Anonymous wrote:Their MS head is absolutely amassing and in charge of the largest student diversity conference in the country.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Really?

Christmas and Easter celebrations?

Any crucifixes?

Not sure I understand these questions. You'd expect any culturally-Christian school to celebrate Christmas and Easter and to have crucifixes.

The question is, do they do so while respecting and appreciating other perspectives too?

I mostly agree with the PP but will add that crucifixes are typically found in Catholic churches and schools. Protestant churches in the U.S., including the Episcopal Church, typically display crosses but not crucifixes. My child is at SAES and I don't recall seeing crosses or crucifixes in classrooms.

As the PP suggests SAES certainly acknowledge Christmas and Easter but the school also acknowledges the religious holidays of other traditions. The biggest Christmas tradition appears to be an evening "Lessons and Carols" event that I have not attended (although we are Christian). They hit a lot of different topics during Chapel. Three I recall from this fall were (1) Veteran's Day at which relatives of students that are serving or did serve were acknowledged; (2) Ally week in support of the LGBTQ community; (3) Grandparents/special friends' visiting day and the theme was about grandparents. The Chapels are religious events. There is communal prayer (at other school gatherings as well). But given the topics covered, it does not appear to me that the chapels are intended to indoctrinate students into a particular set of religious beliefs. I do think they are intended to build community and are intended to build a shared set of values within that community (acceptance of differences, including religious differences, is among them). The MLK Day of Service is my favorite school event of the year and I believe there is a Chapel related to that as well.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Really?

Christmas and Easter celebrations?

Any crucifixes?

Not sure I understand these questions. You'd expect any culturally-Christian school to celebrate Christmas and Easter and to have crucifixes.

The question is, do they do so while respecting and appreciating other perspectives too?

I mostly agree with the PP but will add that crucifixes are typically found in Catholic churches and schools. Protestant churches in the U.S., including the Episcopal Church, typically display crosses but not crucifixes. My child is at SAES and I don't recall seeing crosses or crucifixes in classrooms.


As the PP suggests SAES certainly acknowledge Christmas and Easter but the school also acknowledges the religious holidays of other traditions. The biggest Christmas tradition appears to be an evening "Lessons and Carols" event that I have not attended (although we are Christian). They hit a lot of different topics during Chapel. Three I recall from this fall were (1) Veteran's Day at which relatives of students that are serving or did serve were acknowledged; (2) Ally week in support of the LGBTQ community; (3) Grandparents/special friends' visiting day and the theme was about grandparents. The Chapels are religious events. There is communal prayer (at other school gatherings as well). But given the topics covered, it does not appear to me that the chapels are intended to indoctrinate students into a particular set of religious beliefs. I do think they are intended to build community and are intended to build a shared set of values within that community (acceptance of differences, including religious differences, is among them). The MLK Day of Service is my favorite school event of the year and I believe there is a Chapel related to that as well.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Really?

Christmas and Easter celebrations?

Any crucifixes?

Not sure I understand these questions. You'd expect any culturally-Christian school to celebrate Christmas and Easter and to have crucifixes.

The question is, do they do so while respecting and appreciating other perspectives too?

Anonymous wrote:Really?

Christmas and Easter celebrations?

Any crucifixes?

Anonymous wrote:Jewish parent of recent St. Andrew’s Jewish graduate. OP - for middle and high school you should feel completely comfortable sending your DC here assuming you are reform or conservative. In those grades the class was usually 10-12% Jewish —probably a bit more really because that is based on student self reporting and there were several mixed marriage firms where those kids didn’t necessarily identify. Yes, there is weekly chapel and many kids — Jewish or not — tune out during the service part just as many do in their own temple or church at that age. But there often very good speakers on universal themes in lieu of traditional sons or homilies. Each year one chapel in the fall is dedicated to acknowledging The High Holidays. When my DC was there they always did a Holocaust memorial chapel once per year. There is an optional Jewish affinity club that works with the Chaplain on planning these events. Honestly, I was skeptical at first but I found St Andrew’s more supportive of religious sldiverdity because it has Episcopal routes than the secular private where my kids attended elementary school.

I can’t comment on the younger grades which were brought into the school via a merger with St Frances in Potomac. At that time, I would not have sent a Jewish kid to the lower school but as they have moved more of those grades to the main campus I sis pect things have gotten better, so if you have a young one I would do more research.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Jewish parent of recent St. Andrew’s Jewish graduate. OP - for middle and high school you should feel completely comfortable sending your DC here assuming you are reform or conservative. In those grades the class was usually 10-12% Jewish —probably a bit more really because that is based on student self reporting and there were several mixed marriage firms where those kids didn’t necessarily identify. Yes, there is weekly chapel and many kids — Jewish or not — tune out during the service part just as many do in their own temple or church at that age. But there often very good speakers on universal themes in lieu of traditional sons or homilies. Each year one chapel in the fall is dedicated to acknowledging The High Holidays. When my DC was there they always did a Holocaust memorial chapel once per year. There is an optional Jewish affinity club that works with the Chaplain on planning these events. Honestly, I was skeptical at first but I found St Andrew’s more supportive of religious sldiverdity because it has Episcopal routes than the secular private where my kids attended elementary school.

I can’t comment on the younger grades which were brought into the school via a merger with St Frances in Potomac. At that time, I would not have sent a Jewish kid to the lower school but as they have moved more of those grades to the main campus I sis pect things have gotten better, so if you have a young one I would do more research.

Thank you. This is exactly what I wanted to hear. We are looking at middle school. And we are reform.