2012-2013 Upper School Profile
235 West Frederick Street
P.O. Box 210
Staunton, VA 24401
Phone: 540.885.0356 / Fax: 540.886.2275
CEEB Code: 472-170
Head of School: Mark Eastham
Upper School Director, Staunton Campus: Christiana Holyer
College Counselor and Registrar: Meghan Munsey
MISSION: Stuart Hall School offers a rigorous and supportive coeducational academic program in the liberal arts and sciences for students from pre-kindergarten to grade 12. With respect for the development of each individual, the School is a community anchored in a multi-faceted core value: Educating the Mind, Strengthening the Body, Renewing the Spirit, and Nurturing the Heart. In the context for its Episcopal tradition, Stuart Hall School prepares boys and girls of all faiths for success in colleges and universities worldwide and for engaged, healthy lives of intellectual curiosity, responsible citizenship, creative expression, ethical leadership, and compassionate service.
THE SCHOOL: Stuart Hall School, founded in 1844, offers an engaging academic program for boys and girls in grades preK-12 and girls’ boarding in grades 8-12. The boarding program attracts students from a wide array of locations, from the greater mid-Atlantic region of the United States to several countries including South Korea, China, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, and Mexico, among others. An independent school, Stuart Hall became a member of the Church Schools of the Diocese of Virginia in 2003 and in 2007 merged with Hunter McGuire School, an independent preK-5 school just a few miles north of the Staunton campus. Stuart Hall School is located in charming downtown Staunton, Virginia, in the heart of the Shenandoah Valley, just west of Charlottesville and within two hours travel time from Richmond and Washington, D.C. 100% of Stuart Hall graduates are placed at four-year institutions each year.
ACCREDITATION and MEMBERSHIP: The School is accredited by the Virginia Association of Independent Schools, and is a member of the Church Schools of the Diocese of Virginia.
ENROLLMENT: Pre-kindergarten through grade 12: approximately 300 students.
ACADEMIC YEAR: The year is divided into two semesters, with four nine-week quarters. All students take six courses per year. Some students take seven.
HONOR CODE: Stuart Hall’s Honor Code is a special part of the School, distinct from all other expectations. It states that “members of the Stuart Hall School community will not lie, cheat, steal, or tolerate the behaviors of those who do.” A student led Honor Board upholds the standards of the Honor Code, and helps create a community of mutual respect and honesty.
CHAPEL TALK: Each Senior is required to give a 25-minute speech, or “Chapel Talk,” during the school year. The Chapel Talks relate to the school’s theme of the year. This year’s theme is, “I am me because...” Previous themes have been Community through Diversity, the United Nations’ Seven Millennium Development Goals, Lessons and Legacies and Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.
GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS: The curriculum is challenging and college preparatory. A minimum of 22 units of credit in grades 9-12 is required for graduation and is distributed as follows: English, 4 (through Senior year); Math, 4 (through Algebra II and Senior year); History, 4 (through Senior year); Sciences, 3; Foreign Language, 3; P.E. & Health, 2; Philosophy & World Religions, 1; Fine Arts, 1. International students are exempt from the Foreign Language requirement. Upper School credits that may be earned in the 8th grade are Spanish I, French I, and Algebra I. If taken, these courses can be found on the student’s transcript. The grades earned in these courses are part of the GPA.
FINE ARTS EMPHASIS PROGRAM: Students with a strong interest in the arts may complete a college preparatory curriculum while also concentrating in Art, Theatre, or Music. The program offers a balance between the arts and the academic curriculum. Students must apply, and they may concentrate in one of the three areas. Seniors complete a capstone project in their particular area of concentration. Because of the requirements of the program, Fine Arts Emphasis students are exempt from one P.E. & Health credit and one Math credit.
HONORS COURSES: Students may take the following courses for Honors credit through individual contract with the teacher, designated on the transcript with an “H” or “Hrs”: World Literature, American Literature, British Literature, Senior Composition, Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II/Trigonometry, Finite Math, Precalculus, Biology, Environmental Science, Chemistry, Physics, Ancient World Cultures, Modern World Cultures, Military History, U.S. History, Government & Economics, French IV & V, Spanish IV & V. Courses taken for Honors credit are weighted 0.5 point.
ADVANCED PLACEMENT COURSES: Stuart Hall offers AP Literature, AP World History, AP U.S. History, AP Government & Economics, AP Calculus AB, AP Biology, AP Environmental Science, AP Spanish and AP Music Theory (every other year). Students are not limited in the number of AP courses in which they can enroll. Students must take the AP exam in May if enrolled in the class. AP courses are weighted 1.0 point.
DUAL ENROLLMENT and COLLEGE COURSES: With such close physical proximity to Mary Baldwin College (MBC), juniors and seniors with a 3.3 GPA overall have the opportunity to take college courses while attending Stuart Hall. A College Composition and Literature dual-enrollment class for seniors is taught on the Stuart Hall campus through MBC. The course is weighted 1.0 point, similar to Advanced Placement classes.
CLASS RANK: Similar to many other independent schools of its size and caliber, Stuart Hall School does not rank its students. Admission to the School is selective, and ranking is not a valid indication of student performance.
GRADING SCALE: A+ 98-100, A 93-97, A- 90-92, B+ 87-89, B 83-86, B- 80-82, C+ 77-79, C 73-76, C- 70-72, D+67-69, D 63-66, D- 60-62, F 59 and below. The 4-point GPA scale can be found on the transcript. All courses taken are included in the GPA.
SAT AND ACT DISTRIBUTION, 2010-2011 ACADEMIC YEAR, Middle 50%
SAT Critical Reading + Math, 1000 – 1320; SAT Critical Reading + Math + Writing, 1500 – 1940
ACT Composite Scores, 23 – 28
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