the
Doane Stuart School
From the ground up.
A well-rounded education starts early and lasts a lifetime. For more
than 150 years, the Doane Stuart School has been inspiring and educating students, from the ground up. We focus on the whole child and, at every grade level, we see remarkable results. Year after year, our students grow in skill and confidence. By graduation, they are prepared to take their place at some of the nation’s most selective colleges, as global citizens who pursue lives of meaning and purpose.
8:1 Student-faculty ratio
318 students Early Childhood through Grade 12 coed college preparatory school
College merit scholarships awarded to the class of 2013
OUR MISSION:
The mission of Doane Stuart is education, for students from every quarter. In a college preparatory context, where the joy of discovery is valued, Doane Stuart emphasizes serious study, educates to social responsibility, and lays the foundation for a strong faith.
Cultivating the desire to understand. 40x 78 All Middle School students devote one Friday per month to community service. That adds up to roughly 40 hours per student per year.
Coeducation
SEEING THE WORLD THROUGH THE PERSPECTIVES OF MANY
Coeducation is a cornerstone of the Doane Stuart experience and a reflection of our commitment to diversity. We believe that a well-rounded education includes teaching students to see the world through the eyes of others, regardless of their gender, religion, race, or background. And we have created a community that reinforces that belief. Every day brings opportunities for our students to live, work, and play coeducationally, broadening their perspective, preparing them for our coeducational society, and enriching their lives.
AN IN-DEPTH READING
Ninth graders delve beneath the surface of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Students are encouraged to read excerpts aloud and revel in the iambic pentameter, the heartbeat of Shakespeare’s plays and poetry.
Students develop the ability to do more than memorize. They learn how to learn.
THE IMPORTANCE OF INQUIRY
From a very early age, our students are encouraged to master the facts and, then, to dig deeper. We believe that a wellrounded education involves more than simply knowing “who, what, where, and when.” Our students care deeply about “why and how.” Just as important, they often ask “what if ?” ¶ A Doane Stuart education is rigorous and rooted in the fundamentals; our students consistently rank among the region’s best. But our emphasis on creative, critical thinking is equally essential. That, in combination with a strong foundation, gives our students an immeasurable advantage—in college and for life.
Early Childhood THE JOY OF DISCOVERY
Our Early Childhood classrooms provide the ideal setting for young children to explore the world. In our nurturing, yet stimulating environment, children are encouraged to be creative and curious. Under the guidance of our special-area teachers, playtime also is an opportunity to experience French, music, art, and movement.
how are you today? EVERY INTERACTION MATTERS
At Doane Stuart, “How are you?” is a lot more than a greeting. That simple phrase is one of
Early Childhood many ways that we remind our students, day in and day out,
THE JOY OF DISCOVERY
that they are important to us as
individuals and as part ofclassrooms our Our Early Childhood provide the ideal community. We go out of our setting for young children to explore the world. In our way to acknowledge students nurturing, yet stimulating environment, children are enevery time we see them. And couraged to be creative and curious. Under the guidance kind. ofthey our respond “specialinarea” teachers, playtime also is an opportunity to experience French, music, art, and movement.
Lower School AN ESSENTIAL FOUNDATION
In Lower School, students receive an excellent, grounded education in math, reading, writing, science, and social studies. Equally important, students develop the competence and confidence to use their new knowledge to experience the excitement of learning. They begin to look for patterns and connections, to think and explore, and
to make sense of their world. ¶ Classes in French, art, music, religion, and movement are essential to the curriculum. Library and computer resources provide tools that expand students’ horizons. On Fridays, “Morning Meetings” bring the entire Lower School together with family and friends to share stories, accomplishments, and thoughts of the past week. Led by 4th graders, these meetings provide an opportunity for public speaking and a foundation for leadership.
1:1
Students and parents
Find your passion. voice. path. mojo. place. inspiration. confidence. friends. mentors. strengths. future. self.
receive one-on-one college admission planning from our Director of College Counseling.
Upper School
EXCEPTIONAL COMMITMENT, PREPARATION
College Counseling
Upper School students benefit from the strongest of college preparatory programs, a variety of extracurricular activities, rewarding service offerings, and one-on-one mentoring by caring faculty. Our curriculum exceeds the requirements of most selective colleges. Students also have access to exceptional opportunities outside the classroom: our Irish Exchange Program, community service program, Upper School Humanities Project, independent scientific research at a variety of local companies and institutions, courses at the University at Albany, studies at the Albany Institute of History and Art, and more. ¶ As a result, our students are among the most sought-after in the Capital Region. They graduate with an excellent, well-rounded education—and a world view that prepares them to make the most of the challenges and adventures to come.
Our goal is for every student to be admitted to the college that is the best fit, and we work one-on-one with students and parents to achieve this objective. We bring representatives from colleges to campus and, during the summer, our Director of College Counseling takes Upper School students on college tours. We host college information nights, offer college application essay workshops, and require juniors to participate in intensive, professional SAT preparation classes (at no cost to our families), held during the school day. ¶ Most of all, we know our students—their strengths, dreams, and ambitions. We draw on that knowledge to help each student develop a personalized list of 30 colleges and universities. We provide critical support throughout the application process. And we celebrate with our students when they are accepted by their chosen schools.
