in St. Andrew’s to thrive
foundations – grade 12 • jackson & ridgeland, mississippi
LAYING THE GROUNDWORK
for a fulfilling life
From your child’s earliest weeks and years, all the way through high school graduation, St. Andrew’s thoughtfully and thoroughly prepares them for what’s next.
Our renowned, developmentally calibrated program ensures every student learns eagerly and successfully at every grade level . We celebrate curiosity, welcome questions, and navigate complexity, as together we seek deeper knowledge and authentic expertise.
But St. Andrew’s academic program is only one reason our graduates consistently enroll in their chosen colleges, in Mississippi and across the nation, and go on to fulfilling careers and lives.
Our Episcopal tradition calls us to welcome students of all faiths and backgrounds. We cheer each other’s every success, lift each other up when we stumble, and we ask for help when we need it—because we all have so much to give to and learn from one another.
At St. Andrew’s, we set the bar high—and we provide the skills, inspiration, and unwavering support every child needs to reach it.
Here’s how we do it.
ACADEMIC PROGRAM
in expertise to excel
At St. Andrew’s, our Episcopal faith calls us to respect, celebrate, and encourage every child as a one-of-a-kind learner and individual. Our complete Foundations through Grade 12 learning arc ensures your child not only succeeds in school, college, and career, but also thrives as a unique, resilient, and happy human being
Our college-preparatory curriculum judiciously integrates state-of-the-art technologies with longstanding practices, so your child learns from the best of both. We design hands-on projects and service-learning opportunities, empowering your child to make significant contributions while developing critical teamwork skills.
At every stage of your child’s development, we pay careful attention to their physical and emotional well-being, building your child’s self-awareness, social skills, and academic stamina. And by encouraging your child’s particular passions and talents, we give them the tools to reach higher in all their endeavors.
Confident and compassionate, insightful and interesting, our graduates emerge ready to excel in college and become local, national, and international leaders in their fields.
in respect to connect
Through meaningful service-learning opportunities, wide-ranging student clubs, and a vibrant spiritual life, St. Andrew’s students work, play, reflect, and create with others who support and challenge them in equal measure.
Throughout Lower and Middle School, students partner with local organizations to serve with and learn from members of the larger Jackson community. By the time your child reaches Upper School, they’re prepared to create and lead original projects to drive change locally, nationally, and internationally. Middle and Upper Schoolers can also join school clubs to enhance their talents and make new friends. With dozens of options including artistic and cultural interests, sports and games, academic competition, faith, service, and student government, your child can easily find a club that fits them—or start a new one.
Students and families of all faiths take part in our welcoming chapel services, make use of our pastoral care offerings, and perform daily acts of kindness and fellowship that bring us closer together.
Energized by faith, family, and friends, your child hones their gifts and steps out of their comfort zone—knowing our entire community is cheering for them.
SERVICE LEARNING AT ST. ANDREW’S
Partnerships with local non-profit organizations offer Lower School students opportunities to serve the community, from singing at retirement homes to baking desserts for those in need at Thanksgiving. Twice a year, the entire Middle School student body and faculty embark on a full day of service at charitable organizations throughout the Jackson metro area.
Lower and Middle School students also participate in clothing, toy, and canned food drives and fundraising efforts for local, national, and international organizations.
Our Global Studies Program provides Upper School students opportunities to serve in developing countries, while partnerships with local elementary schools allow them to teach children in their own community who might otherwise not have the chance to study world languages, complete a hands-on art project, or unlock the mysteries of robotics.
COMMUNITY AND CULTURE
in faith to flourish
St. Andrew’s Christian tradition calls us to recognize and support every person as a one-of-a-kind human being.
That’s why we welcome families of all faiths and backgrounds and encourage big questions and respectful conversations. We believe we can all grow by exploring our differences and similarities—while empowering each person to affirm and deepen their own religious and moral values
As an Episcopal school, we weave our ethos throughout the curriculum.
In Early Childhood and Lower School, we focus on Jesus as the Good Shepherd and connect these teachings to our service-learning curriculum. In Middle and Upper School, we broaden students’ views. We offer worship in the Christian tradition and encourage students to explore their own and others’ faiths in the classroom.
In addition to daily instruction, we provide weekly, division-level Chapel services, and we warmly invite families of all faiths to celebrate with us.
Growing up in this inviting and inspiring atmosphere, your child emerges confident and compassionate, faithful and insightful— fully prepared for a rapidly changing wider world.
SPIRITUAL LIFE AND LEARNING
“Because of St. Andrew’s spiritual education, our alumni go out into the world with a broader desire to contribute in positive ways. I get excited about my own children being formed in that same way, surrounded by this community, and following in similar footsteps.”
