Upper School
The Upper School at Saint Stephen’s is a traditional college preparatory school with approximately 250 students in grades 9-12. Our students have a variety of backgrounds and come from all over – from local Manatee and Sarasota counties to states all over the nation and countries across the world. Some of our students (approximately 15 %) live and train athletically at IMG Academies in Bradenton.
Regardless of where they come from, our students dedicate themselves to their academic work and are surrounded by others who have accepted the same challenge. The Upper School offers a diverse curriculum that supports Advanced Placement classes and honors classes, designed to prepare students for college, give them experience in the major academic disciplines, develop their appreciation of and ability in the arts, and encourage athletic involvement. Members of the faculty and administration celebrate students’ individual interests and abilities and encourage their growth outside the curriculum.
Our teachers combine a passion for their subjects with a love of working with teenaged students. Small classes create an environment in which each student regularly participates and is heard. Each member of the Saint Stephen’s community is expected to abide by the Honor Code, promising to reach for the highest standards of personal and academic integrity. Every student has a faculty advisor to consult about academic progress, course selection, and other issues that affect school life. In general, clear communication between students and faculty supports our caring, safe culture.
Upper School students are a part of the Saint Stephen’s community, where their teachers and classmates know and care about them. From the time each student arrives on campus in the morning, he or she has a place to go: students may stop in to chat with a teacher about a homework assignment or meet classmates for an early study group. It is not uncommon to find a teacher and several students talking together over lunch. The richness and diversity of the Upper School curriculum, combined with community warmth, makes Saint Stephen’s Upper School unique.
