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{{Infobox |
{{Infobox school | ||
name = St. John's School |
| name = St. John's School | ||
image = ] |
| image = ] | ||
motto = |
| motto = Faith and Virtue | ||
established = |
| established = {{Start date and age|1946}} | ||
type = |
| type = Independent | ||
head_name = |
| head_name = Head of School | ||
head = |
| head = Daniel J. Alig | ||
city = ] |
| city = ] | ||
state = ] |
| state = ] | ||
country = |
| country = US | ||
| coordinates = {{Coord|region:US_type:edu|display=title,inline|format=dms}} | |||
campus = Urban| | |||
|
| campus = Urban | ||
|
| grades = ] | ||
|
| gender = ] | ||
| enrollment = 1,493 | |||
colors = <!-- READ THE DISCUSSION PAGE BEFORE YOU CHANGE THIS TO RED -->Scarlet and Black| | |||
| faculty = 208 | |||
mascot = Crusaders (1946-1949) <br/> Rebels (1949-2004) <br/> Mavericks (2004-present) | | |||
|
| ratio = 7:1 (Upper School) | ||
| SAT = Average: 1394 Median: 1510 (Reading and Writing: 740, Math: 770) (1600 scale)<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.sjs.org/about-sjs/sjs-at-a-glance|title=SJS At A Glance St. John's School|website=www.sjs.org}}</ref> | |||
SAT = 1470 (Old SAT I) <br> 2140 (New SAT I)| | |||
|
| ACT = Median: 34<ref name="auto"/> | ||
| colors = <!-- READ THE DISCUSSION PAGE BEFORE YOU CHANGE THIS TO RED -->{{color box|red}} Red<br />{{color box|black}} Black | |||
athletics = 22 Sports | | |||
| nickname = Crusaders (1946–1949)<br /> Rebels (1949–2004)<br />Mavericks (2004–present) | |||
homepage = | | |||
|
| class = | ||
177 (Upper School) | |||
122 (Middle school) | |||
64 (Lower school) | |||
42 (Kindergarten) | |||
| website = {{cite web |url=https://www.sjs.org/ |title=St. John's School}} | |||
}} | }} | ||
'''St. John's School''' is a ] |
'''St. John's School''' (also known as '''St. John's''' or '''SJS''') is a coeducational, independent ] day school in ], Texas, United States. The School was founded in 1946 and is a member of the ], the ] (ISAS), and the ] (SPC). Though situated adjacent to St. John the Divine church, St. John's claims no religious affiliation. For the 2024-2025 school year, tuition ranges from approximately $29,000 to $35,000. | ||
As of June 2023, SJS's endowment is $90,600,000.<ref name="autogenerated2">{{cite web|date=2022-12-08|title=SJS At A Glance|url=https://www.sjs.org/about-sjs/sjs-at-a-glance|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141012072037/http://www.sjs.org/Page/About/SJS-Fast-Facts|archive-date=October 12, 2014|access-date=2018-02-13|publisher=Sjs.org}}</ref> | |||
The Brown (South) Campus hosts the Lower (K-5) and Georges Middle (6-8) Schools as well as the Virginia Stuller Tatham (VST) Fine Arts Center and the Smith athletic center. The Cullen (North) Campus, separated from the South Campus by Westheimer Road, houses the Upper (9-12) School. Two tunnels run underneath Westheimer Road, and connect the North and South Campuses. The school also maintains two athletic fields across Richmond Avenue for field hockey, soccer, and lacrosse. | |||
==History== | |||
St. John's receives no state or federal funding. Tuition is $15,050 for Upper School students, $14,200 for Middle School students, and $11,975 for Lower School students. Many students receive partial to full need-based scholarships, as the school has a need-blind admissions policy. | |||
== |
===Founding=== | ||
Toward the close of ], W. St. John Garwood and other prominent Houstonians sought to create in Houston a "school of exacting standards" in the development of individual, spiritual, ethical, intellectual, social, and physical growth of its students. In January 1946, these Houstonians invited ], former headmaster of both the Pawling School (today the ]) and the Arizona Desert School and the post-war Assistant Dean of Students at the ], to travel to Texas to speak at a gathering of interested members of the Houston community. Mr. and Mrs. W. St. John Garwood Sr., Mr. and Mrs. Merrick Phelps, Mr. R. E. Smith, Mr. J. O. Winston Jr., and the Reverend Thomas Sumners of the Church of ] ] were among those present at the meeting. At Mr. Chidsey's persuasion, Mrs. William S. Farish immediately committed to her involvement with the School, and many others followed. | |||
The School seeks to develop the whole person in preparation for a lifetime of personal fulfillment and contribution to society. In particular, it is dedicated to the enhancement and the expansion of future leadership for Houston and the country. The School offers talented, motivated, and energetic students a genuine challenge for academic accomplishment and for development of a sense of self-worth and of personal responsibility. The School in turn holds itself responsible for providing that challenge. | |||
A proposal was drafted that entailed combining forces with the St. John the Divine nursery school to create the School. St. John's first 344 students filed into St. John the Divine's chapel on Opening Day, September 27, 1946. The entire campus, located on what used to be Michael Louis Westheimer's farm, was six acres (2.4 ha). | |||
==History== | |||
] | |||
] Justice ] (right)]] | |||
St. John's was established in 1946 with just 344 students and six acres of land. Founding headmaster ] served as headmaster of both the Pawling School (today ]) and the ] before World War II and as Assistant Dean of Students at ] after the war. The school's seal is similar to that of the Trinity-Pawling School. | |||
Today, St. John's covers {{convert|41|acre|ha}} of land and educates approximately 1,493 total students supported by over 200 faculty and staff. The School's 41 acres includes 13 acres that were purchased in late December 2012 for approximately $90 million (the Taub Property). The School's student-teacher ratio is approximately 7:1. Despite its lack of religious affiliation, the School provides ] chapel services at the church of St. John the Divine each Wednesday morning during the academic year. In recent years, the Chapel program has branched out to offer more multicultural services, hosting speakers from a diverse range of faiths and non-religious backgrounds, such as environmentalists, athletes, and faculty or student alumni.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sjs.org/Page/About/History |title=History | St. John's School |publisher=Sjs.org |date=1946-09-27 |access-date=2015-05-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141012075335/http://www.sjs.org/Page/About/History |archive-date=October 12, 2014 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref> | |||
The school was originally affiliated with ] ] nursery school. Today the school has no affiliation with the church, although it does provide ] ] ] services at the church. In recent years, the Chapel program has branched out to offer more ] services, often hosting speakers from other faiths or non-religious backgrounds. | |||
===Post-founding=== | |||
In 1998, alumnus ] filmed the loosely autobiographical '']'' at St. John's. Like protagonist Max Fischer, Mr. Anderson staged numerous action epic plays in the now-demolished Hoodwink auditorium of his alma mater, with titles like ''The Five Maseratis'' and ''The Battle of the Alamo''. Anderson co-wrote the movie with ], who had attended a St. John's rival and fellow member of the Southwest Preparatory Conference, ], in Dallas. | |||
