I compared the online directory of Andover at the beginning of the school year and as of now: there are 9 students less. And I doubt if all 9 of them were expelled, and all for drug related issues.
I searched online school newspaper for percentage of students on full aid but couldn’t find anything. Someone else asked in the other thread for the year and edition of the paper where Winterset found the news. He should’ve read that post. Again, when posting such specif info, he must’ve got it from a reliable source. In this case, I am not saying he was making it up. I am just asking for the source.</p>
<p>PAParent, the figure must be higher. In the most recent issue of the Phillipian, an opinion piece written by a student begins, “In the first 10 weeks of fall term, the Class of 2012 has seen at least seven kids leave. This means that roughly every one and a half weeks since the start of school, a Lower has either withdrawn or been kicked out.”</p>
<p>The front page of the paper reports the expulsion of a senior who refused to take a breathalyzer test. So, the count is at least 8, and other classes may have also lost students.</p>
<p>I would not be surprised if the administration were more vigilant about cutting down on drinking and drug use. The arrests last year were in the newspapers. While every prep school expels or suspends students for such behavior every year, it usually does not hit the papers. If you look for bad behavior, you will find more of it–it doesn’t mean that the behavior increases. With a student population of 1100, 12 students would be 1.09%. If the number is accurate, many schools would envy such statistics.</p>
<p>Fair enough, Periwinkle. I haven’t read the most recent issue of the Phillipian yet (it’s not been posted online yet has it?). I was only be able to look at the numbers in the directory - that’s all I had.</p>
<p>I asked the readers to judge the intention and soundness of someone posting negative news about another school with specific numbers from questionable sources. And I think that point is still valid.</p>
<p>PAParent101, the issue is online in the “PDF Archives.” The link’s in the upper left hand corner of the online issue. The first paper one finds while googling is the immediately preceding issue, I think. (By the way, it’s very impressive to have a print and online edition of a school paper, published so frequently!)</p>
<p>I didn’t take Winterset’s aside as an attempt to denigrate Andover. The unjustified attacks on other schools occur when someone (with one post to the identity) posts a rumor, then disappears. </p>
<p>As a parent, I try to keep abreast of the whole “party scene.” I am so grateful to have gone through adolescence in an earlier era! I agree with creative1, and even extend it–such things can be found in any high school. The question is, what does the school choose to do about it? The worst option, in my opinion, is to do nothing, to deny its existence. Some parents will post that “there are no drugs at _____ school/academy/etc.” Perhaps I’m cynical, but I find that very unlikely, especially when the student body has pocket money, and the freedom to leave campus.</p>
<p>PAParent: I will try to remain patient. I am getting tired of being falsely accused and colorfully criticized by you. I am sorry you could not find the ‘thirty-one full financial aid students’ quote that I referred to. It was in The Phillipean<a href=“Published%20on%20April%202,%202009%20in%20CXXXII%20no.%206”>/u</a>, and I provided a link on that other thread you referred to. Unfortunately, the link only brought you to the main page of the Phillipian (not my intent). The article cited James Ventre, Director of Financial Aid at Andover. The full quote from the article was:
</p>
<p>My point with that quote, as I said in that earlier post was:
You, PAParent, were one of the two I was directing applause at.</p>
<p>If my nephew is correct, I assume you will post an apology here for referring to him as a “questionable source.” When I told him (twice) you doubted his facts he said "it’s DEFINATELY 8 who have left from just my class " (he is a sophomore). “I am pretty sure there have been 12 expulsions total since the beginning of the year. Andover doesn’t announce them. That’s a little demoralizing isn’t it?” He could be wrong, but he does not believe so. </p>
<p>Finally, you erroneously assume I dislike Andover. For the record our family has Long, Deep and very Generous ties to Andover (including in recent years). Be careful before you assume too much about anyone on this site or start attacking them. It is not good for any of us and my personal patience is wearing thin. Andover, like ALL schools (public & private), has problems. Teenagers drink and teenagers do drugs. My nephew was concerned and quite upset about the number of expulsions so far this fall. I posted it. It was not an attack on you or Andover. As parents we should be aware of what is happening and openly discuss it with our teens. Denial will serve no one.</p>
