PHA Family Newsletter
Your Source for PreK-12 School Updates
June 26, 2026
Dear PHAmilies:
Happy last day of school and first day of summer!
Can you believe that Wednesday marked the end of our culminations and celebrations of the 2025-26 school year? Across campuses, we’ve celebrated our students, their lived experiences, and cultures. More significantly, we’ve celebrated their achievements, growth, and development from the Grade 10 Gateway Projects to the Grades 7/8 Stories of Growth Projects, to the Grade 5 Bridging Ceremony. While summer is a time to relax and rejuvenate, it is also a time to play, embark on adventures, and remain engaged in learning. To retain and continue learning during the summer to avoid learning loss, also known as the summer slide, PHA educators suggest the following:
Limit screen time.
SET a daily summer schedule. It is essential to recognize that children still require structured learning time during the summer.
PRACTICE grade-level mathematics facts.
Renew and/or use your library card weekly.
PLAY educational games. Here’s one resource to try: Common Sense Media
READ, read, read, and read some more - at least one hour/day!
WRITE every day! Write stories about family history. Write a book summary. Write in a journal. Write letters to relatives, friends, or a teacher. Write learning goals for the next school year.
Be creative! Make something and use your imagination. Cook something.
Practice learning to compromise and negotiate.
Listen to and discuss podcasts and audiobooks.
We look forward to seeing you at the various summer playdates and Ready for School events (listed below) and can’t wait to welcome our students back in September.
Sincerely,
Angela
Angela F. Allen Ph.D.
Head of School / CEO
- Wednesday, June 24th: Last Day of School-Early Release
- Saturday, July 18th: Popcorn Playdate 10:00AM-12:00PM Franklin
- Saturday, August 8th: Popcorn Playdate 10:00AM-12:00PM Franklin
- Saturday, August 22nd: Ready for School 12:00-2:00 PM Essex Street Courtyard
- Wednesday, September 2nd: Grades 1-12 First Day of School
- Wednesday, September 2nd and Thursday, September 3rd: PreK and K Screening Days
- Friday, September 4th: PreK and K First Day of School-1/2 Day
Congratulations to the Class of 2026
On Sunday, June 14th, Prospect Hill Academy celebrated the graduation of the Class of 2026 during commencement ceremonies held at MIT's Kresge Auditorium.
The graduation ceremony was a beautiful celebration of your hard work, dedication, and achievements. We are incredibly proud of all you’ve accomplished and look forward to seeing the amazing things you’ll do in the years ahead. With your kindness, humor, and empathy, you can change the world.
Congratulations to PHA’s Class of 2026!
Please click here to view the graduation photo gallery.
Class of 2026: Where They Will Be Next Year
We are so proud of all our seniors, two-thirds of whom of are first generation college goers! They will be attending a range of local and national colleges and universities, including:
American University, Bates College, Bentley University, Bridgewater State, Bryant University, Bunker Hill Community College, Emmanuel College, Fitchburg State, Franklin Cummings Tech, Lasell University, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, New England College, Northeastern University, Pratt Institute, Regis College, Roxbury Community College, Salem State, Simmons University, UMass Amherst, UMass Boston, UMass Lowell, University of Houston, Wentworth Inst. of Tech., Wheaton College, and Worcester State.
Prospect Hill Academy 30th Gala Celebration
This year, we celebrated our 30th Anniversary throughout the school year with a variety of special events, including welcome cakes at each campus at the start of the school year, our "$30 for 30 Years" fundraising campaign to support the future of our beloved school, a Trivia Night, and several other community celebrations.
At the Building Bright Futures Gala in late April, we debuted this wonderful video celebrating PHA's rich history and continued investment in building our students’ bright futures. Enjoy!