In the wake of the ] in 2020, several St. John's alumni, several African-American and some non-African American, issued a letter to the administration to ask it to take measures against racism.<ref>{{cite web|author=Buckley, Kyra|url=https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/in-depth/2020/06/15/376261/houston-private-school-alumni-demand-anti-racist-policies-and-curriculum/|title=Houston Private School Alumni Demand Anti-Racist Policies And Curriculum|work=]|date=2020-06-15|access-date=2020-06-15}} - </ref> | |||
==Campus== | |||
In 1995, ], then the ], served as the commencement speaker. Two years later, in 2000, while a candidate for ], '']'' magazine and '']'' reported that, as a child, Bush had been rejected for admission by St. John's. According to the article, Governor Bush consulted with his parents (the former president ] and his wife, ]) on this issue and was able to confirm that he had, in fact, been rejected by St. John's decades before, which had led to his enrolling at ], his father's alma mater. | |||
] | |||
St. John's 41-acre grounds are located in the central part of Houston, Texas, specifically spanning the ] district and the residential neighborhood of ]. | |||
The campus itself comprises two campuses, divided by Westheimer Road, that are connected by two pedestrian tunnels underneath Westheimer. The Brown (South) Campus contains the Lower School (classes K-5) and the Georges Middle School (classes 6–8) as well as the Virginia Stuller Tatham (VST) Fine Arts Center and the Smith Athletic Center. The Cullen (North) Campus houses the Upper School (classes 9–12) and the focal point of the School, the Quadrangle. The Lower, Middle, and Upper Schools each maintain their own libraries. Upper and Middle School students share the Upper School cafeteria, and the Lower School has its own. | |||
In 2005, ], then a current ], visited St. John's School. Other notable visitors to St. John's over the years have included former U.S. Secretary of State James A. Baker III and Italian mezzo-soprano Cecilia Bartoli, whose first U.S. performance was at St. John's in 1993. | |||
In addition, the school's primary athletic field, Skip Lee Field, and its track are located on the South Campus to the east of the Middle School and to the south of the Lower School. The School also owns two properties neighboring the South Campus that house athletic fields (Finnegan Field and Scotty Caven Field) for field hockey, soccer, and lacrosse. | |||
Today, the school covers 28 acres at the corner of Westheimer and Claremont, and the school has an enrollment of 1,225 students supported by over 200 faculty and staff. | |||
Across Buffalo Speedway from the South Campus is the Taub Property, a 13-acre property acquired by St. John's in December 2012. The school's baseball field along with temporary offices are located on the property as of March 2015. | |||
===Mascot change=== | |||
] | |||
The St. John's ] has a controversial history. The original mascot, ''The Crusaders'', lasted only three years due to its religious connotations. ''The Rebels'' was selected as a replacement in 1949, with Confederate symbol '']'' as the mascot. | |||
The William Stamps Farish Quadrangle, the first building constructed, has an exterior of Austin limestone and was designed by Hiram A. Salisbury.<ref name=Cutlerp35>Cutler, p. 35.</ref> It was built beginning in late March 1946, with an interruption from June 13 to August 30 of that year due to a strike,<ref name=Cutlerp36>Cutler, p. 36.</ref> with the end in March 1948.<ref name=Cutlerp37>Cutler, p. 37.</ref> The two wings were West Farish and East Farish, the former the school's first wing and named after killed in action World War II soldier William Stamps Farish Jr., and the second named after his father, William Stamps Farish Sr.<ref name=Cutlerp36/> The money used to build the wings originated from the wife of Farish Sr., also the mother of Farish Jr.<ref>Cutler, p. 35-36.</ref> Due to a lack of housing in the area, initially a portion of West Farish was used as faculty apartments, but they were discontinued in 1952 and converted into offices and classrooms as additional non-school housing opened.<ref name=Cutlerp37/> The school announced in June 2004 that it would redevelop three sides of the Quadrangle.<ref name=Cutlerp35/> Leigh Cutler wrote in ''The Houston Review'' that "Although the exterior design of the new building is sympathetic to old construction, much of the original materials and limestone patterns cannot be repeated."<ref name=Cutlerp37/> | |||
In 1990, the Upper School students voted to discontinue the mascot and nickname, under the leadership of their African-American Head Prefect (student body president). A year later all symbols of the ] were disassociated from the school, although the nickname "The Rebels" was retained with the hopes it could be connected with the ] or more generally as an ambiguous invocation of nonconformity and independent thinking. | |||
In late 2014 the school released its master plan for the campus that included the recently acquired Taub Property. The plan was developed with the assistance of ] and the input of faculty, students, and alumni.<ref>{{cite web|title=Long-Range Campus Plan|url=http://www.sjs.org/Page/Campus-Expansion/Long-Range-Campus-Plan|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141114141348/http://www.sjs.org/Page/Campus-Expansion/Long-Range-Campus-Plan|url-status=dead|archive-date=14 November 2014|website=St. John's School|access-date=8 March 2015}}</ref> | |||
In the spring of 2004, by a unanimous vote of the Board of Trustees, St. John's School officially changed its mascot to ''The Mavericks'' in order to further distance themselves from any Confederate connections. The change was supported by a majority of faculty. A large number of students and alumni opposed the change. | |||
The school is adjacent to ], a public secondary school operated by ]. | |||
==Academics== | ==Academics== | ||
St. John's Upper School students graduate having completed at least three courses in mathematics, three courses in a foreign language, four courses in English and writing, two courses in science, three courses in history, two years in physical education, and a year in the arts (music, fine arts, theater, or dance). | |||
===College placement=== | |||
The school reports that the median ] (New Scholastic Aptitude Test I) score for the Class of 2006 was 2140 out of 2400 (700 critical reading, 720 math, 720 writing). | |||
Data released by the School reflects that, from 2010 to 2014, approximately 48% of St. John's seniors went on to matriculate at colleges and universities ranked by '']'' as being in the Top 25 of National Universities<ref>{{cite web|url=http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities/data |title=National University | Rankings | Data | US News |publisher=Colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com |access-date=2015-05-20}}</ref> or the Top 10 of Liberal Arts Colleges.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-liberal-arts-colleges/data |title=National Liberal Arts College | Rankings | Data | US News |publisher=Colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com |access-date=2015-05-20}}</ref><ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite web|url=http://www.sjs.org/ftpimages/80/download/download_1258258.pdf |title=St. John's School : Resume |publisher=Sjs.org |access-date=2015-05-20}}</ref> | |||
