At Visitation Academy, spaghetti and marshmallows are the stuff of learning. In some classrooms here, pint-sized engineers-in-the-making fashion buildings from filaments of dried pasta and build bridges with sugary treats. Although the Catholic, all-girls school has a long history (it was founded in 1833 by the Sisters of the Visitation), it is embracing the 21st century by exposing children early to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Students as young as 2 have access to iPads that are used as writing, spelling and reading tools. In higher grades, girls use Skype and email to connect with children overseas. Social studies are enriched by apps such as Google Earth, which enable children to ‘travel’ to historic, faraway places like Giza and Moscow. Robotics is not just an after-school program at Visitation, but an integral part of the science and technology curriculum.
Margaret Karl, lower school principal for the last seven years, says Visitation’s use of technology is developing quickly. “We have always believed it was very important and, unlike other places, have always incorporated it into our daily program,” Karl says. There are Smart Boards and iPads in every classroom, and recently the school introduced Apple TV.
Visitation, which is coeducational through its Montessori preschool, believes a future is brighter when foundations are firm, when a child’s beginnings are strong and secure. Consequently, great emphasis is placed on literacy, on critical thinking and on nurturing the whole child. “We live by Jesus—as a person, as a learner and as a whole being,” Karl says. “Not only do we teach students to be who they are and to value themselves, but also to be there for each other, to be a good friend.” Collaborative classrooms encourage this also, with learning often project-based. “The children have to think and solve. They have to work together toward a common goal,” Karl says. “Collaboration is the thread that runs through everything.”
Stephanie Coulter, lower school admissions coordinator, says Visitation is a unique environment for girls to become good people and good citizens. It provides in school opportunities for service work and will incorporate field trips out into the St. Louis community next year. The girls also hold drives for worthy causes such as area nursing homes and veterans organizations. The school has a recycling program and two greenhouses where students in all grades have a chance to garden. (The vegetables they grow are served on the salad bar.)
“We are very aware of our responsibility to empower our girls, to instill confidence and give them a voice,” says Karl. To encourage this, the students are given plenty of chances to share opinions and stand before groups. Its small size (106 children) facilitates this. “Sometimes, the girls come in very quiet, but usually by the time they reach sixth grade, they have great confidence,” Karl says. “When they leave here, we want them to feel strong enough to stand up and be leaders.”
Visitation Academy, located at 3020 N. Ballas Road, has an all-girls Lower School for grades one through five and a coeducational Montessori program for toddlers through kindergarten. The upper grades are also single-sex. For more information, call 314.625.9100 or visit visitationacademy.org.
Photo courtesy of Visitation Academy
Cover design provided by Visitation Academy
