Head of School Weekly Email: Happy Holidays!
December 19, 2025
Dear TA Families,
In keeping with last week’s theme of headlines, I want to congratulate …
- All of the students who sang and played in the middle school chorus, high school chorus, instrumental ensemble, and stage band performances at the Winter Concert on Wednesday – and their teachers Whit VanMeter and Jeff Seabaugh. A super joyful music-filled evening!
- The Environmental Studies & Outdoor Education class for accomplishing a solo winter wilderness overnight experience – and their teacher Scott Ellis. An impressive test of applying survival skills in a real world setting and drawing on one’s inner strength and fortitude!
- The boys varsity basketball team and their coach Jason Gray for being featured in the Valley News season preview last Saturday: https://vnews.com/2025/12/12/high-school-boys-basketball-teams. Lot of eyes are on last year’s championship team, and we wish them – and all of the TA basketball teams – well as they move into the first weeks of competition.
- This semester’s English 10 students and their teacher Emily Silver for presenting their anthology projects on Thursday to an audience of family members and students. What a compelling set of readings, demonstrating poise, power, and personal passions!
If you are looking for activities over the break, here are a few panther-inspired ideas …
We invite everyone to participate in Book Bingo over the holiday. Students received info in advisory and/or English classes – and more details to participate are at the link.
Come out to cheer on the basketball teams at a home game in the Vaughan Alumni Gymnasium. Games are on the school calendar. An especially fun game-packed day will be Saturday 12/27 with the girls JV/varsity games in the morning at 10 and 11:30am and the annual TA Alumni Game at 1pm.
If philanthropy is part of your family’s tradition around the holidays and new year, consider including Thetford Academy in your charitable giving. More details about TA’s annual fund and how to make a donation are on our website.
Wishing everyone lots of light and joy through the holiday season and into the new year,
Carrie Brennan, Head of School
