OCTOBER 24, 2025
Robotics First Tech Challenge Rescheduled for Sunday, October 26
MKA Robotics, the Upper School’s robotics team, will be hosting the rescheduled First Tech Challenge Practice Day on Sunday, October 26, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in the Middle School Gym.
Teams from across Northern New Jersey will be participating in this event. Activities will include practice scrimmages, opportunities to get assistance with coding, time to work on competition bots, and a chance to collaborate with other teams.
Please stop by to see MKA Robotics in action, cheer on the teams, and see what this year's competition is all about!
2025-2026 Upper School Yearbook — Early Bird Discount Ends October 31
The Upper School Yearbook is currently on sale with an early bird discount of $65 (usually $78). The early bird discount window for ordering closes on October 31. Starting on November 1, the yearbook will cost $78 per copy. Parents of students in grades 9 through 11 should reserve a copy for their child/children in advance to guarantee a copy will be available for them in the spring.
Parents of 12th-grade students do not need to order a copy of the book because the school will automatically order one for every senior (although you may order extra copies, should you wish). Visit our publisher's website to reserve a copy. If you have questions, please email Derek Morf.
Senior Recognition Ads For Upper School Yearbook On Sale
Parents of 12th-grade students are welcome to purchase Senior Recognition Ads in the back of the yearbook. These ads usually contain family photos and a note of congratulations to celebrate your soon-to-be high school graduate! These ads can be purchased by extended family members as well. One hundred percent of funds go directly towards the 2025-2026 MKA Upper School Yearbook publication.
The ads are currently on sale during the early bird period until October 31. A half-page ad will cost $175, while a full-page ad will cost $400 during this window. After October 31, the cost of a half-page ad will be $225, and a full-page ad will cost $450. The final deadline for purchasing a Senior Recognition Ad is January 18, 2026. To purchase an ad, visit our publisher's website.
Ninth Grade Trip Rescheduled for November 1
We are happy to have rescheduled the ninth-grade trip for Saturday, November 1, to Humdingers in Paramus, NJ. The bus will depart from the Upper School at 6:00 p.m. and return to the campus by 9:30 p.m. for pickup. The cost is $37 (please reach out to Allison Brown if this trip poses a financial burden for your family).
All ninth graders are signed up for this trip unless you have communicated that you cannot attend. Regret RSVPs were due on October 22. Students who did not send a regret RSVP and do not attend the trip will still be charged, as we need to send the final headcount ahead of time. Questions? Please contact Ninth Grade Dean Allison Brown.
Standardized Testing Information Night for Students and Parents — Wednesday, November 5
Please mark your calendars for an upcoming presentation on “Navigating College Admission Tests,” led by Adam Ingersoll of Compass Education Group. This event will be available in person at the Upper School or via live stream on Wednesday, November 5, at 6:00 p.m. Please register using this link.
Host an Exchange Student
This year, we celebrate the 14th anniversary of the IAC-MKA Student Exchange Program with Instituto Abdón Cifuentes (IAC) in San Felipe, Chile. We have six 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, Director of Global Experience.
2025-2026 Upper School Global Experience Travel Information
Registration for all eight of our Upper School Global Experience travel opportunities is now 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 14.
We will host a Global Experience Info Night on Wednesday, November 5, 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, Director of Enrollment Management, Admissions, & Financial Aid, or Cort Bosc, Director of Global Experience.
At-Home Practice Digital ACT Testing — Now Until November 10
The testing window for the practice at-home ACT is taking place from now until Monday, November 10. The College Counseling Office (CCO), along with Compass Education Group, will offer sophomores and juniors the opportunity to take a full-length, at-home, computer-proctored digital practice ACT test. Should your child wish to take this practice ACT, you MUST register online in advance using this link.*
*Please note: The registration deadline each week is Thursday.
Upper School and Primary School Parent Conference Day — Thursday, November 13
On Monday, October 27, you will be able to sign up for the November 13 conferences via the Veracross Parent Portal. To access the Parent-Teacher Conference module, log in to the Veracross Parent Portal using your Veracross credentials and click the blue (US) or orange (PS) button.
From here, you will see instructions for the sign-up process. Click on the drop-down to select a time; this time will be saved automatically. Please select a timeslot for each of your children. Selections will save automatically, and you can access your schedule via the blue printer button next to My Schedule. Additionally, conference schedules will be available via your Household Calendar in Veracross and, if you have subscribed to your Household Calendar, on your personal calendar app.
