Head of School Weekly Email: Black History Month, Robotics Champions, Playoff Fever & More
February 24, 2024
Dear TA Families,
It’s been a jam-packed February. Here are a few highlights from this past week.
Black History Month Panel: “Spread love, no matter the color.”
Yesterday morning students attended an assembly for Black History Month featuring two Black artists and entrepreneurs, moderated by DEI coordinator Tony Strat-Cortez and student reps from SARJ (Student Alliance for Racial Justice). The panelists Kai Liciaga and CK Marion joined us remotely from their homes in Florida and Georgia to share their experiences as artists, their perspectives on Black history and culture, and their thoughts on how to move our country and culture forward to become more inclusive. Their wide-ranging advice in response to questions about what actions we can each take to make our world a better place: be curious, be compassionate, do your research, get engaged, be open, listen, celebrate differences and look for commonalities, study history, explore the arts, be teachable. One of my favorite quotes of the morning was Kai’s encouragement to “spread love, no matter the color.”
Robotics Champions: “Once again, tiny TA wrote the book.”
If you haven’t had a chance to read the recap of the VT/NH championships, take a minute now to catch up on the stellar showing the panther robots and ‘roboteurs’ had in Manchester, NH last Saturday: TA Wins Big at VT/NH Vex Robotics Championship. I was able to attend and witness firsthand the dramatic ups and downs of the competition and see our TA teams celebrate their various victories at the day’s end. The success of TA’s robotics team this year, and over the past 13 years since the program started, is especially notable because many of the high schools we compete against in the two-state league are much bigger. As Coach Leif LaWhite reminds us in his write-up, of the total six spots up for grabs for Vermont and New Hampshire teams to go to the world championships in April, “tiny TA earned three”!
Playoff Fever: Join us today at 2!
If you are a basketball aficionado or just an all-around panther fan, you’re probably keeping up with our varsity basketball teams and post-season activity. Today at 2pm the boys host BFA-Fairfax at TA’s Vaughan Alumni Gymnasium for the quarterfinals game. The girls playoffs schedule is staggered a week behind the boys, so we’ll know more about what’s next for the panthers by Sunday afternoon. Details for today’s game: Doors open at 1:30 p.m. VPA ticket pricing is $10 for adults, $5 seniors and students.
Looking Ahead to March:
- March 2 – Thetford Town Meeting @ TA
- March 4 – School resumes
- March 12-13 – State testing in language arts (grades 7-9)
- March 14 – PSATs (grade 10)
- March 15 – Half day
- March 15-16 – One Act performances, 7pm
- March 19-20 – State testing in math (grades 7-9)
- March 23 – One Act regional festival @ TA
- March 28 – Last day of Q3
- March 29 – No school (faculty inservice)
- Reminder to use the school calendar to keep up on school events
Now we head into a week off and when we return, it’s time to dive into the springtime stretch and final third of the school year, March 4-June 14!
Wishing everyone a good break and well-deserved time for activities outside of the school routine,
Carrie Brennan, Head of School
Featured photos this week: The girls basketball team celebrated their seniors on Thursday night and welcomed senior families into the fold; family members captured the special moment as the robotics team celebrated their championship victories on Saturday; and one of many displays around campus in honor of Black History Month.
