St. Mary's Episcopal School

IN: Summer at St. Mary’s!

With over 100 unique camps, we’re busting summer boredom and making amazing memories at Summer at St. Mary’s.

Led by St. Mary’s educators and community professionals, our camps offer the perfect fit for every child‘s interest.

Every week, campers have the chance to learn new skills, like ballet or backpacking, while developing exciting hobbies such as creative journaling or pottery.

In the classroom, academic review and test prep camps set students up for the year ahead. On the field, sports camps keep athletes sharp—or help them find a new favorite activity.

Specialty camps like Super Mario Galaxy Camp, Barbie: Beauty is Being You, and Harry Potter give children the chance to dive into worlds they know and love through enriching activities.

We’re here for summer easy wins and experiences worth getting excited for. Click the link in our bio to browse our full list of camps and register today!

At graduation, we were proud to celebrate nine members of the Class of 2026 for their academic achievement, character, and spirit.

Our educational philosophy has always been about more than academics. Nurturing the whole girl, mind, body, and soul, means creating space for every student to pursue her passions and reach her individual potential. As our graduates turn the page to their next chapter, we celebrate not only their achievements but also who they have become.

Valedictorian — Lucy Roberts ’26

Salutatorian — Eleanor Chandler ’26

Honor Student — Molly Kirshbaum ’26

Cathedral Award — Lilly Coggin ’26
The Cathedral Award recognizes a senior who has served others and her school with selflessness, and without expectation of reward or recognition. The recipient has beared the responsibilities of others, leading by good example. 

Tabor Novak Award — Lillie Ireland ’26
Established in honor of Katharine Aiken Phillips, this honor is given to a senior who possesses Christian courtesy, upholding the values of a St. Mary’s girl. 

Spirit of St. Mary’s Award — Quinn Ferebee ’26
Presented by the St. Mary’s Parents Association, this award is given to a senior who best displays the St. Mary’s spirit through sincerity, personality, individuality reverence, intelligence, and truth. 

Mary M. Davis Loyalty Award — Meagan Miller ’26
Like Mary M. Davis, the recipient of this award has demonstrated her love for St. Mary’s to an inspirational degree and has made an outstanding contribution to the life of the school by her personal example, dependability, and loyalty. 

Ellen Feild Todd Award — Mary Quay Wilson ’26
Presented by a member of Ellen Feild Todd’s family, this award honors a senior who gives outstanding an unselfish service to St. Mary’s. 

Hazlehurst Gold Cross Award — Leighton Visinsky ’26
Given in memory of Charlotte Hazelhurst, Class of 1907, the Gold Cross Award is presented to a senior who has been outstanding in her scholarship, loyalty, service, and integrity. 

Help us congratulate this wonderful group!

Summer Spotlight: Big World, Little Hands!

We’re officially diving into Summer at St. Mary’s, and with 100+ unique camps being offered, we can’t wait to show you a few of our favorites!

Join us June 8-12 for our global learning camp, Big World Little Hands. Led by Mr. Ben Graunke, St. Mary’s teacher and member of our global education team, this experience is sure to make a lasting impact for little learners.

Big World, Little Hands uses reflections, lessons, games, and activities to explore global citizenship and the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals. Through exciting and thoughtfully curated learning, campers will investigate both their community and the international world beyond.

When the week is through, campers will carry with them our global education program’s values: helping children investigate the world, recognize perspectives, build empathy, communicate ideas, and take action.

Earlier this year, St. Mary’s was just one of 11 schools worldwide to earn the Institute for Global Learning’s Global Education Standards Endorsement. This recognition reinforces our commitment to enriching educational experiences like Big World, Little Hands.

Click the link in our bio to learn more about Summer at St. Mary’s and register for this camp!

Class Days!

This month, we’ve celebrated our 1st-5th graders at Class Days, showcases of fine arts, academics, and character.

Class Days invite our students to express what they’ve learned through a variety of creative mediums, building confidence and imagination.

After a year of cross-subject studies, our 1st–3rd graders reflect on what moved them most. From there, they create a theme for their Class Day programs. This year, creative direction included allusions to night, movement, and animals in flight.

Each grade choreographs original dances, stepping into leadership and collaborative roles to bring their concepts to life. Following their dance performances, the girls sing a collection of songs in tune with their vision.

4th-grade Class Day hits a different note. After a rendition of “Fifty Nifty United States,” the girls present the 50 U.S. states in wax museum style. They step into character as iconic landmarks, celebrities, animals, or items from each state, providing details they researched in library class. To help pitch their state to family and friends, the girls even created their own website.

For our 5th graders, Class Day is a reflective final Chapel that acknowledges the transition from Lower to Middle School—and from one campus to another.

SMS 5th-graders are leaders on our North Campus. As the oldest girls on their side of the street, they are aspirational, motivating, and kind role models for our littlest Turkeys to look up to.

At their Class Day, the Class of 2033 participates in a service just for them. They sing hymns, say prayers, and celebrate one another with unique awards for their class.

We are extremely grateful to the teachers, families, and staff members who make Class Days so inspiring. Thank you to Lower School Art Teacher Kelly Cook, Creative Movement Teacher Mary Elizabeth Washburn, Music Teacher Terri Theil, and Technical Director Leigh Ann Evans for their vision, direction, and planning.

