Although DD will not attend DA, we were impressed by how DA handled Covid in 2020 as told during the interview. They truly showed they care about the kids. On the other hand, not so much at Andover.
I heard Exeter has spent over $15M on COVID related expenses compared with their budget of about $110M a year.
In terms of “scaffolding,” SPS students are assigned advisors in their dorms. Most advisory groups are 4-7 kids and they meet weekly. Sometimes they sit together for dinner in the dining hall, some times they may have feeds or dinner in the advisor’s apartment with his/her family. Other times, its just a quick meeting/check-in.
In addition, advisors generally have dorm duty once or twice a week. In non-Covid times, during dorm duty, the advisor often hangs out in the dorm common room where they interact with the kids and get to know them informally. They may help with homework, provide roommate advice, etc. Board games and baking cookies are also pretty common activities.
In addition, every night students are required to check-in with the advisor on duty. The timing of the check-in varies by grade. Freshman are generally asked about their classes, homework plans, extra curriculars, etc.
In every one of our interviews, we asked the AOs how they handle students who go from the top of their class to the middle of their class, and they all responded with “scaffolding”. As scaffolding is built around non covid times, it didn’t work as well this year (at least for my kiddo). As @HMom16 said, the advisors will often sit with their advisees in the common room or stop into their dorm room and interact with them on a less formal basis, but when common rooms are closed, and everyone is cautious of the covid guidelines, this doesn’t (or didn’t) happen.
One other thing to note, and again, I’m not sure how this differs among the 4 schools in question, but I think it’s incredibly important for students to be able to change/pick advisors. Some schools allow this, and others don’t. Kiddo does not click with her advisor, and is looking forward to switching advisors next year. She would have switched this year except her advisor is also one of her dorm heads and kiddo felt it would be too awkward. Fortunately, kiddo has clicked with the other dorm head, so she goes to her when she needs anything (and likewise we reach out to her as needed).
Thank you to everyone for taking so much time to respond. All of your responses have been so incredibly helpful! @Calliemomofgirls hit on some of the feelings that I (and my parents) are struggling with during this process. We had not seen the moderated discussion that you spoke of but went on a quick search and found it. We watched it as a family and it left us feeling even more unsettled regarding SPS. I understand that this new Head of School was not in charge during the incidents that occurred but she did not come across as someone well informed, with a clear plan of action, and ready to go to work. We felt that she was trying too hard to seem empathetic (felt manufactured to us) when really it appeared that Ms. Crawford (and my family) were hoping for a decisive, strong change-maker who would clearly outline specific policy changes.
@Golfgr8 @G07b10 We love that Deerfield has had great success in offering what appears to be a fairly full academic and athletic year amidst the challenges of Covid. That is such a feather in their cap and gives my family great faith in their ability to rise to meet the challenges as we continue on this somewhat unpredictable road.
Very thankful to have such a welcoming community so willing to share their experiences. It is so helpful.
Just to add to the conversation about how successful or unsuccessful covid plans were:
It seems as though there is an emerging narrative about the way some schools handled the Covid crisis. In particular, it seems that that Andover doing a “bad job,” and that Deerfield doing a “great job” are prominent themes. So one might decide that this speaks to a certain leadership ethos that will impact life going forward, and if one were to be doing a pro-con list on schools, these might fall into con and pro, respectively. And, yes I’m a big fan of saying: when people tell you who they are, believe them the first time.
But.
A quick reminder that there was also plenty of noise about how lucky Andover was to have an infectious disease doctor as the HOS during a pandemic! And there was uproar about how horrible things were at Deerfield because leadership only cared about their bottom line and kids were unenrolling! Some people LOVE that Andover faculty were given the option not to work until vaccinated. Some folks didn’t.
I guess what I am saying is: I would absolutely not draw major conclusions based on the opinions of a few posts.
@Callimomofgirls - I didn’t hear about this “uproar” at Deerfield. As you know, I try to be objective about the pro’s and con’s of all schools (except Choate, because I can’t help myself 
as I love the rivalry) and have even been scolded by lurkers for not always being “in line”. I believe Deerfield did a great job managing the COVID crisis, keeping the kids & faculty safe (very few cases), weekly testing, great facilities that were built, and the $10 million dollars spent to make the school continue in a way that is worthy of its 200+ year heritage. I did not hear grumbling about the bottom line. I do know of some students who didn’t come because of their sports, $$ issues and not wanting to spend it on BS during a year of uncertainty, and difficulty with the quarantine rules.
Generally, I think Deerfield did a great job. However…There were other issues I heard complaints about - even added my few logs to the fire on @ the Block System this year. The Block System will be gone at the end of this term…also grading and the AP tests being online the day after school lets out this year.
VERY different schools, very different communities…
BTW…I thought Andover had many parents upset with their teachers/instructors. Andover had many challenges that more rural schools did not have to face. The teacher issues was one. Here is a link to a podcast on it. There is a thread on this topic.
Here is a general story from Bloomberg on how boarding schools created a bubble and PA has a nice feature.
Forgot to mention that a couple of the things Kiddo really liked about SPS was that the dorms had students from all grade levels AND a no-lights out policy. Not sure if this is still the policy…but Kiddo grumbled about not having this after arriving to Deerfield. For our kiddo, the dorm situation probably would have been better with a mix of age groups. Now as an “Upper” it’s been nice having 10th & 11th together.
