Culture of St. Anselm’s Abbey school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Its 32K and aid is offered based on need.

Sort of. The SAAS financial aid budget is a fixed dollar amount, about $1.4 million a year. The school’s own website admits it can’t meet the requested aid from applicants. This is not a knock on SAAS but very few private schools can pay out all the financial aid applicant would need to attend. I’m not even sure it’s “need blind” admissions—maybe it is, but again that is very rare in private schools. Either way SAAS should be commended for giving 40% of its students financial aid.

SAAS admission is need blind. I’ve been told this explicitly by the school. SAAS is to be commended for offering a rigorous education on par with the best in the area available to non-millionaires. At SAAS sports are about getting exercise and learning teamwork (you know, the things that games were always supposed to be about before the Type A parents ruined it for most kids).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Read on another thread that this school is for gifted boys. Is this correct?

While there are undoubtedly gifted boys at SAAS, our DS goes there and we would not say he is gifted. Very bright, hard-working, loves learning, and intellectually curious is how I would describe him and many of his classmates. The school is a wonderful environment for smart boys who want to put in the hard work to succeed at SAAS. But for all the academic rigor, the school is not a pressure cooker, the school encourages fun, and there's lots of support.

Frequently get homework assigned on weekends, meaning when school is out, a new assignment will show up through email on a Saturday that is due next school day. Typically have 3-4 hours of homework for middle school-this is ongoing throughout the school year.

I've had one boy go all the way through SAAS MS and another go partway through and I don't think either ever had three hours of homework in a night, certainly not four. I suppose YMMV, but I'd expect an hour or two each night.

3-4 hours of nightly homework in middle school is true and the usual. Has been a problem with teacher assigning homework on the weekends and after hours-meaning it pops up in their assignments, but not told about during class time. Yes, typically half a day or so of homework every weekend as well. Lots of it is busy work and memorization in non essential subjects.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Read on another thread that this school is for gifted boys. Is this correct?

While there are undoubtedly gifted boys at SAAS, our DS goes there and we would not say he is gifted. Very bright, hard-working, loves learning, and intellectually curious is how I would describe him and many of his classmates. The school is a wonderful environment for smart boys who want to put in the hard work to succeed at SAAS. But for all the academic rigor, the school is not a pressure cooker, the school encourages fun, and there's lots of support.

Frequently get homework assigned on weekends, meaning when school is out, a new assignment will show up through email on a Saturday that is due next school day. Typically have 3-4 hours of homework for middle school-this is ongoing throughout the school year.

I've had one boy go all the way through SAAS MS and another go partway through and I don't think either ever had three hours of homework in a night, certainly not four. I suppose YMMV, but I'd expect an hour or two each night.

3-4 hours of nightly homework in middle school is true and the usual. [/b]Has been a problem with teacher assigning homework on the weekends and after hours-meaning it pops up in their assignments, but not told about during class time.[b] Yes, typically half a day or so of homework every weekend as well. Lots of it is busy work and memorization in non essential subjects.

I have a boy at SAAS (US). While this may happen, I would not say it’s part of the culture, and it’s sporadic, not chronic. It is actively discouraged by the HOS. It seems 1 or 2 teachers are repeat offenders, at least IME.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Read on another thread that this school is for gifted boys. Is this correct?

While there are undoubtedly gifted boys at SAAS, our DS goes there and we would not say he is gifted. Very bright, hard-working, loves learning, and intellectually curious is how I would describe him and many of his classmates. The school is a wonderful environment for smart boys who want to put in the hard work to succeed at SAAS. But for all the academic rigor, the school is not a pressure cooker, the school encourages fun, and there's lots of support.

Frequently get homework assigned on weekends, meaning when school is out, a new assignment will show up through email on a Saturday that is due next school day. Typically have 3-4 hours of homework for middle school-this is ongoing throughout the school year.

I've had one boy go all the way through SAAS MS and another go partway through and I don't think either ever had three hours of homework in a night, certainly not four. I suppose YMMV, but I'd expect an hour or two each night.

3-4 hours of nightly homework in middle school is true and the usual. [/b]Has been a problem with teacher assigning homework on the weekends and after hours-meaning it pops up in their assignments, but not told about during class time.[b] Yes, typically half a day or so of homework every weekend as well. Lots of it is busy work and memorization in non essential subjects.

I have a boy at SAAS (US). While this may happen, I would not say it’s part of the culture, and it’s sporadic, not chronic. It is actively discouraged by the HOS. It seems 1 or 2 teachers are repeat offenders, at least IME.

