Student and Parent Welcome Letter: August 2008-2009

Dear Parents and Students:

On behalf of all the Upper School teachers and staff, I want to welcome you to the new school year!  The campus is buzzing with activity, including sports camps and faculty members meeting and preparing for the first day of school.  Here is what's planned over the next week:

Sunday, Aug 17

10 a.m.-2 p.m.:  Registration for new boarders at the Rutgers Tennis Facility.  From here, you will be escorted to the dorms to your child’s hall and room.  Boarding faculty and floor prefects will be available to assist you. 

3 p.m.
Informational meeting in the Student Union (next to the Taylor Commons Dining Hall) for new day and boarding families, grades 9-12. 

4-6 p.m.
Experience HPA at Taylor Commons.  Meet teachers, staff, and other HPA families.  There will be food, entertainment, and information about  school programs.

7 p.m.
New boarding students bid farewell to their families and activities begin with Mr. Jayson Christner, director of residential life and his dorm staff, including all dorm heads—Mrs. Kamrow (Anna’s), Mr. Kamrow (Robertson’s) and Dr. Ravaglia (Hartwell’s).

Monday, August 18

8 a.m.
New Student and Parent Orientation, Gates Performing Arts Center.  This meeting is for all freshmen and all new sophomores, juniors, and seniors, day and boarding.  Campus security will be available to direct you to this location.

8:45-11:30 a.m.
Following the assembly, Student Council members and Red Key Guides will lead all students and interested parents on a campus tour.  Stops will be include each of the classroom areas (Math, Social Studies, Language, English, Fine Arts, ESL, and Science), bookstore, Upper School office (Mrs. Ogasawara), Dyer Library, counseling offices, student union, infirmary (nurses stations), and the registrar’s office (class schedules).  Lunch will be provided for boarding students in the Taylor Commons.

Tuesday, August 19

8 a.m.:      All Upper School students report to GPAC for an assembly.
10:30 a.m.-
2:55 p.m.:    Classes
2:55 p.m.:      Safety Drill
3:10 p.m.:     Students dismissed (those on varsity and JV programs will have practice)

About Saturdays at HPA
Saturday School at the Upper School is an HPA tradition.  This year, I am adopting a recommendation by our faculty members to make a stronger commitment to the instructional time Monday-Friday and continue our enrichment activities, which we believe are essential to our students' lives, on Saturdays. 

For example, on Saturday, August 23, students are required to participate in their class projects, a retreat-like activity that will allow students to get to know each other better while working with their faculty advisors. Unless students are involved in other HPA-sponsored activities/events, they are expected to be in school.  As you review the schedule on the Web site, there are several Saturday programs and we appreciate your support of these activities.

If you have any questions, please contact me at 881-4002 (e-mail: mnoetzel@hpa.edu).  I look forward to welcoming you, soon.

Sincerely,

MARK NOETZEL
Principal, Upper School