Private Education
Healthy body, healthy mind
One school’s new fitness center illustrates how educational facilities today are designed around the whole student experience — not just the classroom experience
BY SCOTT PICKERING spickering@eastbaymediagroup.com
So much has changed in the span of one generation that a classroom today bears little resemblance to a classroom “back in my day.” A school today is a very different place from what a school was “back then.” And a student, though each is wildly different from the other, bears little resemblance to a student from another era. It’s quite clear that students today expect more of their experiences than would be expected a generation ago.
Most school leaders recognize this and are making investments accordingly. Especially in the world of private education, where institutions can be more nimble than in the public sector, schools are increasingly investing in the whole of the educational experience — devoting time, resources and money to facilities that extend beyond the classroom.
Tour a college campus these days. Some of the newest buildings on many university campuses are student unions, recreation centers, gyms, and dining halls. Gorgeous, gleaming buildings, ablaze in sunlight from towering windows and filled with indulgent modern amenities, they are cathedrals to the student experience.
Private schools understand this dynamic and are making similar investments in the student experience. “We definitely think about our students holistically,” said David Tinagero, head of school at St. Andrew’s School in Bar-
St. Andrew’s Head of School David Tinagero talks about how the new Conklin Fitness Center has been a hit since it opened earlier this month. He said the space is packed after school every day.
rington, referring to their philosophy of a 360-degree education. Students learn in their classrooms, but they also learn on their campus, in their residence halls, in their library and through their clubs and sports teams.
“You’ve seen how universities, and schools in general, have invested heavily in co-curricular facilities, whether it’s campus centers, student centers, gyms, libraries,” Tinagero said. St. Andrew’s has been steadily doing the same.
“Our last few major Investments have included our student center, our library, which we refurbished last year, our squash center and now this fitness cen-
ter,” said Tinagero, while standing inside the newest improved space on their campus.
St. Andrew’s has had a fitness center for the past 30 years, but it had grown outdated and in need of refurbishment. This summer, crews swept into the old space and transformed it into a modern facility loaded with new St. Andrew’s-branded equipment. The space is filled with cardio and weight machines, free weights, exercise balls and bands and more.
The new Conklin Fitness Center officially opened earlier this month, and according to the head of school,
response has been overwhelmingly positive.
“We do want students to have a great experience, and I think that’s what we accomplished here,” Tinagero said. “The students seem to love it so far. They’e really enthusiastic.”
Students and faculty together
St. Andrew’s has a student population that blends day students with boarding students. The fitness center is available to all, as well as the school’s sports teams and the faculty and community
RICHARD W. DIONNE JR.
FITNESS: Schools are making investments in the whole student experience
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members. Tinagero said this dynamic adds to the educational experience.
“Because facilities like this are open to our staff and our community members, you get to see teachers here working out with students in the mornings, or you see the trainers here working out with students in the afternoons. It creates more opportunities to impact the lives of kids. So our staff can be tending to their own health, but they’re also doing so in a way that contributes to student development. It’s a great aspect of a facility like this,” Tinagero said.
A boost for the brand
In all schools, new fitness, student and rec. centers will be featured stops on the welcome tour for any prospective student and family. Attractive and fun, they boost the appeal as schools try to sell themselves to the next generation. Yet they bring tremendous value to the current generation.
Joining a visit to the new fitness cen-
ter, St. Andrew’s Director of Advancement Kerrie Donahue talked about
research clearly demonstrating that physical health impacts academic
Discover a school as unique as your child
health. “Students can come here and do some kinetic exercises that directly impacts their academic performance,” she said.
Tinagero can’t help but feel a little envious of the resources available to kids these days. While he, like many of his generation, grew up with “gym” classes that taught square dancing, pickleball and badminton, students today are growing up with a diverse array of equipment and resources that were unheard of “back then.”
Learning a healthy lifestyle
“There has been a generational shift, and it’s so different than it was 30 years ago,” he said. But that’s a good thing.
