Buffalo Seminary facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Buffalo Seminary |
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205 Bidwell Parkway, Buffalo
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| Information | |
| Type | private, all-girls |
| Established | 1851 |
| Songs | Alma Mater and Jerusalem |
| Head of School | Blair Parker |
| Number of students | 188 |
| Color(s) | Red and White |
| Mascot | Red-Tailed Hawk |
| Website | www.buffaloseminary.org |
Buffalo Seminary (SEM) is a special school just for girls in Buffalo, New York. It's a private school that helps girls get ready for college. Girls can attend during the day or live at the school.
Contents
What Makes SEM Special?
Buffalo Seminary is part of many important groups, like the National Association of Independent Schools. This means the school meets high standards for education. Because it's an independent school, SEM can create its own learning plans. It doesn't have to follow all the rules set by the New York State Board of Regents. SEM is also known as a "Committed Steinway Select School." This means it has special pianos for students to use.
A Look at SEM's History
How SEM Started
Buffalo Seminary was founded a long time ago, in 1851. It is one of the oldest schools for girls in the United States. In fact, it's the second oldest in New York state! When it first opened, it was called The Buffalo Female Academy. Its main goal was to give young women an excellent education. This education would help them become active and successful in the world. The school originally taught girls from kindergarten all the way through what would now be the second year of college. Some students also lived at the school. In 1889, the school changed its name to Buffalo Seminary.
Important Changes Over Time
In 1899, SEM decided to focus only on grades 9 through 12. This happened after it joined with another school called Elmwood School. A few years later, in 1908, the school moved to its current location on Bidwell Parkway. This building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2011.
In 2008, SEM brought back its boarding program. This means girls can live at the school again. The school has fixed up five old houses next to the main building for students and teachers to live in. Girls from all over the United States and the world now come to live and learn at SEM.
School Buildings and Campus
The Main School Building
SEM's main school building is located at 205 Bidwell Parkway. It was designed by an architect named George F. Newton. The building was finished in 1908 and looks like an old English style, called Tudor Revival.
Campus Features
The school's campus includes the five historic homes where students and teachers live. There's also Larkin Field, which is a sports field. Here, SEM's sports teams, called the Red-Tailed Hawks, play soccer, lacrosse, and field hockey.
In 2015, SEM started a special fundraising effort called "Remarkable Opportunities - Campaign for SEM." They wanted to raise money to improve the school. By June 2016, they had raised over $9 million! One of the main goals was to build the Magavern-Sutton Courtyard. This courtyard connects the student and teacher houses to the main school building. It opened for students in the 2016-17 school year. The courtyard is in a historic area called the Elmwood Historic District–East.
Sports at SEM
The Red-Tailed Hawks
Buffalo Seminary has 14 sports teams, and they are known as the Red-Tailed Hawks. These teams are part of different sports groups, like the Monsignor Martin High School Athletic Association. SEM students play against other schools in their area and region.
Sports Offered
The school offers sports in three different seasons. Girls can play at the Varsity level, which is the highest level of school sports. Some of the sports offered include:
- Crew (rowing)
- Cross country (running)
- Basketball
- Bowling
- Fencing
- Field hockey
- Golf
- Lacrosse
- Indoor track
- Sailing
- Swimming
- Squash
- Tennis
The teams are named the Red-Tailed Hawks because this type of bird is often seen in Western New York. These hawks can sometimes be seen flying over the school's sports field.
School Traditions
The Honor Code
At the start of each school year, every student, teacher, and staff member signs an honor code. This is a promise to be honest. When students take tests or write papers, they sign a pledge that says, "I pledge my honor that I have neither given nor received assistance." This means they promise they did their work fairly.
Harkness Learning
SEM uses a special way of learning called Harkness Learning. They have six Harkness classrooms, mostly used for English and history classes. In these rooms, there's a large, oval wooden table called a Harkness table. Students sit around this table to learn together. The teachers help guide the discussions. Everyone at the table can be seen, and everyone has a chance to speak and share their ideas.
Morning Meeting
Every morning, the whole school gathers for "morning meeting." While many high schools start the day with students going to a homeroom, at SEM, everyone meets together in the chapel first. The president of the School Government Association leads this meeting. Throughout the year, older students in the senior class give special presentations during morning meeting.
All-Girl Theatre Productions
SEM puts on two main plays each year, one in the fall and one in the spring. In these plays, girls play all the parts. They also work behind the scenes, helping with things like production, lighting, and costumes.
Graduation Day
When students finish their studies at SEM, their graduation ceremony takes place at Westminster Presbyterian Church.
Famous People Who Went to SEM
Many talented women have graduated from Buffalo Seminary. Here are a few:
- Isabella Bannerman, a cartoonist
- Lauren Belfer, an author
- Elizabeth Coatsworth, a poet
- Barbara Culliton, a journalist and editor
- Marian de Forest, a journalist
- Virginia Horvath, 1975, who was a leader at SUNY Fredonia
- Amy Holden Jones, a screenwriter and director
- Nicole C. Lee, 1994, a lawyer
- Elizabeth Swados, a playwright
- Helen Tretbar, an author and editor
- Tara Vanderveer, a basketball coach
- Nan Watson, an artist
- Kimberly L. Wehle, a law professor
- Jane Meade Welch, a journalist and lecturer
See also
- Female seminary
- Nichols School
- Nardin Academy
- The Park School of Buffalo
Images for kids
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Buffalo Seminary, November 2010
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Entry details, November 2010
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On the path between the student residences and the school
