Head of School's Blog | Pinkerton Academy | Derry, NH

Monthly Update - March

Tue, 24 Mar 2026 04:00:00 +0000

Good afternoon,

The energy on campus is definitely shifting as we still look forward to warmer weather. Spring events are well underway, and before we know it, we will be making summer plans. Still, there are lots of great things happening in these last few months!

This past weekend, the Pinkerton Players delivered an outstanding performance of Chicago. The cast, orchestra, and crew all came together to deliver a show that rivaled professionals. Congratulations to everyone involved!

Spring sports tryouts are well underway, following a very successful winter season. Congratulations to all of our student-athletes who performed well this season, and especially to our winter champions: boys track, gymnastics, cheer, and boys basketball! You all made the winter season an exciting one to watch!

The last stretch of the year is filled with induction and award ceremonies, performances, and other final events. Be sure to read Mr. Perez’s weekly newsletter and visit the website frequently. Let’s enjoy the rest of the school year and keep our focus!

Sincerely,

Dr. Timothy J. Powers
Head of School

Monthly Update - February 2026

Tue, 24 Feb 2026 05:00:00 +0000

Good afternoon,

The timing of the storms this week has spared you all from snow day video messages, but I sincerely hope that when we return after break, we will be done with this! I’m sure I’m not the only one looking forward to spring!

I want to take this opportunity to point out an area on the website that might be overlooked: our Annual Reports. There you’ll find reports we prepare for the community each year, including fiscal reporting. You can also click the drop-down menu that says “Current Year” to toggle to our archived reports.

If you check out our calendar section on the website, you’ll see that March is full of great events on campus. Our Fine Arts Department will present its Theatre Cabaret on March 5th, and the All-Town Jazz Concert will take place on March 11th, both in the Stockbridge Theatre. The Pinkerton Players present Chicago, March 20-22nd, and you can buy your tickets online or at the door.

When we return from break, a few of our winter sports teams will continue their seasons in the playoffs. Congratulations to our Boys Track, Gymnastics, and JV Cheer teams who won their state championships. Good luck to our teams who are still competing!

I look forward to seeing everyone back on campus next week, rested and ready to take on March and all it brings. Enjoy the rest of your week!

Sincerely,

Dr. Timothy J. Powers
Head of School

Monthly Update - January 2026

Wed, 28 Jan 2026 05:00:00 +0000

Good afternoon,

We are officially in the second half of the school year! Though the weather doesn’t feel like it, June will be here before we know it! Let’s keep the momentum going in our classes and activities.

I am pleased to announce that the Board of Trustees has recently added two new members: Kristin Brown, a Pinkerton Class of 2001 alumna, is a Certified Public Accountant and is the Senior Director of Finance and Logistics at PCI Pharma Services. She will be an at-large board member from the Town of Derry. Katie Lajewski is also a Certified Public Accountant and is the VP, Corporate Controller at Pete and Gerry's Organics. She will be an at-large board member from the Town of Hooksett. Both will be excellent additions to our Board and bring great experience.

I hope you’ll join us for our second annual Laugh for Pinkerton event to be held at the Puritan Backroom on Thursday, February 12th at 6:00 pm. The night is 21+ and will feature comedy and raffles. Proceeds will benefit the Pinkerton Fund and Pinkerton’s Astro Pups Program.

This weekend, several of our teams will compete against Londonderry for the Ball trophy. Let’s see a sea of red and white in the Londonderry gym and cheer on our Astros!

Sincerely,

Dr. Timothy J. Powers

Head of School

Monthly Update - December 2025

Tue, 23 Dec 2025 05:00:00 +0000

Good afternoon,

With the final days of 2025 in sight, I've been taking some time to reflect on the year. There is so much for us to be proud of as a Pinkerton community. From the academic growth in our classrooms to the success of our extracurricular programs, this year has been another powerful testament to the dedication of our employees, the hard work of our students, and the strong support of our families and community.

While I wish all of you a joyful holiday season, I know the holidays can be complicated times for some. There are often difficult expectations and high emotions. I hope you are able to step away from the difficulties and find moments of peace. May you find some time to prioritize your well-being and enjoy moments with your family, friends, and loved ones. These are the things that make us who we are and sustain us. We cannot afford to take them for granted.

