Why it makes sense to invest in private school education

Posted by Andrew Weller, Dean of Enrollment and Strategic Marketing on Jan 26, 2023 2:19:00 PM

Why invest in your child and their education?

First, let’s acknowledge that private school education is a choice.  For many, having a car is not a choice. What car you’ll drive and how much you’re willing to spend are choices but to have a car or not is generally not a choice.  Private school is a choice. No matter where you live, there is always a free public school option nearby.

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Topics: Insider, St. Stephens and St. Agnes, Teachers as experts, become ready, Kindergarten, Goodness as Well as Knowledge, Upper School, Academics, Middle School

Quick and Simple Steps for Student To-Do Lists

Posted by Kathryn Roessler | Upper School Learning Specialist on Apr 27, 2021 4:52:00 PM

Create Quick and Simple To-Do Lists using the Stickies app that will "stick" in your memory and improve student organization. 

As a Learning Specialist at an independent high school in Alexandria, VA, I have learned that some students have varying working memory capacities. Oftentimes, it can be difficult for those students to hold information “in their mind’s eye” in order to then do something with it. Both attention and anxiety can impact working memory as well.  If your child or a student is having trouble focusing or if they are feeling anxious, it may reduce their working memory capacity. In reality, nearly all middle and high school students are still developing important executive functioning skills, 

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Topics: Insider, Teachers as experts, become ready, Looking at private schools, Upper School, Academics, Middle School, Academic Center, executive function

Pondering your child’s academic future after school closures and remote learning?

Posted by Andrew Weller, Dean of Enrollment and Strategic Marketing on Nov 4, 2020 6:24:24 PM

Wondering what you can do to fill in learning gaps to keep your child on a college prep trajectory? You are not alone. One solution to consider is reclassifying.

We anticipate a greater number of reclassifications to occur across elementary, middle and high schools grades this year. Each year, we have about a handful of students who choose to reclassify as they enroll. We are experienced with guiding students through transitions and setting them on a path for achieving their full learning potential. Many private schools are uniquely positioned and experienced to offer this extra support. Let’s take a look at why reclassifying versus repeating a grade is a good solution—perhaps even a gift—to solidify their academic aspirations or even accelerate them.

Why do some schools call it repeating and other schools call it reclassifying? Let’s first talk about definitions, because words matter.

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Topics: become ready, Kindergarten, Looking at private schools, choosing a school, Upper School, Academics, Middle School

The Key Elements to the Success of our College Admission Process

Posted by Jon Kunz on Feb 20, 2020 10:23:00 AM

A Saints education will prepare students for continued education at a wide range of top colleges, universities, and service academies

“Life is a journey, not a destination,” wrote Ralph Waldo Emerson and so, too, is the Upper School at St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes. Our faculty, program offerings and curricula provide our students with deep knowledge, incredible skills, confidence, breadth of exposure and balance. All of these will serve our students well and are not simply a stepping stone towards college. That said, we share the expectations of our students and their parents that a Saints education will prepare students for continued education at a wide range of top colleges, universities, and service academies that reflect the diversity of our students.

So, how do we approach and do it?  There are two key elements to the success of our seniors in their college admission process: the commitment and dedication of our experts and our college counseling program, which is actually introduced in the Middle School!

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Topics: Insider, School search, become ready, choosing a school, Upper School, Academics

Become Ready!

Practical Advice for Parents of School-Aged Children

Through this blog we intend to share the ways in which our students become ready. We will highlight our faculty, experts in their fields; we will dive into topics such as the joyfulness of learning, the balance of school and home, college readiness, and service. We hope to offer sound advice and guidance, while also sharing what it really means to be a member of our Saints community.

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