“Places like gyms or basketball or squash courts or fitness centers are where kids can take care of their physical health … And the impact is so significant. I see students come on our campus in the ninth grade, and what they look like when they leave four years later is extraordinary. They’ve taken care of
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RICHARD W. DIONNE JR.
Athletic trainer Kara Renaud works out in the new Conklin Fitness Center at St. Andrew’s School. The space is open to both students and faculty, which brings the two groups together in healthy ways outside the classroom.
An education in health
“Because
themselves. They’ve built these skill sets, they’ve learned how to navigate these fitness spaces, they’ve learned how to gain muscle, how to stay lean, how to be physically fit. These are really important things for all of us. I wish I’d had that. I might be in much better shape than I am right now,” he laughed.
The new fitness center was made possible by the Conklin Family, whose support of the school dates back to the 1930s. The design was led by Matrix Fitness, and the work was led by Site Specific.
Tinagero is proud of what the new space represents, not just for St. Andrew’s, but for all schools making similar investments.
“If you think about it, spaces like this are really important to help students develop in so many ways,” he said. “I’m excited that schools are putting resources into these kinds of places.
DAVID TINAGERO, HEAD OF SCHOOL AT ST. ANDREW’S SCHOOL
“To me, this is an incredible learning opportunity for kids, and sometimes I think that gets overshadowed by how beautiful the equipment is. But what happens in the way students think about themselves, and how they learn to take care of themselves, is transformational.”
Moses Brown provides an education that is time-tested, fully immersive, and ever more relevant to today’s world. Learn more about our distinctive academic, advising, arts, and athletic programs and the people that make our community thrive.
An independent, co-ed, Friends School, nursery through grade 12 on 33-acres in
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STEAM labs to art studios
Classroom insights – Making choices and making change
Two classroom visits show how teachers blend basic skills with critical thinking
BY SCOTT PICKERING spickering@eastbaymediagroup.com
Gordon
School Communications
Director Geoff Griffin took a stroll through the school last Tuesday, looking for stories for his school blog. With a national election approaching, Gordon is talking about democracy and decision-making a lot this fall. Throughout all grade levels, teachers are creating lessons where students confront making choices — and making change.
Last Tuesday, which was Primary Election Day, Griffin visited a kindergarten classroom where students were being empowered to shape their own schedule for the day. He then visited a second-grade classroom where students were learning about leadership and community actions.
What he found were examples of 21st-century classrooms, where basic
skills are embedded in lessons that don’t feel like lessons. A class-wide vote about the day’s schedule blends decision-mak
ers is embedded with a math lesson about place-value and its importance at all levels of math.
“We’re able to talk about conflict and disappointment and decision-making and some of these higher-level issues, and it’s not taking away from basic skill development,” Griffin said. “It’s actually getting kids more interested in what they’re learning. They get more fired up about the math they’re learning when it’s impacting their schedule for the morning.”
Following is Griffin’s blog post after his visit to the two classrooms …
ABCD Vote
It is primary day today, and people are voting across the state of Rhode Island. Young Kindergarten knew about the
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As a Benedictine boarding and day school for grades 9-12, we offer a broad, liberal arts education that encourages a love of learning, promotes academic excellence, nurtures talents and cultivates curiosity.
A Gordon School kindergarten class learned about decision-making, and disappointment, while voting on the day’s schedule.
From FACING PAGE
activities are popular, and the vote would have impact on everyone in the class. They had already talked about tallying in math, so the students understood the vote counting process.
After the first two votes, their teacher stopped them to reflect on a hard lesson they will face throughout their lives.No matter how this vote turned out, someone was going to be disappointed.
“Stop,” she said. “Take a breath. Think about that disappointment. Maybe you won’t experience it today, but you will someday. That’s part of voting. That’s part of being a community. Get used to it.”
The vote continued to be tight. But with 100% voter turnout, the results were eventually decisive — 7 votes for outside time, 4 votes for choice time.