I am grateful each day for the Pinkerton community that we all build together. I look forward to seeing everyone back on campus, refreshed and ready for the New Year.

Sincerely,

Dr. Timothy J. Powers

Head of School

Monthly Update - November 2025

Tue, 25 Nov 2025 05:00:00 +0000

Good afternoon,

Each Thanksgiving, I sit down to write a message of appreciation to our community. I’m sure it might seem like I just say the same things each year. Maybe that’s true, but that doesn’t change how much I mean it. I am truly grateful for the Pinkerton Academy community.

I am thankful each day for the work that’s done in and out of the classrooms. Seeing the success of students engaging in their learning never gets old. It is the heart of our mission and vision to be an inclusive community that prepares all for diverse futures and a community of lifelong learners and adaptive problem-solvers. I’m grateful to the faculty and staff who work together to build an environment of learning.

This fall, I’m also proud of the accomplishments of our students outside of the classroom. The Pinkerton Players had another successful fall play, Sleepy Hollow, and return to the stage next week for A Christmas Carol. Our band and chorus students have had their first concerts of the year, filling the Stockbridge with their music. Next month, they will perform their holiday concerts, and I highly recommend you go if you can!

We also saw four of our teams take home state championships so far this fall: girls and boys cross country, cheer, and girls volleyball. This weekend, our football team will try to add another and become back-to-back state champs. Most importantly, we are truly proud of the cooperation and sportsmanship that our teams have shown. They are excellent representatives of Pinkerton.

At the same time, our clubs and organizations have helped foster a spirit of service at Pinkerton. From increasing mental health awareness to raising money for breast cancer research to holding food and clothing drives, these groups have helped to meet needs beyond our campus. I’m genuinely proud and appreciative of their efforts.

In that same spirit of giving, I would like to thank the Derry Village Rotary for their donation to our Families in Need Program. We will also be holding our first-ever online silent auction to raise money for this program. It provides confidential, critical support to Pinkerton families facing hardship, giving our students the stability and resources they need to thrive both in and out of the classroom. You can bid on fun, creative baskets that will make a perfect gift for someone in your life. The auction will run from December 11th - 14th, and more information will be available on our website.

As we head into our Thanksgiving break, I hope that you are all able to find moments of gratitude, rest, and connection. Thank you for being such an important part of our school community.

Sincerely,

Dr. Timothy J. Powers

Head of School

Monthly Update - October 2025

Tue, 28 Oct 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Good afternoon,

Congratulations to our girls and boys cross country teams who are both D1 state champions! Next up, they will travel to the Meet of Champions.

It's hard to believe, but winter weather is not far off. Please make sure you have your contact information up to date in ParentSquare.

This past weekend, I was able to meet up with about 30 of our alumni in The Villages, Florida. Hearing the pride they have as Pinkerton alumni and listening to the stories they share is always inspiring. Astro pride runs deep!

Sincerely,

Dr. Timothy J. Powers

Head of School

Monthly Update -September 2025

Tue, 30 Sep 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Good afternoon,

It's been a great start to the school year, and last week was an outstanding example of school spirit. From seeing the themed outfits each day to the energy of the pep rally, the week was an enthusiastic display of Pinkerton pride. We capped the week off by keeping the Mack Plaque where it belongs and celebrating at the Homecoming Dance.

There are many people who made last week come together. Thank you to the senior class officers and advisors for the spirit week themes, and Student Council for all the hard work that led to the success of the pep rally and the Homecoming Dance. Thank you to our student athletes for their good sportsmanship and to the fans who turned out to support them.

Even though Spirit Week has passed, we can carry this enthusiasm throughout the school year. Thank you to the entire Pinkerton community - our students, staff, and families - for such a great start to the year. I encourage you to visit the website for calendars of our upcoming events, and I look forward to seeing you!

Sincerely,

Dr. Timothy J. Powers

Head of School

Monthly Update - August 2025

Tue, 19 Aug 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Good afternoon,

It seems every year I am surprised by how quickly August arrives. As we gear up for the 2025-2026 school year, I wanted to share a few updates with you.

