<p>Emma has a physical activity requirement but no specific sports requirements. Lots of offerings, and crew is very popular winter and spring. Dance fulfills both performing arts and PE requirements. GG, who takes dance during the school day so as to have time to practice her instrument during the long block after school, joked that she went to work out in the gym for the first time ever last week, and was (gently) teased because she literally did not know her way around the place. </p>
<p>Also, where some schools allow theater as a replacement for “team” sports, at Emma it does not exempt anyone from the general physical activity requirement, as there is not a specific team sport requirement.</p>
<p>I have had several people bring up Emma Willard. For those people who visited Emma Willard, did you look at Miss Porters? Is the atmosphere different at one location compared to the other, or was it a matter of preference towards one school’s curriculum/academics?</p>
<p>We did not consider Miss Porter’s. We briefly considered Westover, but based on input from friends and advisors, took it off the list. Emma was the only single-sex school GG applied to, out of 8 school apps total (and 13 or 14 visits… the memory is, blessedly, hazy). </p>
<p>FWIW, we have always viewed Emma as a school that has a higher academic mission for its girls than some of the schools that started out as “finishing” schools (not now, but back in the day). It was founded on the (then radical) principle that girls deserved access to the same academic opportunities that boys routinely received—and in traditionally “male” subjects such as math and science, to boot. In more recent years, the other girls’ schools have embraced STEM in the curriculum, but we felt Emma truly “walked the talk.” Our impression is that it is also more socially egalitarian than many of the other “old girls” schools. From what we’ve seen so far, and from what GG tells us, girls from all economic (and racial, religious, national, etc.) backgrounds come together without a lot of snobbery, focus on clothing or popularity, or jockeying for queen bee status. If wcmom checks on this thread, she will likely corroborate.</p>
<p>This is my first post, so I hope it’s helpful. I’ve read and re-read the attributes of your daughter and tried to match them to schools that I know. I was in Admissions at the University level for many years, so thus toured many schools across the country. One person above wrote about St. Margaret’s - and it’s a good thought for your child. Not the strongest digital art program but lots of outside space and it sits on a river in a safe community. Other schools which I think fit the profile of your daughter are the following (and in no particular order): Wasatch Academy, Hawaii Prep, , Rabun Gap, Annie Wright, St. Timothy’s and Darlington. The have arts; space to be outdoors; financial aid and though different, have some common threads which may interest your daughter. I wish you well in your search.</p>