Congratulations, Lower—and new Middle—Schoolers!

Jesse Osias is the type of teacher who makes everything exciting. 

In each of her lessons for our 5th-graders, she models curiosity, wonder, and creativity. For her dedication to global education, Ms. Osias has been recognized by the Institute for Global Learning. 

This spring, Ms. Osias received the 2026 Solomon Faculty Curriculum Design Prize from the Institute for Global Learning. This distinction is awarded to only three educators worldwide for powerful examples of intercultural growth, global engagement, and thoughtful curriculum design. 

Ms. Osias earned this honor for her literature lesson on the novel “Fish in a Tree” by Lynda Mullaly Hunt. Through the reading, Ms. Osias and her students explore dyslexia, identity, and empathy by investigating the world, recognizing perspectives, and communicating ideas. The students write reflections from the protagonists’ perspectives, analyze the author’s intent, and engage in conversations with a guest speaker with lived experience of dyslexia. 

This curriculum embodies what our global education program stands for: helping girls investigate the world, recognize perspectives, build empathy, communicate ideas, and take action for themselves, their community, and the world. 

Earlier this year, St. Mary’s earned the Global Education Standards Endorsement from the Institute for Global Learning. We became one of just 11 schools worldwide, the only all-girls school in the U.S., and the only school in Memphis to receive this honor.  

Global education at St. Mary’s thrives because of teachers like Ms. Osias. We are grateful to her and our community of teachers for fostering global learning in unique and remarkable ways. 

Help us congratulate Ms. Osias for this distinction!

Kindergarten graduation!

Starting summer wouldn’t be complete without celebrating our kindergarten Turkeys. They have grown so much this year, and it has been a joy to see!

We champion our students at every stage, and their earliest years are no exception. Marking the milestone of entering a new grade honors their development, curiosity, and accomplishments.

In St. Mary’s Place, our two-year-old program, the class finishes the year with a recital and party.

Pre-Kindergarten students take part in Nursery Rhyme Day, embodying characters from classic childhood stories.

Students in Junior-Kindergarten close out the year at the annual J-K Tea Party, an event that says “thank you” to their moms in an extra-special way.

Senior-Kindergarten girls take part in their first-ever Class Day, receiving their diplomas and performing a few songs that share a bit about all they’ve learned. This ceremony marks their official graduation from
kindergarten and prepares the girls to join the Lower School.

These years go by so fast, and it’s worth savoring every second. We are grateful to our students, teachers, and families who embrace every moment. From holiday parties to birthday treats and surprise lunches, our kindergarten community shows up to create memories that last.

Congratulations to our girls who are moving on up. We can’t wait to see what unfolds in their next chapter!

Every May, we celebrate three faculty and staff members for their outstanding contributions to SMS.

Our extraordinary educators and staff shape the lives of our students every day. They lead with heart, dedication, creativity, and care for others, leaving a lasting impact on our community.

In honor of this work, we are pleased to give three faculty and staff awards on the last day of school. This year, we recognized Wendy Gallik, Jeremy Gilbrech, and Hal Roberts.

Wendy Gallik — Creative Teacher Award
As our early childhood physical education teacher, Mrs. Gallik brings joy, movement, and imagination to our youngest students every day. Through thoughtfully designed lessons and beloved traditions like Field Day, she helps students build confidence, coordination, collaboration, and a love of learning. Her creativity, positivity, and deep understanding of early childhood development make a lasting impact across our community.

Jeremy Gilbrech — Ellen Feild Todd Staff Award
As Database & Information Systems Manager, Jeremy Gilbrech’s steady, reliable, and caring presence strengthens the St. Mary’s community every single day. Through his thoughtful management of technology systems and databases, he has transformed countless processes behind the scenes, making life easier for students, faculty, and staff. Known for his patience, willingness to help, and quiet problem-solving, Mr. Gilbrech exemplifies the outstanding and unselfish service this award was created to recognize.

Hal Roberts — Nanette Quinn Outstanding Teacher Award
Computer science teacher Hal Roberts inspires students to embrace curiosity, resilience, and the wonder of discovery. In both the classroom and the climbing program, he challenges students to think creatively, navigate risk with confidence, and grow through trial and error. Through his steady mentorship and deep care for others, Mr. Roberts has become an indispensable member of the St. Mary’s community and a model of holistic education.

Help us congratulate Mrs. Gallik, Mr. Gilbrech, and Mr. Roberts on these well-deserved honors!

All smiles because these girls are GRADS!

Graduation was pure magic, and we can’t stop thinking about how much it means. Yesterday, the Class of 2026 gained something beyond a diploma: a sisterhood for life. 

For our students, graduation might feel like the end of their time at St. Mary’s. In reality, it’s only the beginning. As each girl recesses out of the Church of the Holy Communion, she steps into our school motto, “For Girls. For Life.” 

Graduation marks the moment students become alumnae. The friendship they share with their classmates expands to encompass a network of women across the country. 

St. Mary’s Turkeys really do flock together. Wherever they land, our alumnae find one another and build community on the foundations St. Mary’s gave them. Our alums continue to connect and fulfill the mission of our school long after graduation: to challenge and support each girl as she discovers her unique purpose and reaches her individual potential. 

We loved celebrating not only what’s been done, but also what’s to come. We can’t wait to see what’s next as our seniors turn the page!