Jan. 15, 2026

Best of luck to our girls varsity basketball team as they square off against Milton Academy this Sunday (Jan. 18) at TD Garden.


The Calendar at a Glance 

  • Friday, Jan. 16: End of the semester at the Upper School 
  • Sunday, Jan. 18: Girls Basketball at TD Garden (see All-School section for details)
  • Monday, Jan. 19: No School (MLK Jr. Day) 
  • Tuesday, Jan. 20: No School (Upper School / Middle School Review Day) 
  • Thursday, Jan. 29: Athletic Recruitment Presentation (by College Counseling & Athletics) at 6 p.m. in Thompson Hall
  • Friday, Jan. 30: The Valicenti Cup (begins 5 p.m. at Thayer Sports Center) 

All-School Announcements

Go, Tigers!

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


New Pottery Exhibit

at Koskores Gallery 

“The Plume Is the Painter: 40 Years of Redox Reactions on Clay” is now featured in the Koskores Gallery. The display — a solo exhibition of the work of Bob Green — will run until Jan. 30.


Green has worked with clay for 30 years; he resides and works in Western Massachusetts as a full-time studio potter who teaches Raku and pit-fired pottery workshops. In his work, he continuously explores refining organic elements into classical vessel forms, investigating clay's malleability and fire's ephemeral effects on surfaces.


Cheer on Girls Varsity Hoops at TD Garden

Thayer’s girls varsity basketball team will take on Milton Academy Sunday, Jan. 18, at 5:30 p.m. at TD Garden in Boston. The entire Thayer community is invited to cheer on the Tigers at this historic venue. 


Spring Team Stores Are Now Open

The team stores for Thayer’s springs sports programs are now open. The team stores will close on the night of Sunday, Jan. 18. (Please note: the team store for tennis will remain open until Jan. 26.) No sales can be made once these stores close. All sales are final. The purchase of any item does not guarantee placement on any team. If you have questions, contact Interim Athletic Equipment Manager Marley O’Brien. The team store links are: 


Baseball

Username: THAYER

Password: BSB26


Crew

Username: THAYER

Password: CREW26


Golf

Username: THAYER

Password: GOLF


Lacrosse - Boys

Username: THAYER

Password: MLAX26


Lacrosse - Girls

Username: THAYER

Password: WLAX26


Softball

Username: THAYER

Password: SOFTBALL26


Track & Field

Username: THAYER

Password: TF26


Tennis (Until Jan. 26)

Username: THAYER

Password: TEN26


First Priority Deadline for Travel Program Is Jan. 15
The First Priority deadline for the programs of
Shoulder-to-Shoulder (an organization which partners with Thayer) is today (Thursday, Jan. 15). Students in grades 8 through 12 should apply by this date for the best chance of getting their first-choice program. More than a trip, these experiences allow students to build authentic relationships with inspiring leaders and local communities while engaging in hands-on learning in areas like conservation, education, sustainability, and marine biology. The tech-free environment and small group setting (10-12 students) foster reflection and connection.


Applications are open now (rolling admissions through May 1), but programs fill quickly. Click here to explore 2026 programs and apply.


Thayer Community Invited to Theater Celebration

Break a Leg Theater Works, a nonprofit which serves as a community partner with Thayer, will hold OVATION, a two-day celebration of the organization’s 10th anniversary. The event will take place Jan. 18 & 19 on campus in the CFA’s Hale Theater. The celebration — dubbed “part masterclass festival, part reunion, and part performance spectacle” — will offer classes, a guest star panel Q&A, a benefit concert, and a meet-and-greet. Whether you’re preparing for auditions, building skills, or simply wanting to train with industry professionals, OVATION offers something for every age and experience level.


The Thayer community is invited to take part in this two-day event, and Thayer students will receive a 30% discount (Discount Code: THAYER30). Click here to visit the Break a Leg Theater Works website to view the full schedule, artist bios, and class offerings as well as register for anniversary celebration. 

