Update From John Webster,     

Head of School   

Thank you!

·         Reenrollment stands at an amazing 97%, and projected enrollment surpasses our budgeted target. Thank you for your confidence in SAA! 

·         SAA’s 100% parent participation in the Annual Fund is especially impressive when compared with the national private school average of 64% parent participation. Thank you for investing in our boys’ education!  

·         Lots of good things are happening at SAA: 

-  Six Academy 8^th graders have earned high school merit scholarships valued at almost $400,000: SAA is proud that we have two Campbell Scholars: St. Mary’s Hall; one Alkek  Scholar: TMI; two McCallie Scholars: The McCallie School in Tennessee; and one Alumni Scholar: Central Catholic  

-  The 8th grade's production of Hamlet was very impressive, as was the 5^th grade's presentation of Don Quixote – performed entirely in Spanish. 

-    At the end of the first semester, students from the Class of 2009 turned in a strong performance (high school), as 89% of their grades were A’s + B’s. 

-    Seventh grade SAT scores (college entrance test) are very strong as evidenced by this sneak preview:

          - Math: 740, 610, 560, 530, 500

          - Reading: 570, 550, 500, 500

          - Writing: 570, 570, 530 

-    So far this year Academy boys at all grade levels have filled more than 600 positions in SAA’s after-school sports programs. 

-    The 6^th, 7^th and 8^th grade basketball teams posted an aggregate record of 34-10. 

-    The MATHCOUNTS team finished 3^rd of 58 teams in the region, qualifying for the State Meet. In the individual knock-out round, SAA boys finished 1^st, 7^th and 20^th (a 6^th grader) out of more than 220 competitors. 

-    The 5^th grade-produced Paw Prints school newspaper has been well-received. 

-    The Concert Choir’s February performance was outstanding, as was its performance at the Humanitarian Award Luncheon in honor of Edith McAllister. More than 20% of the upper school participates in SAA’s Concert Choir.  

Academy boys have lots of opportunities to participate and excel.     

·        Thank you for completing and returning our Parent Report Cards, which give SAA a grade of 94% in overall satisfaction.       

·        After Spring Break there are nine weeks of school before Commencement week. The year has flown by! All in all, it has been a very good year.  

  

2010 Cowboy Breakfast Recap    A Boot Scootin' Time at the Cowboy Breakfast Over 750 people attended the 2010 Cowboy Breakfast held on January 29 sponsored by the 8th grade class. Eighth grade parents Elizabeth and Corbin Snow organized the breakfast committee to plan the décor, menu and set-up, and also lead a team of enthusiastic 8th grade boys and their parents in rolling 1,700 breakfast tacos before 7:00 am. To help set the festive mood, real cowboys were on hand to offer roping lessons to eager buckaroos who weren't hindered by the misting rain. There was also live entertainment in the library and in the dining room. For over twenty years, the Cowboy Breakfast has brought together the extended Academy family for fun and fellowship in an effort to raise funds for the graduating class gift, which is presented to The Academy at the end of the school year.

The Play’s the Thing: Hamlet at San Antonio Academy!

By Brendan Moore, English Department Head

 

 

In February eighth grade students once again took to the stage to perform their now annually anticipated Shakespeare play. Separate casts (on consecutive days) worked their theatrical magic in rendering one of The Bard’s most revered works, namely Hamlet.  

Greatly enhancing the productions was the makeup and special effects experience of Begoña Ubieta, whose long list of professional credits include the movies Hook and The Newton Boys. Thanks to her expertise and the acting skills of the players, when the curtain went up, Hamlet looked suitably pensive, Polonius grizzled, Ophelia winsome, Gertrude brooding and Claudius stricken.  

Each of the performances began with fog wafting from the wings as the ghost of Old Hamlet glided into view. The audiences were then treated to the deft portrayal of Claudius’ machinations and the sly trickery of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, before witnessing the angst of Ophelia, the bombast of Polonius and most especially the ribald clowning of the gravediggers. Later, madness and “antic disposition” take hold as the twists of the plot deepen, and then the great fencing match between Laertes and Hamlet ensues before—with a rash of deaths—the action culminates in the arrival of Fortinbras and his soldiers. 

