This September, Andover began applying the term “Pathways” instead of “Levels” to describe student violations of community standards. Pathways refer to existing responses such as Dean’s Responses, Growth and Accountability Plans (GAPs), and Community Standards Conferences. While the system itself remains unchanged, the administration hopes to avoid the misconception that different violations are equal in severity. This terminology change also aligns with the administration’s broader efforts to take a rehabilitative rather than punitive approach to the student conduct system.
Of 100 students surveyed by The Phillipian on September 17, 73 had not heard of Pathways. Though students believe this change allows for more personalized responses to student conduct, they have called for increased clarity on the practical impact of this change.
Amidst the 2024 election season, Andover incorporated two new policies into the BlueBook titled the Civil Discourse and Political Activity Policies. These additions were communicated to the community through an email on September 23. Along with the new policies in the BlueBook, revisions to the employee policies were changed, also titled the Civil Discourse and Political Activity Policy.
The policy states that student demonstrations cannot affect Academy programming, violate community standards, or damage Academy property. According to Raynard Kington, Head of School, the policy aims to encourage political discussion while prioritizing the use of non-harmful rhetoric. The employee policy similarly sets guidelines for faculty and staff to separate their political engagement from the Academy.
In response to growing concerns about the role of technology in students’ lives, Andover has launched a Cell Phone Task Force to develop a comprehensive policy that would help balance cell phone use with academic engagement. Announced in a school-wide email, the task force will comprise faculty and students, working together to assess current practices, review research, and propose a new policy for full implementation in Fall 2025.
The task force’s goals include collecting feedback from students, families, and staff to understand existing cell phone habits, identifying areas for improvement, and examining other schools’ policies to inform best practices. This initiative aims to foster “human connection and flourishing” while still giving students enough freedom in their phone usage.
