OCTOBER 31, 2025
Patty Strain Thanksgiving Food Drive — October 27 - November 19
Join us in supporting the annual Patty Strain Thanksgiving Food Drive, taking place now through November 19, to benefit the Human Needs Food Pantry in Montclair.
To donate online, please visit the Thanksgiving Food Drive SignUp Genius. You can donate food virtually or make a monetary donation. The amount donated will be charged to your student’s account, and the food will be delivered directly to the Human Needs Food Pantry.
The food pantry is also in need of clean, lightly used clothing. If you wish to donate items directly, there will be food and clothing collection boxes located inside the Primary and Middle School campus lobbies. All food items must be non-perishable and cannot be stored in glass containers.
Many thanks to the Cuellar family of ShopRite of Passaic/Clifton for their generous support of our food drive! Questions? Please contact Community Engagement Middle School Chair Natalie Trento.
2025-2026 Upper School Yearbook — Early Bird Discount Ends Today
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 today. 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 Yearbook — Early Bird Period Ends Today
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, and the early bird period ends today. A half-page ad will cost $175, while a full-page ad will cost $400 during this window. After today, 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
The ninth-grade trip to Humdingers in Paramus, NJ, has been rescheduled for tomorrow, Saturday, November 1. 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.
Reminder: Standardized Testing Information Night for Students and Parents — Wednesday, November 5
Please join us 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.
Upper School Global Experience Info Night — Wednesday, November 5
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 one of our eight trips will have breakout sessions to talk through specifics and answer questions from families. If you are interested in any trip, please do the following:
1) Come to the Upper School on November 5
2) Sign up to receive more info via the Trip Interest Sign-Up Form
Trip assistance grants are available for one trip during a student's time at the Upper School. For more information, please reach out to Alyson Waldman, Director of Enrollment Management, Admissions, & Financial Aid, or Cort Bosc, Director of Global Experience. Registration ends on Friday, November 14.
Upper School Fall Play — Tickets on Sale Now
Tickets for the fall comedy, Lend Me a Tenor, are now on sale! This screwball comedy has students from all four grades in both the cast and crew and is not to be missed. Tickets can be reserved by emailing Nicole Hoppe. We hope to see you there!
Show Dates and Times
- Thursday, November 6 – 7:00 p.m.
- Friday, November 7 – 8:00 p.m.
- Saturday, November 8 – 8:00 p.m.
- Sunday, November 9 – 2:00 p.m.
Wellness Week — November 10-13
MKA has partnered with Prevention Education to shape our upcoming Wellness Week from November 10 through November 13. We invite you to join a remote session on Tuesday, November 11, from 6:30 - 8 p.m., focused on your children’s health and well-being.
Throughout the week, various student groups will work with Prevention Education counselors on the topic of Substance Use Prevention. Prevention Education will provide students and faculty with evidence-based programs and resources to support informed, healthy choices. For further information on Prevention Education, please see this resource page.
In addition, Prevention Education will offer parents valuable guidance and tools to help support their children through their teenage years. This informative session will address the following topics.
- Substance Use Prevention
- Onset of Gambling Behaviors in Teens
- Gaming Addiction
- Recent Trends in Vaping and Fentanyl Use/Exposure in Teens
We hope you’ll join us for this important and informative discussion. Use this link to join the event. For more information about this event, please contact Rob Leather or Varsay Lewis.
At-Home Practice Digital ACT Testing — Ends On November 10
The testing window for the practice at-home ACT is taking place 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
Upper School and Primary School Parent Conference Day is Thursday, November 13.
You can sign up for 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.
Primary School
- Grades Jr-K, K, 1, 2, and 3: Families will have an opportunity to schedule a conference with their child's Advisor(s)
PS families, if you need technical assistance, please contact Helen Noble.
Upper School
- Grades 9: Students do not attend conferences
- Grades 10-12: Students do attend conferences
US families, if you need technical assistance, please contact Erica Budd.
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.
Important Upcoming Dates
- Monday, November 3, 8:15 - 9:15 a.m. — PAMKA Book Fair Meeting
For a complete calendar listing of events, view the PAMKA Calendar in Veracross.
Patty Strain Thanksgiving Food Drive — October 27 - November 19
Join us in supporting the annual Patty Strain Thanksgiving Food Drive, taking place October 27 through November 19, to benefit the Human Needs Food Pantry in Montclair. To donate online, please visit the Thanksgiving Food Drive SignUp Genius. You can donate food virtually or make a monetary donation. The amount donated will be charged to your student’s account, and the food will be delivered directly to the Human Needs Food Pantry.
The food pantry is also in need of clean, lightly used clothing. If you wish to donate items directly, there will be food and clothing collection boxes located inside the Primary and Middle School campus lobbies. All food items must be non-perishable and cannot be stored in glass containers.
Many thanks to the Cuellar family of ShopRite of Passaic/Clifton for their generous support of our food drive! Questions? Please contact Community Engagement Middle School Chair Natalie Trento.
Scholastic Book Fair: November 7 through November 12
It’s time to be the author of your own story! The Scholastic Book Fair is just one week 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.
Primary & Upper School Conference Day Volunteers Needed – Thursday, November 13
Primary & Upper School Conference Day is Thursday, November 13, and we like to keep our teachers nourished and energized as they get through their meetings. Please use the links below to donate a food or beverage item or to help with set up/clean up:
Any questions, please reach out to Besa Owen for Primary School and Maggie Marotta for Upper School.
Last Chance to Order Custom MKA Boathouse Parkas — Deadline November 1
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 tomorrow, Saturday, November 1, by visiting www.mka.org/schoolstore today! Please note there is a 6-8 week delivery time.
Don’t Forget to Register for the Hemmeter–McNeal Lecture Series — 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.
Three Things to Know for MKA Day 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.
