| Sant Bani School | |
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Be Good; Do Good; Be One
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| Location | |
| Sanbornton, NH, United States | |
| Information | |
| Type | K-12 Coeducational Independent Day School |
| Established | 1973 |
| Headmaster | Kent Bicknell, Ed.D. |
| Faculty | 40 |
| Enrollment | 175 |
| Campus | Rural |
| Color(s) | Blue and White |
| Athletics | Fall, Winter, Spring |
| Mascot | Swan |
| Website | Sant Bani School Website |
The Sant Bani School is a private K-12 day school located in Sanbornton in the U.S. state of New Hampshire. The school was founded in 1973. It currently enrolls approximately 170 students from kindergarten through twelfth grade. The school is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges; is a member of the National Association of Independent Schools; and is recognized by the IRS as a tax-exempt 501(c)3 organization.
Contents |
The Sant Bani School opened with six students in 1973 as a service of Sant Bani Ashram, a spiritual retreat center founded by Master Kirpal Singh of New Delhi, India, in 1963.
In the decade after its founding, the Ashram attracted a number of families with young children. They wished to create an educational setting which would support a spiritual perspective as well as provide sound scholastic training. From the beginning the school has encouraged the enrollment of students of any background, and the early rapid growth (from six to thirteen to thirty-five in three years) demonstrated interest from the broader community.
By the early 1980s the school had grown so much that it became apparent it should operate independently of the Ashram. In 1983, the school became a separate legal entity from the Ashram, created a new board of directors, and came to own the land on which its buildings stood.
There are several possible interpretations of the name from the Sanskrit original. Sant can mean "holy", "pure", or "saintly", and Bani can mean the sound current, hymn, teaching, or Word. Ashram is a generic term used to describe a holy place of retreat, prayer, and service. Thus Sant Bani Ashram could be defined as a retreat place (Ashram) dedicated to the holy (Sant) sound (Bani) or Word of God. Master Kirpal Singh Ji once defined it as “a place where the teachings (Bani) of the Master (Sant) are put to work.”
The work of the ashram is spiritual, whereas the school is dedicated to giving a sound all-around education in the context of and in support of a spiritual way of life. The governing body and the faculty of the Sant Bani School view the two as having distinct purposes which nonetheless are not exclusive of each other.
Adopted June 15, 2002:
The essential belief of the Sant Bani School is that God resides within each individual. The school strives to realize this belief through the twin principles of reverence for life and service to all.
The Sant Bani School offers a coeducational day program in a rural setting in central New Hampshire. A cohesive, consistent environment meets the changing needs of students from kindergarten through twelfth grade. A strong academic program, enhanced by co-curricular activities ranging from the arts to athletics, integrates intellectual, creative, and spiritual growth with physical, psychological, and social development.
Preparing students for college is a focus of the upper grades. The curriculum promotes inquiry and thoughtful choice, appreciation of the elements common to all humankind, and respect for the natural environment. The school forms a caring, family-like community, characterized by a low student-faculty ratio and interactions among a variety of age groups. Such an atmosphere gives students the confidence to seek new challenges and adventures, and fosters a sense of responsibility to others. Service projects take place within and beyond the school community.
Essential to carrying out the school’s work is the admission of qualified students from a range of backgrounds who can benefit from and enhance the program. The school embodies its commitment to service through the need-blind admissions policy whereby qualified applicants are admitted without regard to their ability to pay. For a limited number of students with special needs, the school provides a supportive program in which they can achieve success.
The students at Sant Bani School come from a wide variety of backgrounds and are encouraged in their own personal growth. The school teaches the equality of all under God, a reverence for life in all its forms, and a dedication to the ideal of service to others. Inspired by the life and works of Kirpal Singh (former President of the World Fellowship of Religions) the school presents teachings that are part of a universal tradition which has expressed itself through all religions and is taught without any denomination.
The guiding principles of the school are set forth in Kirpal Singh’s talk “Toward the New Education,” given June 21, 1972: “The real aim of education is to develop the character and individuality of the pupil, his mind, will, and soul power. The best education is that which teaches us that the end of knowledge is service. This ‘service’ is another name for love and fellowship, which constitute the very essence of personal and social life…. We envisage such an atmosphere where persons will be able to grow and develop integrally without losing contact with their souls.”
Sant Bani School does not apply pressure on anyone to accept a certain set of beliefs. There are no distinctions made regarding who is or is not associated with the spiritual precepts of the Ashram. Students and faculty of all backgrounds are welcome; the school believes that truth can thrive only when there is freedom of thought and expression.
Classes are small by design, with fourteen students as an ideal maximum in the lower grades, and sixteen in the upper grades. Younger and older children interact frequently; this way of life in the school fosters an attitude of cooperation. Sant Bani stresses an ongoing commitment by the students to use their education for the benefit of others.
At the secondary level, the curriculum is a blend of traditional and innovative course choices, designed to prepare students for college or university enrollment. Several specialists work with students one-on-one and in small groups to accommodate a limited number of students with mild learning disabilities.
Art, music, and crafts are integral parts of the daily schedule. Students have the opportunity to participate in activities such as ceramics, weaving, stained glass, photography, printmaking, dance, drama, choral singing, jazz band, and the recorder. Private instruction is available in many instruments including flute, guitar, piano, drums, trumpet, and voice. Elementary and high school students present drama and music programs several times each year.
Sant Bani School competes inter-scholastically in Alpine and Nordic skiing, Basketball, Cross-country, Equestrian, Field hockey, Soccer, and Track. Recreational sports available to the entire student body include cycling, touch football, hiking, skating, skiing, swimming, as well as organized physical education for grades K-6.
Sant Bani School enjoys a 100% college acceptance rate and nearly all have chosen to enroll and matriculate in college - many have then continued for higher degrees. Sant Bani School alums have gone on to attend and graduate from colleges and universities such as MIT, Dartmouth, Cornell, Stanford, Middlebury, McGill, Smith, Mount Holyoke, Oberlin, Bowdoin, Williams, West Point, the Air Force Academy, and the University of New Hampshire.