- parent
FALL
CHEERLEADING
CROSS COUNTRY
School
EQUESTRIAN CLUB
FOOTBALL
School
WINTER BASKETBALL
POWERLIFTING
SOCCER
SPRING ARCHERY
EQUESTRIAN CLUB
FAST-PITCH SOFTBALL
Varsity
GOLF
Boys and Varsity Girls
Varsity SAILING
School and Varsity
CLUB
Varsity
7/8 and Varsity
Middle
Girls, Varsity Boys and Varsity Girls DANCE 7/8 and Varsity
5/6, 7/8, and Varsity SAILING Middle
and Varsity SKEET CLUB SWIMMING Varsity VOLLEYBALL 5/6, 7/8, JV, and Varsity
7/8 Boys, 7/8 Girls, JV, and Varsity
Varsity Boys and Varsity Girls
JV Boys, Varsity Boys, and Varsity Girls WRESTLING Varsity Boys
4/5/6, 7/8, and Varsity BASEBALL 7/8, JV, and Varsity
JV and
Varsity
LACROSSE
Middle
SKEET
TENNIS 7/8, JV, and
TRACK 5/6, 7/8 and Varsity ST. ANDREW’S TEAMS
in confidence to compete
St. Andrew’s teams and athletes compete and win at the highest levels. So do our sports programs. For 21 straight years, St. Andrew’s has been named Mississippi’s Best All-Around Sports Program in its class, amassing more points that any other school in Mississippi regardless of size.
But for us, athletics is about more than championships and awards. We believe sports can help every student, at every skill level, build genuine confidence, make good decisions, and develop lifelong healthy habits
We make athletics a central element of each child’s education, from motor skills in Foundations and Early Childhood, through Lower School fitness classes, to numerous competitive opportunities for Middle and Upper Schoolers. Our teachers and coaches emphasize proper technique alongside leadership qualities, personal improvement, and—just as important—having fun .
Our young competitors can count on the spirited St. Andrew’s community to turn out for them. We invite you to join us for a game and cheer on the Saints!
ATHLETICS PROGRAMS
THE ARTS
in technique to shine
We believe the arts are essential to a fully-rounded college-preparatory curriculum. Our intentional, step-by-step program inspires students to express their most imaginative selves—and builds critical problem-solving, communication, and teamwork skills all along the way.
Early Childhood students begin by looking at, talking about, and experimenting with visual arts, and develop a lifelong love of music through singing, creative movement, and performance . In Lower School, students start supportively sharing and thoughtfully critiquing each other’s work. We also integrate theater and musical performance into the program, further strengthening students’ communication and self-presentation skills.
Middle School students collaborate, innovate, and connect through chorus, band, speech and debate, visual art, theatre, and dance. Adding to this deep and rich foundation, Upper School offers a sophisticated graphic design program, which provides career-preparatory experience in media production and publication.
Technically adept and delightfully original, St. Andrew’s young artists address complex problems from new angles. And whether or not they pursue an arts career, they will always know how to find—and make— more beauty in our world.
ST. ANDREW’S STATE-OF-THE-ART FACILITIES
FAULKNER STUDIOS FOR ART AND MUSIC
Middle and Upper School students create in airy, well-equipped studios flooded with natural light for painting, drawing, sculpting, and ceramics. Open studio space allows interested art students and faculty members to work on long-term projects in various media. Exhibition areas showcase completed work, while large windows allow other students and visitors on campus to watch as new art is created.
The Faulkner Studios also provide spaces specifically equipped for instrumental and vocal music classes.
CENTER FOR PERFORMING ARTS (CPA)
The Center for Performing Arts (CPA) on the North Campus is a professional- level facility for musicals, plays, and concerts. We invite you to join us for an upcoming show!
...for college, career, and life
Ashlynn Payne ‘21 Student, University of Mississippi
Though she has only just embarked on her college journey, Ashlynn already knows exactly what she wants to do when she graduates. Deeply passionate about mental health, she plans to study psychiatry. And while she’s immersed in her first-year coursework, she’s already putting her plan into action by volunteering with the National Crisis Text Line.
A Malone Scholar, Ashlynn tells a story that, for her, represents the St. Andrew’s academic culture: “At St. Andrew’s we were held to the honor code, promising not to lie, cheat, or steal. I remember looking up in the middle of a big test and seeing the teacher walk out. Everyone just kept working. That demonstrates how much esteem we put on being honest and truthful and actually doing the work, rather than just doing it for the grade.”
Paul Catherwood ‘85 Vice President, Corporate Communications, Capital Group
“There’s a boldness about St. Andrew’s. There are so many diverse activities offered that students can try a lot of things. I hope they leave here thinking, ‘I can try anything.’”
Olivia Becker ‘15 Student, University of Mississippi School of Medicine BA, Spanish, Vanderbilt University, 2019
“St. Andrew’s did a great job of teaching us how to think, and to focus on the how and why, instead of just who, what, when, where. Whether we were learning math equations or reading literature, they pushed us to ask, ‘Why does this make sense?’ And then we’d get to the bottom of it.”
