Buffalo Seminary (SEM) is an independent,

private Private or privates may refer to: Music * "In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorded ...

college preparatory A college-preparatory school (often shortened to prep school, preparatory school, college prep school or college prep academy) is a type of secondary school. The term refers to public, private independent or parochial schools primarily design ...

day and boarding school for girls in Buffalo,

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

Accreditations and memberships

SEM is an accredited member of the

National Association of Independent Schools The National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) is a U.S.-based membership organization for private, nonprofit, K-12 schools. Founded in 1962, NAIS represents independent schools and associations in the United States, including day, board ...

, the

New York State Association of Independent Schools The New York State Association of Independent Schools (NYSAIS) is an association of 204 independent schools and organizations, ranging from nurseries to high schools, in New York (state), New York State. Founded in 1947, NYSAIS is the second la ...

, The Association of Boarding Schools, the Small Boarding School Association, the

National Coalition of Girls' Schools Founded in 1991, the International Coalition of Girls' Schools (ICGS) is a non-profit membership association serving Pre-K through 12th-grade single-sex girls’ schools across the globe. It includes independent, public, charter A charter is t ...

, and

Online School for Girls The Online School for Girls (OSG) is a US online learning environment built on the traditions of independent schools and girls' schools. It was founded in 2009 by four such schools forming a non-profit consortium. Consortium schools The member ...

. As an independent school, SEM is not confined by the guidelines established by the New York State

Board of Regents In the United States, a board often governs institutions of higher education, including private universities, state universities, and community colleges. In each US state, such boards may govern either the state university system, individual co ...

. SEM is a Committed Steinway Select School.

History

Founded in 1851, SEM is the sixth oldest school for girls in the United States and the second oldest in New York state. The school was originally named The Buffalo Female Academy and has maintained an all-female student body. Its original mission was to provide an exceptional education for young women, to prepare them to engage productively with the world. Originally, it offered education for young girls from

kindergarten Kindergarten is a preschool educational approach based on playing, singing, practical activities such as drawing, and social interaction as part of the transition from home to school. Such institutions were originally made in the late 18th cen ...

through sophomore year in college and had boarding. In 1889, the school adopted its current name, Buffalo Seminary. Graduates of SEM founded the Twentieth Century Club in the late 1800s.History - Twentieth Century Club, Buffalo as an Architectural Museum website
/ref> one of the oldest private women's clubs in the United States, which is on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

. The school changed its policy in 1899 to teach only grades 9 through 12 after merging with the Elmwood School. In 1908, the school moved from its initial founding address on Johnson Park to the current address on Bidwell Parkway, and was listed on the

in 2011. In 2008 SEM reestablished boarding which has expanded into a campus of five renovated historic homes next to the school building. Since adding the residential program, American girls and girls from all over the world have lived and learned at SEM.

Facilities

SEM's school building is located at 205 Bidwell Parkway. It was designed by Boston architect George F. Newton and built in 1908 in the

Tudor Revival Tudor Revival architecture, also known as mock Tudor in the UK, first manifested in domestic architecture in the United Kingdom in the latter half of the 19th century. Based on revival of aspects that were perceived as Tudor architecture, in rea ...

style. SEM's campus includes five historic homes renovated for faculty and student residences, and Larkin Field where SEM's Red-Tailed Hawks play soccer, lacrosse, and field hockey. SEM launched a capital campaign "Remarkable Opportunities - Campaign for SEM" in the spring of 2015 which when it closed June 30, 2016, with gift commitments of $9.2 million, surpassing its goal of $8.5 million. One of the campaign's goals was to build the Magavern-Sutton Courtyard to connect the five SEM student and faculty houses with the school building. The private courtyard opened for the 2016-17 school year. ''See also:'' It is located in the Elmwood Historic District–East.

Sports

The 14 teams at Buffalo Seminary - ''Red-Tailed Hawks'' - are part of the Monsignor Martin High School Athletic Association (MMHSA) for a number of sports, NYSAIS (field hockey), ISSA (sailing), BSRA and US Squash (squash). The students compete with other schools in the MMHSAA as well as other local and regional high schools in various sports. The school offers three seasons of sports in which the girls may participate at the

Varsity team A varsity team is the highest-level team in a sport or activity representing an educational institution. Varsity teams train to compete against each other during an athletic season or in periodic matches against rival institutions. At high schools ...

level: crew, cross country, basketball, bowling (varsity and junior varsity), fencing, field hockey, golf, lacrosse, indoor track, sailing, swimming, squash, and tennis. The teams are named the

Red-Tailed Hawk The red-tailed hawk (''Buteo jamaicensis'') is a bird of prey that breeds throughout most of North America, from the interior of Alaska and northern Canada to as far south as Panama and the West Indies. It is one of the most common members of ...

s for a bird commonly spotted in Western New York, and soaring over the school's field.

