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This Week
St. Mark's Saturdays Classes, April 29
SM Saturdays classes are scheduled for this Saturday, April 29. As a reminder, Saturday classes meet from 9:00 to 11:30 a.m., and School Meeting begins the day at 8:40 a.m. After this Saturday, the remaining spring SM Saturdays class dates are: May 6 and May 13.
Speaker Series for Parents: Artificial Intelligence in Education
Presented by the Parents’ Association on Saturday, April 29
9:30 to 11:00 a.m. EDT
Forbes Presentation Room, St. Mark’s School. Also offered on Zoom.
Join Dean of Academics Nat Waters for an important and informative discussion about the role of artificial intelligence in education. Partner with the School, and hear how St. Mark’s educators are thinking about the implications of AI for our students' coursework, as well as their preparation for life and careers. Register here to attend in person or virtually.
Parents who are able to come to campus are also invited to join School Meeting before this event. Starting at 8:40 a.m. in the Burgess Center and led by the Monitors, this meeting serves as a space to gather and share information with the School community. Please come early and join the meeting, followed by coffee and treats before the presentation.
Cum Laude Society Installation, May 2
This year’s Cum Laude Society Installation will take place Tuesday, May 2, at 7:00 p.m. EDT in the Class of ’45 Hall. A dessert reception will follow at Choate House. Download and print the installation program at this link and
view the livestream at: https://events.locallive.tv/events/110470.
Please contact Dr. Peter Glomset with any questions at peterglomset@stmarksschool.org.
Admission
Action Item: Overdue Re-Enrollment Contracts and Deposits
If you have not yet submitted your completed re-enrollment contracts and deposits for 2023-2024, please do so now. Both were due by April 20. A reminder that deposits are separate from tuition. If you have any questions, please contact our admission staff at admission@stmarksschool.org. Thank you!
Athletics
Team of the Week: JV Baseball
The JV baseball team is currently carrying a two game winning streak with a 14-3 win over Brooks followed by a 3-1 win over Lawrence Academy. The win over LA was highlighted by a combined no-hitter by Connor Nairus '26 and Leo Meidlinger '26! The offense came alive to carry the team, and the offensive attack was highlighted by a Sebastian De Bonet '26 triple that scored three runs for the Lions. Hugo Owens '26 saw an opportunity to make something happen on the bases as he broke towards the plate from third and successfully stole home, which fired up the team for the rest of the game. The Lions are back in action Saturday, April 29, against Belmont Hill and face Governor's Academy on Wednesday, May 3.
Alumni Spotlight: Lindsay Strong '19
Check out this feature story on Lindsay about her time as a student-athlete at Wellesley College and the impact St. Mark's had on her! Strong will continue her field hockey career next year at Georgetown University while pursuing a master's degree.
Reminder: Spring Schedules and Updates
Please continue to check your student's game schedules on the website if/when inclement weather comes our way:
https://www.stmarksschool.org/athletics/teams. Game scores and updates will also be communicated through our SM Athletics social media accounts. Twitter: @SMSSports Instagram: @SMAthletics
College Counseling
Paying Less for College Webinar Follow-Up
Thank you to all St. Mark's families, faculty, and staff who were able to join us for the SMARTTRACK webinar on Tuesday, April 25. We hope that you found the session informative and useful. If you have not yet scheduled your personal, free evaluation with a SMARTTRACK advisor, click here to do so now.
If you were unable to attend the webinar, you may still sign up for an evaluation. As always, you are also encouraged to contact the College Counseling Office at St. Mark's with any questions.
Community and Equity
Weekly Reflection
As we make our way through the busy and pressing final months of school, Rick DaSilva and Lizzy Jones invite the community to participate in a more focused exercise utilizing the weekly prompt.
At St. Mark’s, we celebrate personal, academic, and social growth, but we sometimes lose sight of the weight we carry as we navigate our lives. May the words and perspective selected this week inspire self-reflection, empowerment, and meaningful conversations.
This week's prompt: Oprah Winfrey once said, “The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate.”
Reflecting on this statement, how often do you praise and celebrate others? When was the last time that you gave yourself praise?
Community Life and Student Engagement
Weekend Activities
Want to know what's happening this weekend? Check out the Weekend Activities Google Doc for on-campus events and trips to off-campus locations.
Emergency Lockdown Drill Completed
We successfully completed a lockdown drill on Monday morning, April 24. At 10:30 a.m., we notified everyone in our School via RAVE to lock down, communicated via RAVE messages throughout the drill, and then centrally gathered to ensure all were accounted for before concluding the drill. Everyone was then provided with the opportunity to offer feedback to help us improve our processes.