Garrison Wade ‘18
BA, Dartmouth College, Political Science and Government, 2022 Dartmouth Men’s Basketball Team
After he graduates from Dartmouth, Garrison has set his sights on law school. But he’s not waiting until then to change the world. Taking a full course load while playing on the men’s basketball team, Garrison has also made a point of serving his communities. In 2020, he co-founded the Dartmouth Black Student-Athlete Alliance to foster mentorship and inclusion. He also started Garry’s Good Eats, which serves home-cooked meals to the Hanover, NH community.
An Alpha-Omega grad (with us from Early Childhood through 12th grade), he captained the boys’ basketball team and led the student body as Vice President, among other positions. And he graduated with honors. Garrison credits his St. Andrew’s teachers with inspiring and challenging him to do all he could—not just what he could: “My psychology teacher told me, ‘You won’t get through this world on talent alone. You have to work.’”
Jayla Mondy ‘17
Student, University of Mississippi School of Medicine BS, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mississippi State Presidential Scholar at Mississippi State
As an entering freshman at Mississippi State, Jayla received the Presidential Endowed Scholarship, the university’s most prestigious scholarship for first-year students, which recognizes both academic excellence and leadership in serving the greater good. Those stellar qualities had already shone forth at St. Andrew’s, where Jayla earned the Adele Franks Medal for leadership, initiative, and creative thinking, as well as the Malone Scholarship.
Along with the pure joy of learning, St. Andrew’s rigorous curriculum helped Jayla develop the skills and confidence to flourish in college and medical school. In her words, “St. Andrew’s graduates are different from students who come from other schools. We don’t have to learn how to study because we already learned that in high school. We don’t have to learn how to write because we did that, too. St. Andrew’s prepares you and sets you apart for the long haul.”
ALUMNI STORIES
Ben Johnson ‘07
Senior Vice President, Global Leader, Digital Products at Rightpoint BA, Computer Science, Bowdoin College, 2011
At Rightpoint, Ben not only works at the cutting edge of technology, he helps shape it. His teams develop apps that help people with low or no vision to navigate; autonomous robots that navigate areas inhospitable to humans; smart-home technologies that solve longstanding problems of daily life, and many other innovations. With Ben’s leadership, they push their imagination and skill to the limit to create tools that serve the greater good—exemplifying St. Andrew’s motto: Find a way or make a way.
Ben has received the Saints Medal for Unselfish Service, and in 2021, the Distinguished Alumni Award. In his acceptance speech, Ben offered advice for current and future St. Andrew’s students, which is the philosophy he lives by: “Find ways to surround yourselves with people who will push you to go the extra mile, don’t shy away in the face of a seemingly impossible task, and find opportunities to work in service of others.”
Emily Dossett, M.D., ‘92 Reproductive psychiatrist
Assistant Clinical Professor, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California
As a reproductive psychiatrist, Emily is a founding member of a relatively new but growing field that integrates obstetrics and psychiatry to form a collaborative approach to mental health before, during, and after pregnancy. Her career offers vibrant proof that medicine is a multifaceted field that requires not only scientific expertise but also creativity, empathy, and cultural and spiritual awareness—all values that St. Andrew’s cultivates.
After graduating from Stanford, Emily earned a master’s degree in theology from Harvard before enrolling in medical school at UCLA. “At Harvard, I did a lot of coursework on medical ethics, philosophy, the anthropology of medicine, death, and dying,” she says. “So, when I got to med school, I had a whole other comfort level talking about difficult subjects.” She credits St. Andrew’s with encouraging complicated ethical and spiritual conversations: “If I hadn’t gone to St. Andrew’s, where religion was celebrated and discussed, I’m not sure I would have followed this path. I’m very grateful.”
Derrick McQueen ‘91 Pastor, Mt. Calvary Holy Church, High Point, NC Vice President, Wells Fargo Bank
As a pastor and a bank vice president, Derrick holds two leadership positions that might appear to have little in common. But he sees both as ways to build connections and help people thrive. Derrick credits St. Andrew’s with shaping the core philosophy that has led to success in every role he’s taken on, from community organizing to serving as a liaison to the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. “I’m able to go into any setting and have a conversation, and that’s largely because of my experiences at St. Andrew’s,” Derrick says. “I’m not intimidated by any environment.”
Derrick is especially grateful to two people who shaped his St. Andrew’s journey. “When my mom found a school of St. Andrew’s caliber, which also emphasized the spiritual aspect, she said, ‘This is where you’re going.’”
And he had a life-changing conversation with the head of school, who showed Derrick that “someone can value you for who you are.” The head’s love of language sparked Derrick’s own: “I’m able to craft and write because of this love for language. I write sermons and songs, and all of that stemmed from that one conversation with the head of school. Isn’t that something? He helped me walk in my purpose.”
Christian Wade ‘18 Associate Marketing Manager at Google BA, Economics and Statistics, Northwestern University, 2022 Student Body President at Northwestern
“I was writing fifteen-page papers in 11th grade. I had good study habits, and I knew how to approach an assignment. St. Andrew’s set the bar high, so when I got to college, I didn’t feel like I was trying to jump twenty feet.”
ALUMNI STORIES
