FAQs for Students & Families
This collection of frequently asked questions (FAQs) will be updated throughout the summer and the 2025–2026 school year. Additional questions may be submitted via email.
Academics
What kind of laptop should I bring?
All students are required to bring a laptop for use in classes. For information on minimum laptop requirements, click here. If you have any questions about device compatibility, email the Help Desk or call 978-749- 4357 Monday–Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET.
Additional Information
- Students may wish to supplement their laptop with a tablet for note-taking and annotating documents.
- Each student is provided with a Microsoft Office 365 subscription.
- Microsoft Outlook is the required platform for student email.
How will I get my textbooks?
The Academy currently purchases course materials in bulk for all classes. These materials -physical books, information for access to electronic resources, or information on availability of books at the library will be provided by teachers on the first day of classes. To cover the cost of the books and other course materials, the Academy will include a 'Course Materials Charge' on the first student tuition invoice. This yearly charge will be placed in a separate Course Materials Account; the account will also be used to cover art fees, PSATs, and Advanced Placement Exams. Any balance in a student’s Course Materials Account will be refunded upon the student's departure from the Academy.
What is the weekly class schedule?
You can view the current weekly class schedule by clicking here.
Are there online resources that tie in with my courses?
Yes. Canvas is our learning management platform. Course information will be provided to you and updated regularly on Canvas by your course instructor.
What resources are provided to students at the Academic Skills Center (ASC)?
- Review the ASC FAQ
- Visit the Academic Skills Center website
- Email the ASC
What is the process for my student to request accommodations?
Refer to the Student Accessibility Services (SAS) FAQ. You can also visit the Student Accessibility Services website or email SAS.
Do I get an official Andover email account?
Yes. Every student is assigned an Andover email account. Students are expected to check this account several times each day and to communicate with teachers, staff, administrators, etc., using their Andover email.
Do parents/guardians get an Andover email account?
Parents/guardians will receive credentials to The Hive, the parent/guardian portal. These credentials, for example [email protected], are simply a username. There is no Andover email associated with this account. The school will communicate with families using the email address you provide in your Family Profile on The Hive. Please ensure your contact information is accurate and updated for effective communication.
How do I find out about private music lessons?
You can submit a request for private music lessons when you meet with your advisor prior to the start of each trimester. New students will have an opportunity to request music lessons and rental instruments during their orientation.
How do I change the sport I originally signed up for?
To change a sport, you can visit the Athletics Office in Borden Gym.
When will I meet my college counselor?
Students are assigned a college counselor in January of their upper (11th-grade) year.
Since each student will work with a college counselor, their advisor is not asked to be an expert on the entrance requirements of individual colleges and universities, programs within these schools, or the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The College Counseling Office is available to consult on such matters at any point in a student’s career.
Where can I purchase school supplies or personal items?
- The Elson Art Store, right on campus, offers a wide range of class supplies, fine art materials, and creative materials for all projects at a 30%–70% discount off retail prices. The store is open Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–3:30 p.m. during the academic year.
- A large CVS store and pharmacy in downtown Andover (10-minute walk) stocks a good selection of school supplies plus snacks and personal care products. (A Whole Foods Market (1.3-mile walk) and a Stop & Shop grocery store (1.5-mile walk) are also located in Andover.)
Is there a summer reading list?
No, there is no specific reading list, but we certainly encourage you to read over the summer. Some books recommended by our faculty and staff from can be found here.
Cell Phone Use at School: What Families Should Know
What is the school’s cell phone policy?
We follow an “Away for the Day” approach, similar to that of many public and independent schools. This means students are expected to keep their phones out of sight and not in use during the academic day.
When are phones off limits?
- Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 8 a.m.–3 p.m.
- Wednesday: 8 a.m.–1 p.m.
During these hours:- Phones must be off or in “Do Not Disturb” mode.
- Phones must be stored out of sight in a bag, backpack, etc.
Are there any exceptions?
Yes. Student may use their phones:
- In medical or safety emergencies
- With faculty or staff permission for things like 2-factor authentication
- In these designated areas only: dorm rooms, day-student locker area, George Washington Hall mailroom area, and Susie’s (located in the lower level of Paresky Commons)
- While listening to music with earbuds/headphones and while studying or working out, but phones should not be visible
When can students use their phones freely?
- After school hours: 3-8 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday; 1-8 p.m. on Wednesday
- All weekend
Are there limits to cell phone usage after school hours?
Yes. Students may not use phones:
- During school commitments (sports, rehearsals, community engagement, speakers, etc.)
- After 8 p.m. in supervised study spaces or dorm common rooms (on nights before classes)
- Juniors and lowers must place phones in designated charging stations from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m.
Where are phones never allowed?
