A medium-sized school can pack a mean punch –– just ask any of the 535 students living, learning and laughing in harmony at St. Paul’s School (SPS). Representing 13 countries and 36 US states, everybody here has a unique story to share. One thing they all have in common? Everyone is having their academic experience of a lifetime. Those who join them begin calling the school “home” the second they arrive. In a connected community, it’s hard not to.
Alejandro, a graduate, confirms this, stating: “SPS does a good job at helping us make friends. Every incoming student gets matched with a fifth or sixth former who guides you through your first couple of days, introduces you to their friends, brings you to your classes, and lends a helping hand with anything and everything.”
Located in Concord, New Hampshire –– set on 2,000 idyllic acres, every day calls for a new adventure or opportunity of enrichment. The SPS 360 approach sparks social, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual growth. This is how students build character, gain the confidence to share perspectives, begin their fight for a better world, and demand nothing less than meaningful connections.
An array of development opportunities facilitated by faculty members –– who also reside on-site –– make it possible. So do the highest standards of education, an enduring commitment to Episcopalian values, and a priority to satisfy every curious mind.
As a high school student here, you’ll be invited to try new things as frequently as you’d like –– whether it be trying out for a new team, auditioning for a singing group, or creating a new club. Anything is possible when opportunities are endless.
“One of the things that make SPS so great is the resources we’re provided with,” explains current student, Tristan. “There are so many things you can do — if I have a free afternoon I can go play squash, I can swim in the lake, I can hang out in a science lab and do some work — I can choose what to do on any given day. And it’s all here.”
Currently, there are over 60 clubs and societies here that range from debate, robotics, gospel, choir, boxing, chess, and even fly-fishing. Each is set in place to help students nurture their interests and develop useful talents. While robust academics develop scholars, an extensive range of co-curricular facilities develops athletes, musicians, dancers and more.
SPS sports venues include a 98,000 square-foot LEED-certified athletic centre, two indoor ice hockey rings, 15 outdoor tennis courts, a 2,000-metre rowing course and boathouse, an indoor jogging track, over 25 miles of trails on 2,000 wooded acres for hiking, biking, running and skiing — amongst many others.
Aspiring musicians in the Music Building or Chapel can be heard from miles away practising their upcoming solos or working with the orchestra, choir, or jazz band. Dancers perfect their craft with SPS training in classical ballet, modern dance, anatomical theory and performance. Meanwhile, budding artists enjoy studio and performance-based classes; courses in history and theory; and visits from practising professionals.
Whatever students discover outside the classroom can be enhanced within it as well. SPS’s high-end academics are all about the fundamentals; yet flexible enough to enable pupils to pursue varied and enriching electives such as photography and computer graphics, the African diaspora, Asian-American literature and so forth.
An emphasis on interdisciplinary excellence makes it easy for learners to graduate multi-talented. Passionate about the arts? An SPS education might help you develop an appreciation for the sciences. Those who began with an interest in artificial intelligence and robotics have taken classes on metacognition or literature and loved every minute of it. These topics and more are covered alongside a core curriculum that includes challenging courses in humanities, mathematics, sciences, languages, religion, and the arts.
Educators reside at SPS as well –– making it incredibly convenient for students to have their questions answered around dining tables or in one of SPS’s 19 residential houses. Within each home, around 30 students reside with an average of three faculty members and their families. The SPS journey to excellence is one everyone embarks on together.
“Teachers here are supportive and engaging in class, but you also see them in sports and clubs. You form bonds with them so they can help you and lead you. It’s a great part of living in a fully residential community,” says student Khuan.
Alison, a graduate from Shanghai, found even more at SPS. “I never thought I would be able to find another place that felt like home, but St. Paul’s truly is my home away from home,” she says.
To experience St Paul’s, take a virtual campus tour here!