OCTOBER 23, 2026
Free At-Home Practice Digital ACT: Sunday, November 1–15
The College Counseling Office (CCO), along with Compass Education Group, will offer sophomores and juniors the opportunity to take a free full-length, at-home, computer-proctored digital practice ACT test. The available testing window is from Sunday, November 1 through Sunday, November 15. Students will receive a score report that corresponds to the scoring used on the official ACT and will be able to evaluate their strengths and weaknesses on this standardized test.
Should your child wish to take this practice ACT, you MUST register online in advance using this link.
Global Experience Info Night — Wednesday, November 4
Our Global Experience Info Night will be held on Wednesday, November 4, from 7:00–8:30 p.m. in the Upper School Dining Hall, where each trip will have breakout sessions to talk through specifics and answer questions from families. If you are interested in receiving information about financial aid in the form of a trip assistance grant, please reach out to Alyson Waldman in the Admissions Office or Cort Bosc.
Registration for all seven of our Upper School Global Experience travel opportunities is currently open! To learn more about the various trip offerings, please take a look at our Global Experience Travel Info Sheet. If you have any questions, please reach out to either the faculty trip leader or Cort Bosc.
If your student is interested in participating, please sign up to receive more info via the Trip Interest Sign-Up Form. Registration ends on Friday, November 13.
CCO Standardized Testing Information Evening — Wednesday, November 11
Please mark your calendars for an upcoming in-person presentation on “Navigating College Admission Tests,” led by Adam Ingersoll of Compass Education Group. This event will take place at the Upper School on Wednesday, November 11 at 6:00 p.m. Please register using this link. We hope you can join us!
Mr. Ingersoll will provide up-to-date guidance on the following topics and more:
- The state of testing and where it's headed
- Latest changes to the SAT & ACT
- Choosing the right test, format, and timeline
- How to build an effective and manageable prep plan for a busy student
- How to approach score submission in a test-optional world
- Test prep options: costs, formats, schedules, and expectations
Parent-Teacher Conferences — Thursday, November 12
Parent-Teacher Conferences will be held on Thursday, November 12! You will be able to sign up for conferences via the Veracross Parent Portal on Tuesday, October 27, beginning at 3:00 p.m. We have included instructions for the sign-up process below. If you are having any technical problems, please reach out to our Director of Educational Technology, Jen Coxe, for support. If these conference dates are not possible for you, please reach out to your child's advisor/s.
The instructions to sign up are as follows:
- Log in to the Veracross Parent Portal using your Veracross credentials.
- Click on the “Sign Up Here for Parent-Teacher Conferences” button.
- Select a time slot for your child/ren. Selections will save automatically.
- To print your conference schedule, click the “Blue Printer Button” in the “My Schedule” box. Please note: You will also be able to see your scheduled conferences in your Veracross Household Calendar.
This document includes more detailed instructions for signing up for conferences. Please note that sign-ups will close on Monday, November 9.
Host an Exchange Student
This year we celebrate the 15th anniversary of the IAC-MKA Student Exchange Program with Instituto Abdón Cifuentes (IAC) in San Felipe, Chile. We have five wonderful students joining our community for four weeks in February/March, and they need hosts. Hosts can be anyone from our community as long as they have the space and are excited about sharing their world with these students. If you are interested and/or would like more information, please reach out to Cort Bosc.
Upper School Academic Program Guide
Explore everything you need to know about the Upper School academic program in the Upper School Academic Program Guide. This resource provides more information on curriculum and course offerings, key academic policies, and essential support resources.
Important Upcoming Dates
Book Fair Committee Meetings (8:15–9:15 a.m.)
- Monday, October 26
- Monday, November 2
Save the Date
- Thursday, November 6 - Wednesday, November 11 — Scholastic Book Fair
- Friday, November 6, 6:30 p.m.-8:00 p.m. — PS Pajama Night
- Monday, November 9, 4:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. — MS Book Fair Evening Edition
For a complete calendar listing of PAMKA events, please view the PAMKA calendar in Veracross.
📚 Scholastic Book Fair — November 6–11
Few things are sweeter than the smell of new books and the fun of choosing which ones to bring home. The Scholastic Book Fair returns Friday, November 6 – Wednesday, November 11, and PAMKA is planting the seeds for this year's theme, Grow a Reader, Grow a Dreamer. Get shopping schedules and details on the PAMKA Book Fair webpage.
Help it Bloom! Volunteers Needed.
Our fair grows on parent power. Sign up for a shift:
Want an Author's Autograph?
Pre-sale orders guarantee books personally signed by our visiting authors. Preorder here.
Pass It On, Pick It Up.
Drop off like-new, MKA-branded spirit wear & dress code items in the collection bins at the Primary and Middle Schools. Then restock at PAMKA's consignment pop-up during the Book Fair evening events!
PJ Night at the Primary School (RSVP Required)
On Friday, November 6, from 6:30–8:00 p.m., Primary School students and their parents/caregivers are invited to join us for a giant PJ party and Book Fair shopping. Please note that this event is only open to Primary School students and their parents/caregivers.
Using your student account is the preferred method of payment at PJ Night. Also, don't forget to bring your own shopping bag! For questions, please contact Angie Tekriwal or Michelle Willford.
RSVP HERE
PJ Night Volunteers Needed
Attention Middle School parents! With the help of MS families during PJ Night, PS parents get to enjoy the evening with their little dreamers.
