September 14, 2023

Weekly News & Updates for Current Students and Families

Academic Information

Parent Access to Student Information

Student information, including your student's schedule and a list of courses and teachers, is available throughout the year in Education Management, which is powered by Blackbaud. We use this portal to report cumulative grades and progress information at the close of each marking period. Please check to see if you received an email (on September 12) with information allowing you to set up your account by creating a Blackbaud ID (BBID). If you experience any issues setting up your account, please contact helpdesk@stmarksschool.org or call 508.786.4001.

Add-Drop Period

As the first week of classes concludes, some students are finalizing their academic schedules. Please note that our add-drop period will end on September 22.  

Dean of Students' Office Announcements

Attendance

St. Mark’s believes deeply in the value of in-person learning. We pride ourselves on relationships students build with faculty and the peer-to-peer engagement that occurs in our learning spaces. We take attendance seriously because we believe that being present and engaged is crucial for learning and development. This one-page attendance policy summary and a document of frequently asked questions were shared with students. 

Dress Code

St. Mark’s strives to maintain a dress code that reflects the different occasions and spheres that inhabit a boarding school environment. Our primary goal is to achieve a standard of student dress that is appropriate for a productive learning environment while also allowing self-expression. We expect students to make responsible choices that show respect for themselves, for others in the community, and for the learning environment itself. Students were provided with this one-page document describing the dress code.

Emergency Preparedness Session and RAVE Testing 

On Thursday, September 14, students and faculty members attended a session about lockdown situations and other campus emergencies, as well as fire drills and other safety precautions. In the coming weeks, the RAVE emergency communication system will be tested. All students and parents are added to this system based on the emergency contact information provided in the "family information" form.  

All School Photo on Thursday, September 28

Smile! The School photo will take place on Thursday, September 28.

Orah Explained

Orah is a communication and permission system utilized by our students, faculty, and families. Students and families request all permissions, including overnights, through the Orah system. Returning families keep login information from previous years. New families should have received an email invitation to the email address provided in the "family information" form. This invitation came to you from "Orah" and asks that you create a username and password. It is critical that you not share this login information with your student. This system helps us to ensure that families are aware of and approve their student's requests. Students who approve their own requests by logging in as a parent/guardian face disciplinary consequences. For an explanation of Orah passes, see this helpful guide.

Burnett House & Orah

Burnett students will soon begin using the "Burnett Home" pass on Orah when they depart campus each day. They will end this pass each morning when arrive on campus. If St. Mark's boarders want to stay overnight with a Burnett family, they complete an "overnight" form and list the Burnett parent/guardian as their host. As a host, you will receive an email that asks you to approve the request acknowledging that you will be present and chaperoning the students in your care. Day students will be expected to use Orah more and more as the year continues.

Health Appointments

If your request for time away is associated with a medical appointment, this request should be made through Health Services. Orah will be completed by the Health Services team. Please call 508.786.6372 or email healthservices@stmarksschool.org. This will allow our Health Services team to be in the loop should your child require aftercare or follow-up support of any kind. Upon returning from a health appointment, students must check back in with a nurse at Health Services. If your Burnett student will be out sick, a parent or guardian must call Health Services in the morning to notify the School of the student's absence.

Sunday Evening Hours

Sunday evening hours are considered the first academic commitment of the week. Please be sure students arrive back to campus before 7:30 p.m. study hall on Sunday evenings!

Weekend Activities

Want to know what's happening this weekend? For on-campus events and trips to off-campus locations, check out the Weekend Activities Google Doc.

College Counseling Preparation & Testing

Final Reminder for the Class of 2025

The deadline for fall ACT or SAT prep classes with Academic Approach is this Sunday, September 17. Please see this link for further information and registration details. The fall prep classes will target the December ACT and SAT. We will send registration information out later this fall for classes starting in January and targeting the April 13 ACT and March 9 SAT (the first digital administration). Please be in touch with the College Counseling Office with questions. 

PSAT at St. Mark's on Tuesday, October 17

We are offering the PSAT for IV and V form students at St. Mark's on October 17. Because the PSAT will be administered digitally, all students must register via the Google form sent to them earlier this week. There will be no late registrations permitted. Please complete that form/encourage your IV or V form student to complete that form in order to secure a spot. Reach out to testing coordinator Joelle Gilmore (joellegilmore@stmarksschool.org) with any questions.

Chaplains' Recommendations

Religious Holidays 

The St. Mark’s chaplains encourage students to celebrate any religious holidays, including the upcoming Jewish High Holy Days, with their families, or in any other way that is their custom. Please contact the chaplains if your student needs assistance with the celebration of their religious tradition. They will be excused from School activities for religious observations if you let the Dean of Students' Office know, and fill out requests as necessary using Orah. Students who need special accommodations from Dining Services for fasting on religious holidays should also request this through the Dean of Students' Office. 

