All St. Andrew's students are encouraged to get involved in the life of the school. A St. Andrew's education isn't limited to just the classroom. Not only does involvement help kids to build skills necessary in the real world, but it also helps them to get to know other students and faculty members.
Student Clubs and Activities
There are a variety of clubs and activities available for students to join each year. Some clubs exist year after year and others may be only one year long. At St. Andrew's students can start a club at the beginning of each year as long as they find a faculty sponsor to help oversee the group and that the group is approved by the Student Senate. We have clubs that range from Robotics to Fly Fishing, Debate to Jam Band and Diversity to Latin. Each September a Club Fair is held so students can learn about the clubs available that year as well as to talk to Officers of each club to learn more about each organization. Some clubs meet on campus during lunch once a month and others meet on the weekend to go on an adventure. This unique structure allows kids to find others who share common interests that might not be discovered in a traditional classroom setting.
Student Senate
The Senate at St. Andrew's Upper School consists of elected ninth, tenth, eleventh and twelfth graders who are in charge of student events such as the Winter Formal, the "Holiday Feast", and the Spring Formal. They also coordinate and oversee the Student Clubs and Activities. Senators act as liaisons between the student body and the administration with the guidance of the Dean of Students.
Tenth, eleventh and twelfth grade senators are elected at the end of each school year and begin serving the next fall. Ninth grade elections take place after the first trimester of the school year and and serve for the remainder of the year. Each grade level has a president, a vice-president, and a secretary/treasurer. The Senate is a great means by which to take on a leadership role and to get involved with event planning and administration.
Honor Council
The Honor Council at St. Andrew's Upper School is made up of a group of elected students who serve as a jury to their peers who may have committed a minor infraction of the student handbook or violated the honor code (examples include plagiarism, excessive tardies, skipping class). Peers judging peers proves to be a great disciplinary system when dealing with Honor Code violations at this level. There are four faculty members on the Honor Council, but the bylaws require a student majority for a hearing.
There are 5 seniors, 4 juniors, and 4 sophomores who serve on the Honor Council and they are elected each spring to serve during their upcoming academic year.
Athletic Council
The St. Andrew’s Athletic Council is a great way for student athletes to not only be leaders on the field, but to use those skills in planning, organizing and creating ways to enhance the athletic program. This group consists of elected students who are at least two-sport athletes as well as staff members of the Athletic Department. The council meets twice a month before school and the focus is that the athletic program is the students’ program and they need to help make it the best it can be by bringing up topics of discussions that need attention. For example recently they discussed captains and their selection, the current athletic requirement, and leadership.
Chapel Advisory Board
The Chapel Advisory Board is charged with the stewardship of the chapel program, working toward the goal of willing and enthusiastic participation by the majority of the community. The members serve the community by planning and evaluating the daily liturgy, special services, and weekly speakers. The board is made up of the Chaplain, three faculty members, and eight students – three seniors, three juniors, and two sophomores. While the Chapel Advisory Board is responsible for overseeing the implementation of the program, many other community members volunteer to serve as readers, intercessors, and acolytes on a weekly chapel team. The students on the board are asked to accept the nomination after they have been recognized as distinguished servants in the community. Students may be recognized as distinguished servants by their outstanding participation in Service Learning 9, tenth grade community service, or the voluntary community service program in the eleventh and twelfth grades. Once these students have accepted the nomination, provided that there are more nominees than positions to be filled, there is an election of all student members in the late spring.
The election process intentionally links the chapel and community service programs, because service is the related outward sign of the inner grace of worship. In other words, one cannot be complete without the other. Furthermore, the nature of the Chapel Advisory Board election process is intended to create a group that is representative of the Upper School community as a whole. Ideally, the composition of the Chapel Advisory Board is students and faculty who value the role of the chapel program and represent the diverse spiritual makeup of the Upper School, which means that the members do not need to be Episcopalian or Christian. Members of the Chapel Advisory Board are invited but not required to participate in leading the daily rituals.
Student Leadership Council
This group of eleventh and twelfth graders meet for a three-day retreat before school begins and focuses on ways to become role-models within the community, build school spirit, and continue the values of St. Andrew's on a daily basis. Members of the Student Leadership Council also spend a full day at the ninth grade retreat getting to know the ninth graders and sharing perspectives with them to help ease the transition to high school. Fostering these leadership skills not only boosts self-confidence for members of the group, but for the community at large.
Any eleventh or twelfth grader can be a member of this group as long as the student attends the retreat. This group meets monthly to plan out school spirit activities as well as to find ways to enhance the life of the school. The Student Leadership Council is overseen and guided by the Dean of Students.