Analysis of the results led to further conversation about tallying, numerals and addition … and a quick review of Eileen Christelow’s book “Vote” put the decision into context.
Making change
Across the school, second-graders
were doing some reading comprehension. What did they remember from the book they’d read the day before?
It was Meena Harris’s story of a student-led drive to build a playground had included larger lessons about making change.
What are the essential ingredients in any drive for change? An idea. A community. Leadership. Hope. And action!
They watched “Kindness Can Change a Nation,” a short video by a 9-year-old who turned his ideas into action. Orion had led community drives for five hundred toys, five thousand meals, and five hundred thousand books. Now he’s pushing for one million acts of kindness.
Students talked about the dream.
They also talked about the math. Five hundred thousand is less than one million, but five is more than one. Place value makes all the difference. Math. Literacy. Reading comprehension.
Hope. Dreams. Action. It’s all part of the same lesson.
— Geoff Griffin, Gordon School
A second-grade classroom learned how a 9-year-old launched an impactful community drive.
The
The school search timeline typically begins a year before enrollment
While each school follows its own schedule, here is a typical admissions timeline. August (of the year before you want your child to attend)
n Define your ideal school
n Find schools that match your child’s needs
n Research and ask questions of schools on your preliminary list
September
n Attend local school fairs to gather material and impressions from multiple schools
n Browse schools’ websites to learn more about their programs and philosophies
n Request admissions and financial aid material by phone or online
n Review admissions materials to determine which schools to visit
n Create a calendar of pertinent admission and financial aid deadlines for the schools to which you are considering applying
n Ask elementary schools about their test schedules and make appointments
n Register for any standardized tests required for admission
n Review the test websites to learn about procedures and test dates, see sample questions, and purchase test-preparation books
n Call schools to schedule individual tours, class visits, interviews, and “shadow days”
October
n Continue scheduling tours, interviews, class visits, and standardized or school-based tests
n Visit schools during open houses, attend information sessions, and take tours
n Finalize the list of schools to which you will apply
n Take required standardized admission tests
November
n Continue scheduling tours, interviews, class visits, and standardized or school-based tests
n Continue to watch for open houses you may want to attend
n Request teacher recommendations from your child’s current school
n Start working on applications, financial aid forms, student questionnaires, and essays
December
n Continue to watch for any open houses or school events of interest
n Request transcripts at the end of your child’s first semester
n Complete applications, questionnaires, and essays
January
n Pay attention to deadlines: Most applications are due in January or February, along with test scores, references, transcripts, and financial aid forms
February
n Don’t miss deadlines: Most schools’ applications are due in February at the latest
n Visit schools and/or have your child participate in a student shadow day
March
n Watch for school decisions starting in mid-March
n Watch for financial aid decisions
n If your student is accepted by multiple schools, decide which school your child will attend
April
n Sign and return enrollment contracts and send deposits
May to September
n Attend events and activities for new parents and students
— Courtesy of the National Association of Independent Schools
All Saints STEAM Academy
Tours available 915 West Main Road $7,365 by appointment Middletown 401/848-4300 allsaintsacademy.org
Antioch School PK-8
Call for a private 618 Rock St., Fall River
tour anytime. 508/673-6767 antioch-school.org
Barrington Christian Academy
Call for tour 9 Old County Road Barrington Schedule a consult. or book online. Barrington 401/246-0113 bcacademy.org
Bishop Connolly High School
p.m.; 373 Elsbree St. (L.E.A.P. Nov. 3, 5-7 p.m. Fall River program) 508/676-1071 and 9-12 bishopconnolly.com
Bishop Hendricken High School
2615 Warwick Ave. (all boys) Warwick 401/739-3450 hendricken.com
Bishop Stang High School
p.m.; 500 Slocum Road Nov. 4, 6:30 p.m. North Dartmouth 508/996-5602 bishopstang.com
Community Preparatory School
135 Prairie Ave. Providence 401/521-9696 communityprep.org
French-American School of R.I.
