Ravenscroft School, Raleigh, NC (2024)

Coordinates: 35°53′03.00″N 78°37′47.74″W / 35.8841667°N 78.6299278°W

Ravenscroft School
Location
7409 Falls of Neuse Road Raleigh, North Carolina, 27615 United States
Information
Type	Private
Religious affiliation(s)	Non-sectarian, formerly Episcopal
Founded	1862
Head of school	Doreen C. Kelly
Staff	207 staff
Faculty	146 faculties
Grades	K-12
Number of students	1,225 students
Campus	Suburban, 125 acres of land
Nickname	Ravens
Accreditation	SACS, SAIS
Tuition	$18,750 (grades 6–12) $16,740 (grades 1-5)
Affiliations	NAIS, NCAIS, JRPO
School colors	Green and Gold
Website	www.ravenscroft.org

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.

History[edit]

The idea of a parish school for Christ Episcopal Church 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.

School facts[edit]

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 444 students; the Middle School enrolls 304 students; the Upper School enrolls 459 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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

Ravenscroft is an independent, co-educational college preparatory day school enrolling 1,207 students, pre-Kindergarten through grade 12. The Lower School currently enrolls 444 students; the Middle School enrolls 304 students; the Upper School enrolls 459 students.

Organization and administration[edit]

The School, a non-profit organization, is composed of three educational divisions: Lower School, Middle School, and Upper School with individual directors. The 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. Peter Bogue. The total School is administered by Mrs. Doreen C. Kelly, current Head of School.

Faculty[edit]

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[edit]

Pre-Kindergarten (8:00a.m. - 12:00p.m.): $12,125; Pre-Kindergarten Plus (8:00a.m. - 12 p.m.) Plus: (Extended Day, 12 p.m.-2:30p.m.): $13,200; Kindergarten (8:00a.m. - 3:00p.m.): $13,450; Grades 1, 2, 3, 4, 5: $17,450; Grades 6 through 12: $19,550.

Academics[edit]

Typically, 100 percent of Ravenscroft graduates pursue their education beyond the secondary level. In 2011, 237 students wrote 485 AP exams with 91 percent of the scores being a "3" or better. Ravenscroft offers 24 AP classes in its curriculum. The Class of 2011 with 102 students achieved an SAT average of 1277 (Critical Reading and Math) or 1924 (Critical Reading, Math, and Writing).

Fine arts[edit]

Ravenscroft's Fine Arts facilities include the 454-seat Christina B. Jones Theatre and the 180-seat black-box young peoples' theatre. Students can choose from offerings in voice, strings, band, photography, drama, visual arts, and a variety of instrumental ensembles.

Athletics[edit]

Ravenscroft's Athletic department offers 23 sports (boys and girls), and fields 53 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 Poe's poem The Raven.

Notable alumni[edit]

• Michael C. Hall - Actor, Six Feet Under (TV series), Dexter (TV series)
• Antwan Harris - Athlete, Super Bowl winner with New England Patriots in 2002 and 2004^{[citation needed]}
• Ryan Kelly - Athlete, Forward for the Los Angeles Lakers
• Emily Procter - Actress, CSI: Miami, The West Wing
• Hughes Winborne - Oscar-winning editor of Crash (2004 film)^{[citation needed]}
• Neal Hunt - Politician, Republican member of the North Carolina General Assembly from the 15th district

External links[edit]

• Official website