South Kent School
Address
40 Bulls Bridge Road

South Kent
,
Connecticut
06785

United States
Information
TypePrivate, boarding
MottoSimplicity of Life, Self-Reliance, and Directness of Purpose
Religious affiliation(s)Episcopal
Established1923 (1923)
CEEB code070695
Head of schoolBrian D. Sullivan
Enrollment165 boarding[1]
Average class size10 students
Student to teacher ratio5:1
Color(s)Cardinal and black
  
Athletics8 interscholastic sports
NicknameCardinals
Websitesouthkentschool.org

South Kent School, a private all-boys boarding school in South Kent, Connecticut,[2] United States, is located on a 650-acre (2.6 km2) campus in western Litchfield County. It is sited on Spooner Hill east of Bull's Bridge, overlooking the former Housatonic Valley rail-line, Hatch Pond, and the 'whistle-stop' South Kent station, and is itself overlooked by Bull Mountain.

The school has an operating budget of approximately $14 million[3] and a staff of less than 100. From its inception, South Kent School was intended to offer a service-oriented education "at minimum cost for boys of ability and character, who presumably on graduation must be self-supporting.[4] " Its motto is "Simplicity of life, Self-reliance, and Directness of purpose".

History

The hamlet of South Kent emerged in the mid-1700s on the "main road over Spooner Hill to Bull’s Bridge",[5] where Jacob Bull established an iron foundry; by 1800, an ironworks and forge were also set up near the outlet from Hatch Pond. When railroads came up the valley in the 1840s,[6] efficient competition from western foundries shuttered the Connecticut iron industry.[7] By 1920, the area's population was half its Revolution-era level, and farm properties were available inexpensively.[8]

The school was founded in 1923 as a joint venture between Reverend Frederick Herbert Sill, headmaster of Kent School, and two of his recent graduates, Samuel Slater Bartlett and Richard M. Cuyler. The Straight farm was purchased from members of the Judd family, and additions to the farmhouse were made to house a chapel, twenty-four students, and faculty. From the start, students provided labor for daily cleaning and maintenance and unskilled construction. Over the years, several buildings were added to the Straight property, and additional acreage was acquired. Most recently, the defunct farm on the north end of Hatch Pond was purchased.[9]

Sam Bartlett became the first headmaster, serving for 45 years. Bartlett was followed as headmaster by conservationist L. Wynne Wister (1955–69), then George M. Bartlett (son of the first headmaster) through 1989. Peter Arango had a brief tenure, then Noble Richards '49 was headmaster until 1996. He was succeeded by John S. Farber (96-00), John C. Farr '58 (retired in 2003), then by Andrew J. Vadnais through 2018,[10] then followed by Lawrence A. Smith '73. An independent board of trustees governs the school. [11] South Kent School's most current head of school is Brian D. Sullivan.

Admissions

Enrollment at the beginning of the 2022–23 school year was 150 young men worldwide in four "forms" (or grades). International students from twenty nations and U.S. students from nineteen states across America are represented.[12]

Curriculum

South Kent is a college-preparatory school; the course of study is designed with the intent that every student will continue his education at a higher-level institution.

In 2017–18, the school has 35 faculty who offer 48 courses in 2 primary divisions, Math/Science and Humanities. The school year is divided into fall, winter, and spring. Students typically enroll in five major academic courses each term.[13] Accelerated courses, including advanced placement, are offered in more than a dozen subjects (several in conjunction with Syracuse University[14]).

English as a second language

ESL is a program for international students to improve or reinforce written and oral English skills. The focus is on structure, comprehension, and conversation. Nearly half of South Kent graduates have been non-native English speakers in recent years.[15]

Center for Innovation

Due in part to its rural setting, the school has established a learning track focused on environmental management and entrepreneurship. Technologies range from historic architecture and building techniques to robotics and software design.[16][17][18]

Extracurricular activities

Athletics

Facilities available to students include The Admiral James & Sybil Stockdale Arena, the Joseph J. Brown gymnasium, the Alumni Boathouse on Hatch Pond for rowing, the Anne H. Funnell cross-country trail, the hard court tennis courts, a weight-training facility, numerous athletics fields, and the adjacent Tom Fazio-designed Bulls Bridge Golf Club.[19]

Publications

  • The Pigtail: a student publication issued three to five times yearly. The name of the paper is a reference to the nickname of the hamlet of South Kent as "Pigtail Corners" or simply "Pigtail".[20] A slogan at the school for many years was "Pigtail Against the World".
  • The Hillside: the South Kent School alum magazine is published twice annually.
  • Cardinal News Network: a student-produced online publication that is updated continually. Cardinal News Network features the videos and stories created by students in the Digital Communications classes.[21]

Notable SKS people

Over one hundred years, the school has been home to fewer than 3,000 students, resident faculty and their families, and several other notables.

