St. Paul's School Concord NH

Publisher
Sun, 15 Mar 2020 21:08:13 +0000

Because you have an outstanding local option–Lakeside–in a highly educated community with a booming economy, there is less reason to consider a boarding school option.

As parents, you will miss out on her activities as well as with connecting with successful, influential families in your area.

With respect to your daughter’s desire for increased independence and responsibility, that can be accomplished in other ways. For example: Your daughter can attend summer programs at various schools or athletic camps throughout the country and throughout the world.

Lakeside is a member school of SYA (School Year Abroad) (if I recall correctly, St. Paul’s School is a founding member of SYA) where she could spend her junior year abroad in Spain, France, China or elsewhere.

At age 16, your daughter will have a driver’s license which develops independence & responsibility.

It is common to enter boarding school in the 10th grade although less so than for 9th grade.

You will lose important years that you can never regain. Although St. Paul’s School is easily among my two top boarding schools–probably number one–I just do not see the need for boarding school in your daughter’s case. Of course, the counter argument is that it is sufficient to be a “want” rather than a “need”. In my opinion, the early & mid-teen years are just too valuable to sacrifice.

SPS is great because it is 100% boarding, 50/50 male female overall, no PGs, offers excellent academics, very healthy endowment & outstanding facilities.

Summer programs, school year abroad, college & graduate school offer students an opportunity for independence & increased responsibility.

In the end, I cannot advise you, your daughter & your family on the best course of action; I can only make observations & offer an opinion.

To further complicate the matter, if I were to send a child across the country, I would want it to be St. Paul’s School over any other boarding school with which I am familiar–although I love Exeter’s location & setting.

P.S. No need to worry about social activities at SPS as it is a very inclusive community due to its location & status as a 100% co-ed boarding school.