Any current or recent St. Albans families willing to discuss pros/cons?
![[Post New]](/jforum/templates/default/images/icon_minipost_new.gif){kind=icon}
Anonymous
| Our son is happy with lots of friends, but excited about new activities and sports. We love the community and family at WIS but also want a place where he can continue to be academically challenged. We would love to hear how transfer students adjust and learn about the actual day-to-day pluses/minuses for the youngest boys. |
Anonymous
| I am interested in answers to OP's question too. |
Anonymous
|
If you could be more specific, I know I could probably be more helpful. Of course I'm going to advocate STA and say how wonderful it is though...in trying to address the adjustment issues though here goes. My son came from beauvoir so that is a different transition, but still an adjustment. If you are talking about 4th grade entry, there is a nice mix from everywhere and so it isn't all beauvoir boys. Within days no one cares where they came from (except for a VERY few moms who preface every thought with "well Paula says....blah blah blah" referring to the head of Beauvoir and still under her spell for some unknown reason). Seriously, no one cares and the classes are all mixed up anyways. \
The first few days/weeks are a challenge for all of them. They all have trouble opening their locker. Organization skills are not strong in 4th grade boys, and remembering homework, the right books, the sports clothing, the belt, it is all sort of a jumble. Within weeks, and most kids months (and some kids not years), most of the boys handle the responsibilities of a school that asks them to be responsbile for themself. For other grades in the lower school beyond 7th (ie 5th and 6th), there are normally a handful of new kids, so your son would not be alone. That is helpful, and again after a few weeks, no one remembers that they were "new" or not. My sons closest friends are mostly all from other places (public school, NPS, WIS, St Patricks among others). The school is academically challenging, and we like to think one of the more rigorous schools around. Recent list of National Merit finalists helps show that. If there is something more that you'd like to hear about, fire away. |
Anonymous
| 15:51: Great post! Thanks. That's the kind of post that makes me proud of what DCUM can be. |
Anonymous
|
15:13 back -- here is an example of "community" too.
Last night, STA had its annual baseball dinner. It wasn't just for the varsity guys, but everyone. Lower school (and kids just newly accepted!) too who play baseball. It was a potluck and there was an inspirational speech by Brendan Sullivan (Headfirst founder and STA alum as well as baseball phenom), but also trivia presented by the seniors. We were sitting next to a family with a sibling in a different school and the parents could not get over the fact that the 6th grade teacher and varsity baseball coach knew EVERYONE. He called out kids, parents by name, when someone won a trivia question or a raffle. It was just really nice to be there and be part of it. We don't like everyone there, but we suspect any school would be like that and have found that there is a warm and nurturing community within the school that you might not get from the outside looking in. The baseball dinner was but one example of that. |
Anonymous
| OP here-- thanks! |
Anonymous
OP, can you talk a little bit about how WIS is not academically challenging enough for DS? We are considering enrolling our DC there. TIA. |
Anonymous
|
We love STA, but it was a difficult transition for us.
First, we had no affiliation with Beauvoir. And yes, among the parents, there does seem to be a tribe of Beauvoir families which wear the B on their chests. Second, we did not arrive at a typical entry year (B Form - 5th grade), so DS definitely felt like an interloper. Third, we came from another private school (parish school) which I thought had been quite rigirous itself, only to find that in terms of what was being taught and homework, we were practically 3 grades behind. Fourth, Spanish was a big issue for us. It's required, and by 5th grade, some boys have had a number of years of Spanish already (they start in pre-K in Beauvoir), so it was a real struggle. It took a while to transition. What helped was the fact that my son is very athletic. STA does love its sporty boys. My son a- thlso spent much time after school just hanging out at the school - there is no formal after care, but many of the boys just hang out doing homework, running around, and playing in the so-called "prison yard." Good luck! |
Anonymous
So are you now at STA, or did you decide against it? |
Anonymous
things sure went south for the Headfirst St. Albans baseball camp run by two former STA buddies: http://deadspin.com/bitchy-hilarious-lawsuit-tears-apart-a-prestigious-d-c-1441094085 http://legaltimes.typepad.com/files/motion-to-disqualify.pdf http://legaltimes.typepad.com/files/elwood-counterclaim.pdf |
Anonymous
OMG -- this is even juicier than Newmeyer v. SFS/Huntington. Great reading on a rainy, Halloween-hangover, day of procrastination and sugar-regret! |
Anonymous
| How is STA for non-sporty boys? |
Anonymous
STA is for non-sporty boys. They play in a lower level league so they can compete at their level. |
Anonymous
| Or their focus includes the arts, math club, yearbook, vestry and the list continues. In upper school a number of boys play one sport only. |
Anonymous
As the parent of some "sporty" STA grads, I hope that this statement is inaccurate. There are lots of STA kids that spend plenty of time working for their teams. Many STA athletes go on to play in college. If STA is becoming a place where "sporty" boys are a minority, then I expect there will be a corresponding and negative drop in the school's influence. Competitive athletic teams are vital to the STA experience. |