SCHOOL DIRECTORY

Next Article

HOMEWORK

ANDREWS ACADEMY

Andrews Academy’s dedicated faculty nurture students’ enthusiasm for learning, commitment to service, connections to community and stewardship of the natural world. Meaningful experiences allow students to develop skills, knowledge and insight while making contributions to better the world.

888 N. MASON ROAD | 314.878.1883 ANDREWSACADEMY.COM

Community School

At Community, children flourish in an environment of active, experiential learning. Our seasoned faculty engage students (age 3 through grade six) with a curriculum that integrates academics, the arts, physical education and leadership development—all on our beautiful 18-acre campus.

900 LAY ROAD | 314.991.0005 COMMUNITYSCHOOL.COM

FORSYTH SCHOOL

Forsyth School fosters a spirit of curiosity and joy, empowering children age 2 through grade six to pursue challenges with confidence. Forsyth’s one-of-a-kind campus and engaging curriculum promote age-appropriate independence and prepare students to thrive in secondary school and beyond.

6235 WYDOWN BLVD. | 314.726.4542 FORSYTHSCHOOL.ORG

The Fulton School

The Fulton School is an independent, co-ed, Montessori school serving children 18 months old through grade 12. Located in Chesterfield along the Highway 40 corridor, the school’s culture of respect, freedom balanced with responsibility and plenty of choices create a unique atmosphere where students thrive.

1100 WHITE ROAD | 314.469.6622 FULTON-SCHOOL.ORG

GRAND CENTER ARTS ACADEMY

Our mission is to serve students with a meaningful, well-rounded education that includes a strong emphasis in visual and performing arts and a deep commitment to academic excellence.

711 N. GRAND AVE. | 314.533.1791 GRANDCENTERARTSACADEMY.ORG

Andrews Academy is a private, co-educational, elementary school offering children, from Junior Kindergarten through Sixth Grade, an exceptional educational journey where curiosity and creativity are encouraged while developing a strong academic foundation. The spacious and diversified classrooms, outdoor educational areas, low student-teacher ratios, individualized learning and hands-on experiences all contribute to student success. Andrews Academy’s mission is foundational to the academic and social development of students as lifelong learners and global citizens.

New City School students (age 3 through grade six) engage joyfully in learning and cultivate their personal strengths and passions. Students are encouraged to build community and advocate for a more equitable world through a challenging curriculum.

5209 WATERMAN BLVD. | 314.361.6411 | NEWCITYSCHOOL.ORG

Principia School is a coeducational college preparatory school that offers an exceptional education defined by rigor and opportunity. The school provides an integrated curriculum that prepares students in preschool through grade 12 to thrive in a rapidly evolving world.

13201 CLAYTON ROAD | 314.514.3134 | PRINCIPIASCHOOL.ORG

An education from Rossman is designed to prepare children for their next steps in life and let them explore the limitless possibilities ahead. Rossman is a small community that embraces childhood and brings out the unique strengths of each student.

12660 CONWAY ROAD | 314.434.5877 | ROSSMANSCHOOL.ORG

WESTMINSTER CHRISTIAN ACADEMY

Westminster Christian Academy is an independent, coeducational school offering an education focused on community, college preparedness and Christ to students in grades seven through 12. Join us for an open house on Oct. 19.

800 MARYVILLE CENTRE DRIVE | 314.997.2900 | WCASTL.ORG

WHITFIELD SCHOOL

Whitfield provides a liberal arts curriculum that marries college preparatory courses with an emphasis on ethics, digital literacy and leadership. In a close-knit, coeducational learning environment students in grades six through 12 learn to think critically, lead lives of integrity and embrace the complexity of the world.

175 S. MASON ROAD | 314.434.5141 | WHITFIELDSCHOOL.ORG

THE WILSON SCHOOL

Since 1913, The Wilson School has excelled in reaching every student. Our deliberately small class sizes, accelerated curriculum and nurturing, inclusive community allow our students to build the academic and social-emotional skills they need to succeed in secondary school and beyond.

400 DE MUN AVE. | 314.725.4999 | WILSONSCHOOL.COM

Open House

by dr. tim jordan

I HEARD ABOUT A TEENAGE GIRL ONE DAY who one day came home and began venting about her friends to her dad. After a few moments, the girl screeched, “Daaaaad, you haven’t listened to a word I’ve said, have you?” Her dad replied, “That’s a strange way to start a conversation.”

The most common lament I heard from 21 middle school girls at a recent weekend retreat was that their parents don’t listen to them. So, I thought I’d offer you the five most common mistakes I see parents make when listening to their children. Buckle up for a rough ride.

1. Stop giving me advice! When our kids come to us with their hurts, it’s hard not to want to jump in and fix the problem. Girls often tell me that is not what they need. They want their parents to just listen to them, get in their shoes and see the issue from their perspective. That’s more than enough. Learn to mirror back what you think you heard your child say, then check in to see if you heard her right. If so, then ask her to share more. Once she feels fully heard, empathize with her: “That really stinks. It makes sense why you feel that way.” Research has shown that teens with empathetic parents have lower levels of systemic inflammation, a biological marker of emotional stress. Your kids also will learn that it is good to share with you, and thus you can remain an influence in their lives throughout their teen years and beyond.

2. Put your phone down and listen to me! Kids who are around distracted parents feel unimportant, unheard, unloved and misunderstood. When you’re open to listening to them, drop everything and be present, giving them your full attention.

3. Stop making it about you! Many girls have shared with me that their moms turn their feelings back onto what the mom is experiencing. When one of my patients, Sarah, shared how stressed out she was about her upcoming final exams, her mom flipped the script, saying, “You think you’ve got it rough! What about me? I’m a single parent working two jobs.” This left Sarah feeling unheard and like her feelings didn’t matter. She has decided that her mom and her friend’s feelings are more important than hers. Instead of feeling heard and understood, she’s left feeling like she now has to take care of her mom. It’s also important to not add your feelings and stories from your childhood into their experience because it becomes overwhelming. They have enough to deal with without having to sift through your emotions.

4. Respect my context! Every child has their own unique doorway into their emotions, and our job is to find the key to help them feel safe enough to share with us. Give them more control in deciding on the context when they share, i.e., the time, place and what they share. For some kids, it can help to not ask direct questions about their feelings but instead ask how their peers are feeling about the issue. Research shows that helping teens step outside themselves and observe their situation from a third-person perspective helps reduce overall stress and helps them think more rationally about challenges they face. Some kids are more comfortable sharing side-by-side while driving in the car or walking around the neighborhood. Others share better by writing out their thoughts in a journal or letters.

5. Just be around! You never know when the window into their heart may open to allow you in. So, be around and available as much as you can so that if they need to talk, you’re accessible. When my son John was 15, he and his friends were watching a football game one Saturday evening, and when it was over, they asked if I would drive them to their buddy’s hockey game. It was eleven p.m., and it had been snowing for several hours. I was tired, but I said, “Absolutely!” I always learned so much by shutting my mouth and listening to my kids chatting away with friends during car rides, acting as if I weren’t there.

When the door into your children’s minds and heart opens, jump through it. Before you know it, they’ll be gone into the world and you’ll wish you’d taken advantage of those opportunities. Just listen! &