MAKING HISTORY + SHAPING THE FUTURE
OF ST. ANDREW’S EPISCOPAL SCHOOL
Is there anything more vital than the nurturing and education of young people? Our parents and grandparents recognized the importance of investing in our education. Now is the time for all of us to give the resources that will guarantee the future of St. Andrew’s Episcopal School’s academic leadership.
From its modest beginnings in the Parish Hall of St. Andrew’s Church over 75 years ago, St. Andrew’s School has grown to be a premiere center of academic excellence. Over the past 55 years the Old Canton Road campus has launched thousands of alumni toward lives of service to their communities and the world. In order to continue this important work we must now address the critical infrastructure needs of this facility and bring the classrooms up to the standards of cutting edge teaching and learning.
Today’s success is built on the gifts of past generations. The future depends on all of us who value St. Andrew’s Episcopal School. We invite you to join us in support of this vital calling.
NORA-FRANCES AND VAUGHAN M c RAE ‘74
Honorary Chairs, Parents of Graduates, and Current Grandparents
THE
MAKING THE WAY CAMPAIGN HONORS MORE THAN 75 YEARS OF EDUCATIONAL INNOVATION AND EMBODIES A BOLD VISION FOR ST. ANDREW’S.
ENDURING TRADITION
The Making the Way Campaign for St. Andrew’s continues a commitment to educate students for lives of service to the community and the world. At the heart of St. Andrew’s is our Lower School, a nurturing, magical environment created by caring teachers. Each child flourishes as an individual with a growing sense of belonging in community and service to others, essential hallmarks of our Episcopal tradition.
St. Andrew’s Lower School played a huge part in shaping who I am, not only in terms of an education, but also in terms of LIFELONG FRIENDS AND CARING TEACHERS WHO I MET ALONG THE WAY . Some of my favorite memories started in the welcoming atmosphere of the Lower School.
CHLOE MARION | St. Andrew’s Student
INSPIRING VISION .
Closely aligned with the drivers of the newly-adopted Strategic Plan, this Campaign recognizes that the current 55-year-old Lower School building on Old Canton Road in Jackson has been adapted, reconfigured, and expanded in ways that no longer adequately support our talented teachers and the programs they know can change a child’s life. With care and respect for a building that represents so much of our mission in the heart of Jackson and the heart of Mississippi, we are committed to revitalizing the Lower School through designing collaborative, cross-disciplinary spaces that encourage lively, creative learning.
Our teachers love their students and are passionate about the building itself. BUT WHEN YOU HEAR THEM DREAM ABOUT WHAT THIS BUILDING COULD BE , you truly see their hearts for students and for teaching.
DR. SHEA EGGER | Head of Lower School and Parent
COMPELLING NEED.
Soon after opening the “new” school building in 1966, the school’s reputation grew. So too did its enrollment. This lively community of young learners has taken its toll on the building over the years. It has been adapted and renovated to meet enrollment and programmatic needs. Now the Lower School requires a comprehensive remodel. To replace the aging roof requires relocating the HVAC system. To meet the needs of today’s students and faculty, major upgrades to the outdated support system are crucial, including plumbing, sewage, and electrical systems. The labyrinth of classrooms that evolved over years of adaptation needs to be redesigned to create a collaborative community of learning led by the region’s most talented early learning educators. The campaign funding will also support the Lower School Endowment, to ensure that St. Andrew’s can continue to provide advanced and sustainable education for years to come.
A renaissance of St. Andrew’s Lower School recreates a learning environment that in 1966 was said to be “an architectural and educational wonderland” designed by current parent and alumnus Jack Allin’s grandfather. The building will again equal the educational excellence of the Lower School program. The holistic redesign will be guided by a vision of how children learn and engage with one another that is at the core of the school’s tradition.
EXCITING PLANS.
An assessment of the current Lower School affirmed that the building has plenty of life left. While expensive to remodel and remediate the building, it is far less expensive than building a new school. The space that the current building provides, when reconfigured, is sufficient to meet current and future enrollment numbers.
“THE LOWER SCHOOL HAS BEEN MY TEACHING HOME FOR OVER 30 YEARS. I’ve loved being a part of so many students’ early learning experience. A renovation will mean a space built around best teaching practices, giving our children the opportunity to learn in an environment optimized for their curious minds, exploration, and creativity. This is an exciting time in the life of our school.”
JUDY MENIST | St. Andrew’s Parent of Graduates, Current Grandparent, and Teacher
adaptive re-use,
WANT TO PRESERVE WHAT IS MAGICAL ABOUT THE LOWER SCHOOL , restore the original sense of a learning village, and imagine how to adapt space for teachers and students focused on the best in learning and teaching practices.”
The major elements of the original Lower School to be respected include keeping Jean Jones Chapel at the heart of the Lower School campus; preserving the warmth of the interior brick and vaulted ceilings; and promoting easy access to the outdoors and all the possibilities for learning out-of-doors.
The major elements of the redesign to meet programming goals include returning more natural light to the classrooms; opening access to the outdoors; and creating “neighborhoods” where students and teachers can collaborate and engage in project-based learning in open, shared spaces. The Lower School will have a new welcoming entrance that invites students into a marvelous world of learning.
The major elements of the remediation include replacing the roof; upgrading to highly efficient HVAC systems; solving issues of outdated support systems; and completing a renaissance of an iconic building so that St. Andrew’s can continue to provide innovative learning opportunities for years to come.
“Through
WEJACK ALLIN ‘96 | Architect, Alumnus, Parent, and Grandson of 1966 Lower School Architect Tom Biggs
This renaissance of the Lower School continues to build on the important additions of the Center for Performing Arts, McRae Science Center, Athletics and Recreation Center, and Kennedy Hall within our Early Childhood Center. All of these enhancements have helped St. Andrew’s position itself as a leading school in the Southeast and across the nation.
The project will need to be fully funded by gifts and pledges prior to beginning ground work. In turn, this creates urgency in securing the support of the St. Andrew’s community to provide students a contemporary learning environment that retains the warmth and charm of the Lower School that has meant so much to alumni and their families.
Long after leaving the school, alumni and parents speak of a deepening appreciation for their St. Andrew’s experience — an experience that begins for most in the Lower School. WE ARE “MAKING THE WAY” FOR OUR YOUNGEST LEARNERS TO BECOME THE NEXT GENERATION OF SAINTS with the knowledge and spirit to fuel path-breaking discovery and inspire innovation in their communities and the world.
KEVIN LEWIS | Head of School and Parent
HONORARY CHAIRS
Nora Frances and Vaughan McRae
CAMPAIGN CHAIRS
Jordan and Chase Bryan Bethany and Robert Farr Joyce and David Marion
HOW CAN I SUPPORT THE MAKING THE WAY CAMPAIGN?
Please contact:
STEPHANIE GARRIGA
Assistant Head of School for Advancement and Community Relations garrigas@gosaints.org 601-853-6029
CHANDLER PARKER MACDONALD
Director of Development macdonaldcp@gosaints.org 601-853-6036
OUR MISSION:
To nurture a diverse community in the Episcopal tradition, fostering spiritual growth, moral responsibility, academic excellence, and artistic and athletic pursuits, while preparing for a life of service in our community and the world.
Office of Institutional Advancement
370 Old Agency Road Ridgeland, Mississippi 39157-9714 601.853.6000 | www.gosaints.org