- Garver Room in the library
- While in line for food in Paresky Commons
- Restrooms and locker rooms
- While walking around campus or crossing streets
What happens if a student uses their phone without permission?
The phone will be taken to the Dean of Students Office.
How can families reach students in an emergency?
Monday-Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., you may contact the Dean of Students Office at 978-749-4175 or email [email protected]. After hours on weekdays, and on weekends, contact Campus Safety at 978-749-4444.
Will students get help setting up their phones for emergencies?
Yes! We will provide an online tutorial to help students configure their phones so emergency alerts can bypass “Do Not Disturb” mode.
What if my student requires disability-related accommodation for this policy?
Students who require disability related accommodation should email Student Accessibility Services at [email protected] with any questions.
Additional questions?
Contact the Dean of Students Office by phone at 978-749-4175 or email [email protected].
What are some recommended books to help me better understand and support my student?
We recommend the following insightful and research-based reads:
- “The Emotional Lives of Teenagers: Raising Connected, Capable, and Compassionate Adolescents” by Lisa Damour
- “Behind Their Screens: What Teens Are Facing (and Adults Are Missing)” by Emily Weinstein and Carrie James
Computer Requirement
All students are required to have a laptop for use in classes. For information on minimum laptop requirements, click here. If you have any questions about device compatibility, email the Help Desk or call 978-749- 4357 (Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m. ET).
Day Student
When will my student receive their cluster assignment?
An email will be sent in late August to all students (copied to parents/guardians) with their cluster assignments.
May day students drive to school?
Licensed day students may drive to school with parental permission. Day students who drive themselves to school MUST register all vehicles that will be driven to campus with Phillips Academy Campus Safety and display the blue student registration sticker on each vehicle’s driver’s side, back seat window. Students who do not register their vehicle(s) or park in non-student areas will be issued a parking ticket and a $25 fine. If parked in certain restricted areas, such as a fire lane, handicapped space without a placard, or blocking a driveway, the vehicle will be towed.
Students may park only in these student-designated parking areas:
- West bank of spaces in the Graves Hall parking lot (once it is reopened)
- The head-in gravel spaces at the Rabbit Pond Circle (Pine Knoll Cluster)
- The bank of spaces facing Highland Road in the E.H. Stuart House lot
- The gravel lot on Field House Road—all spaces
For a campus map, go here.
Day students who have completed their Junior Operators License and can drive other students must get permission from their parents. Parents/guardians can give this permission on the Travel Authorization form found under the “Required for Registration” tasks in The Hive. This covers Day Students driving BOARDING students—and both students must have parent/guardian permission. Students must get faculty approval EACH time.
Where can day students keep their belongings?
Day students are assigned a locker in the designated day student area on the ground level of George Washington Hall. Before the start of school, the Dean of Students Office will email each day student with their locker number, location, and combination.
Are day students assigned a mailbox?
Yes, all students—including day students—are assigned a mailbox. The Dean of Students Office will email students their mailbox number and combination before the start of school.
Can day students eat all their meals on campus?
Yes. Day students are welcome to eat all meals in Paresky Commons, even on weekends.
Where are day students dropped off and picked up?
There is central and convenient day student drop-off at the circle on Salem Street across from the Shuman Admission Center and another drop-off location on Chapel Avenue just beyond George Washington Hall. For a campus map, go here.
What to do if your day student is not feeling well?
A parent/guardian must call the Wellness Center at 978-749-4455 as soon as they know their student will not be coming to school.
Dean’s Excuse
Whenever a student will miss any school commitment, they must request a Dean’s Excuse.
Key Steps:
- A student MUST submit a request 2 weeks before departure (earlier is better). Exceptions are made only for unexpected situations.
- The student emails or speaks with their cluster dean and shares all details. If the cluster dean approves, the student then submits a REACH Dean’s Excuse Leave Request.
- The leave request must include:
- Destination and purpose (e.g., “Family wedding in San Francisco, CA,” “Baseball tournament in Fort Myers, FL,” “Music competition at Lincoln Center, NYC”).
- Departure/Return dates and times
- Travel method
- Host information
- Detailed notes, including who they’re traveling with (or if alone), flight information if applicable, multi‑stop travel plans, and confirmation that the cluster dean has approved the leave.
Questions? Reach out to your students’ cluster dean.
Family Weekend
When is Family Weekend?
Mark your calendars for Family Weekend: Friday, October 16–Tuesday, October 20. Family Weekend programming will take place on Friday afternoon and all day Saturday, with optional events on Sunday.
- Classes are held on Friday until 3 p.m.
- Students do not have classes on Monday and Tuesday.
- Boarding students can use the REACH system to request and receive overnight permissions beginning on Friday.
- Dorms will remain open every day.
- Student athletes must return for Tuesday afternoon practices.
- All boarding students must check in by 8 p.m. on Tuesday.
