St. Catherine's School

The start of school is right around the corner and we can’t wait to have our girls back on campus! Leading up to the first day of school, we will share a small sampling of the many reasons why we look forward to the 2023-2024 school year.

4️⃣ Stock up for the new year at the Saints Shop during special back-to-school hours! 💛 💙 The shop will be open:

Monday, August 28 from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. (Meet the Teacher Day/New Middle School Orientation)

Friday, September 1 from 9:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. (after Opening Service)

Regular Saints Shop hours are from noon - 4 p.m. on school days.

The start of school is right around the corner and we can’t wait to have our girls back on campus! Leading up to the first day of school, we will share a small sampling of the many reasons why we look forward to the 2023-2024 school year.

3️⃣ SAINTS Athletics! Tryouts and preseason are underway for Fall sports 🎾 🏐 🏑 🏃‍♀️ and we love seeing our girls back on Dayton Field, the Kenny Center, the tennis courts and Goochland Fields! It is going to be a great year for athletics - LET’S GO SAINTS!

The start of school is right around the corner and we can’t wait to have our girls back on campus! Leading up to the first day of school, we will share a small sampling of the many reasons why we look forward to the 2023-2024 school year.

2️⃣ The stage is already buzzing with activity! Ampersand auditions started last week. Mark your calendars for the 2023-2024 Ampersand and Outré Season. 🎭

Outré: "The Many Disguises of Robin Hood" - St. Christopher’s Playhouse - October 19 - 21, 2023

Ampersand: “Twelfth Night - The Musical Adaptation” - Endeavour Hall, Love Jennison Family Theatre - November 9-12, 2023

Ampersand: “A Devised Work” - St. Christopher’s Playhouse - February 1-3, 2024

Outré: “Annie Jr.” - Endeavour Hall, Love Jennison Family Theatre - February 15-17, 2024

Ampersand: “She Kills Monsters: Young Adventurers Edition” - Endeavour Hall, Love Jennison Family Theatre - May 2-4, 2024

The start of school is right around the corner and we can’t wait to have our girls back on campus! Leading up to the first day of school, we will share a small sampling of the many reasons why we look forward to the 2023-2024 school year.

1️⃣ Our new faculty and staff! This week was New Faculty/Staff Orientation followed by Opening Meetings next week. Our new Saints are getting to know the ropes, setting up their spaces and exploring campus. We are so glad they're here!

✅ Already checking things off the list - the class of 2024 has been on campus this week and last for college application workshops, specifically on strategies, tips and tricks for the common application!

Do you know St. Catherine's has three designated college counselors, making for a personalized approach and smaller than the average student-to-counselor ratio?

Thank you to our awesome Brilliant Summer team for such a fun and memorable summer.

Up, up and away!

Rising senior Hailey Safran spent seven days at NASA's Langley Research Center in the Virginia Aerospace Science and Technology program (VASTS). Hailey was selected to participate in the program after completing a course that consisted of seven NASA-developed modules compiled to expand students' knowledge of aerospace history, science, exploration and technology.

Hailey is pictured with Roger Crouch, an American scientist and astronaut who flew on two NASA Space Shuttle missions in 1997.

We can't wait to welcome our girls back to campus! The Back to School Hub is updated with supply lists, summer enrichment, class lists and important dates to get you ready. Enjoy the last few weeks of summer! ☀️

Spotlight on St. Catherine's Student, Cameron Gardner '24!

🌟 Step into the haunting world of Carrie: The Musical as Cameron Gardner takes the stage in the role of Margaret White in the Cohen Cast! 🌟

🎟️🔗 Grab your tickets now on the Dominion Energy Center website (linked in profile).

All performances are at the Libby S. Gottwald Playhouse. This show is rated PG-13.

Cameron's shows are:
Friday, August 4, 2023; 6:30 p.m.
Sunday, August 6, 2023; 1 p.m.
Sunday, August 6, 2023; 6:30 p.m.

Rising senior Cameron Gardner takes the stage in the role of Margaret White in "Carrie: The Musical" at Cadence Theatre. All performances are at the Libby S. Gottwald Playhouse.

Cameron's shows: Aug. 4, 6:30 p.m.; Aug. 6, 1 p.m., Aug. 6, 6:30 p.m.

