The Archer School for Girls

The Archer School for Girls
Location
Map
11725 Sunset Boulevard

Brentwood, Los Angeles
,
CA
90049

United States
Information
TypeIndependent
Motto"Striking Brilliance"
Established1995; 29 years ago (1995)
FoundersMegan Callaway
Victoria Shorr
Diana Meehan
Head of schoolElizabeth English
Faculty70
Grades6–12
GenderFemale
Enrollment500
Classes155
Average class size16
Student to teacher ratio7:1
Campus7 acres[1]
Color(s)   
AthleticsFall: Volleyball, Tennis, Cross Country, Swimming, Equestrian

Winter: Soccer, Basketball, Equestrian

Spring: Equestrian, Softball, Swimming, Track and Field, Tennis
MascotThe Panther
PublicationArtemis (School Magazine)
NewspaperThe Oracle
Tuition$53,000
Websitewww.archer.org

The Archer School for Girls is an independent, college preparatory girls' school for grades 6–12, located in West Los Angeles, California, United States. Archer currently enrolls 490 students from 79 different zip codes and 141 feeder schools.

History

Archer was founded in 1995 by Megan Callaway, Victoria Shorr, and Diana Meehan, all graduates of girls' schools and parents of daughters about to enter middle school. According to Diana Meehan, the name “Archer” was chosen to signify a place where girls would be taught to be self-sufficient based on research specific to female learners.[2] The school began in a converted Pacific Palisades dance studio with just over 30 sixth and seventh grade students.

In 1999, the school purchased the Eastern Star Home for Women in Brentwood Village, a building designed by California architect William Mooser.[3] The building has been designated a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument and is listed in the California and National Register of Historic Places.[2][4]

One of Archer's numerous traditions is the raising of a maypole each year in spring. The tradition began in 1981 when an anonymous donor arranged to have the maypole constructed for the residents of the Eastern Star Home for Women and then located at the site. Archer has since continued the custom, with 6th grade students performing a maypole dance on the last day of school.[5]

Archer maypole

In 2003, Archer received the LA Conservancy Preservation Award for Adaptive Reuse.[6]

Elizabeth English was named Head of School in 2008.

The Archer School for Girls lead a panel at the 2022 Teen Vogue Summit in Los Angeles, featuring Head of School Elizabeth English and the Chairman and CEO of Universal Music Publishing Group, Jody Gerson.[7]

Academics

In addition to the traditional middle and high school subjects taught, Archer partners with the Online School for Girls to offer additional STEM, and language courses to students.[8] In the 2018-2019 year, the School offered 149 courses.[9]

Notable figures who have spoken at Archer include producer and author Oprah Winfrey,[10][11] actress Kerry Washington, two-time FIFA Women's World Cup champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist Julie Foudy, and journalist Lisa Ling.

In recognition of its support for a free and responsible student press, the school’s student publication The Oracle has won the First Amendment Press Freedom Award for the past eight years.

The school's InvenTeam has twice won a grant from Lemelson-MIT, a national leader in efforts to prepare the next generation of inventors and entrepreneurs.

Notable alumnae

References

  1. ^ Capuano, Erin P. (19 February 2015). "Review: Archer School for Girls". Digital Journal. Los Angeles. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
  2. ^ a b Meehan, Diana (2007). Learning like a girl: educating our daughters in schools of their own (1st ed.). New York: PublicAffairs. ISBN 978-1-58648-410-1.
  3. ^ "Eastern Star Home, 11725 Sunset, Brentwood, Los Angeles. March 30, 1932". Huntington Digital Library. Retrieved 6 January 2016.
  4. ^ "(#440)". Archived from the original (PDF) on 2018-09-09. Retrieved 2016-04-13.
  5. ^ "A magical mystery maypole rises in Brentwood - latimes". Articles.latimes.com. 2004-05-02. Retrieved 2016-04-13.
  6. ^ Reynolds, Christopher (March 30, 2003). "Preservation projects praised - latimes". Articles.latimes.com. Retrieved 2016-04-13.
  7. ^ "Sabrina Carpenter and Keke Palmer Brought Style and Smiles to Teen Vogue Summit". Teen Vogue. 2022-11-13. Retrieved 2023-09-29.
  8. ^ "Online School for Girls puts focus on connection, collaboration". LA Times. 2014-07-19. Retrieved 2016-04-13.
  9. ^ "Archer Course Catalog" (PDF). The Archer School for Girls. 2015-10-21. Retrieved 2019-01-21.
  10. ^ Gardner, Chris (2021-04-30). "Oprah Winfrey to Deliver Commencement Address for L.A. All-Girls Private School". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2023-09-29.
  11. ^ Gardner, Chris (2021-06-09). "How a Brentwood School Landed Oprah Winfrey for Commencement". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2023-09-29.

Further reading

  • "Global Nomads Group Relies on Videoconferencing to Connect Students Worldwide", Annamaria DiGiorgio. T.H.E. Journal. Tustin: Feb. 2004. Vol.31, Iss. 7; pg. 8. PMID (ProQuest Media Identifier): 19693. Videoconferencing between Archer School, a school in New York, and a school in Israel during Global Perspective.
  • "Students capitalize on ingenuity in the face of dangers", Lily Richman. The Santa Monica Daily Press. Santa Monica: Dec 2018
  • "School News: A Student-Controlled Newspaper", National Association of Independent Schools. Fall 2018. The story of how Archer’s school newspaper club evolved into an award-winning student-run news site.
  • “The Hollywood Insider's Guide to L.A. Private Schools”, The Hollywood Reporter staff. Los Angeles: Aug. 2017. How Archer compares to other Los Angeles-area independent schools.

34°03′54″N 118°28′16″W / 34.064933°N 118.471167°W / 34.064933; -118.471167