===Standardized testing=== | |||
Data for the Class of 2024 reflects a median SAT score of 740 (out of 800) in Reading & Writing and 770 (out of 800) in Math.<ref name="auto"/> The Class of 2024's median ACT score is 33 on a 36 scale.<ref name="auto"/> | |||
For years 2012 to 2015, more than half of each SJS senior class were recognized as National Merit Semifinalists or Commended Scholars: for 2012, the percentage was 68%; for 2013, 64%; for 2014, 59%; and for 2015, 64%.<ref name="autogenerated1"/> Data for the 2013–2014 academic year shows that SJS led all Houston-area schools in both number (49) and percentage (35%) of National Merit Semifinalists in its senior class.<ref name="houstonschoolsurvey1">{{cite web|url=http://www.houstonschoolsurvey.com/national-merit-scholars.html#.VVIGuPlVhBc |title=National Merit Semi-Finalists in Houston - The Houston School Survey - School Research, Reviews, & Forum |publisher=The Houston School Survey |date=2014-09-29 |access-date=2015-05-20}}</ref> | |||
===Students and faculty=== | |||
Enrollment for the 2024–2025 school year is 367 for the Lower School, 400 for the Middle School, and 800 for the Upper School.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sjs.org |title=St. John's School |website=sjs.org |access-date=8 Oct 2022}}</ref><ref name="autogenerated2"/> Approximately 13% of students are on scholarship or financial aid.<ref name="autogenerated2"/> Forty-nine percent of students self-identify as being of color. There are approximately 5,862 living alumni.<ref name="autogenerated2"/> | |||
The total number of faculty at SJS is 204, 157 of whom have master's or doctorate degrees.<ref name="auto"/> | |||
==Student life== | ==Student life== | ||
===Sports=== | |||
St. John's offers a wide variety of sports. Students may participate in cross-country, volleyball, field hockey, or football in the fall season, soccer, basketball, swimming, or wrestling in the winter, and golf, tennis, lacrosse, softball, baseball, or track and field in the spring. | |||
===Athletics=== | |||
] | |||
The Maverick football team plays the annual homecoming game against its traditional rival, ] at ]. | |||
St. John's sponsors teams in cross-country, volleyball, field hockey, and football in the fall season; soccer, basketball, swimming, and wrestling in the winter; and golf, tennis, lacrosse, softball, baseball, and track and field in the spring.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sjs.org/Page/Athletics/Team-Pages |title=Team Pages | St. John's School |publisher=Sjs.org |access-date=2015-05-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006152007/http://www.sjs.org/Page/Athletics/Team-Pages |archive-date=October 6, 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref> | |||
In 2006, both the men's and women's lacrosse teams won the Texas High School Lacrosse League Championship. | |||
In a tradition that began in 1951, St. John's plays its annual homecoming football game against crosstown rival ] at ]. | |||
===The Arts=== | |||
Students can participate in the arts either in classes, ensembles, or extracurricular organizations. The first arts organization created was Johnnycake, founded by the original headmaster in 1949. It is the oldest continuous service organization at St. John's. Open to all Upper School students, Johnnycake provides opportunities in all aspects of theatrical production from technical crew to performance. St. John's also supports three main shows in the Upper School (as well as other smaller student productions), two to three in the Middle School, and the Spring Fling for the Lower School. Two semesters of Theater are offered for credit. | |||
===Arts=== | |||
Students can participate in many choral groups. In Lower School, students can participate in St. John's Singers (4th-5th grade); in Middle School, Cantatores; Upper schoolers have many options, from women's Les Chanteuses, mixed Chorale, and the selective chamber choir Kantorei as well as the volunteer Chapel Singers. Male students, 4th through 12th grade, can participate in the Boy Choir as well. Every other year, Kantorei makes an international tour to perform across the globe, visiting in the recent past Canada, Austria, Italy (including a Mass in St. Peter's Basilica), and the Czech Republic. | |||
{{Unreferenced section|date=July 2016}} | |||
Students can participate in the arts in classes for academic credit, performing ensembles, and extracurricular organizations or performances.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sjs.org/arts/upper-school-arts|title=Upper School Arts St. John's School }}</ref> | |||
The oldest extracurricular arts organization at St. John's is Johnnycake, founded by first headmaster Alan Lake Chidsey in 1949, that originally produced and performed works written by Mr. Chidsey. Open to all Upper School students, Johnnycake provides opportunities in all aspects of theatrical production from technical crew to set and costume design to performance.<ref>" {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719013857/http://www.sjs.org/podium/default.aspx?t=111221|date=July 19, 2011}}</ref> | |||
There is no formal marching band at St. John's, but there are many ensembles and smaller bands. In Middle School, there is the Beginner Band, open to class seven and eight students who are interested in learning to play a wind instrument and the Intermediate Band, which performs a repertoire ranging from standard band to pop and jazz. Students more adept at string instruments (violin, viola, cello, bass) can join the orchestral group, the Sinfonia. The Upper School features both a Wind Ensemble and Jazz Band as well as the Chamber Strings, and sporting events are frequently cheered on by the Drum Corps. | |||
===Student organizations=== | ===Student organizations=== | ||
'''' is the official student newspaper of St. John's School. | |||
The SJS Academic Bowl Team won the ] High School National Championship in 2002, placed third in 2003 and 2004, and advanced to the semi-finals of the PACE NSC in 2004. Most recently, St. John's placed 2nd in the 2014 HSNCT National Championships<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.naqt.com/stats/tournament/standings.jsp?tournament_id=5000|title=NAQT {{!}} 2014 High School National Championship Tournament {{!}} Team Standings|website=www.naqt.com|language=en|access-date=2018-10-31}}</ref> | |||
An informal online newspaper, , is created and read by Middle School students. | |||
