Every year, students transfer in and out of STA and rumors fly around campus about why students come and go. This school year, STA has five new sophomores and four fewer juniors walking the halls. These students came from or went for various reasons, creating curiosity about their stories.

Junior Kathleen Devine, a friend of former STA junior Meg Nulton, who transferred to Notre Dame de Sion High School in September, feels the curiosity is directly correlated with the STA community.

‘We seem to know a lot about each other,’ Devine said. ‘It just comes to us as a bit of a shock to suddenly hear of such news and for the ones who are closer to the [transfer], they seem to wonder if it had to do with something they have done to them to push them away or welcome them.’

Emory Hall, a junior who transferred to St. James Academy this year, thinks curiosity stems more from a desire for attention.

‘Students like to be the one person who knows the information,’ Hall said. ‘[They] like to be the one everyone turns to for information.’

Although Hall feels students’ curiosity is driven by desire for attention, she thinks students have a right to know why transfers left.

‘I think people deserve at least some reasons, though they do not need to know every single detail,’ Hall said.

However, admissions director Roseann Hudnall feels students have no right to know why a student transfers.

‘The reasons why students change schools is a family decision,’ Hudnall said. ‘We would never want to go above what the parents deem best for their daughter.’

Hudnall believes transfers are consequential to the learning environment and growth of STA.

‘Our goal is that we provide the best learning environment for each individual girl, so whether a girl comes or goes, we provide a learning environment conducive to growth,’ Hudnall said.

Although Hudnall said transferring is more difficult as students get older, the junior class lost two students before the school year began and two this fall. Nulton said in an emailed statement that she transferred from STA to Sion for many reasons.

‘Sion is a much better fit for me: socially, academically and spiritually,’ Nulton said in her email. ‘The girls have been great, and the unity has made for a really easy transition. Classes are longer and it has helped me put a larger emphasis on studies, rather than socializing. This style of scheduling is simply better for me.’

Sophomore Hailey Waldenmeyer transferred to STA from St. Thomas Aquinas High School for many reasons as well. Waldenmeyer originally wanted to go to STA, but she attended Aquinas freshman year because the school was geographically closer to her home. According to Waldenmeyer, she had apprehensions about transferring.

‘[Transferring is] not easy because everyone already has their friend group and you have to try to fit in with a group,’ Waldenmeyer said.

However, Waldenmeyer is happy that she made the change and really likes the food, people and STA in general.

According to principal of student affairs Mary Anne Hoecker, transfer students leave a school for a variety of reasons.

‘Sometimes [students] transfer for reasons they never share, sometimes they leave because they want a coed environment, they want a more or less structured school, most of their class goes to another school or the distance is too much,’ Hoecker said.

Hall said she decided to transfer for several little reasons.

‘I missed a coed environment, missed guys at school and missed going to football games,’ Hall said.

When Hall decided to transfer, she was worried about making friends because she did not know anyone at St. James, but the support from her family and friends helped her transition. Although Hall has left STA, she wants STA students to know she will not forget her time here.

‘It’s okay if you want to go to a different school, but just remember all of the good things [you had] at your old school,’ Hall said.