I don’t think they make cuts for Cross Country as they have both a Varsity and JV team. The coach is a super nice guy and if your son wants some tips for conditioning/training ideas over the summer, I would suggest he reach out.
There are many options for fulfilling a sports requirement each term but club sports are very fun and social. Club Soccer in the fall and Club Hockey in the winter are popular options. I can’t remember if they offer Club tennis or not, I think they do. You should be receiving more info on options for each term soon.
@copperboom, thank you! She is getting car rides from security. Solves the mud/rain issue. I hope you enjoyed spring break! Condolences on your current Interstate situation! ~X(
between the highway collapse, I20 gas leak and the new Brave Stadium we feel like gypsies living in our car! Every time DD skypes we r in the car- dorm mates think we are homeless!
@doschicos how does the housing placement really work for IV-VI form? I’ve briefly talked with my DD advisor @ it and emailed her house parent. DD room mate is one of the European scholars ( amazing kid, perfect room mate) and only at SPS for one year- rather unfortunate really bc my kid is in denial @ her leaving…
From what they have told me its a ranked system- Best case scenario- you stay where SPS placed you originally- But a student can get to choose either a single, a new room mate OR a new dorm by rank- is this the gist? DD won’t discuss it ( her house parent and advisor promised me they will sit her down in May) Any advice?
@copperboom It might have changed since my kids went through it but it is usually toughest on 4th formers as upperclassmen get more pull, although each house will have spaces for each grade. Some kids want to switch houses to be with friends so not everyone wants to stay where they are this year. Also, there are always some houses that seem preferred over others for various reasons. For my kids, assuming they weren’t going for singles, which they didn’t until latter years, they put in for roommate over house, meaning it was more important for them to room with their friend than to be in a certain house. Again it might of changed. There is always a lot of anxiety about it among the students but not a lot of clarity about the process from the Dean of Students office and whoever else is involved in the process. I believe students get to rank a few houses as preferences and roommate choice vs single but that is about it. Most kids wind up okay, a few wind up feeling screwed, but in the end they all deal fine. Honestly, I think a change every year or two is good. It puts kids in closer proximity than with other kids they might not have had contact with and allows for new friendships to form. Bottom line, though, the process appears to be a lot of sausage making.
Does your student have someone she wants to room with or does she prefer a single?
@doschicos “sausage making”… classic!
I’m not sure my kid knows what she wants to be honest. Makes her mama stressed! I think she will end up in a single which might be best for her. She tends to need down time, even though for whatever reason her room is where everyone goes to do homework…
Her advisor very early on felt like she should have been in a much bigger dorm- she’s in the smallest girls dorm- its been a “homey” place and like I said her room mate has been fantastic, but she’s leaving. I think she’s afraid to ask for a single bc if she doesn’t get one then she might be forced to live with someone she doesn’t like- I think most of her friends want singles because they had bad room mate situations or her friends are upper formers- Seems like there are more boys in singles??
I agree though that being in a new dorm next year should help- she is a different kid when you’re @ her 24/7- that’s one of the biggest pros of BS! I love the mix of friendships not seen @ LPS-
There was a written explanation of the process, but I can’t find it now. If I remember correctly, you choose either dorm or roommate (or single) and rank your other choice.
It seems most everyone in Wing loves their dorm. GK’s group of friends got together and planned out who’s rooming with whom, etc. One of the arrangements I heard was to put beds in one room and desks in another so they have a bedroom and a study room.
“One of the arrangements I heard was to put beds in one room and desks in another so they have a bedroom and a study room.” Sounds like one of those ideas that students think is great but won’t fly with house administrators.
I will add that, if I remember correctly, students usually had a good shot at staying in current housing for a second year if they wanted and it was usually those who wanted to stay a third year (usual juniors by then) who got, as the students like to say, shafted.
Apparenly advisors and dorm heads also are careful not to allow a well-defined group of friends to all move into the same dorm. I appreciate that, as it gives the kids an opportunity to expand their friend circle and prevents the forming of closed groups or cliques.
so respect the “sorting hat” of their system… I would imagine the “reputation” or feeling of the dorm could change each year depending on the group of students, particularly the seniors-
So in the end -do you want a room mate or a single?