Reminder: Leadership Selection Information
We are in the midst of leadership selection for next year. Following the announcement of the 2023-2024 Monitors, the leadership selection process will continue with interviews for House Prefect, Peer Discussion Leader, Pathways Prefects, and SDC positions.
As you work to support your student through this process, we look for your partnership in encouraging strong self-reflection and clarity with regard to motivation. Our process is designed to help students think critically about seeking leadership roles as opposed to simply casting the net wide for the purposes of padding a resume. Our leadership information session, which was held prior to March Break, allowed students to hear from current leaders and advisors regarding the specifics of each role and applicable skill sets. We held group interviews and training sessions, which engaged students in role plays and problem-solving, allowing candidates to practice skills and explore their level of interest in serving the School community.
In addition, it is critical for students to think about their vision for the next academic year. This is especially important for rising VI Formers. Housing choices, academic schedules, personal workload, study habits, and hopes for recreational time are all items we ask students to consider before completing the application process.
In short, it is our hope that the leadership selection process allows students to seek leadership roles that are in line with their desire to serve. Outside of the dedicated leadership roles, we are careful to remind students that we need all students to prioritize St. Mark's school work. Students who elect not to seek one of the dedicated roles are encouraged to stay tuned for information on how to contribute to the community through opportunities such as serving as a Pathways affinity group leader, admission tour guide, library prefect, Quad Games captain, peer mentor, and more.
Thank you for partnering with us to help students discover their goals and develop meaningful skills beyond the classroom. We will communicate leadership selection decisions for Pathways Prefects, House Prefects, Peer Discussion Leaders, and Student Discipline Committee representatives at the end of April.
Reminder: 2023-2024 Housing Information
The 2023-2024 student housing process will begin after the conclusion of the leadership selection process. For returning boarding students, housing is selected and assigned through a lottery system by form. A housing information session will take place on Friday, April 28; during this meeting, students will be introduced to the process, and they will have an opportunity to ask questions.
For the time being, students are encouraged to think about a peer in their same form who would be a good roommate. Students should think about what is most important to them in a roommate, and they should consider sleeping habits, room atmosphere, and levels of socialization in the room. Please ask your student for their thoughts about housing and rooming preferences, and remind them that their closest friend may not always be their ideal roommate. Single rooms are extremely limited, so students should begin by thinking about potential roommate pairings.
The number draw, a required first component of the housing lottery process, will take place on Monday, May 5, during the evening hours. Questions about the housing process can be directed to Maggie Caron, dean of student engagement, at margaretcaron@stmarksschool.org.
An Update on Prize Day 2023
Check your mailboxes! Prize Day announcements have arrived. Additionally, digital swag and printables are now available online at this link.
The 158th Prize Day ceremony will be held on campus Saturday, June 10, 2023, at 10:30 a.m. under a tent on Belmont Field. For more information about Prize Day, as well as answers to frequently asked questions, please visit our Prize Day webpage.
Advancement
2023 Alumni Award Ceremony Livestream Recording Available
Eight St. Mark’s graduates were inducted into the Cloister of Distinguished Alumni during an all-School ceremony last Friday, April 21. Learn more about our impressive award recipients and view photos and the livestream recording of the event on the program website.
Save the Date: State of the School for Parents with Head of School John C. Warren '74
Wednesday, May 10, at 7:00 p.m. EDT
Choate House, 100 St. Mark’s Circle. Also offered via livestream.
Please gather with St. Mark’s parents and hear from Head of School John C. Warren ’74 about highlights from the 2022–2023 academic year, and what lies ahead for the School and St. Mark’s students.
This event is being offered in person at Choate House, followed by a dessert reception. A livestream is available for those unable to attend on campus.
Register here and submit questions in advance.
Parent Participation Earns Donut Day for IV Form, May 11
Congratulations to the IV Form, whose parents rose to the challenge on Giving Day and contributed the greatest number of gifts. The special prize for their students is Donut Day on May 11 during the morning community block. It was a close contest, and all St. Mark’s students will benefit from parent participation in Giving Day!
Around the Quad
The Search for our Next Head of School
The Head of School Search webpage provides information for our community on the search for St. Mark's next Head of School. Please stay tuned to this newsletter for future updates on the search as it progresses.
SALE at the Online School Store
Looking for a St. Mark's gift and can't make it to campus? Shop the online St. Mark's School store here. For the month of April, receive 20 percent off grad signs and banners. Plus, orders totaling $50 or more receive free shipping. Happy shopping!
For More on What's Happening Inside the Pride
View photos from campus on our School's SmugMug page.
Read the latest news stories on our website.
Watch videos from St. Mark's on YouTube.
Enjoy the latest issue of St. Mark's Magazine.
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