<p>Is there lots of hazing?</p>
<p>Interesting article Winterset…thanks for sharing! </p>
<p>No no, of courseee not! There isn’t hazing at SPS…if you recall…there was a problem with it like 7 years ago or something, but now it is completely gone.</p>
<p>Winterset, I get the feeling that you are some fascinating combination of proud and apologetic about SPS being cast as the Vatican of preppydom. You and your son certainly came at it from VERY different backgrounds, eh?</p>
<p>Thanks for answering chicky315! So the seniors are nice to the freshman in their dorms?</p>
<p>Yup! One thing that I really love about St. Paul’s is how we don’t have ‘freshman dorms.’ There are people from every grade in every dorm. When you get to school…you will be given a ‘big sister’ or ‘big brother’ who is in your dorm, and will help you out during the year.</p>
<p>Mainer, how did you get all that from basically a cut and paste from a magazine?</p>
<p>He made it up. I read it and could not figure out how or if I was supposed to respond. </p>
<p>Best friends are not always in your own form. 3rd form year, my son’s closest friend was a 6th former. So yes, most seniors are nice to most freshmen. It is more about the individual than the form they are in. Friends will probably be kids in your: dorm, classes, team or extracurriculars. Having said that, most (many?) of your friends may tend to be in your form.</p>
<p>Winterset, I apologize for apparently being so far off base. I dashed off a “one liner” after much too hastily scanning your post - and not even realizing that it was simply a cut and paste. Mea culpa!!! 
Lesson learned - I hope!</p>
<p>Winterset’s post on friends is so true…many of my friends are in my form…but I also have a lot of really close ones who are rising 6th formers</p>
<p>Sorry I should have used the quotation formatting, but it was from my Blackberry and formatting was just too difficult. I posted it without agreeing, disagreeing or even commenting. It had been sent to me and I thought I should pass it along. Oh and Christopher went to that big blue school to the south.</p>
<p>Actually, I think he said he went to Portsmouth Abbey in the article.</p>
<p>Yes, Christopher Buckley did go to Portsmouth Abbey.</p>
<p><a href=“https://www.sps.edu/podium/default.aspx?t=6183[/url]”>https://www.sps.edu/podium/default.aspx?t=6183</a></p>
<p>“SPS Service in Kentucky Featured in Web Video”
On a service trip in March, a St. Paul’s School group visited Kentucky to help refurbish existing houses through the Episcopal Diocese of Lexington. Led by chaperones Michael Spencer and Irene Jenkins, the students lent a hand in the third poorest county in the United States. A film crew from Trinity Wall Street in New York City was on hand, and their video account of the project now appears on their web site.</p>
<p>Rev. Spencer and the St. Paul’s students make their appearance in the second half of the story.</p>
<p>The Kentucky visit was only one of three service-learning trips taken by St. Paul’s students, faculty, and staff during Spring Break. Another trip to Kentucky is among service trips planned for 2011.</p>
<p>My error and apologies. I misread one website, the next line was Portsmouth Abbey (in my cluttered brain I recognize that). Oh and it is catholic with 350 students (not big), it’s color seems to be red (not blue). I suppose I can take minimal solace that it is to the south.</p>
<p>Good posting KCcansps. There were service trips over spring break to the Dominican Republic, Alabama and Mississippi. In addition, there were school sponsored trips to England, France, Greece and a baseball team trip to Florida.</p>
<p>Hi I’m a concerned mother (I’m logged into my daughter’s account) but my daughter will be going to St. Paul’s next year i was worried about her being exposed to drugs/sex/drinking. Nobody else in our family has ever gone to BS so i don’t know what to expect, but you always here things about how BS kids always get so screwed up. So i am just being an overprotective mother so my daughter says, but what is the drugs ect. like at St. Paul’s</p>
<p>I would worry less than at most schools. The teens that attend are generally more intelligent, motivated and mature than the average. Having said that, teens make mistakes, get caught and suffer consequences. Any new student that believes they can get away with a lot more when the go to boarding school may be surprised. As parents we have experience with a few teens, and hopefully with a small sample of the trouble they can get into. The faculty at SPS have seen thousands of teens and most of the possible risky behaviors. They do a wonderful job of trying to teach the students what the risks are, not just the 3 you mentioned, but also sleep, diet, hazing, cheating, etc. </p>
<p>As a parent of a June graduate, we had no problems in four years at SPS. None. But there are problems at SPS, as there are wherever there are teenagers. Less than most schools. Keep the communication lines open. Listen. Ask. There will be temptations. The group they choose as friends can increase or decrease their risks. And as a few discover every year, the faculty and campus security have ‘seen it all’, smelled it all, and know where and when students are likely to break rules or laws. They get caught and suspended or expelled. </p>
<p>Bottom line? Don’t worry too much. If you trust your daughter at home, then you should trust her at St Pauls. Encourage your daughter to take full advantage of the amazing opportunities. It is a phenomenal and often life changing experience. I know.</p>
<p>I don’t know if I should get a prize or have my head checked, but I just finished reading through every single post in this thread. (Over the course of several sessions, at least.)</p>
<p>Lots of great info. Some really great links (I thought the “Wonderwall” chapel talk was amazing). It was especially interesting to read the posts leading up to and after March 10th for the two years since the thread was started.</p>
<p>Thanks Winterset for being such a generous champion of St. Paul’s here at CC, and to all the SPS students for adding their input. As you might be able to tell from my screen name, I’m a father not a student (older daughter is a rising 8th grader applying this year for Fall 2011/Third Form) and I had the pleasure of visiting a few schools with our family over the summer.</p>
<p>Of all the schools we visited, it was St. Paul’s campus that really took my breath away… especially the view over Library Pond as you step out of Sheldon to start your tour. Almost unfair to prospects/prospective parents. And the people we met were so friendly. Not every school had that combo, btw.</p>
<p>We’ve narrowed our already short list down to a few schools, and St. Paul’s is tops (at least on my list!). We’re coming back for a visit when school is in session and I’m looking forward to it.</p>
<p>Best of luck to all new students (regardless of Form), be sure to add your first week/first month/first semester observations so that the next applicant class can get an even more accurate picture of what might lie ahead.</p>
<p>A few questions: What is the general feeling about the Rector transition? Is the current one retiring or moving to another school? How’s the search for his replacement going…or will the Vice-Rector move into that slot?</p>
<p>sevendad - wow! that is a lot to read through! The chapel where he boy came out was one of the most memorable and moving moments of my child’s life at SPS. The good feelings generated from that chapel meeting lasted on campus for a long time. </p>
<p>I’m a SPS parent - let me know if I can answer any questions for you. Feel free to PM me if you prefer.</p>
<p>The Rector is retiring. He and his wonderful wife will be missed. They are amazing people. He’s given over a year of lead time which allows for a nice transition period and a thorough search for a replacement. They are doing an external search but I wouldn’t be surprised if there are internal candidates as well. My guess is Winterset has more knowledge about the process and will chime in.</p>
<p>YOU GUYS! SPS starts soooo soooon!!! Ahh I’m so excited!! Who else is?? I just got all my posters in the mail!</p>
<p>I have a question. What is the average SSAT score of an admitted SPS student? I couldn’t find it on the internet.</p>