Sant Bani School

Infobox Private School
background = #f0f6fa (standard color)
border = #ccd2d9 (standard color)
name = Sant Bani School


motto = Be Good; Do Good; Be One
established = 1973
type = K-12 Coeducational Independent Day School
religion =
head_name = Headmaster
head = Kent Bicknell, Ed.D.
city = Sanbornton
state = NH
country = USA
campus =
enrollment = 175
faculty = 40
class =
ratio =
year =
patron =
SAT =
ACT =
athletics = Fall, Winter, Spring
colors = Blue and White
mascot = Swan
conference =
homepage = [http://www.santbani.org/ 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.

Religious origins

Answering a need for an alternative educational environment for students in central New Hampshire, the Sant Bani School welcomed its first group of six students in 1973. The school began as a service of Sant Bani Ashram, a spiritual retreat center which had been founded ten years earlier. On a tour of the United States in 1963, Master Kirpal Singh of New Delhi, India, gave a talk at the Unitarian Church in Franklin, New Hampshire, spending the night in nearby Sanbornton in a 200-year-old colonial house, the private home of Russell and Judith Perkins. During that visit Master Kirpal Singh founded the Sant Bani Ashram. Over the next decade the work of the Ashram attracted a number of families with young children. Creating an educational setting which would support a spiritual perspective as well as provide sound scholastic training was an idea which bore fruit on September 6, 1973. 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) confirmed that such a resource was much needed. The school, which began under the direction of Master Kirpal Singh (1894-1974), continued with the guidance and support of Sant Ajaib Singh of Rajasthan, India (1926-1997), who visited the school a number of times.

The land of the Ashram was established as a sanctuary for living creatures, and beyond the obvious restrictions against hunting and fishing, the spiritual teachings promoted a reverence for all life through a vegetarian diet. As the school took shape, it was agreed by all that this non-violent approach to life should be reflected in the school as well. Thus, while not requiring families to change their diets outside of school, the school has always asked that food taken on the premises or as part of school functions be vegetarian.

By the early 1980s the school had grown so much that it became apparent that it should operate independently of the Ashram. Under the direct supervision of Sant Ajaib Singh, 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. Legal separation notwithstanding, its relation to the Ashram remains very strong.

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.

The meaning of the name "Sant Bani"

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 to Russell Perkins 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.

Newcomers to the Sant Bani School frequently have questions regarding the spiritual path. The Ashram’s theological position is that God does exist. At some point that Supreme Power (beyond gender) chose to become many from One. Utilizing the twin forces of sound and light, God first formed and now sustains many levels of creation. These currents of light and sound are the loving forces which give life to the universe and thus exist within every human being. They form a direct link back to God but most often lie dormant within, covered up by our day-to-day lives, personalities, etc. It is, however, every human’s birth-right to be put in touch with these twin inner forces of light and sound and to follow them back to God in this lifetime. A Master or Satguru is a spiritual teacher who, because s/he has done this, can put others in contact with the light and sound already existing within – and meditation then consists of nurturing and developing this connection with the Grace of God. The process of being connected to the light and sound by a living teacher is called initiation. This path is one of love, and does not ask that people abandon their religion or culture.

Mission statement

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.

Philosophy

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 daily “Morning Session” is a time in which faculty and students sit together for a period of reading and quiet reflection. Students gain an understanding of other cultures, religions, and world views so they may have a better idea of how we all may live on a planet with limited resources.

Academics

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.

Arts

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.

Athletics

Sant Bani School competes inter-scholastically in Alpine and Nordic skiing, Basketball, Cross-country, Equestrian, Field hockey, Soccer, and Track.

Coaches emphasize fair play and the value of team cooperation. A generous donation several years ago enabled the school to build an athletic facility which includes an excellent soccer field and a 400 meter 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.

chool life

Every day at the Sant Bani School begins with a thirty minute "Morning Session." This is where grades 3-12 (and sometimes K-2) sit together for morning announcements as well as stories read aloud, sometimes a musical and dramatic performances, and an occasional guest speaker presentation. Morning Session ends with a Moment of Silence, in which the entire room is quieted and still. Sometimes the Moment of Silence is introduced by a prayer to the "Higher Power," but more frequently it is simply left open as a moment of meditation, calm, and reflection with which to start the day.

One very important thing at Sant Bani is community service. There is a fifteen hour community service requirement per semester at the high school level. Also notable are the policy on school cleanup, the percentage of students receiving financial aid, and the percentage of students who apply and get into college.

The principle of service to all is based on the deeper principle that all mankind is one in spite of apparent differences, and that in helping others you are in a profound way helping your own self. In helping those in the community with financial or physical needs, the goal is that the student’s limited view of self will expand and that the student will come to realize that differences in people are what makes this world rich and varied, that everyone is worthy of respect and compassion, and that in spite of outer differences and circumstances, we are all the same in our essential nature and subject to the same external forces (e.g., age, poverty, disability, illness).

The goal for each group of students is fourfold:

*That the students become emotionally attached to the work they are doing;
*That they feel they have made a difference;
*That they deepen their connections with the people and community they have served; and
*That they have an opportunity to reflect on what they have learned about others and themselves through Service.

In grades 7-12 students have five minutes' clean-up after lunch. In the lower grade it is before they go outside. The school hires no janitor and is maintained by students and parents. Every family thoroughly cleans a section of the school two times a year.

Sant Bani is remarkable in the respect that it refuses no applicants for financial or economic reasons. Needless to say, many families receive financial aid. The school receives additional support through donations from frequently anonymous benefactors.

After Sant Bani

All Sant Bani graduates have been accepted to a four-year college if they chose to apply. Nearly all have enrolled in college.

Sant Bani alumni have taken leadership positions in many professions, including finance, academia, the military, law and medicine. The high school curriculum is traditional and college preparatory. Sant Bani seniors have gone on to attend many of the best US colleges including MIT, Dartmouth, Cornell, Stanford, Middlebury, Oberlin, Bowdoin, Williams, West Point, the Air Force Academy and other top schools. Many graduates attend the University of New Hampshire. Several alumni are current or prior active duty officers in the United States Armed Forces, and have served in Iraq and Afghanistan in OIF/OEF. Sant Bani has a much higher percentage of ethnically diverse and international students than any other school in the area.

"Toward the New Education: A Short Documentary"

On March 24, 2007, the school unveiled the long-awaited School DVD in a public premiere and open house. "The Story of the Sant Bani School" is a short documentary that attempts to convey the unique atmosphere of the school, while telling about the origins, beliefs, and educational structure of the special independent school.

External links

* [http://www.santbani.org/ Sant Bani School official website]
* [http://www.santbaniashram.org/ Sant Bani Ashram, Sanbornton, NH]