HIGHLY INDIVIDUALIZED
THROUGH THE EYES OF A SCIENTIST
A WONDERFUL BLEND OF OLD AND NEW
Our historic building pays tribute to the past and embraces the future. The original art-deco-style wing, built in 1930-31, is home to art and music classes and our new science labs. Language classes, our lower school classrooms, and the library and computer lab are located in the 1995 addition, which is topped off by our new green roof. Today’s technology, including wireless access, is integrated throughout the building.
Founding faculty member Seamus Hodgkinson, more commonly known as Mr. H, uses science to teach students to view the world with a mixture of awe and understanding. For more than three decades, Mr. H has been demonstrating that science is not a subject, but “an op-
Historic, inviting, wired, and green.
portunity to look at the world, recognize what an amazing place it is, and discover how to make sense of it.”
Planting Seeds THE GREEN ROOF
Middle School
A BALANCE OF FREEDOM AND DIRECTION
The Middle School years are marked by transformation. With our guidance and support, students begin to understand that they play a role in shaping their education and their future. We lay the foundation with a strong, traditional curriculum, including an emphasis on writing in every subject area. At the same time, we encourage students to discover their potential and put it to good use, both within and beyond the classroom.
Our 22,000-square-foot green roof has significant environmental advantages and serves as a living science lab. Funded by a $1.4 million grant from the New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation, the roof reduces stormwater runoff, improves insulation, and decreases energy use and expenses. As such, the green roof is yet another example of Doane Stuart’s commitment to sustainable practices. ¶ Students in our Upper School Green Roof Class participated in discussions of the landscape design, which includes a patio, central garden, outdoor science lab, and accessible green space. Students also studied weather patterns, seed dispersal, and biodiversity to determine the types of plants and animals that could thrive on the roof.
Mastering techniques, expressing ideas. FINE-TUNING PORTFOLIOS AND PERFORMANCES
Art and music teachers work one-on-one with Upper School students to help them prepare for college auditions and portfolio presentations. Doane Stuart students are admitted to some of the nation’s best college music and fine art programs. Our musicians have gone on to attend Julliard and perform at Carnegie Hall. Our painters and sculptors consistently earn places in the region’s most competitive juried shows.
opus. 16 A member of our Class of
‘15 placed first in the master level of the region’s 5th annual Tchaikovsky Piano Competition for Youth, impressing the judges with his performance of Rachmaninoff’s “Moments Musicaux in E minor, Op. 16, No. 4.”
Visual & Performing Arts THEATER, ART, MUSIC, AND MORE
Students of all ages learn to appreciate the arts and to use them as vehicles of self-expression. Starting in Early Childhood and Lower School, students experiment with color, form, content, rhythm, and movement. By Upper School, students can choose from a variety of art and music offerings. Gallery displays, theatrical productions, recitals, and ensemble performances allow students to share their talents with the Doane Stuart community. Independent study provides extraordinary opportunities for students to hone their skills and pursue individual interests.
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BOYS TEAMS
Baseball Basketball Sailing Soccer Tennis Track & Field
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NO PLACE FOR HATE ®
The Anti-Defamation League has recognized Doane Stuart’s culture of respect by designating our Middle School as a zero-tolerance, No Place for Hate School. This culture of respect is reflected by our teams, which
GIRLS TEAMS
are recognized year-after-year for sportsmanship.
Basketball Cross Country Sailing Soccer Softball Tennis Track & Field Volleyball CLUB SPORTS
Fencing Tai Chi Ultimate Frisbee Yoga
Athletics GO BLUE! GO GREEN!
good sports.
Our sports program provides invaluable opportunities to be part of a team, develop leadership skills, engage in risk taking—and have fun. Our varsity teams compete in the Central Hudson Valley League, Class D, and typically include students from grades 9 through 12. Students in grades 7 and 8 may play varsity, depending on physical fitness and skill level. They also are welcome on our Middle School teams, which compete with other modified teams and in intramural games.
Follow us online.
THE DOANE STUART SCHOOL DOANESTUART
Schedule a visit.
To meet with an admissions counselor, please contact the Office of Admissions. 518-465-5222 CONTACT@DOANESTUART.ORG DOANESTUART.ORG
A family of families.
THE INTERFAITH EXPERIENCE
As an interfaith school, we encourage students to explore their own faith and
THE PARENT-SCHOOL PARTNERSHIP
heritage. Students of all faiths
At Doane Stuart, we are a community, bound by our shared commitment to education, service, and one another. We view the school and parents as partners in a relationship that brings mutual trust and respect to all aspects of school life. Together, we support our students and celebrate their accomplishments—in the classroom, on the stage and playing field, and in the world at large. Together, we lay the foundation on which our students will build the rest of their lives.
feel at home here. They come together in weekly chapel gatherings that build community and broaden students’ understanding of the world, one another, and themselves. Students sing, pray, celebrate holidays, listen to stories, and discuss moral and ethical issues that are common to all of us.
the doane stuart school Office of Admissions 199 Washington Avenue Rennselaer, NY 12144-1444