St. Paul Academy - Summit School
Tel:
(651) 698-2451
- St. Paul Academy and Summit School is a coeducational, college preparatory day school for students in kindergarten through grade 12.
- Our mission—to shape the minds and the hearts of the people who will change the world—is a promise to our students and our families.
- Students are taught how to think clearly and creatively. We open doors, show them pathways and support their passions.
- Each child learns to apply their individual talents, and to embrace their potential.
- Our faculty and staff model and coach students on how to be sensitive to the personal struggles of others.
Quick Stats (2021)
- Grades: Kindergarten-12
- Students: 911 students
- Yearly Tuition: $27,500
- Acceptance rate: 75%
- Average class size: 15 students
- Application Deadline: Feb. 1 / rolling
Top Placements
St. Paul Academy - Summit School places among the top 20% of private schools in Minnesota for:
- Category Attribute
- ACT Score Highest average ACT score
- Acceptance Rate Lowest average acceptance rates
- Advanced Degrees Highest percentage of faculty with advanced degrees
- Student Body Largest student body
- Sports offered Most sports offered
- School History Oldest founding date
School Overview
| School Membership(s)School Assoc. | National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) State or regional independent school association |
| Religious Affiliation | Nonsectarian |
| Grades Offered | Grades Kindergarten-12 |
| Learning Difference Programs | Yes |
| Learning Programs Supported | Mild Learning Differences |
| Year Founded | 1900 |
| Summer School Offered | Yes |
Student Body
| Total Students | 911 students |
| Student Body Type | Co-ed |
| % Students of Color | 22% State avg.: 18% |
| Students by Grade |
|
Academics and Faculty
| Total Classroom Teachers | 107 teachers |
| Student : Teacher Ratio | 9:1 National avg.: 13:1 |
| % Faculty w/Advanced Degree | 75% |
| Average Class Size | 15 students |
| List of Courses Offered | Link to List of Courses |
| Average SAT score | 1270 |
| Average ACT score | 29 |
| Classroom Dress Code | Casual (Lower school-dress code, middle and upper-appropriate dress) |
Finances and Admission
| Admission Deadline | Feb. 1 / rolling |
| Yearly Tuition Cost | $27,500 |
| % on Financial Aid | 25% |
| Average Financial Aid Grant | $14,926 |
| Acceptance Rate | 75% National avg.: 85% |
| Admissions Director | Heather Cameron Ploen |
| Admissions Associate | Julie McGlincey |
Sports
| Total Sports Offered | 15 sports |
| Sports | Alpine Skiing, Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Dance, Fencing, Football, Golf, Ice Hockey, Soccer, Softball, Swimming, Tennis, Track and Field, VolleyballAlpine Skiing, Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Dance, Fencing, Football, Golf, Ice Hockey, Soccer, Softball, Swimming, Tennis, Track and Field, Volleyball |
Extracurriculars
| Total ExtracurricularsTotal Extra-curric. | 2 extracurriculars |
| ExtracurricularsExtra-curric. | Club or Organization: Chess Club Arts and Music Programs: Theatre |
School Notes
- At SPA, students are challenged by what we believe is the best academic curriculum in Minnesota. They are supported by the individual attention that is made possible by the lowest average class size of comparable independent schools in the state: Lower School classes average 13 students; Middle School classes average 15 students; and Upper School classes average 14 students. Across all three divisions, our student/teacher ratio is 8:1.
- In the Lower School, these small classes, each led by a teaching team of two homeroom teachers, allow for a thorough and age-appropriate introduction to intellectual inquiry. The careful use of differentiation--grouping students into small learning cohorts--allows master teachers to offer plenty of attention and indivdiualized guidance to our youngest students. Academic technology is introduced in Kindergarten and is integrated into learning in both the homerooms and specialists classes.
- In the Middle School, an increasingly rigorous curriculum is supported by Developmental Designs for Middle School, a social-emotional pedagogy in which teachers push students intellectually while still offering them the support they need to navigate young adolescence. The advisory system is a fundamental component of this support, as is the continued use of academic technology with an emphasis on digital citizenship and online safety.
- By the time they enter Upper School, students are ready for SPA's challenging and innovative college preparatory program that emphasizes discussion-based learning, advanced inquiry, lively discussion around Harkness seminar tables, and deep engagement with ideas. As students prepare for life after SPA, our extenstive College Counseling program begins, with each student assigned one of three full-time College Counselors in Grade 10.
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School Reviews
| 5 Spent 10 years in the system as an unwilling participant. Learned more there than anywhere else since. Excellent school and if the student accepts it will create a sense of purpose. - Posted by Student/Alumni - mbene |
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