SPS Student Chance Emerson, released songs on itunes The Indigo Tapes, charted in top 20- #1EP & the cello in the background is an SPS student as well- very very cool- talented kids
Old British system where boarding schools have younger grades than high school grades. Back in the old days, many of the American boarding schools started earlier than 9th. 1st form would be our equivalent of 7th and 2nd would be 8th grade. Groton, who does take 8th graders, calls that group Second Form. Often, you’ll see it referred to in roman numerals - III,IV, IV, V forms at SPS.
Thanks @doschicos, I thought it might be something like that.
What is the timing on housing and advisor assignments? Early August?
Is there a way to confidentially request that my son be not be assigned to a specific advisor? Or, to request that he be assigned someone male or female? Are teaching fellows assigned as advisors?
How important are the advisors in 3rd form year?
We have had very mixed experiences with advisors at other schools.
Unless it has changed, you usually find out housing, roommate, advisor assignments on August 1st, sometimes a few days before.
Yes, teaching fellows are assigned as advisors. Actually, one of my kids had a teaching fellow for an advisor one year and it was the best advisor/advisee relationship any of my kids ever had.
Our advisor experience has been mixed as well, @HMom16. Sometimes, I think that is just the nature of the beast. Some faculty are better at teaching than advising. I’ve never had a horrible experience, all were receptive and responsive to questions or reach out, but some were just “okay” overall. They weren’t one of those life-altering experiences you hear some people talk about. I will preface it by saying that my kids have a close relationship with my husband and I and weren’t too needy when it came to adviser relationships. They weren’t looking for surrogate parenting.
Is there a specific person you don’t want as an advisor and is it a person your son would be likely to get? I guess you could always contact the Dean of Students if there was a significant conflict or issue that concerned you. Feel free to PM if you wish to discuss more anonymously. Also, when you get the forms to fill out, like a roommate questionnaire, perhaps including a quick reference there - male/female advisor if you have a strong preference. However, it isn’t something asked (unless things have changed) formally. In my kids’ combined 8 years at the school, they had 5 advisors combined only one of which was an opposite sex advisor. (Advisor changes were do to changes in the house they lived in.)
We filled out the housing form already and there wasn’t anything about the advisor.
To be honest, the advisor set up at SPS is one of my least favorite aspects of the school. At other schools my kids have had both advisors and dorm faculty, and they’ve served different purposes. In addition, having close relationships with multiple adults has really helped, particularly when my kids have had to deal with personal issues (such as a grandparent’s death that really hit hard).
I’m not looking for a surrogate parent. I’m just hoping my son is assigned someone that is knowledgeable, supportive and preferably not one of his coaches.
I will think about your suggestion regarding the Dean, thanks @doschicos . We have already met him several times during the admissions / revisit process. I’d rather not say anything if it is unlikely my son would get the person but I don’t have any idea how they assign advisors (or dorms) so I don’t know whether its likely my son would get the person. Anyone with insight?
@HMom16 I will also add that my kids had no problems making solid relationships with adult community members away from their advisors, could be other dorm faculty, musical instructors, teachers, activity leaders or coaches. Some of these relationships were stronger than adviser relationships because they formed more organically and were based on personality traits, common interests, and other more natural attributes. It was nice to know that many adult eyes were keeping a watch out for each child and that each child had several adults in the community they felt they could go to at any time if needed even if they weren’t formally established relationships. Some of these formed pretty quickly, too. The majority of adults working there choose to do so because they enjoy working with and mentoring young people.
There are pros and cons to having advisers attached to the houses. One big advantage is it gives many more opportunities for interaction and oversight.
@ HMom16 there are several advisors for each dorm, so if there is a conflict I’m sure the School can switch your son into a different advisee group-
My DD group actually ended up combining with another group for dinners because teachers were married- made things easier and more fun. Have meals in their home instead of upper-