Dozens of other student organizations, from the Yearbook to Model United Nations to "Pots and Pans" (a moral/spirit group), are active throughout the academic year. Other examples of clubs include sports based clubs (baseball, hockey, soccer, curling), science (Science and Math Club, Faraday), cinematography (MavTV), academic (Speech and Debate Team, Quiz Bowl/Academic Challenge, Mathematical Problem Solving Club), government (Junior Statesmen, Model UN, Young Political Organization), international interests (Spanish Club, Italian Club, International Club), and general interests (Bread Club, Auto club, Anime Club et al.). | |||
, in the past few years, has been successful a quiz bowl team at local, state, and national levels. Also known as the Academic Team or Nerd Squad, the group competes in local, state, regional, and national tournaments of academic, intellectual, and sometimes esoteric topics related to anything from mathematics, science, the humanities, or "trash" (pop culture, sports, etcetera). The team often attends tournaments hosted by the Texas Quizbowl Alliance and other institutions. Most notably, it won the ] High School National Championship in 2002, placed third in 2003 and 2004, and advanced to the semifinals of the PACE NSC in 2004. | |||
===Community service=== | |||
{| class="wikitable" | |||
|+ ] tournaments with notable results <!-- if required --> | |||
! '''Rank''' | |||
! '''Year''' | |||
! '''Team''' | |||
! '''Location''' | |||
|- | |||
| 13th | |||
| 2005 | |||
| SJS | |||
| Chicago, IL | |||
|- | |||
| 3rd | |||
| 2004 | |||
| SJS A | |||
| Houston, TX | |||
|- | |||
| 13th | |||
| 2004 | |||
| SJS B | |||
| Houston, TX | |||
|- | |||
| 3rd | |||
| 2003 | |||
| SJS A | |||
| Myrtle Beach, SC | |||
|- | |||
| Champion | |||
| 2002 | |||
| SJS | |||
| Austin, TX | |||
|- | |||
| 10th | |||
| 2001 | |||
| SJS | |||
| Ann Arbor, MI | |||
|} | |||
Community service is introduced in Lower School. Weekly canned food drives are held, and classes visit local food banks to see how their contributions are used.{{Citation needed|date=July 2014}} The annual drive to provide holiday presents to underprivileged families is a highlight of the year, culminating in a field trip to personally deliver the presents to the families.{{Citation needed|date=July 2014}} | |||
Upper School student clubs include Tap Club, Chess Club, ECOS, Knitting Club, FACETS, Soccer Club, History Club, and more. | |||
In Middle School, additional community service projects are introduced. Students may be more involved in planning and helping with the organization of these projects. Upper School community service is mostly student-driven.{{Citation needed|date=July 2014}} Any student may submit a proposal to design and lead their own project and recruit other participants.<ref>{{Cite web | url = http://www.sjs.org/podium/default.aspx | archive-url = https://archive.today/20130415222910/http://www.sjs.org/podium/default.aspx?t=112562 | url-status = dead | title = St. John's School ~ Community Service | archive-date = April 15, 2013 | access-date = August 7, 2009 }}</ref> | |||
==Location== | |||
The school is located in the ] district adjacent to ], an affluent neighborhood. While the school draws the majority of its students from the Houston neighborhoods of River Oaks and ] and the cities of ] and Bellaire, the school's student body hails from nearly every zip code in Houston and surrounding areas. | |||
===Nickname and mascot=== | |||
The school is next door to ], a public secondary school operated by ]. | |||
The St. John's nickname and ] have had a controversial history. The original nickname, "Crusaders," lasted only three years due to its religious connotations.{{Citation needed|date=July 2014}} "Rebels" was selected as the replacement nickname in 1949, with ] symbol '']'' as the mascot. | |||
In 1990, the Upper School students voted to discontinue the mascot and nickname.{{Citation needed|date=July 2014}} A year later, all symbols of the ] were disassociated from the School, although the nickname "Rebels" was retained with the hopes it could be connected with the ] or more generally as an invocation of nonconformity and independent thinking.{{Citation needed|date=July 2014}} There were plans to try to connect the rebel name with the film '']''.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Wermund|first1=Benjamin|last2=Dellinger|first2=Hannah|url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/us-world/article/Do-Ted-Cruz-s-kids-go-to-a-woke-private-school-17029724.php|title=Do Ted Cruz's kids go to a woke private school in Houston? Not quite, say St. John's School alumni.|newspaper=]|date=2022-03-25|accessdate=2022-03-27}}</ref> | |||
The Upper Kirby district plans to establish a "teen center" at Richmond at Wake Forest geared towards students at St. John's, Lamar, ], and other Upper Kirby schools and schools near Upper Kirby. Funding issues have delayed establishment of the center. | |||
In the spring of 2004, by a unanimous vote of the Board of Trustees, St. John's School officially changed its nickname to ''Mavericks'' in order to further distance itself from any Confederate implications while still retaining the association with independence and individualism.{{Citation needed|date=July 2014}} The change was supported by a majority of faculty, though some students and alumni opposed the change.{{Citation needed|date=July 2014}} Today, the Maverick nickname is widely used and accepted,{{Citation needed|date=July 2014}}. | |||
==School uniform== | |||
St. John's requires that students wear the ] at all times. Most uniform pieces must be purchased from ]. The St. John's plaid, only available from Sue Mills, is distinctive from other Houston area schools. | |||
In 2008, St. John's began using a horse mascot known as Maverick in its pep rallies.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sjs.org/ftpimages/80/download/Graduation%20Issue%20for%20Online%20Final.pdf |title=The Review : Official Newsletter of St. John's School |date=2012 |publisher=Sjs.org |access-date=2015-05-20}}</ref> In a school-wide pep rally, taking place the day before the annual Kinkaid football game, the Maverick chases a Falcon from the field. | |||
The uniform for all male students consists of belted ] or ] shorts or pants, worn with a white or powder blue oxford shirt or a white, red (Lower School), black (Middle School), or navy (Upper School) ]. | |||
==In the media and popular culture== | |||
Lower School girls may wear a red or plaid jumper over a white peter pan collar blouse with red piping, khaki or twill shorts or pants with a red or white polo shirt, or a plaid skort with a red or white polo shirt. Middle School girls may wear a red or plaid skirt with a white polo shirt or khaki or twill shorts or pants with a white or black polo shirt. Upper School girls may wear a red or plaid skirt with a white or navy polo shirt or khaki or twill shorts or pants with a white or navy polo shirt. | |||
===News stories=== | |||
Students are required to tuck in shirts, and a 2004 survey conducted by ''The Review'' found that untucked shirts accounted for the vast majority of detentions and other disciplinary action. | |||
