3 minute read
MESSAGE FROM THE HEADMASTER
Gratitude and Joy Every Day
Dear Saints, How delightful to open and enjoy the 20222023 school year with full normalcy and the absence of any onerous COVID precautions. This school year has been blessedly reminiscent of school years prior to 2020, with one important qualification – it has been even better. It has been even better because, humbled by the experiences of 2020 and 2021, each of us – student, teacher, and parent – feels a sense of gratitude and joy for the everyday experiences we all likely took for granted prior to the pandemic. As we emerge from the challenges of COVID, I am pleased to report that your School, St. Christopher’s, stands as objectively strong today as at any point in its storied history.
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For example:
• Student enrollment for 2022-2023 increased to the second highest level in the history of our School, with 1,003 students on opening day. We could have opened with an even larger student body, but have capped enrollment at present levels to ensure mission-appropriate intimacy and student:teacher ratios.
• Student retention from 2021-2022 to 2022-2023 was its strongest in recorded history, 97.2%. For context, the average retention rate among all independent schools nationwide is approximately 91%. This is the first time in
School history that we have retained more than 97% of our students from one year to the next.
• Our admissions yield for 2022-2023, which is the percentage of our admission offers that result in enrollment, reached an all-time high of 87%. Our 10-year yield average prior to this year is 70%, itself a strong and healthy figure.
• Early demand for next year’s enrollment is remarkable and historic. By September 20, 2022 we had already received more applications for 2023-2024 JK enrollment than we received in all of 2021-2022 for 2022-2023 enrollment.
• Philanthropy continues to soar, with a record-breaking Day of Giving, record-breaking unrestricted Annual Giving, and increases in absolute dollars and participation rates.
• Although we are not yet in a formal endowment campaign, St. Christopher’s secured over $6 million in new endowment commitments in 2021-2022.
• Our 89 graduates of the Class of 2022 are attending 46 colleges and universities in 21 states and Washington, D.C. An impressive 26% of the class plans to play college athletics, numerous boys intend to pursue majors in the arts, and over half of the class earned AP Scholar distinction.
As the college landscape grows increasingly competitive, I am proud of how St. Christopher’s seniors continue to amass acceptances to a wide variety of colleges and universities, tailored to the needs of each student. As we have for decades, our faculty and team of college counselors focus on fit for each graduate, rather than chasing “prestige” driven by national rankings. This issue of STC Magazine offers an interesting perspective on current dynamics with the college application process.
Finally, we are making important strides on the implementation of our strategic plan, Momentum 2025, and one can indeed feel the positive momentum pulsating on our campus and throughout our broader community. Stay tuned for a comprehensive strategic planning update later this school year. It is a great time to be a Saint, and we feel deeply fortunate for our many blessings and our many supporters and benefactors.
I hope you enjoy reading the reflections and updates in this issue of STC Magazine. Please come to campus this year and see our boys in action!
Gratefully,
Mason Lecky, headmaster
