The Saint Stephen's Episcopal School Non-Traditional Student (NTS) Program is designed for students in grades 8-12 enrolled in homeschool, Florida Virtual School, private schools who do not offer the sport in which the student desires to participate in, or enrolled at a school that is not a member of the FHSAA. The FHSAA provides this option to all member schools, given that completed paperwork is on file prior to student participation.
All determinations as to whether a student-athlete will be accepted to the program are the sole discretion of Saint Stephen’s. Non-traditional students are only allowed to participate on teams whose rosters have not exceeded FHSAA maximums or the coach’s preferred number. As with all varsity-level teams, playing time is determined by merit and is not guaranteed. A student who has attended Saint Stephen’s for any period of time during the past three academic years is not eligible to participate, except under unusual circumstances.
Non-traditional students must complete the Saint Stephen’s Episcopal School Non-Traditional Student Application. They must also provide transcripts verifying that their academic eligibility meets Saint Stephen’s and FHSAA guidelines. An interview to determine the compatibility of the student with the mission and vision of SSES is conducted by the Director of Athletics, Senior Associate Director of Athletics, and the Director of Enrollment Management.
The application and all checklist items must be submitted and approved by the Friday prior to the official date of tryouts for a specific sport. Upon approval, the student and parent/guardian will be provided with the SSES Parent/Student Handbook and the SSES Athletic Handbook. A $750 fee ($850 for lacrosse and $950 for football to cover increased equipment and related costs) must be paid in advance of participation each season.
An interview to determine the compatibility of the student with the mission and vision of SSES is conducted by the Director of Athletics, Senior Associate Director of Athletics, The Director of Enrollment Management, and the Upper School Division Director.
If you have further questions, please contact Director of Athletics Cole Hudson (chudson@saintstephens.org) or Senior Associate Director of Athletics Heather Hodges (hhodges@saintstephens.org).