National media reports about selective private schools in the United States have mentioned St. John's. For example, SJS was featured in a ] story titled "America's Elite Prep Schools."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/2009/04/06/america-elite-schools-leadership-prep.html |title=America's Elite Prep Schools |work=Forbes |date=2009-06-04 |access-date=2015-05-20}}</ref> In November 2007, the '']'' listed St. John's in a chart accompanying an article titled "How to Get into Harvard."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/info-COLLEGE0711-sort.html |title=WSJ.com |publisher=Online.wsj.com |access-date=2015-05-20}}</ref> The chart reported that 9% of SJS graduates in 2007 went to one of eight elite colleges (specifically identified as Harvard, Princeton, MIT, Williams, Pomona, Swarthmore, the University of Chicago, and Johns Hopkins). St. John's and fellow SPC member ] were the only Texas schools on the list. | |||
Nationwide rankings of private high schools regularly include St. John's. Examples include: | |||
==Headmasters== | |||
*], 1946-1966 | |||
*Elwood Kimball Salls, 1966-1976 | |||
*Thomas Read, 1976-1981 | |||
*James R. Maggart, 1981-1991 | |||
*E. Philip Cannon, 1991-1998 (1991-1992 as interim headmaster) | |||
*John Allman, 1998-present | |||
* No. 5 - Best Private K-12 Schools in America, ] (2024)<ref name="St. John's School in Houston, TX">{{cite web | url=https://www.niche.com/k12/st-johns-school-houston-tx/#rankings | title=St. John's School in Houston, TX }}</ref> | |||
==Notable alumni== | |||
* No. 13 - Best Private High Schools in America, ] (2024)<ref name="St. John's School in Houston, TX"/> | |||
*], Academy Award nominated writer, producer, and director of films | |||
* No. 23 - Top 25 Private High Schools in the Country, ] (2016)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.townandcountrymag.com/society/news/a5446/best-private-high-schools/|title=The Same Private High School Has Been Ranked the Best in America 3 Years in a Row|date=August 8, 2017|access-date=March 5, 2018}}</ref> | |||
*] | |||
* No. 7 - The 50 Smartest High Schools in the U.S., ] (2016)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/smartest-private-high-schools-in-the-us-2016-3/#no-7-st-johns-school-44|title=The 50 smartest private high schools in the US|website=] |access-date=March 5, 2018}}</ref> | |||
*] | |||
*], famed political columnist | |||
St. John's received media attention during the U.S. presidential campaign of 2000 as part of the press's reporting on the academic background of then-candidate ] when it was reported—and confirmed by Bush after he had consulted with his parents, former President ] and First Lady ]—that he had applied to SJS as a child and had been rejected.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://partners.nytimes.com/library/politics/camp/061000wh-bush.html |title=George W. Bush's Journey: The Cheerleader: Earning A's in People Skills at Andover |publisher=Partners.nytimes.com |access-date=2015-05-20}}</ref> | |||
*] | |||
*Mike France, a senior writer at '']'' | |||
===''Rushmore''=== | |||
*] | |||
In 1998, ] '87 directed the loosely autobiographical '']'', based on a screenplay co-written with ]. In directing the film, Anderson based the fictitious Rushmore Academy on St. John's. As reported in ], "When Wes Anderson scouted locations for the all-boys prep school..., he looked as far as the U.K. in search of the perfect location. It wasn't until he saw some photos of St. John's, his own high school, that he realized the places he had been imagining were the ones he knew from going to school there."<ref name="theatlantic1">{{cite web|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2012/06/tour-wes-andersons-high-school-aka-the-set-of-rushmore/258752/ |title=Tour Wes Anderson's High School, a.k.a. the Set of 'Rushmore' |publisher=The Atlantic |date=2012-06-20 |access-date=2015-05-20}}</ref> Like protagonist Max Fischer, Anderson as a child had staged numerous epic action plays, with titles like ''The Five Maseratis'' and ''The Battle of the Alamo''. Seen in ''Rushmore'' are the North Campus's Quadrangle and circle driveway, the Upper School library, and chapel service at the Church of St. John the Divine. Anderson also used a number of students and alumni as extras in the film.<ref name="theatlantic1"/> | |||
*Christy Haubegger, founder of ''Latina'' magazine | |||
*], local Houstonian political candidate | |||
===''Clinger''=== | |||
Much of the 2015 horror comedy ''Clinger,'' directed by Michael Steves, was filmed on the middle school campus at St. John's. ''Clinger'' premiered at the 2015 ] in Park City, Utah. It was announced during July that ''Clinger'' would premiere in theaters in October. | |||
==='']''=== | |||
In the drama miniseries '']'', a young ] (Class of 2002) is portrayed as attending SJS as a Middle School student in 1995 and as an Upper School student in 2001. | |||
===Notable alumni=== | |||
{{alumni|SAL|date=April 2019}} | |||
* ] (1987), writer, film director<ref>{{cite web |title=Biography |date=August 14, 2019 |url=https://www.biography.com/filmmaker/wes-anderson}}</ref> | |||
* ] (2016), U.S. Olympic Team field hockey player<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.sjs.org/news-detail?pk=1316542 | title=Kelsey Bing '16 and USWNT Qualify for 2024 Olympics | date=January 19, 2024 }}</ref> | |||
* ] (1963), Jurist, Senior United States Circuit Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit{{citation needed|date=February 2020}} | |||
* ] (1990), ] bestselling author<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.katherinecenter.com/katherine-center-bio/ |title=about katherine center « Katherine Center |publisher=Katherinecenter.com |date=2011-05-27 |access-date=2015-05-20 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141012025849/http://www.katherinecenter.com/katherine-center-bio/ |archive-date=October 12, 2014 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> | |||
* ] (1957), former ]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sjs.org/Page/Alumni/Reunion-Weekend/Alumni-Awards--Spring-Fling/Previous-Recipients |title=Previous Recipients | St. John's School |publisher=Sjs.org |access-date=2015-05-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141017092812/http://www.sjs.org/Page/Alumni/Reunion-Weekend/Alumni-Awards--Spring-Fling/Previous-Recipients |archive-date=October 17, 2014 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref> | |||
* ] (1993), United States Representative (D-TX)<ref>{{cite web |title=Meet Lizzie Fletcher |url=https://lizziefletcher.com/page/meet}}</ref> | |||
* ] (1986), founder of ] and film producer<ref name="yourhoustonnews1">{{cite web|url=http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/west_university/news/st-john-s-legacies-have-left-their-mark-on-school/article_e8e35f95-77be-5d72-938b-16426cb88327.html?mode=jqm |title=St. John's legacies have left their mark on school's history - News - Houston Community Newspapers |publisher=Yourhoustonnews.com |date=2010-11-21 |access-date=2015-05-20}}</ref> | |||
