100%
for Girls
100%
for Girls
At St. Catherine’s School,
we are girl centered.
Every teacher, every lesson plan and every resource dollar aligns with the ways girls learn best. We intentionally foster a culture of confidence that allows each girl to emerge as a strong, smart and confident woman.
LOWER SCHOOL age 3-grade 4
Girls need to know “why,� and
they possess a natural inclination for purpose in everything they do. We teach them to think differently and to creatively explore and experiment before developing a concrete plan.
7 surprising skills every girl gains in our Lower School World Languages and Culture
Coding
The verbal side of the brain develops faster in girls, resulting in a propensity toward reading and languages. By teaching both Mandarin Chinese and Spanish beginning in junior kindergarten (JK), girls expand their understanding of different cultures while making global connections.
Girls start learning the basics of coding, using Cubelets, littleBits and Scratch as tools to gain proficiency in an area in which girls are underrepresented nationally.
Critical Thinking Girls develop a solid foundation in number sense and problem solving in preparation for algebraic thinking. Through Singapore Math, girls learn different processes for solving a problem and articulating the solution.
Engineering The intentional integration of building activities throughout the Lower School years introduces girls to the basics of engineering. Division-wide Innovation Days teach girls design thinking and creative problem solving.
Research Aptitude
A strong foundation in reading and writing allows girls to dive deeply into subjects by conducting research beginning at age 3 that accelerates to a capstone project in grade 4.
Public Speaking Girls gain confidence through ageappropriate speaking opportunities. They start as classroom ambassadors in JK and progress to speaking in front of the entire student body as fourth graders.
Ethical Leadership The Lower School Virtues Program provides a moral compass to guide the girls in every facet of their daily lives. They embrace empathy as they build leadership skills.
MIDDLE SCHOOL grades 5-8
The Middle School community creates a safe environment
where girls build confidence instead of losing it. Each girl learns to recognize her own uniqueness and to value differences in others. Girls leave eighth grade well prepared to take their place as intelligent young women in the Upper School.
5 discoveries made in our Middle School
Expert teachers help the girls navigate the digital world with classes that emphasize safety and responsibility. The girls explore how to create and to maintain a positive digital footprint that will serve them well in the years ahead.
Skills for Academic Success
Self-Awareness
The Study Skills class in fifth grade helps girls identify and apply their personal learning style. The Thinking Skills class in sixth grade expands girls’ analytical thinking. Coding and Latin classes give girls a leg up for success in Upper School and beyond.
Every girl showcases her increasing confidence, unique strengths and academic goals during conferences with her parents and advisor. Girl-centered personal growth classes address nutrition, body image, self defense, and drug and alcohol awareness.
Global Mindedness Girls learn to map the entire world from memory. Their studies come alive with a trip to the U.N. Headquarters and Ellis Island in NYC. In grades seven and eight, girls have opportunities to study and serve in places such as the Dominican Republic and Peru.
Digital Citizenship
Connectedness Girls in grades 5-8 come together in our Strong Circles program to explore themes of honor, friendship, inclusion and service. They work on special projects throughout the year, including collaborations with Lower School students, in which each girl’s voice is heard and celebrated.
UPPER SCHOOL grades 9-12
7 impressive academic opportunities in Upper School The Interdisciplinary Project in English and History is
It all comes together in the Upper School. Our rigorous
completed by all juniors, combining English and history with critical skills of research, writing and public speaking, into one large-scale project.
academic program is distinguished by its breadth of offerings that allow students to expand their interests and passions. Girls demonstrate independence and responsibility as they acquire skills needed for college and life.
X-Term is a
unique yearlong cohort with St. Christopher’s School. Students select topics that range from a study of jazz in New Orleans, to a cultural exchange in Costa Rica, to community service at Boaz & Ruth.
Independent Research allows
Our Intensive Studies Program
permits girls to create personalized, multi-year coursework, research and service learning in global studies, STEM or the arts. Their efforts culminate with a capstone project such as working with businesses in China, programming and designing interactive video games, or studying the complex mathematics of a spider web.
girls to conduct college-level projects such as harnessing the wind energy from industrial air conditioning units, discovering the effects of biodegradable soap on the freshwater environment, or using 3D printing to build moldinhibiting food containers.
Honors Level Computer Science Classes
introduce girls to the world of computer science and coding through research, design, collaboration and development in order to design systems to meet relevant needs.
The Internship Program
presents a chance for girls to experience potential careers by working with professionals at places such as VCU Medical Center, Richmond Magazine and CapTech.