Grab your tickets now: https://bit.ly/3OfgsdQ
Use the code MADNESS20 on July 31 to receive discounted tickets for the matinee on Aug. 6.

The Young Explorers are exploring a magical world of princesses and knights, dragons and unicorns and fairies this summer. For their weekly group project last week, they worked in groups to create treasures for "Queen Trask." They presented her with a handmade crown, a chalice, a handwritten card and a wish jar. Young Explorers are the youngest group of campers at Brilliant Summer.

Our new team of Innovation Fellows traveled to the Design Thinking Institute at the Nueva School in California. The group of teachers learned how to integrate design thinking into the curriculum, specifically as it relates to project-based learning and service learning. One project was creating a prototype of a way to keep a marker lid with the marker. They had three minutes to use design thinking during the challenge.

The new team of Innovations Fellows is Kat Cockerham, Julie Coleman, Jennifer Harper and Kelly Mastin. They will work together with the returning Fellows: Raven Baytops, Greg Heimlich, Caroline Schultz, Savannah Watson and Meg Zehmer.

We love when our current students work as counselors for Brilliant Summer! The girls help lead activities for the Brilliant Summer sessions. Alumnae also return to lead sessions, which are attended by students from St. Catherine's and other schools around the Richmond region.

Happy Fourth of July! 🇺🇸

Thank you to everyone who participated in Annual Giving! We are so grateful for your support of today's Saints!

Time is running out!

Don’t miss your chance to make your gift to Annual Giving. We accept Venmo (mobile devices only), PayPal, Apple Pay and credit cards!

Give now: https://bit.ly/3F6FMyn

We received a matching challenge gift from a generous alumna who will match all new Annual Giving gifts (up to $10,000) received by midnight on Friday.

Maximize your support by making a gift today. Today’s young Saints are counting on you!

Give now: https://bit.ly/3F6FMyn

Brilliant Summer is underway on campus!

Earlier this week campers, both girls and boys, learned firsthand about reptiles with visits from a tortoise, snakes and lizards brought in by Serpentes Reptiles Serpentarium.

During their sessions, the campers experience a variety of activities including language arts, STEM, arts, music, creative movement and outdoor play. Specialty classes are also offered.

Our alumnae make us strong!

We hope you will consider making a gift to Annual Giving to help St. Catherine's remain among the top girls' schools in alumnae giving.

We accept Venmo (mobile devices only), PayPal, Apple Pay and credit cards!

Give now: https://bit.ly/3F6FMyn

We are now accepting nominations for the 2024 St. Catherine’s Athletic Hall of Fame! We will celebrate inductees during Hall of Fame Weekend on January 26 and 27, 2024.

Nominate an athlete, coach or team: https://bit.ly/3CQmexl

Upper School Spanish teacher Mauricio Pava and Middle School Spanish teacher Allison Felton are attending the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese Conference at the Universidad de Salamanca in Salamanca, Spain this week. This year's theme is New Horizons for Communication and Culture. Speakers and panelists represent universities and schools from around the world. The two are learning new tools to share with all of the world language teachers on campus.

Calling all parents! Please consider making a gift to Annual Giving today to honor your daughter and her teachers! Your gift helps strengthen every aspect of your daughter’s education.

We accept Venmo (mobile devices only), PayPal, Apple Pay and credit cards.

Give now: https://bit.ly/3F6FMyn

Summer is in full swing and our students are still learning!
Upper School girls are taking for-credit classes as part of Brilliant Summer including Ethics in Context: A Blended Service and Religion Class, World Religions and Art Foundation. Students in the Ethics class spent time in Welch, W.V. working in the community. The Arts Foundation students received a private tour at VMFA from alumna Madeleine Dugan '18.

Save us a call! We have new alumnae making calls on behalf of Annual Giving. Make your gift today!

It's easier than ever to give as we now accept Venmo (mobile devices only), PayPal, Apple Pay and credit cards!

Give now: https://bit.ly/3F6FMyn

St. Catherine's celebrates Juneteenth, a day of honor and reflection on emancipation. As a community, we reaffirm our support of and love for our students, faculty, staff, alumnae and families of color.