All the players succeeded in engaging their audiences, but the success of the productions would not have been possible without the particularly sterling performances of the two boys who played Hamlet. In the Wednesday play, Stephen Trippy brought a keen and mature intensity to the role of the procrastinating prince, and in Thursday’s performance Travis Long drew upon his remarkably expressive talents to render a difficult role accessible to even the younger boys in attendance.  

Later, by vote of the faculty, “Academy Awards” were presented to the following actors: 

Travis Long, Stephen Trippy, Pavan Patamalla, Jimmy Williams, Corbin Snow, Clark Finney, Wallace Schmuck, JT Plummer, Riley Zander and Parker Brown.

Congratulations to all the boys for another remarkable theatrical display.  

   

Wildcat Basketball: Winter Recap Varsity Basketball: The Wildcat basketball teams had another strong year. The eighth grade's overall record was 13-6, capturing 1st place in the regular season (8-0), but fell short in the tournament semi-finals. Corby Snow was the team's MVP.   The seventh grade's overall record was 13-3, securing a 2nd place finish in the regular season (6-1). Zack Ford was the team's MVP.  The sixth grade's 8-1 record rounded out the season, as the sixth, seventh and eighth grades posted an aggregate record of 34-10.    Winter Basketball: Over 200 Academy boys in grades 1-6 participated in the winter Wildcat basketball program.

SAVE THE DATE: MARCH  24 /6:30 PM   THE MCCOMBS FAMILY COLLECTION DEDICATION SAN ANTONIO  ACADEMY'S MUSEUM

                            

Snapshots Serenade: Academy alumni, David Rochelle and Taylor Thornton (Class of 2007), were among the 30 plus Academy grads on hand to wish their favorite Head of School, John Webster, a happy 25 years of service to SAA. The recognition was a well-orchestrated surprise thanks to Alumni Council President, George Bodden, who also presented John with a plaque.    Grandparents Get Involved: The second grade grandparents joined their grandsons during a lively music class before they sat down with the boys for lunch.   PreK Tradition: Academy parents pitched in to help the PreK count up to 100 during their "100 Day Celebration."     Pavan Patamalla (8th grade) poses with Spanish Department Chair, Luisa Bolen, during the Spanish Honor Induction Ceremony last month. To be selected as an Honor Member, students obtained a 90 or above overall average and a 95 or above in Spanish on their first semester average. 'Sociedad Nacional Honoraria de Español' Members are:  Ethan Ausburn, Sam Gonzalez, Jeremy Heath, Hamlet Newsom, Pavan Patamalla, Will Seamans, Stephen Trippy, and Roark Word.   Local History: Third graders enjoyed a beautiful sunny day in front of the Alamo during a recent field trip.   In early February the seventh grade took a field trip to Austin to tour the capitol and the LBJ Presidential Library. They also paid a visit to the office where Speaker Joe Straus resides. The trip was designed to complement their study of Texas history.

Spring Thing 2010 Rio Carnival! Thursday, April 8, 2010 6:30-9:00 p.m. Click here to RSVP online, to view the invitation, and to download the parking map.

Summer At The Academy Registration begins March 22 @ 8:30 am       The Summer Brochures are in the mail, or pick up a copy in the Summer Office.   The Summer Brochure and registration forms are also online. Click here to view

  

Quick Links: San Antonio Academy    National Association of Independent Schools   Independent Schools Association of the Southwest

Mission Statement:

San Antonio Academy of Texas offers prekindergarten through eighth grade boys an exceptional academic program that features small classes, a family-like atmosphere, the development of a positive self-image and a foundation for life based upon love of God and country, integrity and respect for each other.     

San Antonio Academy admits students of any race, color, and national or ethnic origin. 

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