The Ethical Response to Poverty cohort taken by all ninth graders encourages girls to discuss, research and explore the complexities of the Richmond community.
OUR BROTHER SCHOOL
Two schools, working together for your family: School schedules that
accommodate carpool routines and school holiday breaks
After-school care for girls and boys called “Extended Day”
Grade-level community
service, social activities and school dances
9 ways we share with St. Christopher’s
The Coordinate Program with our brother school, St. Christopher’s,
allows girls and boys to benefit from faculty, classes, resources, facilities and events at both schools, while preserving meaningful leadership opportunities and traditions just for girls at St. Catherine’s.
295 families with
• JK-grade 8 academic projects
300+ Upper School classes with
• Special chapel services
St. Christopher’s School
• Music and Theatre program
375 girls and boys in Extended Day
• Nationally-recognized speakers
children at both schools
• 300+ Upper School classes
• Indoor pool and track facilities • Service and travel opportunities • Parent Enrichment Series • Saints Networking Group
OUR FACU LTY
Teachers at St. Catherine’s study the latest research in brain development to incorporate the best methods for teaching girls. They care deeply about each girl, challenging her to reach her full potential. Our faculty are experts in girls’ education.
5 points of pride about our faculty Highest Levels of Education
“I love the sheer joy in learning and insatiable curiosity girls possess. If you allow them to have ownership of their learning, they just soar. There’s no better feeling than watching that happen to young minds.” — Annie Kapetanis, Ed.D., Director of Lower School
Our Head of School and Directors from all three divisions are female role models who hold doctorate degrees, and many of our diverse faculty and staff also hold masters and doctorate degrees.
Recognized Experts National and regional organizations frequently request St. Catherine’s faculty and staff to present at conferences and meetings around the world.
Girl-Centered Training All new faculty members complete professional training specifically focused on teaching girls.
Skilled Professionals Teachers at St. Catherine’s continue to cultivate their talents — science teachers patent their research, English teachers write for publications, music instructors perform in professional symphonies overseas and P.E. teachers compete on national and world athletic teams.
Lifetime Learners Our teachers learn with and from each other, sharing best practices at campus-wide and cross-divisional meetings. A generous professional development program provides global experiences, technology workshops and school-sponsored summer grants.
Community
We are an embracing community of students, parents, faculty, staff, alumnae and friends dedicated to girls’ education and guided by our honor code. At St. Catherine’s, every girl is respected and celebrated. Together, we are developing the next generation of creative, courageous and competent leaders.
SPIRITUAL LIFE
We value each girl’s spiritual journey, and we make time for
prayer, reflection and matters of the heart. Our Episcopal identity guides us to embrace all faith traditions. Chapel speakers of all ages and walks of life are invited to share their experiences in relatable ways. Spiritual life is at the core of our School community.
THE ARTS
Visiting Professionals
We believe that creativity is an essential skill
9 unique ways the arts come alive
that begins with an idea and takes shape through contemplation, discipline and perseverance. Our vibrant arts program provides each girl with many opportunities to explore, innovate and lead.
Guest directors expose students to multiple theatre styles and theories, professional dancers lead master classes and professional artists exhibit on campus.
Music Arrangement and Composition Students learn to arrange and compose music and then perform pieces that delight audiences on and off campus.
Choreography
Girls begin learning fundamentals of choreography in JK and continue through senior recital.
Accomplished Faculty
Arts instructors are professionals in their disciplines as they perform with orchestras in China, showcase artwork at top galleries and dance with professional companies.
Portfolio Development Artists develop portfolios and gain acceptance to top art schools including NYU, Parsons, RISD, SCAD and VCU.
Creative Expression Creative writing pieces, penned by students, win national awards while our Poetry Out Loud winners advance to the regional and national level.
Technical Theatre Program
Unique opportunities exist for girls to develop skills in set design, lighting, sound, stage make up and costume design.
Arts Outreach
Choirs and Instrumental Ensembles
Students engage in service through our partnerships with SPARC-Live Art, VMFA, St. Andrew’s School, Bellevue Elementary School, Art 180 and the Visual Arts Center of Richmond.
Award-winning groups in all three divisions travel domestically and abroad to perform and engage in experiential music education.
ATHLETICS
8 things you might not know about Saints Athletics Winningest athletic program in the league over the past five years
70%
of girls in grades 7-12
compete in athletics
All athletic resources and sports offerings are dedicated to girls. The results speak loudly.
