TA News

Dear TA Families,

Re-Cap: Half-Day on Friday

As I described in my message earlier this week, there are times in the school year when we need to ‘take care of business’ beyond the normal routine of classes, and that was our approach today. We designed the morning to create time for a range of activities as a school community – in our small group advisories, as a whole school of 300+, and with our grade-level classmates.

Today’s special schedule included:

• A showcase arts assembly – that wowed the audience! – featuring Poetry Out Loud recitations, scenes from the one act play Wind in the Door, and a musical performance by the Stage Band class. Lots of talent on display! Thank you to all of our performers and the teachers involved, Emily Silver, Jeff Seabaugh, Whit VanMeter.
• Advisory sessions for students to develop their portfolios and prepare for roundtables in April and May, when they will present their portfolios. Some advisories closed the morning with practice roundtables, so that students (and some advisors!) could begin presenting their portfolios for feedback. Check in with your student about what progress they made today, what they learned along the way, and what tasks they have in front of them.
• Class meetings for grade-level planning and announcements.
• A whole school evacuation and reunification drill as part of our efforts to keep up with evolving best practices and statewide guidance on school safety.
• And, for the 8th graders, a field trip to Hanover that included visits to Baker Library and the Hood Museum.

The half days in our calendar allow for much-needed collaborative time for our TA educators too. After students were dismissed at 12:10, the campus got a little quieter and the afternoon was dedicated to professional meetings.

Community Announcements from Thetford Rec Department

On behalf of Thetford Rec Director (and TA parent) Rachael Cook, I am sending along a couple of announcements:

• Survey: In an effort to offer a more diverse collection of activities that meet our community’s needs, the Recreation Department is asking for input. Students who live in or near Thetford are invited to fill out the survey – on their own to provide teen perspective – and parents, too, are invited to fill out the survey: link for survey.
• Job Opening: They are still recruiting for one lifeguard position at Treasure Island this summer. Applicants need to be at least 15 years old and will need to get certified to be a lifeguard. Connect with Rachael Cook at [email protected] for more info.

One Act Weekend!

Reminder: The TA drama department presents the one act play ‘A Wind in the Door’ tonight and tomorrow night at 7pm. Help students in the cast and crew gear up for the regional one act festival next weekend by participating in audience feedback sessions after the show. More details & ticket links: thetfordacademy.org/2024/03/thetford-academy-to-present-one-act-play-a-wind-in-the-door.

Happy Friday,

Carrie Brennan, Head of School

Featured photos this week: Sora Bolles captivates the audience with her bold performance of ‘Say Grace’ by Emily Jungmin Yoon; the stage band wows with their final song, ‘Feeling Good’ by Nina Simone; 9th graders in Morgan LaPointe’s advisory participate in a practice roundtable session, with their advisor modeling and sharing her portfolio; 11th graders in Emily Silver’s advisory present their portfolios in small groups.