Navigating the Secondary School Journey: A Unique St. Matthew’s Experience  

At St. Matthew’s Parish School, the path to secondary education is a personalized journey tailored to each student’s strengths and aspirations. Our distinctive secondary school process begins in the spring of 7th grade, setting the stage for informed and confident decision-making. Each spring marks the start of this high school journey, providing an overview of the process. Every 7th grade family engages in one-on-one meetings with our dedicated Secondary School Counseling Team, which includes the Head of School and Middle School Principal. Together, they explore the unique opportunities and academic fits for each student.

As the school year begins, 8th Grade students and families participate in a three-part personal narrative essay workshop. This essential component helps students articulate their individuality and character through compelling storytelling. An interview workshop follows, where students hone their skills with advisors and faculty.

St. Matthew’s hosts over 30 schools for small group meetings and this year hosted two major boarding school fairs on campus. The TEN Schools Consortium event focuses on highly selective East Coast boarding schools, while a broader fair in October welcomes boarding schools nationwide.

Another hallmark of our Secondary School Program is the Serve Lead Flourish (SLF) class – an integral part of the program that helps guide them in finalizing essays, applications, and school choices. Our team maintains close relationships with schools to advocate for our students, even during the waitlist process. The team ensures that every school receives all transcripts, letters of recommendation, and any other credentials required promptly and are in place to support a family’s journey every step of the way. St. Matthew’s ultimate goal is to guide students to environments where they will flourish fully.

Students at St. Matthew’s develop confidence and character that carry far beyond our campus. The majority of our students matriculate to highly selective high schools, both regionally and nationally, and others enroll in local well-respected charter and public high schools. The wide array of high schools is a testament to the diverse make-up and strengths of our student community, and our strong secondary school counseling program helps each student find the right fit.