In Case You Missed It 

Be sure to check out Thayer’s news page to see what’s happening at Thayer, including the Upper School's Speech & Debate program excelling in recent tournaments.

Mahjong Meetup

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. The monthly meetups will be held on the following dates: 

  • Monday, Feb. 9 
  • Monday, April 13
  • Monday, May 11

Beginners are welcome. Contact Ms. Dillmann with questions at ldillmann@thayer.org

Upper School Announcements


Applications Open for Minor Notes
Applications for the Minor Notes program are now available for all Upper School students.
Click here to apply. Minor Notes: Archival Explorations with MIT is a special program in its third year at Thayer Academy in partnership with Dr. Joshua Bennett, Distinguished Chair of Humanities at MIT and former Thayer scholar in residence. Open to all Upper School grades, the program meets Thursday evenings from February through early May and offers students a chance to engage with specially curated artifacts from nearby archival libraries and research institutions. Students come back to campus, share dinner from a local restaurant, and make creative pieces inspired by their chosen artifacts. Past submissions have included original music, short films, paintings, sculptures, photography, poetry, illustrations, acting and more. Click here for more information about the program. Applications close Friday, Jan. 23, at 3 p.m. Questions? Contact Upper School World Languages Faculty Allynn Lodge.


ACT, SAT Prep for Juniors

Thayer Academy’s Pulsifer College Counseling Center is partnering with Summit Educational Group to offer a variety of options for ACT and SAT preparation for current juniors.


Starting in January of 2026, Summit Educational Group will host a Virtual ACT Prep Class. The course has been specifically designed to give students all the academic skills and strategies they will need on test day. After the practice test, students will receive a detailed Score Report to track progress. The registration deadline for the ACT Prep Class is Jan. 18, 2026, and students can register through the appropriate link.


Also starting in January of 2026, Summit Educational Group will host an In-Person SAT Prep Class on campus. The course has been specifically designed to give students all the academic skills and strategies they will need on test day. After the practice test, students will receive a detailed Score Report to track progress. The registration deadline for the SAT Prep Class is Jan. 19, 2026, and students can register through the appropriate link.


Please reach out to the Pulsifer College Counseling Center with any questions.

Middle School Announcements

No School for the Middle School Jan. 20

A reminder: Tuesday, Jan. 20, is a student review day at the Middle School for faculty members. There will be no classes held that day. 


No School for the Middle School Jan. 26

A reminder: The Middle School will hold in-person, student-led conferences with students, parents/guardians, and advisors. Each advisor will reach out to schedule these 25-minute meetings, which are held at the Middle School. There will be no classes held that day. 


Extension for Yearbook Ads
Attention, 8th grade parents and guardians
: The deadline to purchase an ad in Evergreen, the Middle School's yearbook, has been extended until Jan. 31. Families can purchase a yearbook ad by clicking here or by going to yearbookordercenter.com and entering code 4968. There's a limited amount of space left, so if families haven't purchased an ad yet and would like to, please complete this as soon as possible. Questions? Contact Middle School Science Department Head Natalie Young, the yearbook's advisor.

TAPA News

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 (Editor's Note: These dates reflect revisions from a previous TNN): 


  • Tuesday, Feb. 10, at 7 p.m.
  • Thursday, March 5 
  • Thursday, April 16 (Internship / Job Fair Event) 
  • Friday, May 8
  • Monday, June 1 (End-Of-Year Celebration) 


Christian Affinity Group Coffee Hour Is Feb. 3

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.


The affinity group will hold a coffee hour Tuesday, Feb. 3, at 9:45 a.m. off campus at the home of a parent/guardian. Please email the group’s facilitator, Annie Pratt P ’26, ’27, if you would like the address to the gathering, have any questions about the affinity group, or 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 Thayers website.

Parent/Guardian Resources

What Thayer Is Reading Now

Middle School Science Department Head Natalie Young is reading The Names by Florence Knapp. 

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

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