If these dates are not possible for you, please reach out to your child's advisor/s. More detailed directions for signing up for conferences can be found here.
Grades Jr-K, K, 1, 2, and 3: Families will have an opportunity to schedule a conference with their child's Advisor(s)
Grades 9: Students do not attend conferences
Grades 10-12: Students do attend conferences
Important Upcoming Dates
- Tuesday, October 28, 8:15 - 9:15 a.m. — Parenting Workshop Committee Meeting
For a complete calendar listing of events, view the PAMKA Calendar in Veracross.
Scholastic Book Fair: November 7 through November 12
It’s time to be the author of your own story! The Tri-Campus Scholastic Book Fair is just weeks away. Join us as we celebrate books, uncover new stories, meet visiting authors, and participate in exciting events.
There are multiple ways to be involved in the Book Fair, and we’d love for you to join us! Sign up to volunteer via the links below or visit mka.org/pamkabookfair for more details.
Volunteer at the Primary School | Donate to the PS Faculty & Staff Tea
Volunteer at the Middle School | Donate to the MS Faculty & Staff Tea
Pre-sales of visiting author books are now live! Don’t miss the opportunity to secure signed copies of exclusive titles from our visiting authors. Pre-ordering is the ONLY way to guarantee an author-signed book. Use this form to place your order now. We’re excited to share this year’s selection of visiting author books!
Mark your calendars for our special events:
- Primary School Pajama Night, Friday, November 7, 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.: An evening of fun for our Brookside students. RSVP by November 6!
- Book Fair: Evening Edition, Monday, November 10, 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.: Held at the Middle School, this event is for everyone in our MKA community. No RSVP required.
Don’t forget to purchase gift certificates for faculty and staff and set spending limits for Primary School students.
Visit the Book Fair website for more details, including the list of our visiting authors. Questions? Contact PAMKA’s Book Fair Co-ChairsKatie Cocco and Angie Tekriwal.
Share Your Fall Parent Social Photos
Our last Fall Parent Social was this past weekend. Thank you to Adenah and Michael Monxhwedey for generously hosting the sixth-grade social. Please don’t forget to share photos with the MKA Communications team for sharing on social media. You can email photos to socialmedia@mka.org or use #WeAreMKA on Instagram and Facebook.
Custom MKA Boathouse Parkas Are Back — Order by November 1
New arrival at the MKA School Store! Personalize a boathouse parka with a name, graduation year, and sports team! With its durable Pro-Tech® Shell, cozy fleece lining, and two-way zipper, this parka is built for warmth, comfort, and school spirit all season long.
Place your order by Saturday, November 1, by visiting www.mka.org/schoolstore today! Please note there is a 6-8 week delivery time.
Hemmeter-McNeal Lecture Series Welcomes Amanda Ripley — Tuesday, November 4
Please join us on Tuesday, November 4, at 7:00 p.m. in Weiss Auditorium to welcome Amanda Ripley, New York Times bestselling author, Washington Post columnist, and co-founder of Good Conflict, as part of the Hemmeter-McNeal Lecture Series. Ripley will present her acclaimed lecture, “Breaking the Spell of High Conflict,” exploring why ordinary disagreements so often escalate into destructive divisions—and how we can find our way out. Her insights promise to challenge, inspire, and offer tools for navigating conflict in today’s world.
Space is limited. Please RSVP to reserve your seat today!
If you have a question you’d like Amanda Ripley to address at the event, please email Gretchen Berra. While we may not be able to answer every question, we’ll do our best.
MKA Day Is Coming Up on November 20
Here are three things to know as we get ready to celebrate our community's biggest day of giving:
It’s all about participation! High MKA Day turnout unlocks challenge funds that directly benefit our students.
All gifts between today and November 20 count toward our ambitious goal of 800 donors.
Your gift goes straight to your child’s experience: supporting teachers, facilities, and all the things that make MKA special. Give to The MKA Fund today.
Stay tuned for more details related to MKA Day! Questions? Please contact Kelly Flippin, Director of Annual Giving.
Parents and Caregivers Affinity Group Meetings
Stay up to date on Parents and Caregivers Affinity Group meeting dates for the 2025-2026 academic year using the Community Belonging Calendar in the Veracross Parent Portal under the "Resources'' tab.
Questions? Contact Edie Brennan, Office of Community Belonging/Caregiver Affinity Group Liaison, and/or Paris McLean, Assistant Head of School for Community Belonging.
The archive of weekly tri-campus newsletters can be located on the homepage of your Veracross Portal.
