South Kent School
Encyclopedia
South Kent School is a private boarding school
for boys in South Kent, Connecticut
, United States
. The school is located on a 500 acres (2 km²) campus in the hills of Litchfield County
. It 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 current head of school is Mr. Andrew J. Vadnais, a Williams College
graduate.
Total enrollment is about 160 students. About 50% of the students are from outside the United States, including Brazil
, Bermuda
, Canada
, China
, Japan
, Korea
, Italy
, Montenegro
, Nigeria
, Senegal
, Serbia
, Taiwan
, Turkey
, and Ukraine
.
developing a boy’s further awareness and understanding of his learning process.
Recreational sports available to students include Martial Arts, Mountain Biking, and Weightlifting.
Athletics facilities available to students include the Richard M. Cuyler ice rink, the Joseph J. Brown gymnasium, the Anne H. Funnell cross-country trail, hardcourt and clay tennis courts, a weight-training facility, numerous athletics fields, and the adjacent Tom Fazio
-designed Bulls Bridge Golf Club.
Boarding school
A boarding school is a school where some or all pupils study and live during the school year with their fellow students and possibly teachers and/or administrators. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board," i.e., lodging and meals...
for boys in South Kent, Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The school is located on a 500 acres (2 km²) campus in the hills of Litchfield County
Litchfield County, Connecticut
Litchfield County is a county located in the northwestern corner of the U.S. state of Connecticut. Litchfield County has the lowest population density of any county in Connecticut but is geographically the state's largest county. As of 2010 the population was 189,927...
. It was founded in 1923 as a joint venture between Reverend Frederick Herbert Sill, headmaster of Kent School
Kent School
Kent School is a private, co-educational college preparatory school in Kent, Connecticut, USA. The Reverend Frederick Herbert Sill, Order of the Holy Cross, established the school in 1906 and it retains its affiliation with the Episcopal Church of the United States.Students at Kent come from more...
, and two of his recent graduates, Samuel Slater Bartlett and Richard M. Cuyler. The current head of school is Mr. Andrew J. Vadnais, a Williams College
Williams College
Williams College is a private liberal arts college located in Williamstown, Massachusetts, United States. It was established in 1793 with funds from the estate of Ephraim Williams. Originally a men's college, Williams became co-educational in 1970. Fraternities were also phased out during this...
graduate.
Total enrollment is about 160 students. About 50% of the students are from outside the United States, including Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, Montenegro
Montenegro
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
, Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
, Senegal
Senegal
Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
, Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
, Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, and Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
.
Academics
45 courses are offered in 2 primary divisions, Math/Science and Humanities. The school year is divided into three terms: fall, winter, and spring. Students normally enroll in five major academic courses each term. Accelerated courses, including advanced placement, are offered in several. To graduate, a student must earn a minimum of 18 credits, which include:- 4 years of English;
- 3 years of mathematics;
- 2 years of a foreign language;
- 2 years of science, one of which has laboratory;
- 2 years of history, one of which is United States History;
- 1 year of art, and;
- 4 electives.
Student Learning Services
Student Learning Services is a support program for students who require extra help with their college-bound curriculum. It focuses on the individual’s learning style and works towardsdeveloping a boy’s further awareness and understanding of his learning process.
English as a Second Language
ESL is a program for international students to improve and/or reinforce skills in written and oral English. The focus is on structure, comprehension and conversation.Athletics
South Kent offers a wide variety of sports in the fall, winter, and spring seasons. Students can participate in various skill levels of several sports, including Baseball, Basketball, Crew, Cross-Country, Golf, Ice Hockey, Lacrosse, Soccer, and Tennis. The school is best known for its Basketball, Ice Hockey, and Soccer programs which are annually among the best prep-school programs in New England. The Soccer program won the New England Class B Championships in 2009, finishing #1 among all schools in the year-end WNEPSSA school ranking. The school had previously won the Class B championship in 2008 and Class C championship in 2006.Recreational sports available to students include Martial Arts, Mountain Biking, and Weightlifting.