75 John St., Providence 401/274-3325 fasri.org
Friends Academy Early
Virtual tour on website. 1088 Tucker Road childhood-8 North Dartmouth 508/999-1356 friendsacademy1810.org School Grades Enrollment
Gordon School Nursery-8 365 14-19 Family individualized January (Lower and Middle); 45 Maxfield Ave., E. Providence tuition Nov. 2 (early childhood) 401/434-3833 gordonschool.org
The Grace School K-8
(avg.) Oct. 19, Nov. 16, 1000 Eddy St., Providence Jan. 25, 10 a.m.-12 p.m. 401/533-9100 Thegraceschool.org
Holy Name School PreK-8 Fluctuates
Jan. 30, or 850 Pearce St. Fall River, Mass. tours by appointment 508-674-9131 hnsfr.org
LaSalle Academy 6-12
- $17,500 Oct. 27, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.. 612 Academy Ave. Providence 401/351-7750 lasalle-academy.org
Lincoln School 1-12 (girls)
1-3 p.m. 301 Butler Ave., Providence Nursery-K (coed) 401/331-9696 lincolnschool.org
The Montessori Centre of Barrington 18 months
Varies depending Enrollment opens Feb. 1 303 Sowams Road through K on age, hours, Barrington program montessori-centre.com 401/245-4754
Moses Brown Nursery-12
Oct. 19 250 Lloyd Ave., Providence 401/831-7350 mosesbrown.org
Ocean State Montessori School
Call to schedule a visit. 100 Grove Ave., E. Providence 401/434-6913 oceanstatemontessori.com
Our Lady of Mt. Carmel School
Call for tour 127 State St. Bristol 401/253-8455 olmcri.org
Pennfield School
110 Sandy Point Ave., Portsmouth 401/849-4646 pennfield.org
15; Jan.
GUIDE TO PRIVATE SCHOOLS
Portsmouth Abbey
285 Cory’s Lane, Portsmouth
401/683-2000 portsmouthabbey.org
The Prout School
4640 Tower Hill Road, Wakefield
401/789-9262
theproutschool.org
Providence Country
660 Waterman Ave., E. Providence 401/438-5170 providencecountryday.org
Rocky Hill School
530 Ives Rd., East Greenwich 401/884-9070 rockyhill.org
Sacred Heart School
56 Purchase St., East Providence 401/434-1080 sacredheartepri.com
Sally Borden
at Friends Academy 1088 Tucker Road North Dartmouth 508/999-1356 friendsacademy1810.org
220 University Ave., Providence 401/331-2497 school-one.org
GUIDE TO PRIVATE SCHOOLS
St. Andrew’s School
63 Federal Road, Barrington
401/246-1230 Boarding:
standrews-ri.org
St. George’s School
372 Purgatory Road, Middletown 401/847-7565 stgeorges.edu
St. Luke School
10 Waldron Ave., Barrington 401/246-0990 stlukesri.org
St. Margaret School
Call for more information 42 Bishop Ave., Rumford or visit
stmargaretsch.org 401/434-2338
St. Mary Academy Bay View
3070 Pawtucket Ave. (all girls) Riverside 401/434-0113 bayviewacademy.org
St. Michael’s Country Day
Nov. 7, 9-11 a.m. 180 Rhode Island Ave., Newport
401/849-5970
smcds.org
St. Philomena School
324 Cory’s Lane, Portsmouth 401/683-0268 saintphilomena.org
St. Raphael
123 Walcott St, Pawtucket 401/723-8100 saintrays.org
The Wheeler School Nursery-12
Oct. 26, 9 a.m.-12 p.m. 216 Hope St., Providence 401/421-8100 wheelerschool.org
The Wolf School
215 Ferris Ave., East Providence 401/432-9940 thewolfschool.org
Compassion. Compassion. Inspiration. Inclusion. Inspiration. Inclusion. thegraceschool.org thegraceschool.org
