Parent Reflections

We are a family of four living in the Green Hills neighborhood. Bobby owns and leads a consumer products company and Sarah works for an institutional investment management organization. We have two children including Alex who is in the first grade and Greta who is in junior kindergartner and a dog named Hewie. We moved to Nashville from San Francisco in 2012 when expecting Alex, knowing that Nashville would be a great place to raise a family. Sarah spent middle and high school in Nashville and Bobby is from Palo Alto, California. 

Why did you choose St. Paul? 
During our school selection and admissions process, we were treated with warmth and intentional focus. Not only did Bobby and I feel welcome and free to ask important questions, but we found that Alex and Greta were welcomed wholeheartedly and made to feel comfortable and safe. Moreover, we felt that the individual characteristics and learning path for both children were carefully considered and well understood, with suggestions for each child on ways to continue to grow and thrive. We felt the draw of the warm community of faculty, staff and parents at St. Paul. Our instincts led us to the conclusion that St. Paul would be the ideal environment for our children to learn and grow. 

Tell us about your transition from St. George’s Kindergarten and MDO? 
Our transition from St. George’s was smooth. Both Alex and Greta were greeted with enthusiasm and warmth each day which strengthened their sense of security from experiences during admissions and summer camps. 

Describe your experience in the St. Paul community. 
Our whole family has experienced genuine openness, warmth and friendliness in the St. Paul community. Our children and family have developed great friendships that we expect will continue to grow over the years. 

What sets St. Paul apart? 
There is a true focus on and embodiment of kindness and love at St. Paul and it does truly set the school and community apart. The students feel loved by their teachers, staff and fellow students and it provides a safe and ideal environment for them to do their best work and learning. It also permeates into their life on a day to day basis in the way that they empathize with and treat others, setting a foundation for integrity for life. 

The academic progress we have witnessed our son experience at St. Paul has been outstanding and exceeded our expectations. All of the goals that we had set for last year were exceeded and we have found that Alex has found true joy both in academic areas that come easily to him, as well as those presenting challenges. 

Another great example of what sets St. Paul apart can be illustrated from a
kindergarten baseball game last spring. Most of the boys in the class were on baseball teams through WNSL and there were two full teams consisting of St. Paul boys. During the last game of the season, the two St. Paul teams faced off after both having great years on the field. Our team was up to bat first and the opposing St. Paul team started enthusiastically cheering for each of our players when they came up to bat. Then our team did the same. We had never experienced that in any other game during the season (or any time in all of our years involved with sports). We thought this was a great example of the kindness, the strength of the community and the warmness in the hearts of all kids and adults involved with St. Paul. We feel so lucky to be a part of this wonderful school. 

What would you share with prospective parents?
We are so glad to be a part of this wonderful school! We have found such peace of mind bringing our kids to school each day and see the impact of St. Paul in all of our lives. Kindness, care and courage are constants and we feel thankful to be a part of the community. 

Tell us about your family. 
We are a family of 4! Our 2 girls are: Sofia, currently in 3rd grade and Fiona, currently in Kindergarten. We have been a part of the St. Paul family since 2015. Shawn is an orthodontist and I am a CPA. I have been the Practice Administrator for my husband's four Orthodontic Offices, About Faces and Braces, since 2005. Shawn is native of the Nashville area. He went to Goodpasture, MBA, Emory University and University of Tennessee Health Science Center for his Dental and Orthodontic Degrees. I am from Chihuahua, Mexico. I have been in the U.S. since 2001. St. Jude Children’s Hospital brought me to work for the hospital. I worked at St. Jude for five years before we moved to the Nashville area to start our businesses in 2005. We love staying active! We all play tennis, swim, hike, and chase our dog, Lovie. We also enjoy traveling and seeing new places. 

Why did you choose St. Paul? 
We toured St. Paul in 2014. The first thing we noticed was the caring and attentive staff. They are not only nice but also very sweet and respectful towards the children. When we came to St. Paul to tour, I requested to see the upper school classrooms and students. I was interested in seeing how the older kids behaved towards each other, their teachers, and strangers (us). I was pleasantly surprised to see the children carry themselves with the same respect, love, and attention that the staff showed toward one another and us. At that time, I knew it was what I wanted for our girls. A place where they can be whoever they want to be, but with respect, love, and attention toward others no matter who they are or what they look like. 

Tell us about your experience with the teachers. 

We have been impressed with the level of consistency from year to year and class to class. The administration along with the teachers are sharply focused on their goals and seem to push each child to fulfill their potential. It is a difficult job to set high expectations for the children, hold them accountable, and still be well liked. Our girls love their teachers...past and present! The families at St. Paul are awesome. The parents, grandparents, and family friends are all involved with the school and strive to help the children to grow and succeed. Whether it be simply financial giving, donating time, or both, the school has the full support of the families. We have very much enjoyed getting to know everyone over the last several years and becoming close with many of the St. Paul families. Because everyone is unique, we have had a variety of personalities and teaching styles, which we find to be a huge benefit for our girls. You can expect this at any school, but the common denominator at St. Paul among the teachers is that they genuinely care and give their undivided attention to each student. We have requested special action for our girls, whether it be to read to them more or to push them harder academically. We have always felt that our needs are heard and implemented to achieve what we have requested. Every student’s needs are different and St. Paul teachers do an excellent job of fulfilling those unique needs. The teachers also have the support from the administration to be able to provide the necessary attention to each student. 

Tell us about your family. 
We are a family of eight who reside here in Nashville, TN. Delvin does college ministry at our local university campuses while Ginessa has taken time off from being an elementary school educator to be home with our youngest children. 

Why did you choose St. Paul Christian Academy for your family? 
We chose St. Paul after falling in love with the atmosphere of the school. A nurturing environment combined with Christian values and strong academic excellence spoke volumes to us. 

How has St. Paul partnered with your family? 
We love partnering year after year with the teachers at St. Paul. Each of our children are so unique and require different needs emotionally and academically so having the support and insight of their teachers has meant a lot to us. 

Tell us about your children’s academic experience. 
The academic experience at St. Paul has been wonderful. All of the different departments including the Center for Student Success have helped to identify the best learning practices for each of our children. The small class sizes, curriculum, and assignments have really allowed our children to express their individual personalities while continuing to learn and grow at the same time. 

What would you share with prospective families? 
St. Paul has been a great school to help lay a strong spiritual and academic foundation for our children. We are so proud to be a part of the St. Paul community and welcome anyone considering the same to check out all of the wonderful things they have to offer.