News from the St. Mark's Dean of Students, Dean of Academics, and Dean of Faculty
October 8, 2021
REMINDER: Family Weekend is October 14-16
We look forward to welcoming our St. Mark’s families to Southborough for this special weekend! Click here for program details.
 
Important Note: The window to schedule advisor and teacher conferences closes Sunday, October 10, at 5:00 p.m. EDT. 
 
This email was sent to families Saturday, October 2, with details about scheduling conferences. You can also register here.


NEW: Family Weekend Expectations & Sign In/Out Procedures
Important Information:

  • Students may stay off-campus with their guardians starting Friday, October 15, and returning Tuesday, October 19, by 7:00 p.m.

  • Students are expected to meet all academic and athletic commitments including practices, classes, and competitions on Friday, October 15, and Saturday, October 16. A missed practice, class, or competition is an absence.

  • Students who sign out on Friday, October 15, are allowed to meet their team at Saturday competition sites. (Please inform your coach if you will be taking advantage of this option.)

  • There will not be athletic practices on Monday, October 18. 

  • Varsity athletes should check with their coaches for practice times on Tuesday, October 19. JV, Thirds, Fall Play, and wellness programs will not meet on Tuesday.

Sign In/Out Procedures:

  • Students departing school on Friday or Saturday should complete the regular Overnight request on Orah no later than Thursday, October 14 at 1:00 p.m.

  • Requests must be approved by the family and Dean’s Office before students leave school grounds.


  • Any changes in plans Saturday-Tuesday should go through the administrator on duty. The administrator can be reached at (508)380-8667.

  • Students must sign back in with the house faculty member on duty when returning to school.

Check-In Times:

Friday, October 15 Check-in for all Forms is 9:30 p.m.
From 7:30-9:30 p.m. students should be in-house, signed out with guardians, or at the Art Exhibit/Fall Concert. Students should not be roaming campus during this time.

Saturday, October 16 Check-in for all Forms is 11:00 p.m.

Sunday, October 17 Check-in for all Forms is 10:00 p.m.

Monday, October 18 Check-in for all Forms is 10:00 p.m.

Tuesday, October 19 Check-in for all Forms is 7:00 p.m. for quiet hours. No library sign-outs.

College Counseling News 

NEW: PLEASE NOTE Family Weekend Reminders
Class of 2023 Parents and guardians College Counseling meeting on Friday, October 15, 1:30-2:45 p.m. in the Class of ’45 Hall, Putnam Family Arts Center
 
Classes of 2024 & 2025 Parents and guardians College Counseling meeting on Saturday, October 16, 2:00-2:45 p.m. in the Class of ’45 Hall, Putnam Family Arts Center
 
PSAT The PSAT will be offered on Saturday, October 16, for the IV and V Forms. We have ordered enough tests for all members of both classes; students do not need to register. Detailed instructions will be shared with students prior to test day, but for scheduling purposes, students should plan on arriving at the Athletic Center (IV Form in MFAC, V Form in Elkins) at 7:45 a.m. The test will conclude by 11:30 a.m.  
 
Please contact the College Counseling Office with questions.  
 
NEW: AP Exams
Students in advanced classes will be hearing from their teachers in the coming days regarding AP exams scheduled for next May and should be on the lookout for an email from Joelle Gilmore, our testing coordinator, with instructions regarding exam codes. Please contact Ms. Gilmore (joellegilmore@stmarksschool.org) with any questions.


NEW: Picture Day is October 26
Coffee Pond Photography will be on campus to photograph students from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on October 26, 2021. Below is a message from Coffee Pond:
Each student will be photographed in several poses and will have multiple images from which families may order prints. Each family will receive a private password via email that will be used to access JUST their child’s images on our website. Our website contains easy to follow instructions for ordering a variety of package options. 

Our EProof program will notify you via email when your child’s portrait proofs are ready to be viewed online. When you receive the email with private password you can go directly to our company’s secure website www.coffeepond.com to place your order online. Coffee Pond accepts all major credit cards.

If you do not receive your child’s password within a few weeks after Picture Day, please be sure to contact our Customer Care department at the email address below or by phone at 1-800-632-2323 x 0. Please be sure to have your spam blocker set to accept emails from our Customer care email lifeguards@coffeepond.com.
 