  • Florence Maybrick, a notorious convicted murderess, is buried in the school cemetery.
  • Martin H. M. Schreiber, photographer, did not graduate but retains his affiliation with the school and the chass of 1965.
  • Admiral James Stockdale, (Medal of Honor recipient, P.O.W., Vice-Presidential Candidate) & Mrs. Sybil Stockdale - parents of three SKS alumni. The ice-hockey facility is named in their honor.

Distinguished alumni

Athletes

Father Sill wrote in his proposal for the founding of Kent School that it would "to provide...for boys of ability and character, who presumably on graduation must be self-supporting...Simplicity, self-reliance and directness...."[35] Seventeen years later, he and his partners in the South Kent venture adopted the last as the new school's motto. In the early 2000s, Headmaster Vadnais and the Board recognized that young athletes with professional aspirations not only fit the description in Father Sill's proposal,[36] but that many of them were likely to see high school as the final step in their education, as well.[37][38] The number of notable athletes who have graduated from South Kent has burgeoned during the past quarter-century.[39] They include:

Several notable athletes attended South Kent but graduated elsewhere; among them Nik Stauskas, Dion Waiters, Tremont Waters,[57] and Andrew Peeke.

Accreditations and associations

South Kent School is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges[58] and has held membership in District III of the Cum Laude Society for more than eighty years.

South Kent competes athletically as a member of the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council and the Hudson Valley Athletic League and adheres to all league guidelines. Students can participate in post-season tournaments and compete for league and New England titles.

The school also maintains membership in [59] the National Association of Independent Schools,[60] the National Association of Episcopal Schools,[61] the Secondary School Admission Test Board, the Connecticut Association of Independent Schools, The Association of Boarding Schools, the International Coalition of Boys Schools and the National Association for College Admission Counseling.[62]