* ] (2002), founder of health technology company ], convicted in 2022 of defrauding investors<ref>{{Cite news |last=Young |first=Matt |date=March 8, 2022 |title=What Hulu's 'The Dropout' got wrong about Elizabeth Holmes' Houston childhood |work=Chron |url=https://www.chron.com/culture/tv/article/Elizabeth-Holmes-The-Dropout-Houston-St-Johns-real-16986374.php |access-date=July 6, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2018-03-14 |title=Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes charged with $700m fraud |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-43406050 |access-date=2023-03-07}}</ref> | |||
* ] (1964), anthropologist<ref name="yourhoustonnews1"/> | |||
* ] (2000), United States Representative (R-TX)<ref>https://wesleyfortexas.com/wesley-and-the-family/</ref> | |||
* ] (1962), journalist and pundit (who described herself as feeling like a "Clydesdale among thoroughbreds" in comparing herself to her fellow students at SJS)<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ujpuujMJv-0C&q=clydesdale+among+thoroughbreds+molly+ivins&pg=PA165 |title=Molly Ivins Can't Say That, Can She? - Molly Ivins - Google Books |date= February 10, 2010|isbn=9780307434418 |access-date=2015-05-20|last1=Ivins |first1=Molly |publisher=Knopf Doubleday Publishing }}</ref> | |||
* ] (1979), mathematician and television writer, ], ], and ]<ref name="yourhoustonnews1"/> | |||
* ] (2007), fashion designer<ref>https://www.houstonchronicle.com/lifestyle/hcmagazine/article/bach-mai-fashion-designer-17767413.php</ref> | |||
* ] (1994), ]-winning author<ref>https://www.houstoncitybook.com/houston-raised-author-wins-pulitzer-prize/</ref> | |||
*] (1995), author and political activist | |||
*] (1985), historian, host of '']''<ref>{{cite news | url = http://www.houstonchronicle.com/life/article/Houstonian-hosts-Great-War-series-on-Youtube-5733786.php | title = Houstonian hosted 'The Great War' series on Youtube | last = Brown | first = Steven | date = September 4, 2014 | newspaper = ] | access-date = August 11, 2019}}</ref> | |||
* ] (1960), former deputy press secretary to U.S. President ] and media commentator<ref name="yourhoustonnews1"/> | |||
* ], businessman<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chron.com/news/houston-deaths/article/Deaths-Sidney-Shlenker-ex-Astros-executive-2127690.php|title=Deaths: Sidney Shlenker, ex-Astros executive|work=Houston Chronicle|date=April 25, 2003 |access-date=November 4, 2016}}</ref> | |||
* ] (1996), business journalist, author<ref>https://www.sjsreview.com/17354/news/mav-literary-fest-features-guest-authors-activities-to-encourage-students-to-enjoy-literature/</ref> | |||
* ] (1954), 15th President of ]<ref>https://sjs.myschoolapp.com/page/st-johns-alumni/reunion-weekend-24/alumni-award-recipients?siteId=1228&ssl=1</ref> | |||
* ] (2014), professional basketball player for the ]'s ]<ref>{{cite web |title=Justise Winslow's Houston high school experience key in development |url=https://www.newsobserver.com/sports/college/acc/duke/article16709096.html}}</ref> | |||
==Heads of School== | |||
*], 1946–1966 | |||
*Elwood Kimball Salls, 1966–1976 | |||
*Thomas Read, 1976–1981 | |||
*James R. Maggart, 1981–1991 | |||
*E. Philip Cannon, 1991–1998 (1991–1992 as interim headmaster) | |||
*John Allman, 1998–2009 (followed by interim headmaster Jim Hendrix, 2009–2010) | |||
*Mark Desjardins, 2010–2021<ref>{{cite web |author=Jeff Ritter |url=https://www.sjs.org/podium/default.aspx?t=204&tn=Mark+Desjardins+Announced+as+Seventh+Headmaster+of+St.+John%27s+School&nid=506791&ptid=52302&sdb=0&mode=0&vcm=0 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130415231245/https://www.sjs.org/podium/default.aspx?t=204&tn=Mark+Desjardins+Announced+as+Seventh+Headmaster+of+St.+John's+School&nid=506791&ptid=52302&sdb=0&mode=0&vcm=0 |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 15, 2013 |title=News | St. John's School |publisher=Sjs.org |access-date=2015-05-20 }}</ref> | |||
*Daniel J. Alig, 2021–present<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-01-08|title=Dan Alig Announced as Eighth Head of School|url=https://www.sjs.org/news-detail?pk=1150718|access-date=2021-08-02|website=St. John's School|language=en}}</ref> | |||
==References== | ==References== | ||
* {{cite journal|author=Cutler, Leigh|url=https://houstonhistorymagazine.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/william-stamps-farrish-quarangle-st-johns-school.pdf|title=William Stamps Farish Quadrangle at St. John's School|journal=The Houston Review|volume=3|issue=2|pages=35–37}} - | |||
* | |||
===Notes=== | |||
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}} | |||
==External links== | ==External links== | ||
{{Portal|Texas|Schools}} | |||
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{{Southwest Preparatory Conference}} | {{Southwest Preparatory Conference}} | ||
{{Houston Area Independent Schools}} | {{Houston Area Independent Schools}} | ||
{{Upper Kirby}} | |||
{{River Oaks, Houston}} | |||
{{Houston High Schools}} | |||
{{Private schools in the Houston metropolitan area}} | |||
{{authority control}} | |||
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Latest revision as of 16:57, 16 December 2024
Independent school in Houston, TX, United States
St. John's School | |
---|---|
Location | |
Houston, TX United States | |
Coordinates | 29°44′28″N 95°25′42″W / 29.741°N 95.4284°W / 29.741; -95.4284 |
Information | |
Type | Independent |
Motto | Faith and Virtue |
Established | 1946; 78 years ago (1946) |
Head of School | Daniel J. Alig |
Faculty | 208 |
Grades | K–12 |
Gender | Co-ed |
Enrollment | 1,493 |
Average class size | 177 (Upper School)
122 (Middle school) 64 (Lower school) 42 (Kindergarten) |
Student to teacher ratio | 7:1 (Upper School) |
Campus | Urban |
Color(s) | Red Black |
Nickname | Crusaders (1946–1949) Rebels (1949–2004) Mavericks (2004–present) |
Website | "St. John's School". |
St. John's School (also known as St. John's or SJS) is a coeducational, independent K–12 day school in Houston, Texas, United States. The School was founded in 1946 and is a member of the Houston Area Independent Schools, the Independent Schools Association of the Southwest (ISAS), and the Southwest Preparatory Conference (SPC). Though situated adjacent to St. John the Divine church, St. John's claims no religious affiliation. For the 2024-2025 school year, tuition ranges from approximately $29,000 to $35,000.
As of June 2023, SJS's endowment is $90,600,000.
History
Founding
Toward the close of World War II, W. St. John Garwood and other prominent Houstonians sought to create in Houston a "school of exacting standards" in the development of individual, spiritual, ethical, intellectual, social, and physical growth of its students. In January 1946, these Houstonians invited Alan Lake Chidsey, former headmaster of both the Pawling School (today the Trinity-Pawling School) and the Arizona Desert School and the post-war Assistant Dean of Students at the University of Chicago, to travel to Texas to speak at a gathering of interested members of the Houston community. Mr. and Mrs. W. St. John Garwood Sr., Mr. and Mrs. Merrick Phelps, Mr. R. E. Smith, Mr. J. O. Winston Jr., and the Reverend Thomas Sumners of the Church of St. John the Divine Episcopal Church were among those present at the meeting. At Mr. Chidsey's persuasion, Mrs. William S. Farish immediately committed to her involvement with the School, and many others followed.
