A Head Looks Back

By Dr. Autumn A. Graves

August, 2023

In August, we welcomed 937 students back to school, including 196 new students. Students K – Grade 12 and their families would come together later in September for Convocation, a celebration the senior class, faculty/staff tenure, and the opening of school.

Also in August, we launched the first Saints Serve Saturday as part of the new Civic Engagement Initiative. Under the leadership of Dr. Bob Troy and partnering with local organizations, families took part in a variety of community service activities through Saints Serve Saturdays, and students from age 2 through Grade 12 took part in academic units focused on civic engagement. It was a strong launch to a program that will only strengthen with time and deepen our connection to Charlottesville/Albemarle organizations.

November, 2023

Donors stepped up in support of students in big ways. In the fall, generous supporters made it possible to complete Phase 1 and begin Phase 2 of the Early Childhood Natural Classroom, pledged their support for creating the Edmonds Family Fund for Financial Aid, and began the Class of 1984 Fund for Financial Aid

March, 2024

Phase 1 of the Portrait of a 2036 Graduate work was completed in March. It marked the culmination of a school-wide effort involving committee work, all-faculty workshops, a student focus group, and board of trustee workshops with subject matter experts. The Portrait is in the design phase now, with academic committees and advisory committees to begin building out in 2024-25.

April, 2024

Together, we began the year-long celebration of 50th anniversary of the merger of the St. Anne’s School and the Belfield School. Alumni from multiple decades, current families, and faculty and staff came together for a weekend of celebration that included reunions, Spring Family Festival, and an All-Alumni Birthday Party with a ceremony to honor alumni award winners and the inaugural inductees into the faculty emeriti program. In 2024-25, the Semicentennial Celebration will go on the road. Saints in 12 cities and nine states plus D.C. are invited! Learn more at www.stab.org/semicentennial

May, 2024

The closing of a year is always marked with a flurry of activities, including end-of-year projects, Moving-Up Chapels, final community meetings, celebrations — and in the Upper School, AP exams and senior internships. It’s also a time for reflection and gratitude for the members of our community who made the school year a success — including you. On the following pages, you’ll find a photo snapshot of the year for each division. Thank you for being a member of our community, and Go Saints!!

June, 2024

During their May meeting, the Board of Trustees voted to begin renovations of the Student Activity Center (SAC) on the Greenway Rise Campus. Thanks to generous supporters, fundraising for this project is 85% complete, and construction began June 3. We expect the project to be complete in time for Residential Life and athletics use in the spring. Students can expect an indoor turf area, moveable strength and conditioning equipment, a practice court for basketball and volleyball, a small cardio/weight training room, and renovated green top. In addition, the strength and conditioning space in the Conway Convocation Center (CCC) is getting an upgrade this summer with new equipment and space redesign.