Ravenscroft School
Encyclopedia
Ravenscroft School is an independent, formerly Episcopal, college preparatory school located in Raleigh, North Carolina
. It enrolls students from pre-school through grade 12. Founded in 1862 by members of Christ Episcopal Church
, the school continued under their principles until 1969 when it became non-sectarian.
was begun by Dr. Josiah Ogden Watson
in 1852, when he bequeathed $5,000 to the church to fund and employ a teacher for a parish school. A small school was established in 1868, but, in 1937, the Ravenscroft School was organized using the original funds directed by Dr. Watson. Ravenscroft was founded in 1862 by members of Christ Episcopal Church, and Ravenscroft continued under their auspices until 1966 when it became non-sectarian. Housed for periods time in Christ Church, St. Savior's Chapel, and then on Tucker Street, the School moved to its current location on Falls of Neuse Road in 1969. The School is named for John Stark Ravenscroft, the first Episcopal bishop of North Carolina and first rector of Christ Episcopal Church in Raleigh.
's poem The Raven
. Ravenscroft has a great athletics program.
Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
. It enrolls students from pre-school through grade 12. Founded in 1862 by members of Christ Episcopal Church
Christ Episcopal Church (Raleigh, North Carolina)
Christ Episcopal Church is an Episcopal church in Raleigh, North Carolina located on Edenton Street.It is located within Capitol Area Historic District, a National Historic Landmark district and has a distinctive bronze weather vane at the peak of its steeple...
, the school continued under their principles until 1969 when it became non-sectarian.
History
The idea of a parish school for Christ Episcopal ChurchChrist Episcopal Church (Raleigh, North Carolina)
Christ Episcopal Church is an Episcopal church in Raleigh, North Carolina located on Edenton Street.It is located within Capitol Area Historic District, a National Historic Landmark district and has a distinctive bronze weather vane at the peak of its steeple...
was begun by Dr. Josiah Ogden Watson
Josiah Ogden Watson
Josiah Ogden Watson was an American planter, physician, and statesman from North Carolina. He was the son of John Watson, a Revolutionary War veteran, and Elizabeth and born at Pineville plantation in Johnston County, NC.-Physician:Josiah Watson studied medicine under Dr. Henry Haywood in...
in 1852, when he bequeathed $5,000 to the church to fund and employ a teacher for a parish school. A small school was established in 1868, but, in 1937, the Ravenscroft School was organized using the original funds directed by Dr. Watson. Ravenscroft was founded in 1862 by members of Christ Episcopal Church, and Ravenscroft continued under their auspices until 1966 when it became non-sectarian. Housed for periods time in Christ Church, St. Savior's Chapel, and then on Tucker Street, the School moved to its current location on Falls of Neuse Road in 1969. The School is named for John Stark Ravenscroft, the first Episcopal bishop of North Carolina and first rector of Christ Episcopal Church in Raleigh.
School facts
There are three school divisions: Lower School (pre-K 5th), Middle School (6th-8th), and Upper School (9th-12th). The School incorporates athletics and fine arts into the academic schedule. The Lower School currently enrolls 494 students; the Middle School enrolls 300 students; the Upper School enrolls 461 students. The School's mission is: "The Ravenscroft community, guided by our legacy of excellence, nurtures individual potential and prepares students to thrive in a complex and interdependent world."Accreditation
Ravenscroft is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and School (SACS) and the Southern Association of Independent Schools (SAIS). Ravenscroft was named a Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education in 2003.School Memberships
Ravenscroft is a member of the National and North Carolina Association of Independent Schools, Joint Research Project Organization (JRPO), as well as a number of other professional organizations.School Characteristics
Ravenscroft is an independent, co-educational college preparatory day school enrolling 1,255 students, preschool through grade 12. The Lower School currently enrolls 494 students; the Middle School enrolls 300 students; the Upper School enrolls 461 students.Organization and Administration
The School, a non-profit organization, is composed of three educational divisions: Lower School, Middle School, and Upper School with individual directors. The Interim Head of the Lower School is Mrs. Payton Hobbs, the Head of the Middle School is Mrs. Denise Colpitts, and the Head of the Upper School is Mr. William Pruden III. The total School is administered by Mrs. Doreen C. Kelly, current Head of School.Faculty