Traditions

Each student, faculty and staff member signs an honor code at the beginning of the school year. "I pledge my honor that I have neither given nor received assistance," is written and signed by students on all class tests, papers, examinations, and other work which a faculty member designates as an honor assignment. Harkness Learning: SEM has six Harkness classrooms used primarily by the English and history departments. These classrooms are centered on a

Harkness table The Harkness table, Harkness method, or Harkness discussion is a teaching and learning method involving students seated in a large, oval configuration to discuss ideas in an encouraging, open-minded environment with only occasional or minimal t ...

- a large, wood, oval table where which students gather around to learn collaboratively. At a Harkness table teachers facilitate and mediate topics and discussion, no student is not seen, and everyone has the duty and opportunity to speak. Morning Meeting: Every morning the entire school assembles for "morning meeting." While other high schools may begin their day with an assigned

homeroom A homeroom, tutor group, form class, or form is a brief administrative period that occurs in a classroom assigned to a student in primary school and in secondary school. Within a homeroom period or classroom, administrative documents are distri ...

for students, at SEM, all students gather in the

chapel A chapel (from , a diminutive of ''cappa'', meaning "little cape") is a Christianity, Christian place of prayer and worship that is usually relatively small. The term has several meanings. First, smaller spaces inside a church that have their o ...

first. Morning meeting is led by the president of the School Government Association. Throughout the year, senior class students make formal presentations at morning meeting. All-Girl Theatre Productions: Girls play all the parts in SEM's two main theatrical productions (fall and spring) and they work as the production, lighting, and costume crews. Graduation: SEM graduates its seniors at Westminster Presbyterian Church.

Notable alumnae

* Isabella Bannerman, cartoonist *

Lauren Belfer Lauren Belfer is an American author of four novels: '' City of Light'', ''A Fierce Radiance'', ''And After the Fire and'' ''Ashton Hall,'' which was published in June 2022. Personal life Lauren Belfer was born in Rochester, New York and grew u ...

, author *

Elizabeth Coatsworth Elizabeth Jane Coatsworth (May 31, 1893 – August 31, 1986) was an American writer of fiction and poetry for children and adults. She won the 1931 Newbery Medal from the American Library Association award recognizing ''The Cat Who Went to Hea ...

, poet * Barbara Culliton, journalist and editor * Marian de Forest, journalist * Virginia Horvath, 1975, chancellor of

SUNY Fredonia The State University of New York at Fredonia (alternatively SUNY Fredonia, Fredonia State, or Fredonia) is a public university in Fredonia, New York. It is the westernmost member of the State University of New York. Founded in 1826, it is the six ...

Amy Holden Jones Amy Holden Jones is an American screenwriter and film director best known for directing '' The Slumber Party Massacre'' and for creating the FOX medical drama '' The Resident''. She has edited various films and later began directing and writing. ...

, screenwriter and director * Nicole C. Lee, 1994, lawyer *

Elizabeth Swados Elizabeth Swados (February 5, 1951 – January 5, 2016) was an American writer, composer, musician, choreographer, and theatre director. Swados received Tony Award nominations for Best Musical, Best Direction of a Musical, Best Book of a Music ...

, playwright * Helen Tretbar, author and editor *

Tara Vanderveer Tara Ann VanDerveer (born June 26, 1953) is an American former basketball coach who was the head women's basketball coach at Stanford University from 1985 until her retirement in 2024. Designated the Setsuko Ishiyama Director of Women's Basketba ...

, basketball coach * Nan Watson, artist * Kimberly L. Wehle, law professor * Jane Meade Welch, journalist and lecturer

Gallery

File:Buffalo Seminary Nov 10.JPG, Buffalo Seminary, November 2010 File:Buffalo Seminary Entry Nov 10.JPG, Entry details, November 2010 File:Snowy residential girls.jpg, On the path between the student residences and the school

References

"From Johnson Park to Bidwell Parkway and Beyond: A Short History of Buffalo Seminary
by Gwen Ito. ''Western New York Heritage Magazine''.

External links

School Website

The Association of Boarding Schools profile

Association of Independent Schools
{{authority control Girls' schools in New York (state) School buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in New York (state) 1851 establishments in New York (state) Schools in Buffalo, New York Private high schools in New York (state) Boarding schools in New York (state) National Register of Historic Places in Buffalo, New York