A proposal was drafted that entailed combining forces with the St. John the Divine nursery school to create the School. St. John's first 344 students filed into St. John the Divine's chapel on Opening Day, September 27, 1946. The entire campus, located on what used to be Michael Louis Westheimer's farm, was six acres (2.4 ha).
Today, St. John's covers 41 acres (17 ha) of land and educates approximately 1,493 total students supported by over 200 faculty and staff. The School's 41 acres includes 13 acres that were purchased in late December 2012 for approximately $90 million (the Taub Property). The School's student-teacher ratio is approximately 7:1. Despite its lack of religious affiliation, the School provides non-denominational chapel services at the church of St. John the Divine each Wednesday morning during the academic year. In recent years, the Chapel program has branched out to offer more multicultural services, hosting speakers from a diverse range of faiths and non-religious backgrounds, such as environmentalists, athletes, and faculty or student alumni.
Post-founding
In the wake of the murder of George Floyd in 2020, several St. John's alumni, several African-American and some non-African American, issued a letter to the administration to ask it to take measures against racism.
Campus
St. John's 41-acre grounds are located in the central part of Houston, Texas, specifically spanning the Upper Kirby district and the residential neighborhood of River Oaks.
The campus itself comprises two campuses, divided by Westheimer Road, that are connected by two pedestrian tunnels underneath Westheimer. The Brown (South) Campus contains the Lower School (classes K-5) and the Georges Middle School (classes 6–8) as well as the Virginia Stuller Tatham (VST) Fine Arts Center and the Smith Athletic Center. The Cullen (North) Campus houses the Upper School (classes 9–12) and the focal point of the School, the Quadrangle. The Lower, Middle, and Upper Schools each maintain their own libraries. Upper and Middle School students share the Upper School cafeteria, and the Lower School has its own.
In addition, the school's primary athletic field, Skip Lee Field, and its track are located on the South Campus to the east of the Middle School and to the south of the Lower School. The School also owns two properties neighboring the South Campus that house athletic fields (Finnegan Field and Scotty Caven Field) for field hockey, soccer, and lacrosse.
Across Buffalo Speedway from the South Campus is the Taub Property, a 13-acre property acquired by St. John's in December 2012. The school's baseball field along with temporary offices are located on the property as of March 2015.
The William Stamps Farish Quadrangle, the first building constructed, has an exterior of Austin limestone and was designed by Hiram A. Salisbury. It was built beginning in late March 1946, with an interruption from June 13 to August 30 of that year due to a strike, with the end in March 1948. The two wings were West Farish and East Farish, the former the school's first wing and named after killed in action World War II soldier William Stamps Farish Jr., and the second named after his father, William Stamps Farish Sr. The money used to build the wings originated from the wife of Farish Sr., also the mother of Farish Jr. Due to a lack of housing in the area, initially a portion of West Farish was used as faculty apartments, but they were discontinued in 1952 and converted into offices and classrooms as additional non-school housing opened. The school announced in June 2004 that it would redevelop three sides of the Quadrangle. Leigh Cutler wrote in The Houston Review that "Although the exterior design of the new building is sympathetic to old construction, much of the original materials and limestone patterns cannot be repeated."
In late 2014 the school released its master plan for the campus that included the recently acquired Taub Property. The plan was developed with the assistance of Architectural Resources Cambridge and the input of faculty, students, and alumni.
The school is adjacent to Lamar High School, a public secondary school operated by Houston Independent School District.
Academics
College placement
Data released by the School reflects that, from 2010 to 2014, approximately 48% of St. John's seniors went on to matriculate at colleges and universities ranked by U.S. News & World Report as being in the Top 25 of National Universities or the Top 10 of Liberal Arts Colleges.
Standardized testing
Data for the Class of 2024 reflects a median SAT score of 740 (out of 800) in Reading & Writing and 770 (out of 800) in Math. The Class of 2024's median ACT score is 33 on a 36 scale.
For years 2012 to 2015, more than half of each SJS senior class were recognized as National Merit Semifinalists or Commended Scholars: for 2012, the percentage was 68%; for 2013, 64%; for 2014, 59%; and for 2015, 64%. Data for the 2013–2014 academic year shows that SJS led all Houston-area schools in both number (49) and percentage (35%) of National Merit Semifinalists in its senior class.
Students and faculty
Enrollment for the 2024–2025 school year is 367 for the Lower School, 400 for the Middle School, and 800 for the Upper School. Approximately 13% of students are on scholarship or financial aid. Forty-nine percent of students self-identify as being of color. There are approximately 5,862 living alumni.
The total number of faculty at SJS is 204, 157 of whom have master's or doctorate degrees.
Student life
Athletics
St. John's sponsors teams in cross-country, volleyball, field hockey, and football in the fall season; soccer, basketball, swimming, and wrestling in the winter; and golf, tennis, lacrosse, softball, baseball, and track and field in the spring.
In a tradition that began in 1951, St. John's plays its annual homecoming football game against crosstown rival The Kinkaid School at Rice Stadium.
Arts
This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (July 2016) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
Students can participate in the arts in classes for academic credit, performing ensembles, and extracurricular organizations or performances.
The oldest extracurricular arts organization at St. John's is Johnnycake, founded by first headmaster Alan Lake Chidsey in 1949, that originally produced and performed works written by Mr. Chidsey. Open to all Upper School students, Johnnycake provides opportunities in all aspects of theatrical production from technical crew to set and costume design to performance.
Student organizations
The SJS Academic Bowl Team won the NAQT High School National Championship in 2002, placed third in 2003 and 2004, and advanced to the semi-finals of the PACE NSC in 2004. Most recently, St. John's placed 2nd in the 2014 HSNCT National Championships
Dozens of other student organizations, from the Yearbook to Model United Nations to "Pots and Pans" (a moral/spirit group), are active throughout the academic year. Other examples of clubs include sports based clubs (baseball, hockey, soccer, curling), science (Science and Math Club, Faraday), cinematography (MavTV), academic (Speech and Debate Team, Quiz Bowl/Academic Challenge, Mathematical Problem Solving Club), government (Junior Statesmen, Model UN, Young Political Organization), international interests (Spanish Club, Italian Club, International Club), and general interests (Bread Club, Auto club, Anime Club et al.).
Community service
Community service is introduced in Lower School. Weekly canned food drives are held, and classes visit local food banks to see how their contributions are used. The annual drive to provide holiday presents to underprivileged families is a highlight of the year, culminating in a field trip to personally deliver the presents to the families.
In Middle School, additional community service projects are introduced. Students may be more involved in planning and helping with the organization of these projects. Upper School community service is mostly student-driven. Any student may submit a proposal to design and lead their own project and recruit other participants.
Nickname and mascot
The St. John's nickname and mascot have had a controversial history. The original nickname, "Crusaders," lasted only three years due to its religious connotations. "Rebels" was selected as the replacement nickname in 1949, with Confederate symbol Johnny Reb as the mascot.