Thanksgiving Break Departure & Transportation
 
NEW: Thanksgiving Break Transportation Reservations
St. Mark’s School will be providing bus transportation to New York City and shuttles to airports for Thanksgiving break. Please click here for detailed information and to reserve transportation. If you have any questions, please contact Stacie Allen (stacieallen@stmarksschool.org). 
 
REMINDER: PLEASE NOTE Thanksgiving Break Departure
Please make a special note that Thanksgiving break departure on November 20 will be after our final St. Mark's Saturdays class meeting of the fall that morning. Students will be dismissed by 11:30 a.m. 
 
As a reminder, the Saturday schedule includes School Meeting from 8:30 to 8:50 a.m. and Saturday classes from 9:00 to 11:30 a.m.  
 
To download the most up-to-date Essential Dates calendar, select this link.
 
Weekend Activities
 
NEW: Weekend Activities - October 9 & 10
What's up this weekend? Select this link to view this weekend's campus activities.

Chapel News 

REMINDER: Confirmation and Baptism
Christian confirmation and baptism preparation is held on campus beginning in late February. This preparation leads up to a service in our own Belmont Chapel in late April. Students from all grades and denominations are welcome to participate, and it is usually a pretty diverse group in both respects. If you and your child are interested in this program, contact the School’s head chaplain at barbaratalcott@stmarksschool.org.
 
Roman Catholic-specific preparation is held at St. Anne’s Roman Catholic Church, walking distance from campus, beginning in September. It leads up to a service in Worcester in late spring. If you and your child are interested in this program, contact Dan Doyle at dan@stannesouthborough.org or (508) 485-0141. Students will be excused from school commitments to attend these classes as necessary.
 
Messages from Head of School John C. Warren ’74
 
Health and Safety & COVID-19 Updates
In case you missed it, below is a link to important messages from Head of School John C. Warren ’74:

10.6.21 - St. Mark’s Moving to Yellow Phases - View Email 
REMINDER: 9.24.21 - Visitor Policy Update - View Email
 
These messages, and additional details pertaining to COVID-19, can be found on our website here.
 

Academics News
 
REMINDER: Experiential Learning
St. Mark's Saturdays classes will meet for their fourth session tomorrow, October 9. As a reminder, the remaining Saturday class dates are October 30 and November 13 and 20. 
 
Yearbook News
 
REMINDER: VI Former Senior Portraits & Baby Pictures Needed by October 31
Say cheese! Senior portraits and baby photos of VI Formers need to be submitted to the Yearbook by October 31, 2021. To submit your photos, please send an email to Yearbook Advisor Lauren Kelly (laurenkelly@stmarksschool.org) with your photos attached.  
 
Photo Submission Guidelines:
  • All photos should be at least 1 MB in file size.
  • All photos should be portrait-oriented (vertical).
  • Senior portraits should only feature your student (no other people in the photo).
  • Families can decide to have the portraits taken professionally, or take them yourself with a phone or camera.
 
Parents’ Association News
 
NEW: Parent/Faculty/Staff Book Club
 
Wednesday, November 10
3:00 to 4:00 p.m. EDT
The book club will meet via Zoom.
 
Interested in attending? Please email Co-chairs Laurie Kalapinski (lauriekalapinski@stmarksschool.org), Joanne Flathers P’15, ’19, ’21 (joanne@flathersfamily.net), or Shalini Yerabothu P ’20, ’23 (shryer@gmail.com).
 
The Zoom link will be emailed the morning of Wednesday, November 10.
 
November Book Selections:

Other suggested titles:
 
The December book will be selected at the November meeting by those in attendance.

SAVE THE DATE - Fall 2021 Parent Events
We hope you’ll join fellow St. Mark’s parents at an upcoming event!
 
Thursday, October 14- Saturday, October 16
Family Weekend, St. Mark’s School
See more information above.
 
Wednesday, November 10 
San Francisco Bay Area Reception, EPIC Steak
 
Saturday, November 13
Groton Games, St. Mark’s School
 
Tuesday, November 16
Virtual Parent Speaker Series via Zoom
 
More details about these events will be emailed to parents soon.


Media of the Week: Happy #WorldTeachersDay!
Calendar News:
Oct 9 - Regular Weekend
Oct 14-16 - Family Weekend
Oct 18-19 - No Classes
Oct 23 - Sleep-In Saturday
Oct 30 - Regular Weekend
Nov 13 - Groton Weekend
Nov 16 - Virtual Parent Speaker Series

Information regarding weekend definitions and permissions can be found on pages 40 and 41 of the Student Handbook.