<p>Winterset, Andover doesn’t need my protection. I am just tired of the tactics you use to boost your school at the expense of others. I don’t like - to say the least - your way of manipulating numbers (here and elsewhere) and your attention to the “negatives” of other schools (if drug/alchhol is a problem everywhere, where are the numbers of your school, which you must be more familiar with.). But it’s just my opinion, and I am in no way respresenting the parents of Andover (I need to change my name). That’s ALL I have to say.</p>
<p>The departure of several sophomores early on generated some interesting, heartfelt commentaries in the Phillipian. It’s a small enough school that many people knew the students who left at least slightly. </p>
<p>There’s a lot of variation in how news travels at Andover. My daughter’s house counselor tells the students in her dorm quite a lot. I’m not sure if it’s to nip misinformation in the bud, to use it as a teaching moment/cautionary tale, or because she think the kids deserve to know. She was very open at parents weekend when the subject came up at the parents’ meeting with her . My daughter didn’t know any of the kids well (maybe she would be a good new friend for your nephew, Winterset!), and there were a variety of reasons. In fact, when kids leave for drug-related reasons, it’s not always because they were kicked out. Imagine if your kid was having issues, you might want to take your child out and get him help in a more controllable environment. She also thought that about a dozen kids leaving already sounded about right.</p>
<p>:) Why thank you! Inflated opinions are never good. My spelling always sucked. Happy to know you read it all enough to find that. Errare humanum est</p>
<p>Kudos to Andover for being open with the students about drug related dismissals/withdrawals. Although it is painful, it is a really good lesson for the other kids to absorb. At some church affiliated schools, they announce in chapel who has left and why. Sophomores seem particularly vulnerable to sophomoric behavior.</p>
<p>I agree that the endless “My school is best, my school is the only school worth attending” and even the HADES acronym, which leaves out other great schools, is getting old. It’s understandable when it comes from overly enthusiastic sophomores, but it seems that adults should be able to recognize that there are lots of wonderful schools out there.</p>
<p>It doesn’t sound like Andover was open with parents about drug related dismissals/withdrawals. PAParent was looking to this board for information. I find it inexcusable that a school will not provide code violation information. While searching for the right prep school for my child, this was a question I asked of all schools.</p>
<p>Winterset - You’re welcome. I like that you did not take offense. Love those latin phrases (wish I had taken the language in school!) “…to forgive, divine.” – not that I’m divine, mind you!</p>
<p>Yes, biohelpmom, kudos to Andover, St. Paul’s, and any other schools that have been open about drug related student “departures.” None of us expects that any of these wonderful schools is free of all substance abuse and it is reassuring to hear that they are inclined toward openness about substance abuse problems.</p>
<p>In another recent thread here, data from a survey among 20+ top prep schools seemed to indicate that the substance abuse rate was in the range of 1-2%. That’s pretty low. Even at excellent public high schools, 20-25% is not unusual. However, it’s virtually impossible for a public school enforce a “one strike and you’re out” policy.</p>
<p>Winterset, thank you for your patience and your openness!</p>
<p>I was asked about St. Paul’s expulsions so far this year. The number IS meaningless, because there were last year and I am certain there will be this year, and next. It is true with every school, so it is not a competitive issue. As parents we all need to be aware of the temptations and the pressures on teens. But, the answer is, they have been lucky, there have been zero so far this year. That is why I did not post SPS #'s for this year. There weren’t any. There was “one alcohol incident” but it was a student that was at home for the weekend. But I will stress again there is no such thing as holier than thou on this issue. SPS has had its share of embarrassments and will again. If I hear of any issues I will post them, and they will be discussed (I am certain). Teens are teens.</p>
<p>Any parent that allows a teen to go away should only do so if the teen has the strength to avoid temptations and the character to admit mistakes. My personal view is that if a kid has problems, keep them at home. Having said that, most boarding school teachers and house masters have seen hundreds and hundreds of kids. They know what to look for and how to deal with problems. As parents we learn and then they grow up. Not much training time. </p>
<p>To the original question, I would say NONE of these top schools are “party schools”, they do their best to nip it in the bud and the workload does not permit much ‘partying’. If a teen does party, they will eventually get caught, and if caught they will suffer the consequences.</p>