Help Fill the Shelves at KIPP SPARK
This year’s Scholastic Book Fair will also kick off a book drive to help stock the beautiful new library at KIPP SPARK, a K–4 public charter school in Newark. We invite MKA families to donate gently used children’s books in good condition, appropriate for kindergarten through fourth-grade readers. No board books, please!
We’ll have a collection table at the Primary School during Pajama Night, so feel free to bring an armful, or a bagful, of books to give. Have more books to donate or can’t make it to Pajama Night? Please contact Madeleine Rowan to arrange a pickup or drop-off. Let’s help fill those shelves and share the joy of reading with KIPP SPARK’s young scholars!
Common Grounds Speaks: Helping Our Kids Thrive in a Digital World — Tuesday, November 10
MKA is proud to be a member of Common Grounds Speaks (CGS), a consortium of parent associations from independent schools throughout Central and Northern New Jersey. CGS brings parents together to share education, information, and inspiration on topics that matter most to our families.
Join us on Tuesday, November 10 at 6:00 p.m. at The Wardlaw-Hartridge School for an evening with Max Stossel, award-winning poet, filmmaker, speaker, and Founder & CEO of Social Awakening, an organization dedicated to helping young people survive and thrive in today’s digital world.
Max will explore how technology is intentionally designed to capture our attention, how this can impact our children’s developing minds, and practical strategies families can use to navigate these challenges. View the flyer for more information.
REGISTER TODAY
KIPP New Jersey & PAMKA Tutoring Partnership
PAMKA will be offering a 1:1 parent-to-student tutoring opportunity at KIPP Newark SPARK Academy. Parent volunteers will work directly with students to provide individualized academic support and encouragement. No experience necessary—come join us!
If you are interested in volunteering or have questions, please reach out to Liza Helwig, PAMKA's KIPP NJ Tutor Coordinator, at lizalowell@gmail.com.
Connect with PAMKA on LinkedIn
Engage with parents on the PAMKA LinkedIn page, created as a resource to help our parent community connect beyond the school campus. This page provides opportunities for parents to network, share professional connections and expertise, support one another, and build meaningful relationships within our community.
We invite all parents to follow the page, connect with fellow MKA families, and help us grow this new resource together.
Stay Connected with PAMKA on Facebook
Join the MKA Parent Watercooler on Facebook.
Upcoming Parents and Caregivers Affinity Group Meetings
- Tuesday, October 27, 7:00–9:00 p.m. — Jewish Parent & Caregiver Affinity Group Meeting
- Tuesday, October 27, 7:00–9:00 p.m. — South Asian Parent & Caregiver Affinity Group Meeting
- Monday, November 9, 7:00–9:00 p.m. — LGBTQ+ Parent & Caregiver Affinity Group Meeting
Stay up to date on Parent and Caregivers Affinity Group meeting dates using the Community Belonging calendar. For questions, please contact Edie Brennan, Community Belonging Parent & Caregiver Affinity Group Liaison; Callie Bond, Associate Director of Community Belonging and Admissions Liaison; and/or Shawna Morton, Director of Community Belonging.
Upcoming Athletics Home Games
Show your Cougar pride this week and cheer on our student-athletes as they defend home turf! For full schedule details, check out the athletics calendar, and don’t forget to follow @mkaathletics on social media.
Friday, October 23
4:00 p.m. — Girls’ Varsity Volleyball Prep Final v. Rutgers Prep School (US Gym)
4:15 p.m. — Girls’ Junior Varsity Soccer vs. Morristown-Beard School (MS Fields)
Saturday, October 24
10:00 a.m. — Girls’ Varsity Field Hockey Prep Semi v. Morristown-Beard School (Muenster Field)
1:00 p.m. — Boys’ Varsity Football vs. Poly Prep Country Day School (Van Brunt Field)
Annual Golf & Racquet Classic — Monday, October 26
The annual Golf & Racquet Classic takes place on Monday, October 26 at 10:00 a.m. at the Somerset Hills Country Club. We can’t wait to see our MKA parents, alumni, and supporters for an unforgettable day of friendly competition and camaraderie. Your support at this year’s outing does more than create a great day on the green—it strengthens the MKA experience for our students. Registration is now closed. You can learn more about the event on our website.
New this year: We've added Mahjong Open Play and a Mahjong 101 Clinic to the lineup!
Event proceeds will combine to create the MKA Athletics Challenge for MKA Day on November 19, our largest day of giving. This means your day out will inspire our entire school community to give back.
Looking to make a broader impact? Sponsorships at all levels offer high-visibility brand exposure, strategic networking opportunities, and tax-deductible benefits. It's a win-win, supporting students while showcasing your brand to our engaged and dynamic community. You can view our sponsorships on our Golf & Racquet Classic webpage.
Upper School Fall Play — November 5–8
Tickets for this year's fall comedy, Peter Pan Goes Wrong, are now on sale. Please email Nicole Hoppe ASAP to reserve yours! View the flyer here.
Show Dates:
Thursday, November 5 — 7:00 p.m.
Friday, November 6 — 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, November 7 — 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, November 8 — 2:00 p.m.
MKA Day is November 19
MKA Day is only 4 weeks away! As we welcome our 100th Community Scholar this year, we are striving to make history by raising $1,000,000 from 1,000 gifts. Every gift made between now and November 19 counts toward our goal. Help us make history by showing early support. Thank you for investing in our students and faculty!
Questions? Please contact Kelly Flippin, Director of Annual Giving.
Make Your Gift Today
The archive of weekly tri-campus newsletters can be located on the homepage of your Veracross Portal.