Ravenscroft has over 240 faculty and staff, 201 of which are full-time instructors. The average faculty member has 18 years of classroom experience, and more than half have attained advanced degrees. Each school division has its own guidance counselor. A full-time nurse is available on campus during school hours. The Upper School's College Counseling Department includes director Angela Connor, who has been employed at the School since 1978.Tuition
- Pre-Kindergarten - $10,200
- Kindergarten - $10,630
- Lower School - $14,855
- Middle and Upper School - $17,900
- Academic Skills - $2,300
- Family fee - $3,000
Academics
Typically, 100 percent of Ravenscroft graduates pursue their education beyond the secondary level. In 2006, 161 students took 325 AP exams with 90 percent of the scores being a “3” or better. Ravenscroft offers 27 AP classes in their curriculum. The mean SAT scores for the Class of 2007 were: 631 (verbal/critical reading); 636 (math); and 638 (writing), for a total verbal + math average of 1267.Fine arts
Ravenscroft has a Fine Arts facility that includes the 460-seat Christina B. Jones Theatre and the 200-seat black-box young peoples' theatre. Students can choose from offerings in band, strings, photography, dance, drama, visual arts, voice, and a variety of instrumental ensembles. Ravencroft has a lot of great choices for students who wants to be in the fine arts department.Athletics
Ravenscroft's Athletic department offers 25 sports (boys and girls), and fields 50 teams in those sports at the Middle School, junior varsity, and varsity levels. More than 80 percent of Ravenscroft students in grades 7-12 participate in School-sponsored athletics. The school mascot is a Raven named Edgar, after Edgar Allan PoeEdgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe was an American author, poet, editor and literary critic, considered part of the American Romantic Movement. Best known for his tales of mystery and the macabre, Poe was one of the earliest American practitioners of the short story and is considered the inventor of the detective...
's poem The Raven
The Raven
"The Raven" is a narrative poem by American writer Edgar Allan Poe, first published in January 1845. It is often noted for its musicality, stylized language, and supernatural atmosphere. It tells of a talking raven's mysterious visit to a distraught lover, tracing the man's slow descent into madness...
. Ravenscroft has a great athletics program.
Notable alumni
- Michael C. HallMichael C. HallMichael Carlyle Hall is an American actor whose television roles include David Fisher on the HBO drama series Six Feet Under and Dexter Morgan on the Showtime series Dexter. In 2009, Hall won a Golden Globe award and a Screen Actors Guild Award for his role in Dexter.-Early life:Hall was born in...
- Actor, Six Feet Under (TV series), Dexter (TV series)Dexter (TV series)Dexter is an American television drama series, which debuted on Showtime on October 1, 2006. The sixth season premiered on October 2, 2011. The series centers on Dexter Morgan , a bloodstain pattern analyst for the Miami Metro Police Department who moonlights as a serial killer... - Antwan HarrisAntwan HarrisMelvin Antwan Harris is a former professional American football player who played defensive back for six seasons for the New England Patriots and Cleveland Browns of the National Football League. He won two Super Bowls with the Patriots in 2002 and 2004...
- Athlete, Super BowlSuper BowlThe Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
winner - William Joyner - Tenor, Teatro alla Scala, Opéra National de Paris, Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin, Washington National Opera, New York City Opera
- Emily ProcterEmily Procter-External links:...
- Actress, CSI: MiamiCSI: MiamiCSI: Miami is an American police procedural television series, which premiered on September 23, 2002 on CBS. The series is a spin-off of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation....
, The West Wing - Hughes WinborneHughes WinborneHughes Winborne is a Hollywood film editor. He has edited 20 films, including Crash, for which he won an Oscar for film editing in the 78th Academy Awards. He also edited Sling Blade and The Pursuit of Happyness ....
- Oscar-winning editor of Crash (2004 film)Crash (2004 film)Crash is a 2004 American drama film co-written, produced, and directed by Paul Haggis. The film is about racial and social tensions in Los Angeles, California. A self-described "passion piece" for Haggis, Crash was inspired by a real life incident in which his Porsche was carjacked outside a video... - Ryan Kelly - Basketball player for the Duke Blue Devils men's basketballDuke Blue Devils men's basketballThe Duke Blue Devils men's basketball team is the college basketball program representing Duke University in the Atlantic Coast Conference of NCAA Division I...