Here's this week's TNN

Upper School Convocation took place Sept. 3 in Hale Theater. Click here to learn more.

September 11, 2025

Homecoming 2025!

The tent will be raised, our student-athletes will be ready, and there will be fun and games for all!

Please join us next Saturday, Sept. 20, as Thayer comes together to celebrate everything that makes the community so special. Whether you’re cheering from the sidelines or enjoying the festivities, there’s something for everyone at Homecoming 2025.

This spirited tradition is sure to be enjoyed by all members of the Thayer community. Along with cheering on our Upper School sports teams, there will be activities for ALL Thayer families.

Friday, Sept. 19, kicks off the action with both the Upper School girls and boys cross country teams hosting St. Mark’s School that afternoon. TAPA will also be setting up for the Saturday festivities, so sign up to join in the volunteer efforts.

Saturday, Sept. 20, will be packed with excitement. From 11 a.m. until 4 p.m., TAPA will once again offer exclusive Thayer merchandise for purchase under the Big Tent; complimentary concessions will be provided by Thayer's food services team; several food trucks will join us with food available for purchase; and delicious confections will be on sale at TAPA's bake sale. Kids of all ages will enjoy carnival games, a spirit table with Thayer swag, Animal Craze petting zoo, and … back by popular demand … the Thayer Cornhole Tournament!

Visit thayer.org/homecoming for game times, parking info, and the Homecoming program on the day of the event.

Show your Thayer spirit and support our student-athletes by packing the fields. Don your Thayer gear, accessorize with black and orange, and join together to celebrate the Thayer Academy community.

All-School Announcements

The varsity field hockey team will host Worcester Academy Saturday, Sept. 13, at 2:30 p.m. on Turf Field #2. Go, Tigers!

See all upcoming games, matches, and meets for Thayer teams in the Athletics section of the website.

No School Sept. 23

A reminder: There will be no school Tuesday, Sept. 23, in observance of the Rosh Hashanah holiday.

Registration for the 2025-26 private music lesson program is in progress. Lessons will begin in October. Families interested in their student(s) starting or continuing the study of an instrument should visit Thayer’s private music lesson page and fill out the lesson sign-up form. Lessons are available for voice, piano, bass guitar, strings, wind instruments, and drums. Weekly lessons meet during an Upper School student’s free period / study hall. Middle School students will meet during their extra-help period, art elective, or study hall.

If you have questions about the program, including pricing and lesson policies, visit the private music lesson page . For other questions, contact Private Music Lesson Coordinator Steve Skop P ’23.

Picture Day for Grades 9-11

A reminder for parents/guardians of students in grades 9-11: Picture Day will be held Monday, Sept. 15, in Hooley Courtyard.

Students are invited to take part in a Financial Literacy Series, a business co-curricular offered this school year. Sign-ups begin Friday, Sept. 12; the sign-up link will be in the Upper School's weekly student announcements.

The series itself begins Tuesday, Oct. 7. Meetings will take place every other Tuesday through December from 8 to 8:30 a.m. The location is TBD. This series is open to any student in grades 8 through 12. For more details, contact Upper School Business Faculty Jamie Johnston.

Artist Rania Matar Focus of Gallery Exhibit

The Koskores Gallery currently features the work of Rania Matar in its first exhibit of the new school year. The exhibit will run through Friday, Oct. 24.

Drawing from her own experience as a mother and her connections to both American and Lebanese communities, Matar's images reveal the strength and resiliency of the girls and women she photographs. At the heart of Matar's artistic practice lies her commitment to chronicling the female experiences and recording the shared human spirit that transcends cultural and geographical boundaries.

Highlights from two of her collections, Where Do I Go? Fifty Years Later and A Girl and Her Room, will be on display in the gallery, which is located in the lower level of Southworth Library.

Upper School Announcements

College Visits Begin Sept. 15

The Pulsifer College Counseling Center reminds seniors and the families of seniors that college visits to Thayer's campus begin Wednesday, Sept. 15. Please note: 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.

Seniors can see all pending visits in Scoir. A calendar of upcoming college visits is also available.

Next week’s visits:

Monday, Sept. 15

8 to 9:05 a.m.: Fitchburg State University

9:10 to 10:15 a.m.: University of Miami

2:25 to 3:30 p.m.: University of Massachusetts - Boston

Tuesday, Sept. 16

8:50 to 9:55 a.m.: Texas Christian University

10 to 11:05 a.m.: Lasell University

11:10 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.: Les Roches University (Spain)

2:25 to 3:30 p.m.: Saint Anselm College

Wednesday, Sept. 17

8 to 9:05 a.m.: St. Lawrence University

9:10 to 10:15 a.m.: Providence College

10:45 to 11:50 a.m.: Loyola University - Maryland

Thursday, Sept. 18

8:50 to 9:55: Wake Forest University

11:10 to 12:15 p.m.: Emerson College

2:25 to 3:30 p.m.: Simmons University

Friday, Sept. 19

8 to 9:05 a.m.: Endicott College

9:10 to 10:15 a.m.: Suffolk University

1:05 to 2:10 p.m.: University of Massachusetts - Lowell

After-School Robotics

Any Upper School student interested in robotics should come to the Robotics Lab (Glover Building) on Wednesdays from 1:30 to 3 p.m. or Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. for the school year’s first meetings. If you have any questions, contact Upper School Science Faculty Wendy Stallings.