PHA Grants over $10K Received in FY26
Akamai Foundation: Early Learning STEM Pathways (Lego Robotics)
Barr Foundation: MS/HS HTH PBL curriculum and PD rollout
Cambridge Community Foundation: Out of School Time: after school and summer programming
Cummings Foundation: PHA's high school College and Career Success program, specifically Dual Enrollment
DESE Civics Teaching and Learning Grant: Invest in a professional development for Humanities Teachers
DESE High Dosage Tutoring: Early Childhood Literacy Tutoring
Eastern Bank Foundation: After School programming and experiential learning
MA Life Science Center: 7-12 STEM Pathways "to invest further in the instructional STEM equipment and supplies"
Mifflin Memorial Fund: To build a Structured Learning Center at EC to support ESL, SPED and other students
Moderna Foundation 7-12 STEM Pathways "to invest further in the instructional STEM equipment and supplies, teacher professional development and salaries"
Moses Kimball Fund: PHA's High School College and Career Success Program, specifically Dual Enrollment
Pittsburgh Foundation: Unrestricted
Schrafft Charitable Trust: PHA's high school College and Career Success program, specifically Dual Enrollment
Tori Darnell Grant: Stipends to work in the EC and UE libraries
Michelle Herman will join PHA as the new Chief Academic Officer (CAO). Michelle brings a wealth of diverse experiences and skills to the PHA community, and we are eager to welcome her. As a visionary leader, Michelle’s passion is developing and implementing innovative curriculum, instruction, and assessment structures and systems, along with parallel strategies and practices, to remove barriers and provide equitable access to excellent school and community services for all students, especially those underrepresented.
Michelle has a breadth of educational leadership experience spanning over 20+ years, ranging from a Math Specialist in Jefferson County, KY, to Director of School Support at Achievement Network. Most recently, Michelle has served as the Senior Director of Teaching and Learning in the Public Schools of Brookline for the past five years, where she previously served as Director of Professional Development. As such, she has led multiple PreK-12 initiatives to develop, execute, and assess instructional programs, resulting in improved student achievement. She prioritizes research-based professional development for educators and leaders. Michelle is dedicated to promoting equity through culturally responsive, data-driven, standards-based instruction.
Michelle has a Master's in Education Administration and twenty years of leadership experience.
Michelle is “excited and humbled to join our community” and lead us to improved teaching and learning for excellent and equitable outcomes.
Calvin Johnson joins Prospect Hill Academy as Middle School Principal. He believes that every student who walks into PHA every morning is already brilliant, and that the school's work is to teach in ways worthy of that brilliance. In Calvin's view, a middle school works when students are fully seen, expected to do hard things, and supported in doing them, and when families and staff work as partners. These convictions come from more than a decade of leadership experience across K-12 settings, where Calvin has served as a teacher, assistant principal, principal, and leadership consultant.
Calvin comes to PHA from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, where he spent the past several years as a Lead Leadership Consultant in the Statewide System of Support, coaching school leaders in instructional leadership and school improvement. Before DESE, Calvin served five years as Head of School at Phoenix Charter Academy Springfield, an alternative charter high school for students traditional schools had given up on. Calvin and his team refused to give up. They moved Phoenix Springfield from three state-issued conditions to a clean five-year charter renewal, with 100% college acceptance for three consecutive graduating cohorts.
Calvin is excited to partner with PHA's teachers, families, and students to build a middle school that prepares every child for any future they want. He holds a J.D. from Boston College Law School, a B.A. from La Salle University, and is completing his Ed.D. in Systems Leadership. Calvin is moving to Cambridge this summer with his wife, Courtney, a special education teacher in East Boston, and their two young children, Bean and Frankie. In the coming days, Calvin will begin his transition with Ben. Please join us in welcoming him to PHA.
Jenny Kang will be joining us as Vice Principal of Learning and Culture in our Middle School. Jenny brings over a decade of experience serving diverse populations in special education and literacy.
Jenny brings deep knowledge of inclusive and culturally responsive teaching practices, as well as trauma-informed and therapeutic support for students. Currently, she is a special education administrator at Newton North High School, overseeing its full inclusion and language-based programs. In previous roles, she led strategic initiatives on schoolwide culture and multi-tiered systems of support that resulted in dramatic increases in sense of belonging and academic achievement.
