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

How We Teach Social Issues and Goodness

Colloquium for the Common Good is an opportunity for students to engage in deep thinking around some of the most challenging and important social issues of our day. 

As an Episcopal Church school, St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes believes that we need to examine the way that “goodness”—key to the School’s mission—is manifested outside our campus. That is why we have a special day of learning at our Upper School the week of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. 

This full school day of inspiring speakers and engaging workshops seeks to spark student reflection and action on how we - as individuals and as a community - can work to create a more equitable and empowering world for all human beings. Through sessions led by our faculty and community partners, students explore a range of social issues and local leaders working in the fields of 
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Topics: Insider, St. Stephens and St. Agnes, dare greatly, become ready, Environmental Stewardship, Spiritual Life, service, Goodness as Well as Knowledge, Upper School

Tips for Asking a Teacher for a School Recommendation

Posted by Andrew Weller, Dean of Enrollment and Strategic Marketing on Dec 6, 2019 1:09:49 PM

Teacher recommendations are a key component of most independent school admission decision making.  While grades provide a mark of actual achievement in a class, teacher recommendations provide the context and the insight a simple grade cannot.  

Imagine two scenarios.  The student has a B+ in math, which seems perfectly respectful.  In one scenario, the recommendation helps the admission committee realize that the student has missed some homework assignments and the teacher feels they are capable of much more but that the student has ‘settled’ for the B+.  In the second scenario, the admission 

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Topics: Insider, Upper School, Academics, Middle School, Lower School, co-ed

6 Tips For Parents to Help Their Kids End the School Year Strong!

Posted by Marcia Mallett on Apr 23, 2019 4:13:08 PM

Maybe you noticed that this blog hasn’t been updated in a few weeks? Just asking for a friend. This is the time of year when it is very hard for me to stay focused. It seems the busier I get, the harder it is for me to actually accomplish important tasks. I’m seeing (and fearing) the same for my kids too. If I can’t get away with mailing it in until the end of the year, neither can they. As a focused school employee—and motivated parent looking for ways to support my less than motivated student—I consulted with our Upper School Learning Specialists Anne Sellon and Kathryn Roessler, on how to survive thrive through the end of the school year.

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Topics: Insider, Teachers as experts, become ready, Upper School, Academics, Middle School

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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