are selected by student book clubs and librarians throughout Massachusetts. The MCBA is sponsored by Salem State University. Past winners of the Middle School’s book challenge are:

• 2023: Bridget Kelly ’30 and Calvin Jacobs ’29
• 2024: Shivani Anand ’30, Bridget Kelly ’30, and Lily Bonina ’31
• 2025: Soumaya Fort ’31, Ethan Hunt ’31, and Karun Bhaskaran ’31 

This year’s winners will be announced in April. 

Middle School Coffee Is Feb. 20 

TAPA will host a Middle School Coffee Friday, Feb. 20, from 8:15 to 9:15 a.m. in the Forum. Middle School Director Galen Hamann P ’31 will introduce the goals and learning objectives of each intersession, discuss how the program has evolved over the past three years, and share feedback received from students. She will be joined by three outside specialists who work with students during intersession. They will introduce their areas of focus and offer helpful tips for parents/guardians. Katie Greer will speak about cyberbullying and online safety; John Tummon (Pathways for Prevention) will discuss substance misuse prevention; and a representative from Flik Dining Services will share how they partner with Thayer to teach nutrition lessons to our students. 

As always, there will be time for conversation and questions. Parents and guardians may submit questions in advance to Director of Development Bea Sanders. 

PIN Update

The Parents’ Independent School Network (PIN) meeting for January 2026 featured a Heads of School Panel on "Current Topics in Caring for Our Communities.” Discussion points included devices, mental health, AI, and parenting. A recording of the discussion featuring Milton Academy’s Alixe Callen; Newton Country Day School of the Sacred Heart’s Jessica Hooper; The Chestnut Hill School’s Roderick MacNeal Jr.; and Roxbury Latin School’s Sam Schaffer can be found by clicking here. 

Class Parents/Guardians

TAPA has filled the class parents/guardians roles for all grades and thanks all who volunteered. Keep an eye out for updates from your class representatives. 

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. 

Parents of Color Affinity Group
Join the Parents of Color Affinity Group for meaningful conversations and community building. This group is intended for any parent or guardian who identifies as a person of color as well as parents or guardians of students who identify as people of color. Organizers look forward to affinity group members connecting and supporting one another. To access the Zoom link for these meetings, click here. For more information, contact Sandra Joseph P ’27, ’30 and/or Cindy Theodore P ’26, the group's facilitators. The affinity group’s remaining meeting schedule is as follows: 



• Thursday, March 5 
• Thursday, April 16 (Internship / Job Fair Event) 
• Friday, May 8
• Monday, June 1 (End-Of-Year Celebration) 

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 the group’s facilitator, Annie Pratt P ’26, ’27, if you would like more information. The affinity group looks forward to welcoming families into its community. 

Jewish Parent/Guardian Affinity Group

The Jewish Parent/Guardian Affinity Group is intended for any parent/guardian who identifies as Jewish as well as any parent/guardian of a student who identifies as Jewish. Questions? Contact Hilary Waxman P ’26, the group's facilitator.

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 busy planning and preparing a variety of great events this year. A list of volunteer opportunities throughout the year is available for review. 

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.