More information will be coming soon!
Health and Wellness
General information about the Rebecca M. Sykes Wellness Center
There is at least one medical professional at the Wellness Center 24/7 and a physician and counselor on-call while students are on campus. The Wellness Center is open for routine care Monday—Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. and after hours for urgent care. Call us at 978-749-4455.
What to do if your student is not feeling well?
For boarding students and day students on campus…
Your student should go directly to the Wellness Center for evaluation and care by a member of the wellness team and, if necessary, to get excused from classes and/or co-curricular commitments.
For day students who are at home…
A parent/guardian must call the Wellness Center as soon as they know their student will not be coming to school.
Will you tell me about my student’s visits to the wellness center?
The goal of the Wellness Center team is to ensure that students have growing autonomy and independence to be their own best health advocate while partnering with families. If a student comes to the Sykes Wellness Center for a routine cold, we are not likely to give a family a call for this type of visit. However, the Wellness Center will notify families under certain circumstances which include off campus care such as a specialist visit or emergency room evaluation, prescription medications, testing beyond routine testing (such as x-rays, labs involving an external lab), and if we are concerned and believe that a parent/guardian needs to be informed of our concern.
What do I do if my student has an upcoming health appointment or procedure?
If your student has a health appointment/procedure that requires missing class time, please reach out to [email protected] or call 978-749-4455. If the appointment requires missing more than a day of classes, a request must be made to the Dean of Health and Wellness/Chief Medical Officer, and may require consideration from the Student Response Team (SRT).
My Student's Team
Point Person
Each student, boarding and day, has a single adult serve as their point person for the entire year. The point person is the family’s main contact at school.
- For boarding students: a house counselor serves as point person
- For day students: the day student advisor serves as both point person AND advisor
Families should always reach out to their student’s point person with questions and concerns. The point person coordinates communication among the various adults on a student’s core team (see below).
Advisors (for boarding students)
The advisor supports a student’s navigation of the program, ensuring the completion of diploma requirements, guiding choices around electives and extracurricular opportunities, and helping students develop the skills needed for success. Advisors oversee a student’s course selection and multiyear planning. Each advisee meets regularly with their advisor (weekly meetings, individually or in a group setting). The advisor will serve in this role for the duration of the student’s time at Phillips Academy and, in addition to the house counselor/point person, is another adult who will support and guide your student.
House Counselors (for boarding students)
The primary adults responsible for the students living in their dormitories. Resident house counselors live within the dormitory buildings, while complementary house counselors are assigned to be on duty in dorms on certain nights and weekends, but do not live in the building.
Day Student Advisor (for day students)
The day student advisor is both the point person AND advisor for day students and will serve in this role for the duration of the student’s time at Phillips Academy. The day student advisor supports a student’s navigation of the program, ensuring the completion of diploma requirements, guiding choices around electives and extracurricular opportunities, and helping students develop the skills needed for success. The day student advisor oversees a student’s course selection and multiyear planning. Each advisee meets regularly with their advisor (weekly meetings, individually or in a group setting).
Cluster Dean
Each student, day or boarding, is assigned to one of our five “clusters” of dormitories in the same neighborhood: Abbot Cluster, Flagstaff Cluster, Pine Knoll Cluster, West Quad North Cluster, and West Quad South Cluster each comprise about 230 students (including day and boarding students) as well as a cluster dean (residential dean) and a group of faculty members, many of whom are house counselors and advisors for students in the cluster.
Core Team for a Boarding Student
The house counselor/point person, advisor, and cluster dean form the student’s core team. These three adults provide steady support and guidance—both personal and academic—and a consistent connection throughout the entire year.
Core Team for a Day Student
The day student advisor/point person and cluster dean form the student’s core team. These two adults provide steady support and guidance—both personal and academic—and a consistent connection throughout the entire year.
Off Campus Permissions
What is REACH?
REACH Boarding is a cloud-based application that your student will utilize to request leaves, such as dean’s excuses, day excuses, overnights with parents/guardians or a designated host, group overnight permissions, college visits, and school breaks. Additionally, it facilitates the sign-out process to a place of study and the final sign-in each night. Upon submission of a leave request, REACH automatically notifies parents and guardians via email for approval. Details on the different types of off-campus permission can be found in The Blue Book, under Off-Campus Health and Safety, pgs. 21-22.
What are travel authorizations?
Each year, parents and guardians are asked to complete travel authorizations for their students before the start of school in September. This form allows families to indicate permissions related to student car travel—whether driving or riding—so we can ensure approved transportation arrangements for day and boarding students. This section covers car and driving authorizations as follows.
- Day Students:
- Students who are at least 17 years old and can legally drive individuals under 21 may be given authorization to drive boarding students.
- This ONLY applies to day students driving boarding students.