The Kenny Center was filled with future Saints basketball stars this week! The athletes worked on their skills during the Saints basketball camp under the direction of varsity coach Ed Sherod and current Saints basketball players.

Join us for lacrosse camp next week and volleyball and softball later this summer.

Learn More: https://bit.ly/3NuHVJu

Upper School students in grades 9-11 finished the school year with X-Term. Coordinated with St. Christopher's, the students engaged in a variety of cohorts locally, regionally and even internationally. They served the communities and explored the cultures. Students met in their cohorts throughout the school year to prepare for the week-long engagement.

This year's cohorts included whale watching in Iceland, zip lining over the rain forest in Costa Rica, visiting the tomb of St. Catherine in Italy, walking the beaches of Normandy, hiking the Shenandoah Mountains, exploring journalism in Washington, D.C., working with the local SPCA, enjoying the local restaurant scene and diving into forensics. The students also visited Puerto Rico, Greece, Seattle and Boston as well as a variety of locations around Richmond and Virginia.

All ninth graders worked together with the St. Christopher's freshmen for a week of education and service in the Richmond area, working with Students worked with organizations such as Feedmore, Shalom Farms and Housing Families First.

Class of 2023!
Graduation Photos and Video are now available! Check your email for links.

View photos:
https://bit.ly/43HoToP

The Class of 2027 officially moved to Upper School today! We celebrated the eighth graders this morning during the Middle School Final Assembly in the Love Jennison Family Theatre in Endeavour Hall. Each girl walked the stage to receive her certificate of promotion with proud parents, faculty and staff watching.

Congrats, Class of 2027!

Head of Middle School Sharon Arne wants to remind everyone there's just one day remaining in the 2022-2023 school year!

We close out the school year tomorrow with the Middle School Final Assembly.

We celebrated the end of the school year for Lower School with the Final Assembly in Love Jennison Theatre in Endeavour Hall this morning. The fourthies walked across the stage for their promotion and officially became Middle Schoolers!

Pride is recognized throughout the month of June as an annual celebration of the many contributions made by the LGBTQ+ community to history, society and cultures worldwide.

This month we join in celebration and support of the LGBTQ+ community. Happy Pride!

Board of Governors Chair Anne Kenny-Urban '83 is featured in today's Richmond Times-Dispatch. As the Executive Director of Agecroft Hall & Gardens in Windsor Farms, Anne discusses the recently installed solar panels at Agecroft, a former private residence that is now a museum.

Agecroft Hall goes high-tech One of the oldest homes in Richmond is going thoroughly modern. A recently installed field of solar panels is providing all of the electrical needs of Agecroft Hall, a 16th-century home originally built in England, then painstakingly dismantled, moved and re-constructed in Richmond in the 1920s.

First grade held their Grow and Go project culmination last week answering the essential question: How do healthy foods support healthy living? Following different phases of research, the girls created a project based on the subject they selected. Topics covered included food as energy, the food pyramid, fruits and vegetables, healthy choices, digestion, movement and cooking. The girls presented their final projects to parents, faculty and staff.

After their presentations, the girls sang a digestion song on the steps of Endeavour Hall before enjoying a healthy food celebration with their families.

Congrats, Class of 2023!

Graduation on the Green was a beautiful event today as the seniors became our newest alumnae. The celebration ended with the traditional daisy chain as the Class of 2023 handed over the leadership of the school to the Class of 2024.

The Class of 2023 Graduation livestream begins at 10 a.m.

https://bit.ly/3IDYOyz

It's graduation day! Seniors, this is your big day!

We are excited to celebrate the Class of 2023 this morning!

The Juniors celebrated the Seniors yesterday afternoon with the Junior-Senior Banquet in the Dining Hall. The theme is voted on by the junior class and kept secret until the seniors arrive. This year's theme was "Princess and the Frog." The tradition dates back to Miss Jennie and the early 1900s.

Banquet songs, performed by the toast mistresses, honored Head of School Mrs. Trask, Head of Upper School Lara Wulff, the Arcade staff, Upper School faculty and staff and the seniors. Each group then sang in honor of the seniors. The event ended with the announcement of the June Queen and June Scholar as well as songs on the steps of Bacot.