Teams win titles, coaches receive top awards and scholar athletes earn All-American and State Player of the Year honors. Colleges actively recruit Saints athletes to compete at the next level, including competitive Division I schools.
different sports create 700+ opportunities
for girls to compete in athletics
80 coaches
boast a range of experience including competing on national, international and professional levels, as well as coaching college, national and international teams
96%
of C-level executive women (CEO, CFO, COO, etc.) played sports in primary and secondary school or at the college level — Ernst & Young
Varsity Captains’ Leadership Training Program
Athletic Director
72,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art Kenny Sports and Fitness Center on our
Sports performance training and strength and conditioning
prepares Saints athletes to lead
campus includes an eight-lane competitive aquatics facility with diving;
145 acres in Goochland County support
soccer, field hockey, lacrosse, softball and outdoor education
inducted into five Hall of Fames, including National Lacrosse Hall of Fame
offered to Saints athletes
SERVICE LEARNING
Students dedicate more than
12,000
hours of service each year
The School Motto,
“What we keep we lose; only what we give remains our own,”
represents more than a collection of words — it’s a way of life at St. Catherine’s. At every age, our girls find joy in serving others. They generate ideas, plan every detail, promote their cause and make it happen.
3 examples of Saints living the School Motto International Partnership Lower School girls engage in a partnership with Kopila Valley School in Nepal. The girls raised more than $10,000 to build a bridge to connect Kopila Valley Schools’ two campuses and sponsor several girls to attend the school. Girls regularly Skype with the Nepalese students and teachers.
Student-Led Service SOCKS (Serving Our Community Kids’ Style) is a Middle School community service group. Girls investigate issues affecting the School, the Richmond area, the nation and the world. Students engage in projects that directly benefit others.
Creative Nonprofit Julia Warren ’14 founded “celebrate! RVA” during her senior year at St. Catherine’s. Her nonprofit continues to provide birthday parties for disadvantaged children in Richmond and Washington, D.C., touching the lives of more than 1,500 kids.
ALUMNAE
Shrek’s Attorney
First Female NASCAR Engineer
St. Catherine’s boasts an extensive global network of more
than 5,000 alumnae. These women represent all decades, professions and areas of the world. Today this vast network provides a link to future success for current students and fellow alumnae — it’s like having 5,000 sisters ready to help at any moment.
Margaret Rheutan Lindhjem ’95, at age 26, was the first female race engineer in NASCAR Winston Cup history
Emmy Award Winner
Garland Peete Simon ’73, 10-time Emmy Award winning executive and entrepreneur working for companies such as USA Network and ABC Sports
11 alumnae doing cool things Ivy League Dean Dr. Indy Burke ‘76, Dean of the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Sciences and the first female dean in the school’s history
Division I College Coach
Peel Hawthorne ’75, former William & Mary field hockey coach, now senior athletic administrator; just the 13th coach in Division I history to surpass 300 wins
Advocate for Children
Yiota Souras ’88, Senior Vice President, General Counsel, National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
CEO & President
Talbott Hoskins Roche ’84, CEO and President, Blackhawk Network, a leading global prepaid gift cards company
Monique Cheng Joe ’90, Head of Trademarks at DreamWorks Animation, oversees a variety of intellectual property issues, including Shrek
“St. Catherine’s gave me the background I needed to pursue an engineering degree when the engineering program at UVA had a 25%/75% female-to-male student ratio. I watched a number of students transfer out because it was too hard; I thought, “Too hard? This is normal!” — NASA Scientist Dr. Kimberly Lichtenberg ’94, NASA scientist and engineer working on the Mars Rover missions
TV Host
Cancer Researcher Dr. Lucy Anderson ’60, retired researcher with The National Cancer Institute; continues to publish papers and conducts research
Creative Director and Illustrator Sara Blake ‘03, clients include Nike, Ford and Marvel Entertainment
Darley Newman ’97, Emmy Award-winning author, host, writer and producer of Equitrekking on PBS
NEXT STEPS
Nothing excites us more than meeting new amazing girls, and we can’t wait to begin building a relationship with your family.
5 ways to learn more Call 804.281.7140 to schedule your personal tour Visit our campus Read about our programs at www.st.catherines.org Follow us on www.facebook.com/StCatherines Apply online at www.st.catherines.org/apply St. Catherine’s admits students without regard to race, color, religion, sexual orientation or national or ethnic origin to all the rights, the privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to the students of the School.