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

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DS did not get a callback for the middle school play. Does that mean only that he will not be a lead, but can be part of the chorus or any other small part, or does it mean that he will not be in the play at all?

Usually that means he can't perform in the play as a lead or ensemble player. The cast list is usually posted up shortly after callbacks. He can always help out in tech or maybe there's an opening for an assistant stage manager. I hope he's cast in the spring play.

[Anonymous]

How difficult is it to land a spot in the upper school plays? Is there a core group of drama kids who get the parts year in and year out? Would a freshmen have a chance, or is the program geared towards the older kids?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How difficult is it to land a spot in the upper school plays? Is there a core group of drama kids who get the parts year in and year out? Would a freshmen have a chance, or is the program geared towards the older kids?

A new to the Close/STA, talented freshmen would have a strong chance of "getting in" and landing a lead. If you don't get in early (freshmen year) you're pretty much cut out of the leads as the same core group of kids get cast year in and year out. The best that you can do is ensemble usually with a large group of kids. It also helps if you have a mom volunteering with the drama program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How difficult is it to land a spot in the upper school plays? Is there a core group of drama kids who get the parts year in and year out? Would a freshmen have a chance, or is the program geared towards the older kids?

A new to the Close/STA, talented freshmen would have a strong chance of "getting in" and landing a lead. If you don't get in early (freshmen year) you're pretty much cut out of the leads as the same core group of kids get cast year in and year out. The best that you can do is ensemble usually with a large group of kids. It also helps if you have a mom volunteering with the drama program.

My take in response to 10:31, from being an audience member for a while (no kids active in the drama program), is that the STA/NCS drama program tries to pick productions that will give lots of opportunities to both boys and girls. For example, last year they double-casted the big musical, Oklahoma, so twice the number of kids got parts, including significant leads. I can also think of about three situations within the last three years where good singers who were junior/seniors got big leads in their first year in the drama program (both boys and girls). Maybe that happens more with musicals than plays because a great voice is so obvious? But have seen it. As a general rule, it does seem that kids start out with smaller speaking parts and work up to big parts -- that seems consistent with what I remember from my own high school days. Also from my audience perspective, and I go more to the musicals than the plays but have gone to both, I can see why the same kids get big parts in multiple productions -- they're really good. With that said, the drama program does multiple one-act plays in the spring and it seems like those offer great opportunities for interested "newcomers" to get great experience, either acting or directing (the kids direct them). The remark about the parents volunteering seems a bit over the top to me, by the way. I'm more of a sports-oriented person, so it seems like a situation where the parents of the captains or starters do more as a result of the kid being very committed to this extra-curricular activity, as opposed to the child being a team captain or starter because the parents are good team volunteers.

My take in response to 09:58 -- absolutely the kid should try out for productions and get involved. It's a nice group of kids, it is a great way for boys to create healthy and meaningful friendships with girls from NCS, and they choose productions that offer lots of opportunities for lots of kids. If the student is reasonably talented and stays committed I'm sure they will get bigger and bigger parts, if that is a concern.

[Anonymous]

Holy shit. Just got back home from dropping my kid off at school, and realized that there was a "form" meeting scheduled this morning. Is this the meeting where they call you if no one from your son's family was at the meeting?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Holy shit. Just got back home from dropping my kid off at school, and realized that there was a "form" meeting scheduled this morning. Is this the meeting where they call you if no one from your son's family was at the meeting?

They are nice people -- if you're experiencing some heartburn, why not just email the Lower School Head and say you'd meant to attend but had a last minute conflict (or cop to forgetting it), and say that you'll check in with other parents to make sure you learned what was discussed? Or just ignore it, knowing your intentions were good and if they call say what you'd say above. I honestly don't know if they call or not but would surmise it would only be if neither parent is coming to anything, not just over one missed group meeting.

[Anonymous]

you will receive a call.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:you will receive a call.

Said call will be gentle and friendly enough.

The second, not so much . . .

[Anonymous]

You are by no means expected to attend the Form meetings. Many parents have to work. Just call a Form Chair and ask what was on the agenda. All is well.

[Anonymous]

In the lower school you receive any handouts in the mail. The form chair will recap the info in an email.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:also my child is 9. really you cant be over careful in these days in times. there was a child molester at beauvoir for christ sake. sta is fabulous - my girls are at ncs, obviously I think the cathedral system is great, but the lack of supervision after school would make me a bit nervous. we are in the middle of a city.

My son isn't old enough for school yet but we live in the neighborhood. I've noticed a few young boys sent out to Mass Ave to wait for their parents, presumably so they can skip the car line. This is at Beauvoir. It struck me as a bit careless.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:also my child is 9. really you cant be over careful in these days in times. there was a child molester at beauvoir for christ sake. sta is fabulous - my girls are at ncs, obviously I think the cathedral system is great, but the lack of supervision after school would make me a bit nervous. we are in the middle of a city.

My son isn't old enough for school yet but we live in the neighborhood. I've noticed a few young boys sent out to Mass Ave to wait for their parents, presumably so they can skip the car line. This is at Beauvoir. It struck me as a bit careless.

This makes absolutely no sense. Beauvoir is not near Mass and no Beauvoir children would ever be allowed to walk over to Mass on their own. They must be picked up either in the classroom or through carpool by an authorized adult.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You are by no means expected to attend the Form meetings. Many parents have to work. Just call a Form Chair and ask what was on the agenda. All is well.

I agree. I walked by the place (far end of the Refectory) where they hold these gatherings on the morning in question and there were not even close to 40 parents there -- it looked like 20 to 25. Not sure what grade/form was meeting, but clearly it is not a mandatory function.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:also my child is 9. really you cant be over careful in these days in times. there was a child molester at beauvoir for christ sake. sta is fabulous - my girls are at ncs, obviously I think the cathedral system is great, but the lack of supervision after school would make me a bit nervous. we are in the middle of a city.

My son isn't old enough for school yet but we live in the neighborhood. I've noticed a few young boys sent out to Mass Ave to wait for their parents, presumably so they can skip the car line. This is at Beauvoir. It struck me as a bit careless.

This makes absolutely no sense. Beauvoir is not near Mass and no Beauvoir children would ever be allowed to walk over to Mass on their own. They must be picked up either in the classroom or through carpool by an authorized adult.

Maybe the poster meant the STA Lower School, which is on the corner of Mass Ave?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In the lower school you receive any handouts in the mail. The form chair will recap the info in an email.

Yes, and yes. But said handouts are in an envelope, waiting for you in an envelope with your name clearly marked on it, at the table near the entrance to the Refectory or wherever the form meeting is being held. It is clear at the start of the meeting how many families have no representation at the meeting. Those envelopes are collected at the end of the meeting by school staff. So they do take roll. They do make calls. Their view is that you go all in at STA. it's not just a matter if sending your kid off to school and paying the tuition checks. Showing up for these twice yearly meetings are part of that. I actually see both parents attend such things more often than not. I think it is a good thing.