- Boarding Students:
- With parent/guardian authorization, boarding students can ride in a car driven by a day student. This authorization does NOT cover ride-sharing services or riding in a car driven by another student’s parent/guardian.
- Permission Process: Each time students drive (Day) or ride (Boarder) together, they must seek permission. Default permission for ALL students is to receive permission from their house counsel or cluster dean.
- ONLY for uppers and seniors (11th- and 12th-grade students): parents/guardians can allow them to get permission from ANY faculty member.
Residential Life
When will my student receive their cluster assignment and housing assignment?
Cluster and housing information will be available prior to Opening of School. Students can view information by logging into BlueLink. They will see their cluster, assigned point person, and advisor. Boarders will also be able to view their housing assignment, house counselor(s), and roommate information. Parents/guardians can also view this information by logging into The Hive.
What is provided in dorms?
Each student is provided an extra-long twin bed, desk, chair, and dresser. If you are considering bringing additional furniture or a rug, we recommend you wait until you see the space to determine what is appropriate and to coordinate with your student’s roommate. For details on room configurations, you can reach out to your student’s point person once housing assignments have been released.
What should my student bring to campus?
Please review our list of What to Bring to Campus and What NOT to Bring to Campus.
Can my student bring an area rug?
Please hold off on bringing an area rug—the room may already have carpet in place, and we cannot give you the dimensions of your student’s particular room ahead of time. Once you know your student’s space you can consider an area rug, but please do so in consultation with your student’s roommate to be sure there are no allergies or other concerns.
What can I bring/hang on my walls?
Bring items that are familiar, comfortable, and important to you—stuffed animals, pictures, posters, etc. We ask that all decorations be appropriate in content and messaging. If you are unsure, please consult with your house counselor before displaying the item (or leave the item at home). Please refer to the list of what to bring and what not to bring to campus on how to hang things.
Can I bring a refrigerator?
Boarders cannot have refrigerators in their rooms. All dorms have a common kitchen area that includes a refrigerator, microwave, and sink.
Exceptions are made if a refrigerator is needed for medical or religious reasons. Parents/guardians should complete a reasonable accommodation request form through the Medical Health Portal. If approved, the refrigerator cannot exceed 1.7 cubic feet or 40 pounds.
When can I begin shipping items to campus?
You can ship items for your student starting on Monday, August 17. Please do not ship items before this date. Remember, the mailroom will not accept any item or package that weighs more than 40 pounds.
How do I mail items to my student?
Please review our Mail Services Mailroom Policies to see where and when to ship items—and what items cannot be accepted.
Does my student have an assigned mailbox?
Yes, every student is assigned a mailbox. Before the start of school, the Dean of Students Office will email all students with their mailbox number and combination.
What is the shipping address?
Please use our 180 Main Street address (see below) when shipping items to your student, not the street address of their dorm. Please use your student’s full formal name, no nicknames!
STUDENT’S FULL NAME
DORM NAME
PHILLIPS ACADEMY
180 MAIN STREET
ANDOVER, MA 01810
When ordering online and using your information for billing purposes, avoid processing delays by making sure the shipping information has the student’s full name, not a parent’s or other individual’s name.
Can I ship beverages to my student?
No. Beverages cannot be shipped to students. These packages are very heavy; the mailroom is unable to deliver them and no items may be delivered directly to dorms. Filtered water is available in every dorm and throughout campus. Having students refill a reusable water bottle is a sustainable option creating much less plastic waste. For athletes, please ship your student powdered sport drinks.
If your student requires a beverage for medical reasons, please email the Sykes Wellness Center team.
What options does my student have for doing laundry?
1) Your student can use the free washers and dryers located in most dorms*.
2) Your student can sign up for the E&R laundry service, which returns cleaned, pressed, and folded clothes to students once a week. Learn more about E&R laundry here.
*A few very small dorms do not have their own washer and dryer. Students in these dorms are given access to an adjacent dorm’s laundry room.
Transportation Options
What transportation options are available for my student?
For transportation to Logan (Boston) and Manchester (N.H.) airports or Boston’s South Station (trains), arrangements can be made with private taxi and limousine service providers for students traveling alone. A list of service providers regularly used by members of the PA community, including information on greeter services for unaccompanied minors, is available here.
Note regarding unaccompanied minors: Families are responsible for understanding the rules of various airlines regarding unaccompanied minors, knowing the age requirements, and making the necessary arrangements (departure and arrival points) if their child will be flying as an unaccompanied minor. Ages vary considerably from airline to airline.
Does PA offer transportation services during school breaks?
Phillips Academy will offer transportation during school breaks to and from New York City, with a stop in Darien, Connecticut. Students can sign up for one-way travel or round-trip. Details will be shared by the Dean of Students Office prior to each break.