St. Andrew's Episcopal School

This article does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (March 2008)

This article or section reads like a news release, or is otherwise written in an overly promotional tone. Please help rewrite this article from a neutral point of view. When appropriate, blatant advertising may be marked for speedy deletion with {{db-spam}}. (October 2008)

St. Andrew's Episcopal School, also known as SAS, is an independent Episcopal private school located in Austin, Texas, USA. St. Andrew's enrolls students in grades 1-12 and is divided into three divisions: the Lower (grades 1-6), Middle (grades 7-8), and Upper (grades 9-12) Schools. The Lower and Middle Schools share a campus in central Austin, while the Upper School campus is in the southwestern part of the city. The Middle School recently underwent a major renovation. The school's mission statement reads, "The mission of St. Andrew's Episcopal School is to provide an enriched academic program within a Christian environment emphasizing the fulfillment of each student's potential."^[1]

The current head of school is Lucy Nazro, who has served in that position since 1980. The Lower School head is Sharon Wilson, the Middle School head is Alice Nezzer, and the Upper School head is Richard Mischinski.

History

St. Andrew's Episcopal School held its first classes in a house on Pearl Street In Austin Texas. The school commenced with its first school year during the fall of 1952, serving 32 students in grades 1-3. The school later moved to 31st Street, where the Lower and Middle Schools are now currently located. The school expanded to twelve grades in 1998 with the opening of a satellite Upper School campus on Southwest Parkway. The Upper School graduated its first class in 2002.

Academics

St. Andrew's offers a multiyear, integrated college preparatory curriculum that begins in the first grade and continues through twelfth grade. This curriculum incorporates the school's social and economic learning (SEL) program.

The academic requirements for a graduating Upper School senior include 4 years of English, taken as two classes a day of humanities; 4 years of history, also included in humanities; 3 years of math, including algebra I, geometry, and algebra II; 3 years of science, including biology, physics, and chemistry; 3 years of a foreign language, usually Latin or Spanish; and 1 trimester of religious studies, as well as the completion of a Junior Experience, described on the school website as at least two weeks "in an environment that is dramatically different from the student’s daily surroundings,"^[2] and a Senior Project, undertaken in May of the student's senior year.^[3] To satisfy the Junior Experience requirement, the school offers trips every summer to destinations including Italy, Spain, Greece, and West Virginia, though students may also submit independent proposals.^[2] The Upper School also offers 11 AP courses.

An Upper School graduate may graduate with distinction as a scholar, artist, servant, and/or athlete, reflecting the school's emphasis on nurturing well-rounded students who are intellectually, emotionally, spiritually, and physically balanced.^[4]

As of the Class of 2008, 18 percent of all St. Andrew's graduates were National Merit Commended Students and 7 percent were National Merit Semifinalists. The average SAT scores of the Class of 2008 were 634 (Critical Reading), 644 (Mathematics), and 651 (Writing).^[5]

Chapel

While the school accepts and honors students of all faiths, all are required to attend daily chapel, which serves as a gathering of the school community and a place to discuss and think about moral and ethical issues. Father Kurt Gerhard is the chaplain.^[6]

Community service

All Middle and Upper School students are required to participate in the school's community service program. Participation is voluntary for students in grades 5-6.^[7]

Fine arts

St. Andrew's encourages students in all grades to express themselves through music, drama, and the visual arts. There are a variety of performing opportunities at St. Andrew's, including choir, drama, and various musical ensembles. The Select Choir, a subset of the Upper School's Concert Choir, has performed at Carnegie Hall in New York City and the Washington National Cathedral in Washington, D.C.

Athletics

St. Andrew's athletic teams compete in the Southwest Preparatory Conference (SPC). The Upper School fields teams in baseball, basketball, cross country, diving, field hockey, football, golf, lacrosse, soccer, swimming, tennis, track and field, and volleyball. Middle School sports include basketball, cross country, field hockey, football, golf, lacrosse, soccer, tennis, track and field, and volleyball. Physical education is required in the Lower School.

Notable alumni

• Barbara Pierce Bush and Jenna Bush - Daughters of George W. Bush^[8]
• Drew Brees - Quarterback for the New Orleans Saints (attended St. Andrew's Middle School)
• Benjamin McKenzie - Actor and star of former Fox Network show The O.C.
• Ross Ohlendorf - Pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates (attended St. Andrew's Lower and Middle Schools)
• Nathan Parsons- Actor on General Hospital
• Michael Dell's Children
• Kevin Rollins's Children
• Ben Crenshaw's Children

References

External links

• St. Andrew's Episcopal School official Web site
• St. Andrew's Episcopal School Latin Department official Web site