The Athenian School - Boarding School Profile

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The Athenian School

2100 Mt. Diablo Scenic Blvd., Danville, CA 94506 -

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tel: 925.362.7223

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School Notes Overview:

With distinctive meaningful programs, The Athenian School goes far beyond preparing talented and diverse students for outstanding colleges. Athenian empowers its graduates to become world citizens with lives of purpose and personal fulfillment. Athenian's distinguishing features include: an exciting and challenging academic curriculum, required community service, a required wilderness course, and extraordinary international experiences. Other signature programs include: town meeting, an airplane construction project, an award-winning robotics team, and many international opportunities (exchange, service projects, annual conferences, and faculty-led educational and service trips). Located on 75 beautiful acres at the base of Mt. Diablo, Athenian is the San Francisco Bay Area's only nonsectarian school with a high school boarding program. Virtually 100% gain admission to 4-yr. universities, from all the Univ. of CA campuses, to USC, Stanford, all the Ivy League campuses, outstanding liberal arts colleges, and a wide range of others. Athenian encourages students to find the colleges or universities that best fit them, and most students gain admission to their first-choice school. Most importantly, Athenian students develop a deep understanding of themselves, extraordinary skills for achievement, and the compassion to make a positive difference in the world.

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Listed among the top 20 boarding schools (out of 233 schools) for:

• Diversity - High percentage of students of color

Definition of Terms

The Athenian School

Boarding School Avg.

Overview:
School Focus	College Preparatory	College Preparatory
Grades Offered (Boarding)	9-12	8-12
Grades Offered (Day)	6-12	Pre-K-12
School Type	Co-ed	Co-ed
Support for ADD/ADHD Students	No	No
Religious Affiliation	Non-denominational	Non-denominational
Year Founded	1965	1899
Campus Size	75 acres	150 acres

Student Body
Enrollment	300 students	294 students
Percent Students of Color	38%	16%
Percent International Students	10%	15%
Percent Students Boarding	14%	72%
Average SAT Score	1900	*National Avg. » View
Offers Post-Grad Year	No	No

Academics and Faculty
Saturday Classes	No	No
Classroom Dress Code	Casual	Formal
Average Class Size	15	12 *National School Avg. » 20
Teacher : Student Ratio	1:10	1:7
# of AP/Advanced Courses Offered	12	13
ESL Courses Offered	Yes	Yes
% Faculty with Advanced Degree	68%	60%
Summer Program Offered	Yes	Yes

Finances
Endowment Size	$3 million	$17 million
Yearly Tuition (Boarding Students)	$39,060	$36,600
Yearly Tuition (Day Students)	$24,600	$20,975
Percent Students on Financial Aid	20%	30%
Average Financial Aid Grant	$ 12,000	$ 16,199
Merit Scholarships Offered	No	No

Admission
Application Deadline	Jan. 9 / rolling	Jan. 15
SSAT Required	No	Yes
Acceptance Rate	43%	60%
Director of Admissions	Christopher Beeson
Associate Director of Admissions	Beverly Gomer

Total Interscholastic Sports Offered

Interscholastic Sports

Badminton	Baseball
Basketball	Cross Country
Golf	Soccer
Softball	Swimming
Tennis	Track and Field
Volleyball	Wrestling

Total Extracurricular Organizations

Extracurriculars

Airplane Construction Project	Asian Club
Athenian Wilderness Experience--required	Band/Orchestra
Basketball	Capoeira
Chorus	Community Action Board
Conditioning	Conservative Club
Dance	Fencing
Hiking	Independent Physical Education Option
Interim Trips--teacher-led adventuresome trips or activities	Interweave-
Jew Crew	Latino Club
LIterary Magazine	Music and Dance Concerts
On Campus speakers and artists	Outdoor Adventure
Poetry Readings	QED Math Club
Robotics Team--award-winning	Rock Climbing
Round Square	Round Square Int'l. Service Projects
Round Square Int'l. Student Conferences	Round Square Study Abroad
Running	Sailing
Students of Color	Theater Productions
Ultimate Frisbee	Weight Lifting
Yearbook	Yoga

College Matriculation:
Year: 2002-2006	10 Most Popular College Choices (# Enrolled)
	University of California, Santa Cruz	20
	Univeristy of California, Davis	15
	University of Colorado, Boulder	11
	University of California, Los Angeles	10
	University of California, Santa Barbara	10
	University of Calfornia, Berkeley	8
	Occidental College	6
	University of Southern Calfornia	6
	University of Pennsylvania	4
	Brown University	3

