On Campus

MIDDLE SCHOOL EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

Seventh and eighth graders traveled to Camp Buckner and Fort Davis, respectively - students bonded with swimming, hikes, cave trips, horseback rides, and more! Some of the most memorable learning for our middle schoolers happens outside of the classroom – these trips are an important piece of the middle school experience.

CLASS OF '22 ENJOYS SENIOR CAMPOUT

March saw the return of the Senior Campout – seniors made memories camping under the stars, and a little rain, at the Upper School and enjoying an unforgettable night of class camaraderie.

EIGHTH GRADER ACES PRE-CAL

Kai B. ‘26 completed Pre-Calculus during his eighth grade year! This is a feat rarely accomplished for a student Kai’s age – we look forward to seeing what he accomplishes with his passion and talent for mathematics as he enters high school!

CLASS OF 2023 STEPS UP

The Class of 2023 ushered in their new era on Senior Step-Up Day, their traditional celebration of the junior class becoming seniors. The Class of 2023 started the day with donuts and car-decorating, then enjoyed lunch as a class and splashed around with a water slide and water balloon fight. In April, first graders made their way to the Upper School campus to meet their senior friends in a beloved springtime tradition. First graders had a blast playing games, taking a walk in The PARK, and getting their faces painted with their senior buddies!

FIRST GRADERS VISIT UPPER SCHOOL

SAS FAMILY HELP AFGHANI FAMILIES SETTLE INTO AUSTIN

Luke W. ‘26 and Cole W. ‘27, along with their parents, have been working to support two families who moved to Austin as refugees from Afghanistan. Along with a clothing and toy drive that they organized for the two families, Luke and Cole have focused on easing their transition to the United States and forming relationships with the families. “We used the Google Translate app on our phones to communicate with the older kids, and it was awesome to understand each other - I thought it would be harder to do. It was nice to meet the younger kids too. It didn’t matter that we couldn’t speak each other’s language. We were laughing together and playing together. I feel like fun is its own language.” said Luke.

SERVICE COUNCIL CELEBRATES A SUCCESSFUL YEAR

The Upper School Service Council had a meaningful year of service during the 2021-22 school year. Among other things, they have collected and delivered supplies for the Refugee Services of Texas, collaborated with mutual aid organization Street Forum ATX to provide clothes, food, and supplies to people experiencing homelessness, and sat vigil with Nonviolent Austin at the Texas Capitol for an end to war, poverty, racism, and environmental destruction.

SECOND-GRADERS START CLEANUP EFFORT

Second graders Ellie B., Alexis M., and Isabella C., are founding members of the Pick It Up Club. Each week of the 2021-22 school year, they picked up trash around campus and reported back to Lower School administration how many pieces they collected to track their progress. These stewards of our campus help keep it looking its very best - bravo!

MIDDLE SCHOOLERS LEND A HAND AT CAMP

Many Middle School students volunteered at St. Andrew’s camp this summer, supporting younger students in Harry Potter Camp, Aromatherapy Camp, Drones Camp, and so many more!

McGRATH PREMIERES MOVIE AT SXSW

JULIAN MAKES THE FINALS OF ELITE COMPETITION

Grace McGrath ‘22 premiered her film SB8 at the 2022 South by Southwest Film Festival. The film was written and directed by McGrath with cinematography by Hanna Hutcheson ‘22 and starring Ixel Aguilar ‘22. SB8 was part of the highly selective High School category, which screened at the Alamo Drafthouse to a packed house on March 12, 2022.

Priya Julian ‘22 was one of eight finalists in the Concordia University High School Young Voices Competition. To make it to the finals, Priya had to submit video recordings of two memorized solos with at least one in a foreign language. Priya gave a beautiful performance of Handel’s Ah! Mio Cor at the final concert. This is the second year in the row that a St. Andrew’s singer has made it into the final round of this elite competition.

GRANDPARENTS' DAY RETURNS!

This spring, St. Andrew’s grandparents and special friends got to experience a glimpse of daily life on 31st Street and Southwest Parkway. Grandparents’ Day is a favorite event for so many of our families, and it was made all the sweeter this year after pivoting online for 2021. Across all three divisions, grandparents and special friends were treated to chapel services, performances, and special lessons with their students. “I was surprised about how much fun it can be to be in school again,” said Dan Ahearn, who spent the day with sophomore Finley Ahearn. “School is a lot different than when I was in school. It's a lot more practical, and the teachers seem to be doing things that are more interesting for the students.”

For many grandparents, Grandparents’ Day was the first time they had ever seen their grandchild’s school. The joy was palpable all morning long with students eager to show off their classrooms, introduce their teachers, and tell all about their favorite lessons of the year.