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

[Anonymous]

No official school tie. Clip-ons fine for little guys but real ties actually stay on better, so you might experiment with both. Don't feel you have to spend a lot of money as he will grow and grow. Lastly, for all clothing items the student exchange can have some great bargains (eg picking up a spare blazer).

[Anonymous]

Don't get clip ons. Most boys wear real ties and you won't want your son to be in a "baby" tie.

There are plenty of cheap boys real ties (go online if needed), there is no need to spend a lot. In fact some boys wear the same tie daily.

And there are school ties, just not required wearing one. There are special ties for those in the chorus (not the Cathedral choristers but the anyone can be in chorus), and also some special centennial designed ties from last year, and also some vineyard vines ones. Not everyone has these though. Lots of dads do though!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Rising B form family here. I wish I had known that every single parent was as insecure as I was. It's a daunting place. You walk into the Refectory and see the name of the grads of years past emblazoned in gold on the wall (many quite famous and accomplished), you see the names and titles of the parents in the school directory, you walk through a campus in the shadow of the magnificent Cathedral in an atmosphere which is basically Hogwarthian -- you feel very unsure of yourself, and your fear for your DS. Halfway through the year, you recognize that with very few exceptions, you're all in the same boat. You relax. You sleep at night. You fire your shrink. Life is good.

The other parents are as insecure as I? This is good to know. I've been there two years and I am still daunted sometimes. But we love the school.

[Anonymous]

I wish I had known that I should not have planned on walking DS into school on his first day . . .

[Anonymous]

Decide ahead of time with your son whether you and he are going to meet up at school events and walk/sit/eat together. I have seen mothers want to sit with their sons, while their sons are obviously cringing at the prospect. This year at the end of the ceremony at Prize Day, I assumed my son would want to walk with his friends, so after a quick look around without sight of him, I went on ahead to the refectory for the luncheon. After half an hour my son appeared. He had been waiting in the amphitheatre for me so that we could walk in together!

[Anonymous]

Almost everyone donates to the annual giving fund. You can tell by looking at the published list of donors. Parents donate even if they get financial aid. The amount of the donation can be nominal. Don't be fooled by the solicitation speeched citing the average donation as being in the $2000's; that number skews high because of a few very large donations. The more telling number would be the mean donation, which would be much lower. Because almost everyone donates, to fail to do so makes you very conspicuously missing from the donor list.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Almost everyone donates to the annual giving fund. You can tell by looking at the published list of donors. Parents donate even if they get financial aid. The amount of the donation can be nominal. Don't be fooled by the solicitation speeched citing the average donation as being in the $2000's; that number skews high because of a few very large donations. The more telling number would be the mean donation, which would be much lower. Because almost everyone donates, to fail to do so makes you very conspicuously missing from the donor list.

mean = average. I am guess you meant median or mode?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Almost everyone donates to the annual giving fund. You can tell by looking at the published list of donors. Parents donate even if they get financial aid. The amount of the donation can be nominal. Don't be fooled by the solicitation speeched citing the average donation as being in the $2000's; that number skews high because of a few very large donations. The more telling number would be the mean donation, which would be much lower. Because almost everyone donates, to fail to do so makes you very conspicuously missing from the donor list.

mean = average. I am guess you meant median or mode?

Ha PP here! Great I correct someone's statistics and make a gramatical error in the process!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wish I had known that I should not have planned on walking DS into school on his first day . . .

St. Albans School works hard to tear away those momma's boys from their mommas. It's hard to deal with at first, particularly if your previous school experience is Beauvor. But there is a method to this perceived madness.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wish I had known that I should not have planned on walking DS into school on his first day . . .

St. Albans School works hard to tear away those momma's boys from their mommas. It's hard to deal with at first, particularly if your previous school experience is Beauvor. But there is a method to this perceived madness.

Really?! What's the method?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wish I had known that I should not have planned on walking DS into school on his first day . . .

St. Albans School works hard to tear away those momma's boys from their mommas. It's hard to deal with at first, particularly if your previous school experience is Beauvor. But there is a method to this perceived madness.

Really?! What's the method?

Well, to begin with, they will make it clear in no uncertain terms that you are not to walk into the school with your son during drop-off. They'll tell you very politely, of course. But I suspect that Mr. H will tackle you at the doorstep if it ever came to it!

[Anonymous]

1. Lower school entry way is too small for kids and parents milling around.
2. The school thinks they are old enough to walk in on their own and experience seems to support that. They seem happy with their growing independence.
3. It sounds harsher than it is--Mr. Herman greets everyone outside as they enter, so it is a friendly start to the day for the boys.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:1. Lower school entry way is too small for kids and parents milling around.
2. The school thinks they are old enough to walk in on their own and experience seems to support that. They seem happy with their growing independence.
3. It sounds harsher than it is--Mr. Herman greets everyone outside as they enter, so it is a friendly start to the day for the boys.

1 may be true, but the boys are always milling around (and running, and yelling, and throwing, and jumping, and wrestling, etc., etc.) anyway.

2 is absolutely true. After a while, if you don't speed away after drop off, you'll get a frown from your DS.

3 is one of the reasons (at least I say to myself) that paying 30K for what could be free is "worth it." Mr. Herman, greeting your DS at tne entry way -- by name -- with a handshake and a bon mot is inspiring.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Almost everyone donates to the annual giving fund. You can tell by looking at the published list of donors. Parents donate even if they get financial aid. The amount of the donation can be nominal. Don't be fooled by the solicitation speeched citing the average donation as being in the $2000's; that number skews high because of a few very large donations. The more telling number would be the mean donation, which would be much lower. Because almost everyone donates, to fail to do so makes you very conspicuously missing from the donor list.

mean = average. I am guess you meant median or mode?

Sorry, yes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Almost everyone donates to the annual giving fund. You can tell by looking at the published list of donors. Parents donate even if they get financial aid. The amount of the donation can be nominal. Don't be fooled by the solicitation speeched citing the average donation as being in the $2000's; that number skews high because of a few very large donations. The more telling number would be the mean donation, which would be much lower. Because almost everyone donates, to fail to do so makes you very conspicuously missing from the donor list.

mean = average. I am guess you meant median or mode?

Sorry, yes.

I mean, I meant "mode." Must. Proofread. More.