I was going to say, DS wouldn’t look forward to that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Read on another thread that this school is for gifted boys. Is this correct?

While there are undoubtedly gifted boys at SAAS, our DS goes there and we would not say he is gifted. Very bright, hard-working, loves learning, and intellectually curious is how I would describe him and many of his classmates. The school is a wonderful environment for smart boys who want to put in the hard work to succeed at SAAS. But for all the academic rigor, the school is not a pressure cooker, the school encourages fun, and there's lots of support.

Frequently get homework assigned on weekends, meaning when school is out, a new assignment will show up through email on a Saturday that is due next school day. Typically have 3-4 hours of homework for middle school-this is ongoing throughout the school year.

I've had one boy go all the way through SAAS MS and another go partway through and I don't think either ever had three hours of homework in a night, certainly not four. I suppose YMMV, but I'd expect an hour or two each night.

3-4 hours of nightly homework in middle school is true and the usual. Has been a problem with teacher assigning homework on the weekends and after hours-meaning it pops up in their assignments, but not told about during class time. Yes, typically half a day or so of homework every weekend as well. Lots of it is busy work and memorization in non essential subjects.

The late-assigned homework thing has happened once or twice in the several years I've had boys in the Abbey middle school. There is some memorization (mostly poems and play lines, plus definitions of scientific terms and, of course, foreign language vocabulary), but nothing I'd consider "busy work." Which assignments meet your definition of "busy work"? I also don't think my boys ever have had a three-hour homework night. Maybe three hours total over Friday/Saturday/Sunday, but never anything close on a Monday-Thursday.

[Anonymous]

stop lying to others! homework is heavy for the upper school and that's what SAAS is known for.

[Anonymous]

I don't think it is lying. People genuinely have different experiences. I have more than one boy at the school, and though they had the same classes with the same teachers, they did not put in the same amount of time. Kids have different study habits, reading speeds, levels of perfectionism, and work at different paces. Over time, they get better at processing information faster as they develop strung study habits.

However, it is correct that the school is known for having more work - they have a longer day, more classes, and no block schedule, so daily work in most classes. There is no "lower track" of classes to drop down to if you are struggling. This is a very different model from other schools that take a more leisurely pace, have fewer classes per semester, and multiple tracks for classes. This is what the school is known for academically. But that rigor doesn't translate into a uniform number of hours of work for each student: some kids do more, some less; some work faster, some slower.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Read on another thread that this school is for gifted boys. Is this correct?

While there are undoubtedly gifted boys at SAAS, our DS goes there and we would not say he is gifted. Very bright, hard-working, loves learning, and intellectually curious is how I would describe him and many of his classmates. The school is a wonderful environment for smart boys who want to put in the hard work to succeed at SAAS. But for all the academic rigor, the school is not a pressure cooker, the school encourages fun, and there's lots of support.

Frequently get homework assigned on weekends, meaning when school is out, a new assignment will show up through email on a Saturday that is due next school day. Typically have 3-4 hours of homework for middle school-this is ongoing throughout the school year.

I've had one boy go all the way through SAAS MS and another go partway through and I don't think either ever had three hours of homework in a night, certainly not four. I suppose YMMV, but I'd expect an hour or two each night.

3-4 hours of nightly homework in middle school is true and the usual. Has been a problem with teacher assigning homework on the weekends and after hours-meaning it pops up in their assignments, but not told about during class time. Yes, typically half a day or so of homework every weekend as well. Lots of it is busy work and memorization in non essential subjects.

The late-assigned homework thing has happened once or twice in the several years I've had boys in the Abbey middle school. There is some memorization (mostly poems and play lines, plus definitions of scientific terms and, of course, foreign language vocabulary), but nothing I'd consider "busy work." Which assignments meet your definition of "busy work"? I also don't think my boys ever have had a three-hour homework night. Maybe three hours total over Friday/Saturday/Sunday, but never anything close on a Monday-Thursday.

+1 My son just started middle school and we're thrilled. Demanding in an appropriate way. I haven't seen busy work. I'm comparing my son's first weeks at the Abbey to my daughter's experience in one of the "top" middle schools in town, and, honestly, I wonder what she is learning. My son does his homework in 60-90 minutes a day and barely any time on the weekend. The high expectations are refreshing and my son's self confidence has actually improved because he is seeing how much he can do if he applies himself. Before he was just coasting and never felt that important sense of accomplishment. I realize these are early days but so far so good.