Students are invited to take part in a Stock Market Simulator Series, a business co-curricular offered this school year. Sign-ups begin Friday, Sept. 12; the sign-up link will be in the Upper School's weekly student announcements.

The series itself begins Thursday, Oct. 9. Meetings will take place every other Thursday during lunch periods and will be held in the Business & Entrepreneurship Room (Sawyer HTC 224).

This series is open to any student in grades 10 through 12. For more details, contact Upper School Business Faculty Jamie Johnston.

Middle School Announcements

Fall Arts Elective Add/Drop Deadline is Sept. 12

For the Middle School, the add/drop deadline for fall arts electives is Friday, Sept. 12. Students can pick up forms to make an arts elective change in the Middle School office.

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 them at info@smilepro.com.

TAPA News

An Update Re Class Parents/Guardians

TAPA is once again excited to support class parents/guardians in their role to advance engagement.

TAPA has filled the class parents/guardians roles for all grades. TAPA thanks all who volunteered. Below is a list of class parents/guardians:

Class of 2026: Mary Chenaur & Phyllis Skloff
Class of 2027: Melissa Crowe Cuccinelli & Ronit Velde
Class of 2028: Melissa Gaultier& Melanie Yates
Class of 2029: Linnea Holmes & Amy Leerink
Class of 2030: Sandi Petrie & Sue Saliba
Class of 2031: Amanda Smallwood & Kaileen Sanner
Class of 2032: Matt Dunne & Daniel Cohen
Class of 2033: Lexi Singh & Diana Biega

Keep an eye out for details regarding grade-specific socials from your class parents/guardians or check the TNN for "Save-the-Date" info.

SEED Sessions Offered; First Session Is Oct. 7

TAPA is excited to once again offer 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. The initiative is led by Dean of Engagement & Belonging Matt Ghiden.

TAPA invites parents and guardians to join the conversation each month. SEED seeks to create a cohesive cohort, so organizers ask that parents/guardians commit to attend all or most of the sessions.

Stay tuned for additional information, including meeting dates (All meetings fall on Tuesdays from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the Bakker Reading Room of Southworth Library. The first meeting is Tuesday, Oct. 7). A sign-up sheet is available for those who would like to join the conversation.

Welcome Back to Campus; Invitation to Volunteer

TAPA welcomes all new and returning families to the 2025-26 school year. All parents and guardians at Thayer are automatically members of this wonderful group. TAPA’s goal is to support the school through sponsoring various social events and programs, thereby enhancing the school experience for all.

With this in mind, TAPA is already planning and preparing a variety of great events this year. These events are opportunities to give back to the Thayer community while meeting other parents. A list of volunteer opportunities throughout the year is available for review.

Upcoming TAPA Coffees

TAPA hosts a number of coffees for current Thayer families throughout the school year. Upcoming coffees include:

Upper School Coffee with administrators on Wednesday, Sept. 17, at 8:15 a.m. in the O’Toole Lobby of the CFA.
Middle School Coffee with Middle School Director Galen Hamann P ’31 on Wednesday, Sept. 24, at 8:15 a.m. in the Forum.

Come meet fellow parents and guardians, ask questions, and learn about some of what will happen this year at Thayer.

Here to Help

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at tapa@thayer.org.

EXECUTIVE BOARD 2025-26

President: Caroline Kuhlman P ’25, ’28
Vice President: Rebecca Baker P ’28
Treasurer: Sandi Petrie P ’30, ’30
Secretary: Sara Torok P ’30
Volunteer Coordinators: Laura Query P ’29, ’31 and Amanda Smallwood P ’29, ’31
Engagement & Belonging Co-Coordinators: Dasan Harrington P ’27 and Faith Patterson P ’26
Middle School President: Kate Herbst ’98 P ’31
Middle School Vice President: Jen McGuirl P ’26, ’29, ’30
Middle School Secretary: Sara Torok P ’30
Middle School Engagement & Belonging Coordinator: Ophelia Ardayfio P ’27, ’30
Parent Athletics Council (PAC) Coordinator: Kate Bingham P ’27

What Thayer Is Reading Now

Middle School World Languages Department Head Angela Toussaint is reading “Why You Should Send Thank-You Notes, Even Years Later,” a guest essay in The New York Times by Glenn Kramon.

Parent/Guardian Resources

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