New STA parent seeking advice, suggestions, or just plain "I wish I had known X" info

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous]Our DS is entering the C Form. Recently, we were set up on a play date with a number of other entering C Formers, all of whom graduated Beauvoir. DS has gone the public school route. Both DS and I were a bit intimated by these boys. They all seem so athletic and polished and ultra preppy in dress and mannerisms. Mind you, we are hardly from the other side of the tracks, but still . . . . Any similar first impression out there? Do things get better?[/quote]

Beauvoir Mom here: don't worry the boys from Beauvoir might look preppy, but that may be Mom just trying to be sure that her boy is all set for school when she send him over to STA, not the boy himself. Take a look on the play ground and I'm sure you'll see your boy fits right in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, up to a point. The STA lax players too like to call themselves "bros" and are oddly captivated by long hair ("flow") that will show to advantage under a helmet. But they are not singled out for preferential treatment, and the fact that STA has a strong, but not powerhouse, program probably helps keep them grounded--as does the fact that many are strong students as well as good athletes.

laxbros and flow are pretty universal terms. even kids at my DSs public school use those terms.

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous]Running Club is for lower-schoolers (4-8 grades) who do something wrong, like unscrew the cap of the salt-shaker at the lunch table just before a teacher uses the salt-shaker. The club is by invitation only, and one goes for a run around the cathedral close after school with the head of the lower school. [/quote]

I think that is great. Channel that energy !

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Our DS is entering the C Form. Recently, we were set up on a play date with a number of other entering C Formers, all of whom graduated Beauvoir. DS has gone the public school route. Both DS and I were a bit intimated by these boys. They all seem so athletic and polished and ultra preppy in dress and mannerisms. Mind you, we are hardly from the other side of the tracks, but still . . . . Any similar first impression out there? Do things get better?[/quote]

Beauvoir Mom here: don't worry the boys from Beauvoir might look preppy, but that may be Mom just trying to be sure that her boy is all set for school when she send him over to STA, not the boy himself. Take a look on the play ground and I'm sure you'll see your boy fits right in.[/quote]

STA Mom here: No worries, we're proudly from the other side of the tracks and DS fits right in. His khakis, blazers, and athletic shoes are ragged but so are his friends. The guys work and play hard and genuinely seem to value their friendships. Beauvoir does an excellent job of reinforcing manners and decency. As for the prep and hyper athleticism, it exists at STA but it's also perfectly fine and acceptable to just be a regular guy.

It's amazing and wonderfully surprising the number of talented and nice guys that populate the school.

[Anonymous]

Can someone fill me in on what this Christmas House tour is all about? There seems to be quite a bit of hoopla surrounding it.

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]For reasonably priced blazers, try The Children's Place, where you can usually get a blazer for around $35. But I agree with the other parents: for everyday use, get a used blazer from the school consignment store. It's unbelievable how the boys abuse their jackets; the're usually in a heap on the dirt playing fields! Plus they lose them all the time.[/quote]

Where is the school consignment store and can Beauvoir Moms shop there too or does your child have to be at STA? I heard about the swap day, but is there a store that is open regularly ?
Thanks[/quote]

The Student Exchange is open daily [?] and anyone can shop there. Sign in at the front desk by senior circle .

[Anonymous]

Do most of the lower school boys get mostly As on their report card?

We came from another school where DS was getting straight As, with seemingly little effort. This past mid-term report card he had mainly Bs. Is he the kind of boy who might get counseled out later?!

[Anonymous]

bump

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wish I had fully understood how athletics permeate nearly every aspect of life at STA, and if your DS is not "into sports," he's simply not going to fit in with his fellow-students, the faculty, and much to my horror, the other families.

All sports, or is the school focused on 2 or 3?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wish I had fully understood how athletics permeate nearly every aspect of life at STA, and if your DS is not "into sports," he's simply not going to fit in with his fellow-students, the faculty, and much to my horror, the other families.

All sports, or is the school focused on 2 or 3?

Lacrosse is king, despite its less than stellar past seasons.

St. Albans also usually fields excellent baseball and football teams.

[Anonymous]

NO way is lacrosse king. You cannot be an STA parent and have written that.

There are a number of sports which have popular kids, great coaches, huge followings, place kids into D1 programs, etc.

Crew (one kid early to yale thiss year). Cross Country (another kid early to yale this year). Ice Hockey (a jr committed to cornell). Not to mention the fact that baseball at STA has been HUGE at STA the past few years. Football still matters and always will. Swimmers have had success, as have wrestlers. There is not one sport which dominates at STA, that is just BS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NO way is lacrosse king. You cannot be an STA parent and have written that.

There are a number of sports which have popular kids, great coaches, huge followings, place kids into D1 programs, etc.

Crew (one kid early to yale thiss year). Cross Country (another kid early to yale this year). Ice Hockey (a jr committed to cornell). Not to mention the fact that baseball at STA has been HUGE at STA the past few years. Football still matters and always will. Swimmers have had success, as have wrestlers. There is not one sport which dominates at STA, that is just BS.

Some or many lacrosse parents think it is King. The laxers do consider themselves kings of a social scene. It's a culture with many parent and student social activities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NO way is lacrosse king. You cannot be an STA parent and have written that.

There are a number of sports which have popular kids, great coaches, huge followings, place kids into D1 programs, etc.

Crew (one kid early to yale thiss year). Cross Country (another kid early to yale this year). Ice Hockey (a jr committed to cornell). Not to mention the fact that baseball at STA has been HUGE at STA the past few years. Football still matters and always will. Swimmers have had success, as have wrestlers. There is not one sport which dominates at STA, that is just BS.

Some or many lacrosse parents think it is King. The laxers do consider themselves kings of a social scene. It's a culture with many parent and student social activities.

Is this an upper school phenomenon? Or does lax culture seep through in lower grades?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NO way is lacrosse king. You cannot be an STA parent and have written that.

There are a number of sports which have popular kids, great coaches, huge followings, place kids into D1 programs, etc.

Crew (one kid early to yale thiss year). Cross Country (another kid early to yale this year). Ice Hockey (a jr committed to cornell). Not to mention the fact that baseball at STA has been HUGE at STA the past few years. Football still matters and always will. Swimmers have had success, as have wrestlers. There is not one sport which dominates at STA, that is just BS.

Some or many lacrosse parents think it is King. The laxers do consider themselves kings of a social scene. It's a culture with many parent and student social activities.

Is this an upper school phenomenon? Or does lax culture seep through in lower grades?

Yes it does seep into the lower grades. STA lax is more social or cultural than at some other schools. I am an STA parent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do most of the lower school boys get mostly As on their report card?

We came from another school where DS was getting straight As, with seemingly little effort. This past mid-term report card he had mainly Bs. Is he the kind of boy who might get counseled out later?!

Many STA boys go throughout their STA careers making mainly B's. It's a respectable grade at STA, unlike the schools with serious grade-inflation where three-fourths of the class is on the honor roll. Also, if your son is new, he may just need some time to adjust to the higher academic demands of STA. My son went from straight A's at a public to two B's at STA the first quarter. It took him a year or so to understand the level of achievement needed for straight A's. He still gets a B now and then; there are some teachers who rarely or never give A's at STA.