As a former multilingual learner, Jenny attributes her dedication to the field of education to her former teachers. She is excited to join a like-minded team of educators who are committed to realizing the full potential of every child. In addition to graduate degrees in teaching middle school general education and high school special education, Jenny holds a BA from Yale University (Comparative Literature) and Ed.M from Harvard Graduate School of Education (School Leadership)
Dr. Susanne Dunn joins Prospect Hill Academy as PreK-8 Literacy Curriculum Coordinator. Dr. Dunn brings more than 21 years of experience in education, including roles as a classroom teacher, reading interventionist, instructional leader, and curriculum coordinator. She holds an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from Northeastern University, a Master's degree in Literacy Education, and certifications in both Elementary Education and Secondary English.
Originally from New Jersey, Dr. Dunn also spent 13 years living and working in Maine before relocating to the Boston area. Throughout her career, she has been dedicated to strengthening literacy instruction, supporting educator growth, and creating engaging learning experiences that meet the needs of diverse learners. She is passionate about helping teachers refine their practice and ensuring all students have access to high-quality, rigorous instruction.
Outside of work, Dr. Dunn enjoys puzzles of all kinds, from jigsaw puzzles to word games. She is an avid solver of the New York Times Crossword, Wordle, and Spelling Bee. She lives in Jamaica Plain with her husband and enjoys spending time at the Arnold Arboretum and visiting Franklin Park Zoo, where they are members.
Dr. Dunn is excited to join the Prospect Hill Academy community and looks forward to collaborating with educators, students, and families to support literacy achievement across grades PreK-8.
Grace Johnson-Lugo joins Prospect Hill Academy as Prek-8 Science Curriculum Coordinator. Ms. Johnson-Lugos' career has been shaped by a deep commitment to equitable science education and the belief that every student — especially multilingual learners and those historically underserved — deserves access to rigorous, student-centered learning.
She currently serves as a Leadership Consultant with the Massachusetts DESE Statewide System of Support, where she partners with district and school leaders through the Instructional Prioritization Institute and a Culturally Responsive School Leadership coaching framework to build coherent systems and sustain meaningful change.
Ms. Johnson-Lugo is also deeply devoted to supporting teachers in refining their practice, leading to more inclusive and standards-aligned instruction. She is a certified OpenSciEd PDFacilitator who supported multi-district HQIM implementation through the OpenSciEd Equitable Instruction Initiative at Boston College, and a contract lesson reviewer for the National Science Teaching Association using the Sensemaking Rubric — bringing both a classroom-level and national lens to curriculum quality and equitable instruction.
Before her consulting work, Ms. Johnson-Lugo served as an Elementary and Middle School Science Instructional Coach in New Brunswick Public Schools, NJ, where she led district-wide HQIM implementation, designed three-dimensional assessments, and developed PBL curriculum for multilingual learners — and began her career as a TFA Corps member teaching Biology and Biomedical Science in a high school in Passaic, NJ. She holds an M.Ed. in Educational Leadership from William Paterson University and a B.A. in Biology and Secondary Education from The College of New Jersey. An immigrant and native Spanish speaker, Grace is thrilled to be joining the Prospect Hill Academy community and looks forward to contributing to and learning from such a devoted team.
Thank you PHAmily for another great year school year!
Enjoy this 2025-2026 recap video featuring some highlights from the school year!
The Early Childhood Campus held its Art & Music Show on Friday, May 30th and it was a huge success! Families first took a look at the beautiful student art displays located on the first floor of the building, then moved down to the cafeteria to enjoy the music show. Our PreK-3 students showed off some serious artistic and musical talent!
On June 10th, ECC hosted their annual All About Me Fashion Show. This event celebrates our students' individuality, where they will model excellence by showcasing their culture, interests, and traditions. It was a beautiful opportunity to appreciate the diverse components that make each of our students unique.
View the album from the ECC Fashion Show, here.
Congratulations to all our Early Childhood Campus students who celebrated a moving up milestone this week!
The Bridging Ceremony this year marked a significant milestone in our scholars' academic journey as the 5th grade scholars scholars crossed the bridge to start Middle School in the fall. It was a poignant celebration, symbolizing the culmination of their time with us and the exciting transition to middle school.