Starting the Year at an Episcopal School

Rev. Talcott and Rev. Solter recommend this five-minute video from the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, the Most Rev. Michael Curry, intended for all of us who are starting the year at Episcopal Schools. It is full of wisdom about how to have a good life and about how to make this a good year, whether you are a Christian or not.  

Global Citizenship Student Exchanges

Australian Exchange Students

We will be hosting four Australian exchange students from September 15 through October 22. Harry Billingham and Oscar Hams are from Christ Church Grammar School located in Claremont, Western Australia, while Alexandra Fleming and Arabella Barnaba are students at St. Hilda's Anglican School for Girls located in Mosman Park, Western Australia. Both schools are just outside of Perth. Over the summer, Madelyn Laflam '26 participated in an exchange with St. Hilda's and experienced all that Western Australia had to offer. 

Denmark Exchange Students

On Saturday, September 30, a cohort of 14 students and a faculty member from the Rysensteen Gymnasium will arrive for a five-night (six-day) visit. This group will join the St. Mark’s community, attend classes, participate in afternoon activities, and attend community events. Rysensteen, located in Copenhagen, Denmark, is a new partner school with a robust Global Citizenship Program. Please read this letter about their visit, and if you are interested in hosting a student, please let Rick DaSilva (rickdasilva@stmarksschool.org) or Laura Appell-Warren (laurawarren@stmarksschool.org) know by email. This is a reciprocal relationship; St. Mark’s students will visit Denmark and stay with Rysensteen families in March 2024. 

Community & Equity Affairs Updates

Introducing the 2023-2024 C&E Team

Director of Community and Equity Affairs Rick DaSilva is pleased to introduce the new and returning Community and Equity team members at St. Mark’s. Orlando Patterson and Joe Alford join the ranks of new St. Markers, and Amanda Hultin, a member of the Religion Department, starts her second year in the Dean of Faculty Office (bios and photos below).

Associate Director of Community and Equity Affairs, Recruitment Operations Coordinator

Orlando Patterson recently served as associate director of admissions at The Hill School in Pottstown, Penn. Orlando grew up in the Boston area, attended Tabor Academy, and has held diverse roles—admissions, coaching, and oversight of summer programming—at local schools, including Tabor, Roxbury Latin, and Boston College High School. He is excited to return to New England and add his skills to our work at St. Mark's. In addition to his roles in the C&E and Dean of Faculty Offices, Orlando will contribute to the football coaching staff and duty team. Regarding C&E at St. Mark’s, Orlando shares, "The value and excitement of C&E work at St. Mark's is personal for me.” 

Associate Director of Admission for Equity and Inclusion 

Joe Alford joins us from Middlesex School and now works in the Admission Office as associate director of admission for equity and inclusion. While fulfilling the normal admission responsibilities, Joe's work focuses on making the Admission Office's overall approach to recruiting and enrolling a diverse group of incoming students more sophisticated, year to year. Joe is deeply committed to fostering a sustainable, inclusive, and equitable School community where cultural diversity is celebrated and valued. Joe is excited about joining the C&E team at St. Mark’s, where we believe "diversity, equity, and inclusion inside and outside of our classrooms benefits and enriches the development of all of our students, faculty, and staff."

Interim Associate Dean of Faculty for Equity and Inclusion

Amanda Hultin joined the Religion and English Departments at St. Mark's in 2015. Currently, she serves as the interim associate dean of faculty for equity and inclusion and teaches religion. In addition, she coaches JV girls’ tennis with Dr. Glomset. Amanda is motivated to build an adult community that reflects the diversity, in every possible facet, of our study body. She believes curiosity and empathy are essential values in any community that truly cares about inclusion and belonging. Amanda lives on campus with her four-year old German shorthaired pointer named Tashi. She would love to talk with you about neuroscience, the Himalayas, or share her recommendations about the Southborough/Boston area.

Upcoming Events for Parents

Speaker Series for Parents #1: Understanding the Student Experience

For parents and guardians unable to attend, watch a recording of our first all-parent event of the 2023—2024 year here.

Boston Regional Reception, September 28

Head of School John C. Warren ’74 invites you to gather with alumni and parents for an evening reception at the Four Seasons Hotel in Boston on September 28 at 6:30 p.m. For more information, contact the Advancement Office or call 508.786.6279. Register here.

Reminder: Family Weekend is October 13–14

Parents and guardians, please join us for Family Weekend! Check here for details and important information about the weekend. A link to register will be shared this coming Saturday.

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