Athletics facilities available to students include the Richard M. Cuyler ice rink, the Joseph J. Brown gymnasium, the Anne H. Funnell cross-country trail, hardcourt and clay tennis courts, a weight-training facility, numerous athletics fields, and the adjacent Tom Fazio
Tom Fazio
Thomas Fazio, ASGCA is a golf course architect.Fazio graduated in 1962 from Lansdale Catholic High School and was inducted into its "Hall of Fame" in 2007. He began his career in golf course design with his family's firm in suburban Philadelphia, which he left in the 1960s; he established his own...
-designed Bulls Bridge Golf Club.
Alumni
- Jim BellowsJim BellowsJim Bellows was considered to be one of the most influential figures in American journalism of the 20th century. Bellows was born to a wealthy Ohio family, and left home at 13 years of age to attend South Kent School--a private boarding school for boys in South Kent, Connecticut--graduating in 1940...
(SKS 1940), Editor - John BerrymanJohn BerrymanJohn Allyn Berryman was an American poet and scholar, born in McAlester, Oklahoma. He was a major figure in American poetry in the second half of the 20th century and was considered a key figure in the Confessional school of poetry...
(SKS 1932), Poet, (1964 Pulitzer Prize for "77 Dream SongsThe Dream SongsThe Dream Songs is a compilation of two books of poetry, 77 Dream Songs and His Toy, His Dream, His Rest by the American poet, John Berryman...
") - Andray BlatcheAndray BlatcheAndray Blatche is an American professional basketball player in the NBA for the Washington Wizards.-High school:...
(SKS 2004), Washington WizardsWashington WizardsThe Washington Wizards are a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., previously known as Washington Bullets. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
, NBA - Gordon ClappGordon ClappGordon Clapp is an American actor, best known for portraying the role of Det. Greg Medavoy for all 12 seasons on the television series NYPD Blue, winning an Emmy Award in 1998.-Early and personal life:...
(SKS 1967), Emmy-Award winning Actor and Tony Award nominee, best known for his role as Detective Medavoy on NYPD BlueNYPD BlueNYPD Blue is an American television police drama set in New York City, exploring the internal and external struggles of the fictional 15th precinct of Manhattan... - Chip MonckChip MonckChip Monck is a Tony Award winning lighting designer, most famously serving as the Master of Ceremonies at the 1969 Woodstock Festival.-Personal History:...
, Tony winning lighting designer and stage manager and announcer of the 1969 Woodstock FestivalWoodstock FestivalWoodstock Music & Art Fair was a music festival, billed as "An Aquarian Exposition: 3 Days of Peace & Music". It was held at Max Yasgur's 600-acre dairy farm in the Catskills near the hamlet of White Lake in the town of Bethel, New York, from August 15 to August 18, 1969... - Robert B. Oakley (SKS 1948), Former US Ambassador
- Isaiah ThomasIsaiah Thomas (basketball)Isaiah Thomas is an American professional basketball player for the Sacramento Kings and was taken as the final pick in the 2011 NBA Draft. He is a 5 ft 9 in and 170 - 180 lb point guard. During his freshman year, he averaged 15.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.1 steals per...
(SKS 2008), Washington Huskies, NCAA - Dorell WrightDorell WrightDorell Lawrence Wright is an American professional basketball small forward with the Golden State Warriors. In the 2010-11 season, Wright became known for his three-point shooting.- NBA career :...
(SKS 2005), Golden State WarriorsGolden State WarriorsThe Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. They are part of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, NBA
Publications
- The Pigtail: a student publication issued three-five times per year. The name of the paper is a reference to the nickname of the hamlet of South Kent as "Pigtail Corners" or simply "Pigtail". A slogan at the school for many years was "Pigtail Against the World".
- The Hillside: the SKS alumni magazine published twice annually.
South Kent in the news
- ESPN E60: Structure, Support, Family: Home for Deejay Brown
- NY Times: A Cry in the Streets of Brooklyn Is Answered by a Prep School
- CBS News: Hoop Dreams: How one high school became a national basketball powerhouse
- Finishing school: Popular route to college hoops
Sources
- History of Kent, CT, Francis Atwater, 1897
- History of SKS, South Kent School official site