[Anonymous]

"Donut-hole" dad here, with experience of 2 boys at St. Anselm's. They gave us generous aid, particularly during the years they had both boys in their care. Gonzaga was not as generous -- not that I begrudge them that, as they certainly have a stronger minority/working-class cohort, though St. A's is trying to improve in that area as well.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Its 32K and aid is offered based on need.

Sort of. The SAAS financial aid budget is a fixed dollar amount, about $1.4 million a year. The school’s own website admits it can’t meet the requested aid from applicants. This is not a knock on SAAS but very few private schools can pay out all the financial aid applicant would need to attend. I’m not even sure it’s “need blind” admissions—maybe it is, but again that is very rare in private schools. Either way SAAS should be commended for giving 40% of its students financial aid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"Donut-hole" dad here, with experience of 2 boys at St. Anselm's. They gave us generous aid, particularly during the years they had both boys in their care. Gonzaga was not as generous -- not that I begrudge them that, as they certainly have a stronger minority/working-class cohort, though St. A's is trying to improve in that area as well.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Its 32K and aid is offered based on need.

Sort of. The SAAS financial aid budget is a fixed dollar amount, about $1.4 million a year. The school’s own website admits it can’t meet the requested aid from applicants. This is not a knock on SAAS but very few private schools can pay out all the financial aid applicant would need to attend. I’m not even sure it’s “need blind” admissions—maybe it is, but again that is very rare in private schools. Either way SAAS should be commended for giving 40% of its students financial aid.

Not need blind

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Honestly do you think a school will be able to tell you they will not be able to support your kid when they know they can easily get 30k a year from you in this era of diversity and inclusion? All private schools, whether parochial or not are run like businesses these days... sorry to say.

This poster does not know SAAS. The students who go there want to be there, and the families who send their kids there also want for their kids to be there. The school welcomes and supports all families regardless of their financial means, religion, faith, previous experiences at other schools, etc. The most typical reason a family leaves is for a shorter commute.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't think it is lying. People genuinely have different experiences. I have more than one boy at the school, and though they had the same classes with the same teachers, they did not put in the same amount of time. Kids have different study habits, reading speeds, levels of perfectionism, and work at different paces. Over time, they get better at processing information faster as they develop strung study habits.

However, it is correct that the school is known for having more work - they have a longer day, more classes, and no block schedule, so daily work in most classes. There is no "lower track" of classes to drop down to if you are struggling. This is a very different model from other schools that take a more leisurely pace, have fewer classes per semester, and multiple tracks for classes. This is what the school is known for academically. But that rigor doesn't translate into a uniform number of hours of work for each student: some kids do more, some less; some work faster, some slower.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Unless your child has already been in a competitive middle school, I would be reluctant to send a child with executive function weakness to a tougher high school like SAAS. The workload at SAAS is challenging with a lot of memorization and short answer work every day. If he’s a better project kid, then look for that type of high school.

This is correct.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Honestly do you think a school will be able to tell you they will not be able to support your kid when they know they can easily get 30k a year from you in this era of diversity and inclusion? All private schools, whether parochial or not are run like businesses these days... sorry to say.

This is absolutely not true of the Abbey. They will, and have, turned down applicants who they did not believe could handle the work and left seats vacant. If you have been accepted, they believe your son can succeed.

Not true at all!!

We were very interested in St. Anselm's and took a private tour. The Admissions Director was very straightforward with us and said that the environment used to be very "sink or swim" but that they've gotten the monks to be less stern over the years... I have heard only good things about the school from fellow parents who I deeply respect, but this comment told us that it might not be the right fit for our child who is bright, but needs learning support. They also continue to do the majority of their work/tests on paper, and they prefer it that way, which would be difficult for my child. The families I know who do attend are some of the kindest, most thoughtful people I know and their sons are thriving, so it is a wonderful place for boys and I appreciated the admissions candor.

Nope.

[Anonymous]

I know that the SAAS boys work really hard but why is it not reflected in college admissions? Someone in one of these posts compares it to STA and SAAS boys take far more classes than STA boys.
And yet SAAS rarely sends anyone to the Ivy League or equivalent. Their college admissions are published each year in the local Catholic periodical (I'm forgetting the name). They are fine but nothing
to write home about. Meanwhile STA will send 20% of the class to the Ivy League and the rest to top 50 schools. Does anyone know why this is? Do colleges just not know about SAAS?