Congratulations to our 5th graders on crossing the bridge to 6th grade! We’re so proud of you and excited for your Middle School journey!
This week, we proudly celebrated our 8th grade scholars—the PHA Class of 2030—at their Moving Up Ceremony, marking the successful completion of their middle school journey.
Families, faculty, and staff, gathered to honor this important milestone. Surrounded by flowers, balloons, and enthusiastic cheers, our scholars were recognized for their achievements, growth, and perseverance throughout their middle school years.
Congratulations to the PHA Class of 2030! We are incredibly proud of all you have accomplished and look forward to watching you continue to learn, lead, and thrive in the years ahead.
Earlier this spring, a group of 9th and 10th grade students adventured to The Farm School in Athol, MA to spend time with local farmers!
For three days, students worked alongside the farm crew. Their days were filled with everything from chicken chores to planting 6,000 onions. They also learned how to milk cows, prepared meals together, and bonded with some very affectionate farm animals along the way.
Thanks to The Farm School for providing such a meaningful hands-on learning opportunity for our students!
The PHA Spring Sports season concluded with our Track & Field teams qualifying for the Championships, one of our Boys Varsity Volleyball players being named to the MCSAC All-League team, and our Girls Varsity Softball team building a strong foundation for the future.
We had a record number of Track & Field participants at both the High School and Middle School levels this year. Notably, one of our elite female athletes is graduating this year and will attend a D1 college to continue her Track & Field journey.
Our Boys Varsity Volleyball team defined what it means to be true student-athletes. They stayed enthusiastic and maintained unmatched sportsmanship, making every match memorable. They remained resilient throughout the season and never backed down, consistently pushing top opponents. The bonds built by this group have set a powerful standard for future seasons.
Girls Varsity Softball focused heavily on development, showing growth week after week. With no seniors on the roster this year, these players gained valuable varsity experience and built great enthusiasm for their next season.
Jack O'Brien Athletic Scholarship: Given annually to a student at the graduation ceremony who has made significant contributions to one or more of the PHA sports teams as well as demonstrated a team commitment; attended practices and games, showed team spirit, respect, sportsmanship, and provided leadership. In addition, the recipient is in excellent academic standing with no significant disciplinary history during high school. Finally, they must be graduating and attending college in the fall.
This year’s recipient, Joelyse Ayala, has been a standout athlete and leader on every team she has represented. As a team captain and key contributor throughout her career at PHA, she has consistently demonstrated dedication, perseverance, and excellence both on and off the field. During her senior year, she competed in Volleyball and Track & Field, where she distinguished herself as one of the top athletes in the state, setting multiple personal records in the 100-meter dash and long jump. Beyond her athletic accomplishments, she is an exceptional teammate and the kind of student-athlete every coach hopes to have in their program. She truly embodies the values of hard work, leadership, sportsmanship, and commitment. This fall, she will continue her athletic and academic career at the University of Massachusetts Lowell as a Division I student-athlete.
As the 2025-26 athletic season comes to an end, we would like to share our heartfelt appreciation and gratitude to all our dedicated coaches. They provided a depth of knowledge and mentorship that has been invaluable in continuing to enrich our student-athletes' development on and off the court and field.
Message from the Nursing Team
A few items below from the Nurse team regarding student re-enrollment and medication
administration for the upcoming 2026-2027 academic year...
All students entering grades 4, 7, and 10 require an updated physical exam for re-enrollment. A valid physical exam would be one that was performed on or after 09/01/2025.
Please upload this document (all pages) to Power School when you go to re-enroll your student.
If your child has an upcoming appointment, please let your school Nurse know the date of the appointment so that we can authorize the enrollment. You will be unable to enroll your student without either the valid physical or the date of an upcoming appointment.
Also, if your child takes any medications in school, including inhalers, epipens, prescription medications, etc. we will need a new prescription from your child's healthcare provider, as well as a new medication and action plan for asthma or food allergies. Please request these items from your healthcare provider well in advance of the beginning of the school year.
Please reach out to your School Nurse with any questions.
The PHA Nurse team
Fax: 857-575-1274