References

  1. ↑ "Who We Are".
  2. ↑ "South Kent School | Independent, Non-Public K-12 Schools (CIS) / Commission on Independent Schools". Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2015-01-19.
  3. ↑ "South Kent School (SKS) | South Kent, CT | Cause IQ".
  4. ↑ "South Kent School | History". 2007-07-28. Archived from the original on 2007-07-28. Retrieved 2018-06-04.
  5. ↑ "Rufus Fuller & The South Kent Ore Bed – Kent Historical Society". Kent Historical Society. Retrieved 2018-06-04.
  6. ↑ "The Growth of Kent from 1756 to 1950". Kent Historical Society. Retrieved 2018-06-04.
  7. ↑ "The Iron Industry of Northwest Connecticut". 19 October 2015.
  8. ↑ Barnard, Charles H.; Jones, John (1987). "Farm real estate values in the United States by counties, 1850-1982" (PDF). Retrieved 2022-10-30.
  9. ↑ Carlson, Wendy (19 November 2011). ""At Prep School, Rolling Up Sleeves and Working the Soil"". The New York Times.
  10. ↑ "Andrew J. Vadnais | South Kent School". southkentschool.org. Retrieved 2018-06-04.
  11. ↑ "Board of Trustees".
  12. ↑ "Get To Know South Kent School". southkentschool.org. 5 January 2023. Retrieved 2023-03-01.
  13. ↑ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-01-19. Retrieved 2015-01-19.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  14. ↑ "Syracuse University Project Advance". supa.syr.edu. Retrieved 2018-06-04.
  15. ↑ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-09-17. Retrieved 2017-05-25.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  16. ↑ "Educational Programming | South Kent School". southkentschool.org. Retrieved 2018-06-04.
  17. ↑ "South Kent School, Center for Innovation | Design Thinking in Schools K12 Directory". www.designthinkinginschools.com. Retrieved 2018-06-04.
  18. ↑ "South Kent School Launches Innovative Technology Platform for 21st Century Learning". Retrieved 2018-06-04.
  19. ↑ "Bulls Bridge Golf Club".
  20. ↑ "History of Kent, CT".
  21. ↑ "Cardinal News Network". Archived from the original on 2023-05-15.
  22. ↑ "Jim Bellows dies at 86; legendary editor of L.A. Herald Examiner". Los Angeles Times. 7 March 2009. Retrieved 2022-09-02.
  23. ↑ "1965 Pulitzer Prizes". Retrieved 2023-11-25.
  24. ↑ "1998: 50th Emmy Awards". Retrieved 2023-08-04.
  25. ↑ "RootsWeb's WorldConnect Project: Nauset and vicinity". wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com. Retrieved 2018-06-04.
  26. ↑ "Charles C. Gillispie".
  27. ↑ "Alumnus Profile". South Kent School. Retrieved 2022-09-02.
  28. ↑ "2003 Parnelli Lifetime Achievement Award Winner". Retrieved 2023-11-10.
  29. ↑ Smith, Harrison (December 28, 2019). "Neal Peirce, urban affairs columnist who championed inclusive cities, dies at 87". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2022-09-03.
  30. ↑ Collins-Freeman, Charlene (October 3, 2012). "Interview with an artist , Charles Reid" (PDF). Hot Press.
  31. ↑ "Jonathan Richards | HuffPost". www.huffingtonpost.com. Retrieved 2018-06-04.
  32. ↑ "The Right Reverend Samuel Rodman". Episcopal Farmworker Ministry. 5 May 2020. Retrieved 2022-09-02.
  33. ↑ Hevesi, Dennis (10 December 2010). "Martin Russ, a Marine Who Wrote About Combat, Dies at 79". The New York Times.
  34. ↑ "Rathvon McClure Tompkins,, Major General, United States Marine Corps". 12 July 2022.
  35. ↑ "South Kent School | History". www.southkentschool.net. Archived from the original on 28 July 2007. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  36. ↑ "Hoop Dreams at South Kent". CBS News. 14 July 2005.
  37. ↑ Parker, David (21 November 2004). "There's Basketball in Those Hills". The New York Times.
  38. ↑ Thamel, Pete (23 April 2006). "A Cry in the Streets of Brooklyn is Answered by a Prep School". The New York Times.
  39. ↑ "South Kent tops prep school rankings". December 2011.
  40. ↑ "Andray Blatche on Basketball-Ref".
  41. ↑ "2017–18 Men's Basketball Roster – University of Pittsburgh". www.pittsburghpanthers.com. Retrieved 2018-06-04.
  42. ↑ "The Forties | U.S. Figure Skating".
  43. ↑ "THE FOURS, PAIRS AND ICE DANCE COMPETITIONS".
  44. ↑ "Jackie Carmichael International Stats".
  45. ↑ "Joel Farabee on Hockey-Ref".
  46. ↑ "Shayne Gostisbehere on Hockey-Ref".
  47. ↑ "Mo Harkless on Basketball-Ref".
  48. ↑ "David Hicks – 2007 Men's Basketball". Retrieved 2018-06-04.
  49. ↑ "Elijah Hughes on Basketball-Ref".
  50. ↑ "Ricky Ledo on Basketball-Ref".
  51. ↑ "Jack McClinton on Basketball-Ref".
  52. ↑ "Wade Megan on Hockey-Ref".
  53. ↑ "Myles Powell"., Seton Hall Pirates men's basketball. Accessed August 6, 2019. "Attended Medford Tech, Trenton Catholic, and most recently South Kent School... birthday is July 7 and was born in Trenton, N.J."
  54. ↑ "Big East Men's Basketball 2012-2013 All-Conference Teams".
  55. ↑ "Isaiah Thomas on Basketball-Ref".
  56. ↑ "Dorell Wright on Basketball-Ref".
  57. ↑ "The NBA Is Lucky I'm Home Doing Damn Articles | By Dion Waiters". The Players' Tribune. 26 April 2017. Retrieved 2018-06-04.
  58. ↑ "Directory of Accredited Independent Schools".
  59. ↑ "All Chapters Member schools" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2023-05-19.
  60. ↑ http://www.nais.org/Users/Pages/SchoolDetails.aspx?accountid={CF434162-32F9-E111-8924-00505683000D}
  61. ↑ "NAES – National Association of Episcopal Schools". www.episcopalschools.org. Retrieved 2018-06-04.
  62. ↑ "Institution/Organization Member Directory". Archived from the original on 2016-03-05. Retrieved 2015-01-20.

41°40′35″N 73°28′45″W / 41.6765°N 73.4792°W / 41.6765; -73.4792

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