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

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP. Call from.

In other words, they send the message that you need to get off your fat asses and show some interest and support of the school and your son, dammit.

People really believe the Lower School Head monitors attendance and calls families where only one parent attends Back to School Night? Take the hook out, already.

No just when neither parent shows. He wants at least one parent to attend. If you are an STA parent, which i doubt, and your child started in form c you would know his. Unless, of course, you don't read your weekly form bulletins. I've been a form chair and heard him say that with my own ears. He also asked us to relay that to the parents via the bulletin.

[Anonymous]

Actually I take all of that back. He does that for the form meetings not BTSN. My bad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What happens at Back to School night for the lower school? Is it a 2-parent affair, or is 1 parent sufficient representation?

One parent is fine. You just attend your kids classes for a very short time period. Don't stress if neither parent can make it, for that matter -- this is not like a one-on-one parent-teacher conference.

Absolutely, true. The office will send you a packet in the mail of the handouts, expect to see it in your mailbox over the next few days.

And don't flatter yourself into believing that the lower school head will get to know every single boy by the time they leave form II.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What happens at Back to School night for the lower school? Is it a 2-parent affair, or is 1 parent sufficient representation?

One parent is fine. You just attend your kids classes for a very short time period. Don't stress if neither parent can make it, for that matter -- this is not like a one-on-one parent-teacher conference.

Absolutely, true. The office will send you a packet in the mail of the handouts, expect to see it in your mailbox over the next few days.t d

And don't flatter yourself into believing that the lower school head will get to know every single boy by the time they leave form II.

I can only speak to my observations - but it does appear that beyond getting to know the names of every boy in the lower school (usually within weeks of the beginning of C Form), and beyond greeting them with a handshake and a few words every morning, he does seem to know every single boy well before they leave Form II. He's seen them grow (literally and figuratively), he's seen them in the classroom and on the playing fields, he's seen them in the choral and drama performances, he's interacted with them on the Prison Yard, he knows their interests, personalities, quirks and foibles, he's been there to pat them on the back for a job well done, and equally important, he's been directly involved when a ship needs to get righted. Yeah, he's basically omniscient. At least that's been my experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What happens at Back to School night for the lower school? Is it a 2-parent affair, or is 1 parent sufficient representation?

One parent is fine. You just attend your kids classes for a very short time period. Don't stress if neither parent can make it, for that matter -- this is not like a one-on-one parent-teacher conference.

Absolutely, true. The office will send you a packet in the mail of the handouts, expect to see it in your mailbox over the next few days.

And don't flatter yourself into believing that the lower school head will get to know every single boy by the time they leave form II.

He absolutely does. I was in his office the other day and he told us he'd lost some money that morning because he forgot two boys' names. He is committed to knowing every boy's name and the forfeit is $1 to the boy if he forgets.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What happens at Back to School night for the lower school? Is it a 2-parent affair, or is 1 parent sufficient representation?

One parent is fine. You just attend your kids classes for a very short time period. Don't stress if neither parent can make it, for that matter -- this is not like a one-on-one parent-teacher conference.

Absolutely, true. The office will send you a packet in the mail of the handouts, expect to see it in your mailbox over the next few days.t d

And don't flatter yourself into believing that the lower school head will get to know every single boy by the time they leave form II.

I can only speak to my observations - but it does appear that beyond getting to know the names of every boy in the lower school (usually within weeks of the beginning of C Form), and beyond greeting them with a handshake and a few words every morning, he does seem to know every single boy well before they leave Form II. He's seen them grow (literally and figuratively), he's seen them in the classroom and on the playing fields, he's seen them in the choral and drama performances, he's interacted with them on the Prison Yard, he knows their interests, personalities, quirks and foibles, he's been there to pat them on the back for a job well done, and equally important, he's been directly involved when a ship needs to get righted. Yeah, he's basically omniscient. At least that's been my experience.

I wouldn't say he knew my son "well." He remembered his name and congratulated him in the hall if he won at some event.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What happens at Back to School night for the lower school? Is it a 2-parent affair, or is 1 parent sufficient representation?

One parent is fine. You just attend your kids classes for a very short time period. Don't stress if neither parent can make it, for that matter -- this is not like a one-on-one parent-teacher conference.

Absolutely, true. The office will send you a packet in the mail of the handouts, expect to see it in your mailbox over the next few days.

And don't flatter yourself into believing that the lower school head will get to know every single boy by the time they leave form II.

He absolutely does. I was in his office the other day and he told us he'd lost some money that morning because he forgot two boys' names. He is committed to knowing every boy's name and the forfeit is $1 to the boy if he forgets.

And this is a mere 2 weeks after school has started.

At our previous school, the principal was like a ghost. Never seen. Never heard from. Thin air (and hot air too!).

[Anonymous]

Does the head of school at NCS or any of the other independent schools greet each child by name at the beginning of the school day?

[Anonymous]

Does the upper school head at STA greet each student by name at the beginning of the school day?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does the head of school at NCS or any of the other independent schools greet each child by name at the beginning of the school day?

Peter Barrett at St Patrick's knows every kid's name and greets them most mornings and often says goodbye at carpool in the afternoon. Of course, he is an ex-STA teacher and Form head so there is that.

[Anonymous]

He calls my son the wrong name (per my son!) and this is my son's 3rd year at St Albans. So I agree that he does NOT know every boy that well.

I told my son to collect the $ next time he calls him the wrong name!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does the upper school head at STA greet each student by name at the beginning of the school day?

Have any of you met teenagers? They would be appalled if the Heads of the Upper School at NCS or St. Albans tried to greet them with a handshake every day. Different styles for different age groups, as it should be!

[Anonymous]

Is is true that STA does not release class rank as part of the college application process?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is is true that STA does not release class rank as part of the college application process?

Correct.

[Anonymous]

The GPA distribution in the school's profile gives a college a clue where your kid stands within his class. They use it when a school doesn't rank.