We're excited to welcome grandparents to the Upper School Grandparents Day on Thursday, February 5, and to the Lower and Middle School Grandparents Day on Friday, February 6. If your child has a special grandfriend that you wish to invite to Grandparents Day, please contact Presh Ashe ([email protected]) immediately so an invitation can be mailed. 

Drop-Off: We strongly encourage parents to drop-off grandparents (rather than park) due to parking constraints on both campuses. If you are dropping off your child with their grandparent(s) at the Lower School, please do so on Bailey Lane; registration will take place in Nazro Hall.

Attire: Student attire for Grandparents Day is dress clothes; boys are asked to wear a coat and tie, dress shirt, slacks, dress shoes, and socks; girls are asked to wear dress shoes and a dress, nice pants suit, or a skirt with a blouse.

Volunteer: We'd love your help! If you'd like to volunteer for Grandparents Day, contact Presh Ashe.

Note: 1st-4th grade grandparents are also invited to attend Rhythms Night on Thursday, February 5 at 6:00 pm in Crusader Hall.

More details can be found on our website at www.sasaustin.org/gpday 

In graduate school last summer I spent a significant amount of time researching effective student leadership development in independent schools. My discoveries were fairly consistent; of the few schools that had established effective leadership development programs, all of them had an experiential component to leadership. Most of these schools started by trying to implement a leadership course, or a three-day workshop, but to no avail.  The students were passively receiving instruction on effective leadership. They weren't doing it. And if I have learned anything as a teacher and a coach, it is that students learn by doing, not receiving.   

House captains plan and run activities for the Middle School every week.

The best independent schools around the country are becoming more student-led. Students are being charged with leading meetings and assemblies, planning dances, leading portions of a practice, or even taking the reins in a classroom to teach their peers. To do this, teachers and administrators must be there to help guide the students, but have to be willing to step aside throughout the process. By assuming a leadership role in school, students learn important lessons in organization, working with others, dealing with the unexpected...and failing. This is experiential learning at its finest.

The House system in the St. Andrew's Middle School has provided a perfect platform for student leadership. In December, the eight House captains were tasked with planning an entire period of House activities, from start to finish. Beginning with signing up 142 Middle School students and organizing them into specific activities, the captains worked tirelessly to assure that the activities ran smoothly.  

Teachers watch as students lead students in team-building activities (like building a pyramid with string!).

While not everything was planned to perfection, the student leaders identified their mistakes and discussed how they could have done things differently. They worked with one another to divvy up roles, and had little assistance from any adults. In the end, a flex period of fun, community-building activities had one exuberant seventh-grader proclaim: "I wish we could do this every week!" The praise did not end with the students. Lifetime sports teacher Betsy Ross was amazed by the organizational skills of the captains, stating, "The P.E. Department has been asked to organize this same type of all-school activity in the past, and I think these Middle School kids actually did a better job than we did!  I feel like as adults, we over-planned, and possibly made it more complicated than necessary.  The kids kept it simple, and in my eyes it was a great success!"

Immediately after the activities came to an end, the House captains were  eager to find out their next task. It is very evident that students want to engage in school and lead their peers. As educators, it is our job to put them in a position to do so...and then step aside. 

On January 5, the Varsity Boys Soccer team braved the cold to take on some St. Andrew's alumni in their annual soccer match at the Upper School. Pictured left to right are: Doug Booth (US teacher), Richard Kriese (Assistant Coach), Will Bohls ('12), Nick Osella ('13), Jake Taylor ('13), Thomas Sweeney ('12), John Fitzsimons (Coach), and Zach Giberson ('13). Though the competition was fierce, the final score was Varsity: 4, Alumni: 2. Thank you team parent Paula Taylor for sharing this story! 

Familiar faces were on the Upper School campus on Wednesday, Jan. 7! First-year college freshmen returned to the St. Andrew's campus during lunch time to visit with friends and faculty, and share their experiences with seniors, who are in the final stretch of college applications and decision-making.

Bri Hardeman discussed the importance of "talking with professors and teacher's assistants to help you if you need help with a class." A major adjustment for her has been balancing her time between work and play, which she says, "you really just figure out along the way. You realize pretty quickly that it's up to you to set your own priorities and deadlines."

Bri's isn't the only one learning time management skills as a part of college life. When Director of College Counseling Elizabeth Guice asked the alumni in the room to list some of their biggest adjustments at college, their answers ranged from everyday duties like ironing and watching their spending habits, to "learning how to manage all of the fun things with studying" and "having to figure out everything for myself without totally depending on parents, teachers, and advisors."

A lot of the freshmen alumni are adjusting well by getting involved in their school communities through sports, arts, and greek life. At UC Berkeley, Kate Gibson has joined a sorority, an a cappella singing group, and a theater club that raises money for charity. At Scripps College, Rachel Nayer has participated in a science program, circus club, religious group, and swing-dance club. Jaron Shrock plays on the Swarthmore baseball team and has joined a fraternity. Bri Hardeman is running on the Rhodes College track team, and participates in clubs championing political and social justice for minorities. At Auburn, JD Coffin is in the Air Force ROTC, and plays on their intramural and club sports teams.

After getting through their first semester of college, alumni have some important (and anonymous) words of wisdom for seniors.

During college visits: "Be open to all possibilities! You might be surprised.  It's easy to be too shy when visiting schools.  It is necessary to really talk to students when you're visiting to get a feel for the school. "

When choosing a school: "Don't pick a college because it has the 'best program in the nation.' Pick a college because it's the right place for you. My biggest mistake in picking a school was limiting myself to colleges based on their program ranks." And, "Whatever your reason for picking a school, make sure it's your own. Reputation, location, and social scene are all very valid reasons to choose a school, so long as they mean something to you and are not justifications given by someone else."

Finding academic success: "Learn to motivate yourself. There is no one to do it for you, and even deadlines start losing their heightened sense of fear."

Our alumni were all smiles as they gave their final goodbyes before leaving campus. We're sure they're off to a great start in college, and we look forward to hearing many more exciting updates as their college adventures continue!