Dear Families,
I hope everyone enjoyed March Break and had a great first week back at school. The year is moving quickly and Friday marked the end of the third quarter. While we are entering the final stretch of the school year, there is still much to accomplish in the classroom, on the athletic field, and on stage. I look forward to a great spring term!
I am excited to announce that NYA received approvals from the Yarmouth Planning Board for the remade Travis Roy Arena and fitness and wellness addition. This is a major milestone for the project and exciting news for the school and students. Demo work will begin on the existing rink in the next two weeks. On Thursday, June 2, at 10:00 a.m., the entire NYA community is invited to attend a groundbreaking ceremony at the Travis Roy Arena and new Fitness & Wellness Center to celebrate the start of construction on this project. We will continue to keep you informed on progress.
Representatives from Make-A-Wish® Maine came to campus last Friday where they were presented with a $7,000 check from the NYA Make-A-Wish Club. This donation represents the culmination of several years of fundraising by the club and will grant a wish to a child with a critical illness. Earlier this fall, the NYA Make-A-Wish Club was presented with the Brendan Batson Award in recognition of Maine youth who give substantial time and energy to support the Make-A-Wish® Maine mission. I am proud to share that this group has raised over $60,000 in the 20 years since it started fundraising. More information can be found in this press release.
The Class of 2022 is a fantastic class, consisting of 48 students. It is hard to believe that the seniors only have five weeks left of classes on campus. After their classes end, they will take exams and participate in after school activities. They will also complete a senior service project during the month of May. While senior service projects had to be modified due to continued COVID limitations at some organizations, each senior will participate in service work in May. Projects can range from working with a non-profit or some level of community engagement at NYA. Students may also do an internship or independent project. It is a great opportunity for the students to give back to the community.
In the Lower School, several classes held recognitions of the 100th day of school. Ms. KB’s class decorated 100 crowns, read 100 books, made collections of 100 items, incorporated 100 into their snack, and much more. Ms. Gallagher’s first graders celebrated the 101st day of school with a “101 Dalmatians” theme. Along with several learning activities, the students watched “101 Dalmatians” and wrote opinion papers on the movie. They also celebrated being 101 days smarter, something all of the students can share in celebration!
Middle School activities began last week amidst spring sun and winter-like temperatures! We are looking forward to the return of Middle School competition in all sports. Check out competition and practice schedules on our athletics schedule webpage and come cheer on the Panthers this season! We are still looking for a handful of coaches to round-out our various Middle School coaching staffs:
- Boys Lacrosse Assistant Coach
- Girls Lacrosse Head Coach
- Outdoor Track and Field Assistant Coach
- Baseball / Softball Head Coach
Interested candidates should contact Associate Director of Athletics, Matt Poulin.
The Upper School spring seasons officially and completely kick-off tomorrow! Student-athletes and their coaches will get to work representing NYA with preseason training, scrimmages, and play dates. Maine Principal’s Association competition begins in late April and will conclude in mid-June. Upper School student activity participation is required after the end of the academic year, through the State Tournaments. Coaches will be in touch about specific dates. We are eager to see the Panthers back in action and I hope you’ll come by to see an event or two!
Congratulations to Jack Schaeffer who was named a National Merit Scholarship Finalist. This is one of the most distinguished academic honors a student can receive. Again, congratulations to Jack!
Congratulations to several sixth graders who will participate in the District II Elementary Music Festival on April 2. These students were selected from students around the district based on teacher nomination to fill the honors band, chorus, and orchestra. They will work with their ensemble in the morning and present a livestreamed concert in the afternoon. NYA’s representatives are:
BAND: Phoebe Reilly, flute
CHORUS: Clem Feeley, Josie Malin, Ellie Seely, Amos Eichler, Lila Fournier, Anders Hesson, Eliza Smith, Eva Szymczak
ORCHESTRA: Madeline Mayo, violin; James Vaillancourt, violin; Colden Daniel, viola; Daniel Smith, viola; Penny Houghton, cello
*MISSION SPOTLIGHT*
The Upper School Literature of Glacier Bay elective, taught by Mr. Ramsey, is a multi-disciplinary course that combines literature, writing, and outdoor-environmental education. The course culminates with a 10 day trip to Glacier Bay, Alaska, where the students meet with some of the writers they studied and embark on a kayak trip deep into the backcountry of Glacier Bay. They follow the footsteps of naturalist and writer, John Muir. While on the trip the will observe glaciers and wildlife including whales and bears. Last Tuesday night, the students “trained” for their backcountry journey using their outdoor cooking equipment as they prepared dinner for one another. They followed this up with a Zoom meeting with one of the authors they have studied in the class. This year, Mr. Ramsey is leading a total of 18 NYA students on two separate trips in June and July. It is truly an amazing and transformational experience.
Show Your Love, NYA! This is an opportunity for our community to come together and celebrate all the things that make NYA great! I hope you will make a donation by midnight on Thursday, March 31, and help unlock an extra $25,000 for NYA. As a special incentive, if 200 parents make a gift, Deb & Steve Bachelder P’02, P’04; Jess Lynch & Dewey Mote P’29, P’31; Case & Gail Lynch GP’29, GP’31; and Barbara & Scott Marr P’17 will give $15,000. If you’ve already contributed, thank you for your support. If you have not yet participated, now is the time to make a gift of any size at www.nya.org/love.
This year, we will combine the Lower School Art Celebration and Lower School Grandparents’ Day into one event. All Lower School parents, grandparents, and “grand friends” are invited to attend this special gathering on Friday, May 13 from 9:45 to 11:30 a.m. The event, featuring student artwork, a concert, and light snacks, will be held on campus under the event tent on Denney Field. All guests planning to attend are asked to RSVP online or contact Crystal Gordon for more information or to volunteer.
We hope to see you on Friday, June 3, at the 38th Annual NYA Soirée under the event tent on Denney Field. Invitations and additional details to be sent soon. In the meantime, reach out to Crystal Gordon with questions, suggestions, auction item ideas, as well as information on event sponsorships.
Have a great week.
Sincerely,
Ben Jackson
Head of School
NYA ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Facebook – North Yarmouth Academy Page, NYA Parents’ Association Group, NYA Athletics Page (for livestreams of home contests)
YouTube – North Yarmouth Academy
Twitter – @NYAToday
Twitter -Athletics – @NYAPanther
Instagram – Ben Jackson HOS, North Yarmouth Academy, NYAartists, NYA College Counseling
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