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This school faced many of the same concerns that other schools did in transitioning to online, such as how to apply normal learning principals to a remote environment and how students can advocate for themselves and maintain their academic vigor amid COVID-19. With small class sizes, a spacious campus, and an advising network designed to keep a close eye on each of its 85 students aged seventh through 12th grade, however, Thomas Jefferson School, a boarding and day school in Sunset Hills, was already well-equipped to meet many of the challenges that COVID-19 has brought.
Erin Walsh, director of enrollment and communications, says the school's size and nurturing community are both huge advantages in navigating this digital/hybrid learning environment. Rising sophomore Carter Cashen says these advantages made the transition to online instruction relatively smooth, especially for the students. He also thinks the normally small classes (around 10 students) at Thomas Jefferson School will be easy to offer in a socially distanced format. “If we do go back,” Cashen says, “I think we’ll be the safest school in St. Louis.”
Teaching digital skills alongside social resilience falls perfectly in line with the school’s longstanding mission of preparing students for college and life. The preparatory school was founded in 1946, and today it boasts an average ACT score of 31 and an average SAT score of 1450. The student population is a mix of St. Louis-area students who attend during the day and boarders who live at the school during the semester. The students are also diverse racially and geographically, coming from six states and seven countries.
The common thread: “Bright kiddos,” Walsh says. The school caters to students who have either maxed out the academic opportunities available in their area or are just craving a learning environment full of fellow high-achievers.
That learning environment is what attracted Cashen to the school in seventh grade. After sometimes struggling to stay engaged in his St. Louis County grade school, Cashen immediately loved the challenging classes at Thomas Jefferson School. He balances his classes with a full social calendar, participating in the student ambassador program and the award-winning yearbook, as well as playing the French horn in music club.
Although extracurricular activities are currently on hold to protect students from COVID-19, Walsh says the school is preparing to keep an even more watchful eye on its students’ mental health this semester, no matter what format the classes take. The already intimate and nurturing environment will continue to assist students and parents navigating the challenges of digital learning.
“Mental health concerns have been a pillar of designing the different [COVID-19 scenarios],” Walsh says.
Cashen says the faculty’s commitment is evident. “This school is set up to help,” Cashen says. “Everyone is looking out for students. It feels like a big family.”