The summer break is a time for the campus to be reset and prepared for the next school year. Our Buildings & Grounds staff were hard at work getting us ready for 2025-26. Pinkerton Hall’s facade and clock have been repaired, and the clock was restored to be operational for this year. The field house had portions of its HVAC and the elevator cab replaced. In the Spaulding Arts & Humanities Building, a portion of the roof was repaired while two of the stairwells had their rubber treads replaced. Many other smaller repairs and projects were completed, while the new Social Studies Center project was completed with the finishing of the parking area and outdoor spaces. These projects keep our campus running efficiently and safely; thank you to B&G for their outstanding work.

In the last few weeks, it’s been great having our marching band and student-athletes back on campus, practicing for their upcoming seasons. We can’t wait to see them playing this fall. Today, we welcomed our new teachers for their orientation. They are an enthusiastic and talented group, and they bring with them a new energy that will enrich our school community. They are already hard at work learning about Pinkerton and planning for a successful year ahead. Some of our veteran teachers have returned to start prepping their classrooms and meet with the new faculty. Their hard work and dedication provide the backbone of our students’ success.

With everyone returning to campus next week, remember to review the Start of the Year documents, which can be found on ParentSquare and linked in the Students and Parents sections of our website. Juniors and Seniors have their opening day on Wednesday, August 27th, and Sophomores and Freshmen have theirs on Thursday, August 28th. Students only attend on their appropriate opening day. They do not attend on the other day that week. All students return for a regular schedule starting on Tuesday, September 2nd. Freshman parents, don’t forget to attend the Freshman Parent Information Night on Thursday, August 28th at 6:00 pm in the Stockbridge Theatre.

Later this week, Mr. Perez will be sending an email with more information about the new cell phone policy. We may not all agree with the new state law, but we have adjusted our policy to align with it, and we will all need to navigate it together.

As always, I encourage you to reach out with any questions or concerns you may have about the information in this message or anything else. The best way to reach me is via email at tpowers@pinkertonacademy.org.

Sincerely,

Timothy J. Powers
Head of School

Monthly Update - May 2025

Tue, 27 May 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Good afternoon,

I cannot believe that this is my next-to-last update of the school year. With less than a month to go, my last email will come after graduation and final exams have finished. The year has definitely flown by!

That said, there is still a lot to do in our remaining time. Please check in on your progress in your classes and talk with your teachers if you are struggling. Now is the time to get things figured out before it is too late.

For our seniors, it was great to see your spirit last week as you participated in each day’s themes. The next two and a half weeks are filled with a series of last events here at Pinkerton: final exams, Senior Banquet, graduation rehearsals, Senior Cookout, Senior Awards Night, and ultimately Graduation. In the rush to cross the stage and receive your diploma, I hope you’ll take the time to look back at your four years and the work you have put in to get where you are. Maybe you’ll remember one or more people who helped you along the way, and I encourage you to take a moment and thank them.

Sincerely,

Dr. Timothy J. Powers
Head of School

Monthly Update - April 2025

Tue, 22 Apr 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Good afternoon,

We are in the last stretch of the school year, and it always amazes me how quickly it goes. Progress reports for second semester will come out the first week of April, and before we know it, we will be wrapping up the school year. In the meantime, there’s still a lot of things happening and work to be done, so let’s keep focus!

The Start Time Committee continues to look at possibilities and has narrowed in on a time that could potentially work with bus transportation and other factors. The next step is to collect data from our community. Please find the start time survey here to give your feedback. We would also like to have students participate in the survey as well. In order for your student to participate, you will need to opt them into the survey. That can be done through the link here. A pdf of the survey is also posted on our website. Families have 2 weeks to opt students in to the survey, and it will close in 3 weeks.

Last week the Cell Phone Task Force sent out surveys to students, families, and teachers. If you have not completed the survey yet, please do so by Tuesday, April 1st. Please refer back to the emails sent on Monday, March 17th to complete the survey.

Congratulations and well done to the cast, crew, and musicians who participated in All Shook Up this past weekend. If you missed the show, you really did miss out!

I hope to see you on campus at one of the many upcoming games, performances, or recognition ceremonies this spring.

Sincerely,

Dr. Timothy J. Powers
Head of School