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Message from the Principal
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Welcome to the St. Margaret’s Episcopal School’s Upper School. For the past twenty-six years, I have been a part of this institution and it is with complete confidence that I welcome you to get to know our program, our campus, our teachers, and our learning environment. As you read through the pages dedicated to the Upper School, we hope you will get a feeling for the enthusiasm and deep intellectual commitment that are present in the students, faculty and staff. We are a school with a sense of purpose and a clear mission to educate the hearts and minds of young people for lives of learning, leadership, and service. Consequently, we have earned a reputation of which we are very proud.
While these pages will help you understand our mission, the only way to truly appreciate the Upper School experience is to visit our classrooms, witness the creativity that is present in our arts offerings, and observe our athletic teams and other extra-curricular activities.
Our newly completed Pasternack Field House and DeYoung Family Upper School Classroom Wing have supplemented our program in immeasurable ways. The physical plant aside, I am very proud of our program and our teachers. St. Margaret’s requirements in the traditional fields of English, history, mathematics, science, and foreign language are demanding, as is expected of a college preparatory school, yet the atmosphere is warm and supportive.
SMES's sense of community and its caring environment are central to our success. Small class size also allow us to maintain a level of support and concern that helps our students succeed. Recent parent surveys identified our sense of community and class size as the key to our success. Our students and teachers share the responsibility of learning. Our teachers work deliberately to make the St. Margaret’s experience exciting and intellectually challenging, and our students respond by giving their best in a school climate that encourages choices and freedom.
The structured freedom that exists in our Upper School encourages students to take ownership of their personal and collective experience. Leadership roles abound, not only in leading classroom discussions and accepting responsibility for learning, but also through participating in a multitude of clubs and student organizations such as Peer Counselors, Honor Committee, and our Student Government.
Interscholastic athletics are an important part of the Upper School experience for most St. Margaret’s students. We offer a wide array of athletic teams and, as a result of student interest, we have recently started lacrosse, swimming, and wrestling teams. Most of the teams have a "no-cut" policy, and the teams are able to accommodate a wide range of ability levels and be successful.
Our Upper School is made up of students who are different from each other in many wonderful ways but who are all quite purposeful in their commitment to both serious academic pursuits and living honorably.
I invite you to peruse the remaining sections of the Upper School website and, more importantly, visit the Upper School to fully understand the excitement that is ubiquitous.
Sincerely,
David Boyle
Upper School Principal
Associate Headmaster |
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