In 1990, the Upper School students voted to discontinue the mascot and nickname. A year later, all symbols of the Confederacy were disassociated from the School, although the nickname "Rebels" was retained with the hopes it could be connected with the American Revolution or more generally as an invocation of nonconformity and independent thinking. There were plans to try to connect the rebel name with the film Rebel Without a Cause.
In the spring of 2004, by a unanimous vote of the Board of Trustees, St. John's School officially changed its nickname to Mavericks in order to further distance itself from any Confederate implications while still retaining the association with independence and individualism. The change was supported by a majority of faculty, though some students and alumni opposed the change. Today, the Maverick nickname is widely used and accepted,.
In 2008, St. John's began using a horse mascot known as Maverick in its pep rallies. In a school-wide pep rally, taking place the day before the annual Kinkaid football game, the Maverick chases a Falcon from the field.
In the media and popular culture
News stories
National media reports about selective private schools in the United States have mentioned St. John's. For example, SJS was featured in a Forbes.com story titled "America's Elite Prep Schools." In November 2007, the Wall Street Journal listed St. John's in a chart accompanying an article titled "How to Get into Harvard." The chart reported that 9% of SJS graduates in 2007 went to one of eight elite colleges (specifically identified as Harvard, Princeton, MIT, Williams, Pomona, Swarthmore, the University of Chicago, and Johns Hopkins). St. John's and fellow SPC member St. Mark's School of Texas were the only Texas schools on the list.
Nationwide rankings of private high schools regularly include St. John's. Examples include:
- No. 5 - Best Private K-12 Schools in America, Niche.com (2024)
- No. 13 - Best Private High Schools in America, Niche.com (2024)
- No. 23 - Top 25 Private High Schools in the Country, Town & Country (2016)
- No. 7 - The 50 Smartest High Schools in the U.S., Business Insider (2016)
St. John's received media attention during the U.S. presidential campaign of 2000 as part of the press's reporting on the academic background of then-candidate George W. Bush when it was reported—and confirmed by Bush after he had consulted with his parents, former President George H. W. Bush and First Lady Barbara Bush—that he had applied to SJS as a child and had been rejected.
Rushmore
In 1998, Wes Anderson '87 directed the loosely autobiographical Rushmore, based on a screenplay co-written with Owen Wilson. In directing the film, Anderson based the fictitious Rushmore Academy on St. John's. As reported in The Atlantic, "When Wes Anderson scouted locations for the all-boys prep school..., he looked as far as the U.K. in search of the perfect location. It wasn't until he saw some photos of St. John's, his own high school, that he realized the places he had been imagining were the ones he knew from going to school there." Like protagonist Max Fischer, Anderson as a child had staged numerous epic action plays, with titles like The Five Maseratis and The Battle of the Alamo. Seen in Rushmore are the North Campus's Quadrangle and circle driveway, the Upper School library, and chapel service at the Church of St. John the Divine. Anderson also used a number of students and alumni as extras in the film.
Clinger
Much of the 2015 horror comedy Clinger, directed by Michael Steves, was filmed on the middle school campus at St. John's. Clinger premiered at the 2015 Slamdance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. It was announced during July that Clinger would premiere in theaters in October.
The Dropout
In the drama miniseries The Dropout, a young Elizabeth Holmes (Class of 2002) is portrayed as attending SJS as a Middle School student in 1995 and as an Upper School student in 2001.
Notable alumni
This alumni list may not follow Misplaced Pages's verifiability policy. Please improve this article by removing names that do not have independent reliable sources showing they merit inclusion in this article AND are alumni, or by incorporating the relevant publications into the body of the article through appropriate citations. (April 2019) |
- Wes Anderson (1987), writer, film director
- Kelsey Bing (2016), U.S. Olympic Team field hockey player
- William Curtis Bryson (1963), Jurist, Senior United States Circuit Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
- Katherine Center (1990), New York Times bestselling author
- William Stamps Farish III (1957), former U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom
- Lizzie Pannill Fletcher (1993), United States Representative (D-TX)
- Christy Haubegger (1986), founder of Latina magazine and film producer
- Elizabeth Holmes (2002), founder of health technology company Theranos, convicted in 2022 of defrauding investors
- Sarah Blaffer Hrdy (1964), anthropologist
- Wesley Hunt (2000), United States Representative (R-TX)
- Molly Ivins (1962), journalist and pundit (who described herself as feeling like a "Clydesdale among thoroughbreds" in comparing herself to her fellow students at SJS)
- Ken Keeler (1979), mathematician and television writer, Late Show with David Letterman, The Simpsons, and Futurama
- Bach Mai (2007), fashion designer
- Benjamin Moser (1994), Pulitzer Prize-winning author
- Laura Moser (1995), author and political activist
- Indy Neidell (1985), historian, host of The Great War
- Peter Roussel (1960), former deputy press secretary to U.S. President Ronald Reagan and media commentator
- Sidney Shlenker, businessman
- Ashlee Vance (1996), business journalist, author
- Carl W. Vogt (1954), 15th President of Williams College
- Justise Winslow (2014), professional basketball player for the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers
Heads of School
- Alan Lake Chidsey, 1946–1966
- Elwood Kimball Salls, 1966–1976
- Thomas Read, 1976–1981
- James R. Maggart, 1981–1991
- E. Philip Cannon, 1991–1998 (1991–1992 as interim headmaster)
- John Allman, 1998–2009 (followed by interim headmaster Jim Hendrix, 2009–2010)
- Mark Desjardins, 2010–2021
- Daniel J. Alig, 2021–present
References
- Cutler, Leigh. "William Stamps Farish Quadrangle at St. John's School" (PDF). The Houston Review. 3 (2): 35–37. - Profile
Notes
- ^ "SJS At A Glance St. John's School". www.sjs.org.
- ^ "SJS At A Glance". Sjs.org. December 8, 2022. Archived from the original on October 12, 2014. Retrieved February 13, 2018.
- "History | St. John's School". Sjs.org. September 27, 1946. Archived from the original on October 12, 2014. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
- Buckley, Kyra (June 15, 2020). "Houston Private School Alumni Demand Anti-Racist Policies And Curriculum". Houston Public Media. Retrieved June 15, 2020. - Audio file
- ^ Cutler, p. 35.
- ^ Cutler, p. 36.
- ^ Cutler, p. 37.
- Cutler, p. 35-36.
- "Long-Range Campus Plan". St. John's School. Archived from the original on November 14, 2014. Retrieved March 8, 2015.
- "National University | Rankings | Data | US News". Colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
- "National Liberal Arts College | Rankings | Data | US News". Colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
- ^ "St. John's School : Resume" (PDF). Sjs.org. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
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