Ryan Dowden ’26 shares his story during TA Talks.

Lanterns (Working or Not) Sought for Upper School Musical 

The Upper School’s production of Hadestown Teen Edition — which will take place Nov. 20-22 — seeks donations of lanterns to place on stage during the musical. The lanterns can be any style or in any condition as they will be repurposed and painted; in fact, as candles will be placed in the lanterns, they don’t even need to be functioning. If you can donate a lantern or if you have questions, reach out to Upper School Theater Director Kelly Hines P ’18, ’19. 

Thayer Academy Semi-Formal; Nov. 3 Deadline for Tickets

Tickets are now on sale for the Semi-Formal. The event will take place Monday, Nov. 10, at the Boston Quincy Marriott (1000 Marriott Drive, Quincy) from 7 to 10 p.m. All Upper School students are invited and encouraged to attend. Students should dress in their best. Tickets MUST be purchased by Monday, Nov 3. Tickets are $95 each. Financial assistance is available — see Ms. Gately or Ms. Pena.

Students must be at the dance by 7:30 p.m. and will not be allowed to leave before 9:30 p.m. Dinner is included. Transportation is not provided. Contact Ms. Gately or Ms. Pena with any questions. 

Virtual College Counseling Event Is Nov. 3 

The Pulsifer College Counseling Center invites Upper School families to a virtual college counseling event Monday, Nov. 3, at 6 p.m. The event is entitled “College Counseling and College Admissions Testing: Your Roadmap to the ACT and SAT.” During the session college counselors will provide a brief overview on what they do before Drew Heilpern from Summit Educational Group shares the latest information about standardized testing, including what's on the tests and how and when to prepare for them. Session topics include:

• SAT vs. ACT: how they differ and how to choose
• Components of a good test prep plan
• The new digital adaptive PSAT and SAT
• Preparing for these tests
• The role of standardized tests in the college admission process

The goals of this presentation are simple: to reduce anxiety, increase clarity, and impart confidence to families about the college admissions testing process. To learn more about Summit, visit mytutor.com.

Please note: While this event is open to any Upper School family interested in understanding standardized testing, the college counseling presentation will be geared toward 11th grade families. College counselors will provide more in-depth programming for 9th and 10th grade families during the second semester. Registration is required; to register, click here. The presentation will also be recorded for families who can’t make the Nov. 3 session. 

Explore University Opportunities in Ireland

Representatives from Irish higher education institutions will share everything one needs to know regarding academics, applications, finances, student life, and more during the webinar “The Emerald Isle Awaits: Everything You Need to Know About University in Ireland.” This webinar will take place Wednesday, Nov. 5, from 7 to 8 p.m. To register, click here. Please note: if you are unable to attend, feel free to register anyway, as the webinar will be recorded and shared following the event. 

College Visits

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.

No School for the Upper School Nov. 14
There will be no school for the Upper School division Friday, Nov. 14, because of parent/guardian conferences.

Show Your Pride With Senior Yearbook Ads; Due Date Nov. 15

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.

Scholastic Book Fair Underway

The annual Scholastic Book Fair at the Middle School began earlier this week. Students are now able to shop at the fair until it ends tomorrow (Friday, Oct. 31). Purchases can be made with a Scholastic eWallet account, a credit card, Apple Pay, or a Greenlight card. Parents and guardians are strongly encouraged to create an eWallet for book fair purchases. To create an eWallet account, visit the Middle School Scholastic Book Fair website. For a quick overview about how a Scholastic eWallet works, click here to view a short video.

A few English teachers have created eWallet accounts where books can be purchased for their classroom libraries. If families would like to donate to a teacher’s eWallet account, they can find those teachers’ individual account links here. Click on the account link and follow the directions. Lastly, the lucky winner of the book fair student raffle, Corn-ucopia of Guesses, will receive book fair swag by guessing the correct number of candy corns in a very large jar. Students who bring in a non-perishable food item will have the opportunity to enter multiple guesses. The food collected will be donated to the Pine Street Inn. 

If you have any additional questions about the book fair, please email Middle School Librarian Blodine Francois. 

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

Yearbook Ad Info; Due Date Is Nov. 1

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.

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. 

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 this Sunday, Nov. 2, at 5 p.m. at Sacco's Bowling, 45 Day St., Somerville.

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. Upcoming meetings will be held on Thursday, Nov. 6, at 7 p.m. and Monday, Dec. 1, at 7 p.m. To access the Zoom link, click here. Organizers look forward to affinity group members connecting and supporting one another. For more information, contact Sandra Joseph P ’27 and/or Cindy Theodore P ’26, the group's facilitators.

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.

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.

Next PIN Meeting Is Nov. 5 via Zoom

The Thayer community is welcome to attend the upcoming Parents' Independent School Network (PIN) meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 5, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. via Zoom. The topic is “Creating a Culture of Caring Relationships.” Registration is required; to register, click here.

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 on 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.