@Golfgr8
You are right that “uproar” is probably the wrong word to describe some parent internet complaints. :).
But the bigger point is:
there have been complaints sprinkled throughout the covid year for lots of schools. I mentioned only DA and PA since they are being discussed in this thread, have been somewhat reduced to “good” and “bad” leadership examples, and in my case in particular, there was a gentle suggestion that maybe PA really missed the mark on Covid leadership, and perhaps that even played into our decision to leave PA. (It did not.)
The bigger point is: using complaints or kudos from a (relatively) small pool of posts is reductive. That’s it. Don’t let my colorful word-painting of a picture distract you. :).
Deerfield. This opinion is offered only from a personal perspective and meant as a bona-fide endorsement of Deerfield and not as a knock on any of the other three, as all are obviously paramount institutions. The student support offered by Deerfield is amazing, as are all facilities, activities, etc.
The Owen Labrie incident at SPS is now 7 years old and one school officials very much wish would recede into distant memory. The school survived it seemingly unscathed, but I would say it cannot afford another similar incident without suffering serious reputation damage, so I’d think all necessary precautions to prevent this from happening again have been taken. I definitely second another poster’s suggestion that you read Shamus Rahman Kahn’s book Privilege, which talks about life at SPS in painstaking detail, from the perspective of both a former student and a professor. It lays out all pros and cons, I think, and ultimately leaves the reader with the impression that SPS is a pretty special place. I wish it could have been written after the Labrie incident though, because that would add a whole other perspective to it.
Just want to chime in with a data point about PA, which is that over 90% of the faculty live on campus (non-covid times, anyway). I say this just because it’s been pointed out about another school or two as a distinction.
Regarding the nightly required check-in with advisory on duty at SPS – do the kids actually have to speak to/see the advisor on duty or do they just have to sign a book left out somewhere in the dorm by a required time? If they are required to physically check in the advisor, does this requirement continue for all 4 years or is only for the beginning of the school year or for 9th graders? I ask because this type of scaffolding is not at all schools.
They are required to physically check in with the on-duty advisor. This requirement is all year long and for all grades. However, the timing varies by grade - freshman have the earliest check-ins, seniors have the latest. Below is an excerpt from this year’s handbook:
CHECK-IN
Every student needs to check in to their house with the adviser on duty at the end of each day; students are held accountable for their timeliness and there may be consequences for missing check in by even a very few minutes.
THIRD FORM
• Sunday through Friday, 9 p.m.
• Saturday, 11 p.m.
FOURTH FORM
• Sunday through Friday, 9 p.m.
• Saturday, 11 p.m.
FIFTH FORM
• Sunday through Friday, 9:30 p.m.
• Saturday, 11 p.m.
SIXTH FORM
• Sunday through Friday, 10 p.m.
• Saturday, 12 midnight
In addition to check-in, freshman also have to touch base with advisors (see below excerpt.)
TOUCH BASE FOR THIRD FORM STUDENTS
In support of the development of strong study and organizational skills, Third form students will participate in Touch Base, Sunday through Friday evenings at 8:00 pm. Students are required to meet with the adviser on duty in their house no later than 8:00 pm. Students are to arrive with their academic planner, ready to present their study plan for the evening, and are expected to remain in the house for the remainder of the evening unless they have an appointment with a teacher or are otherwise authorized to study in an alternative location.
I agree with the initial post in this thread regarding Andover’s culture.
I am familiar with all 4 schools. All offer meaningful opportunities to grow & learn in a safe environment. I am most fond of SPS, but our family considered all 4 schools.
The most concerning culture & verified incidents were at one of these 4 schools–not SPS–and I am surprised that the matter & culture received little to no publicity here.
It is hard to share one’s direct knowledge here as one might face accusations of trivializing matters when, in fact, elite boarding school matters tend to get sensationalized by the press.
Other than the fairly intense academic atmosphere at Andover, there is nothing of which I am aware that should cause one concern about sending their child/young adult to any of these 4 extraordinary schools.
In an effort to help with your school choice dilemma, I will offer some thoughts.
SPS = positives were 100% boarding, Saturday morning classes, 50/50 male/female, no PGs, and academic excellence.
Deerfield Academy attraction was based on a combination of academic excellence & athletics.
Andover = academically intense environment & location.
Exeter = academic excellence & superb location.
One of these four schools should feel most welcoming, most like home, or some similar feeling if permitted to visit before committing.
The only thing that I can guarantee is that after a commitment to attend one of these outstanding schools has been made is that you will feel buyers remorse.
That’s a positive???
Keeps them out of trouble = is the objective.
Without commenting on the efficacy of that strategy, it seems a misguided positive for the parent, but a potential negative for the student, which the OP is.
Additionally, Saturday morning classes helped keep students on campus for the weekends. This is important to those who live more than a few hours drive away.
Also helped for additional rehearsal time for theatre productions & interests such as student formed rock bands.
In short, Saturday classes promoted more cohesiveness among the students.
Contrast that with Andover where friends often went to Boston on weekend days.
Saturday afternoon games make it difficult to leave campus. Regardless, add proximity to Boston as a plus for Andover.
I agree with this. But also, on a more practical sense, I think it helps spread and balance the work load somewhat.