Athenian's superb curriculum extends far beyond academic subjects with distinctive programs which develop students as world citizens for successful, meaningful, and purposeful lives.
The academic curriculum offers:
- Interdisciplinary humanities courses in grades 9 and 10, followed by diverse seminars in history and literature
- Hands-on and applied science options, including: an airplane construction project, an applied science course, and an award-winning robotics team
- Extensive mathematics offerings beyond our two years of AP calculus courses to statistics and AP statistics
- Extensive offerings in the arts, including drawing, painting, pottery, stained glass, and photography, theatre, dance, and chorus
- Honors and/or AP courses accross the curriculum
- Superb college counseling with an individual plan for each student and counselors dedicated only to college advising
Beyond the classroom, Athenian prepares students for the future as world citizens through:
- Meaningful required community service
- Extraordinary international opportunities through the Round Square Consortium of 60 schools on six continents: study abroad exchanges, international community service projects, and annual international student conferences
- Participation in school-governance through town meeting
- Guidance from a residential community of faculty who live on campus with their families. Faculty know students well, offering advice and support as mentors for each student.
- The Athenian Wilderness Experience, required of all 11th grade students (a meaningful program developing independence, leadership, and teamwork--NOT a survival course)
- An amazing an advantageous location which offers a beautiful 75-acre campus at the base of Mt. Diablo as well as easy access to the San Francisco Bay Area
- Faculty who not only teach academic subjects but mentor students individually as academic advisors, residential program advisors, dormitory parents, coaches, club sponsors, community service trip leaders, and interim trip leaders.
- Service Learning in which academic courses include hands-on experiential learning with a community service focus. Such programs happen on campus, in the San Francisco Bay Area, and on international trips to such places as Africa, South America, Asia, and Europe.
ALUMNI & PARENTS SAY:
- "With the perfect balance of challenge and nurturing, Athenian teachers encourage you to experience and connect with your studies. I enjoyed academics, athletics, and the arts. I pursued my passions, graduating more certain of myself. I felt intellectually confident in my first college class. Athenian changes lives, and it's graduates affect change in the world." --Sarah Ames, Athenian Class of 2005, Vassar College
- "Athenian's inclusive environment enables every student to make a mark--whether in academics, performance and art, or clubs and sports. Athenian consistently produces bright, engaging, and confident young adults who are keenly aware that they are citizens of the world." --Deepak and Sherry Kamlani, current parents
- "Athenian encourages maturation as a full person and student. Athenian created a passion for learning in my son. He attended a Round Square conference in South Africa that profoundly affected him. He wants to help better the world. Jason now attends Stanford. The excitement about ideas ignited at Athenian shone through in his Stanford application. --Tina Levy, alumni parent (Jason, Athenian Class of 2004)
- "Athenian contributed to my growth as an intellectual and individual. The Athenian community helped me understand my role as a citizen of the world. I will be able to contribute to the greater society thanks to Athenian's rich ideals and supportive atmosphere. I will always cherish and stay connected to this amazing place." --Carmen Jimenez-Robbins, Athenian Class of 2005, Brown Univ.
- "Athenian teachers respect students, saying, "I not only see your children as they are now, but as what they can become." In my daughter, I now see a strong student, a self-motivated learner, and a well-rounded young lady with the desire to serve and take full responsibility for her life." --Margaret Bam, boarding student parent, South Africa
- "At Athenian you can do so many things--like start a club or propose a change. The avenues are open for you to explore. Personally, Athenian teachers are open to conversation outside of the classroom, and you get to know people really well. I have learned so much, both inside and outside the classroom. Many students leave Athenian and find college writing easy; Athenian prepared them well." --Kevin Burke, Athenian Class of 2005, University of Pennsylvania
School accreditations: WASC, NAIS, CAIS, TABS, SSAT, ERB
Sample of notable school alumni:
- Phillip Bennett - Geology Professor, Univ. of Texas, Austin
- Benjamin Brandzel - MoveOn.org Student Action Founder
- Greg Sherwood Cohalen - Emmy Award-Winning Public Broadcasting Anchor
- Craig Debro - KTVU 2, Oakland, Television News Reporter
- Joan Haratani - Attorney, San Francisco Bar Association President
- Carol Moldaw - Noted Poet, Winner of the Field Prize
- Douglas Perednia - Physician, Business Executive, Entrepreneur
- Korshied Samad - Journalist, Bureau Chief, Afghan Nonprofit Org. Founder
- Jackie Thomas - Nike Executive, Athenian School Trustee
- Andrew Wistrich - United States District Magistrate Judge
Profile last updated: 01/09/2008