Head of School Weekly Email: Healthy Intentions, Student Portfolios & February Events
January 30, 2026
January Reflections & Intentions
As January draws to a close, it’s a good time to pause and reflect on intentions we might have set for the new year and check whether we are on the path toward achieving them. Our Getting to Y team engaged their peers in doing just that last week and shared out helpful data and tips at today’s assembly. Their lunchtime activity focused on the theme of ‘You’ve Got This’ and encouraged students to embrace a healthy habit to work on this year. Parents might be interested to know that the runaway top vote-getter that students selected was ‘better sleep routine’! The advice shared at assembly today regarding how to stick to a healthy habit: 1. Embrace the fresh start, 2. Be kind to yourself, 3. Remember your strength, and 4. Take it slow. A helpful set of tips for all of us!
We also built in a special hour to our schedule today to pause our normal routine and create extended work time in advisory for our portfolios. The timing was good, with first semester in the rearview mirror, yet still recent enough to do quality reflection on assignments, growth, and activities during the first half of the year. Congratulations especially to the seniors who submitted their portfolios for faculty review today – an important milestone as they work their way toward graduation in June!
Prepping for the Month Ahead: Key Dates in February
February might be a short month, but it is jam packed. Check out the list below of featured dates and be sure to check the school calendar for all events, including athletic competitions.
- Feb. 3-4, 8th grade overnight trip to Hulbert Outdoor Center
- Feb. 4, Poetry Out Loud competition, 3:15pm
- Feb. 5, 7th grade field trip to River Bend Career & Tech Center
- Feb. 6, Half day for students
- Feb. 7, Drama field trip to the New England Thespian Festival in Boston
- Feb. 12, Committee prep day for Founders’ Day
- Feb. 13, Founders’ Day (school day) & Founders’ Night (6-9pm)
- Feb. 14, Robotics State Meet
- Feb. 18, College info session #2 for juniors and their families (virtual, 6pm)
- Feb. 23-27, Winter Break – school not in session
- Feb. 28, Thetford Town Meeting @ TA
Featured images this week: The very busy Getting to Y activity table during lunch gathering votes, promoting discussion, and helping students set healthy intentions for 2026; the vote results shared at assembly, showing an overwhelming level of awareness amongst students about the need to improve sleep routines; and the flyer to encourage student participation.
Wishing everyone a healthy, happy weekend,
Carrie Brennan, Head of School
