Dear Kinkaid Community,
Driving through the Kinkaid parking lot toward the parking garage evokes a unique mix of nostalgia and excitement for me. The contrast of old and new—fond memories from my childhood spent at Kinkaid in the 1960s and 70s as well as excitement for the worldclass facilities under construction that will positively impact generations of Kinkaid families to come. It serves as a great sense of pride for both Ann and me that we were able to play a small role in the revitalization and construction of our community’s new campus.
During this process I was delighted to discover that Kinkaid offers over 90 girls’ and boys’ sports teams, giving ample opportunities for all students to benefit from all the life lessons resulting from the preparation and competition that come with those programs. Our vision was to create a facility that accommodates all age groups, providing simultaneous activities with state-of-the-art capabilities and distinctive architectural appeal.
Thanks to countless hours spent by Building Committee Chair Brandt Bowden ’96 and Jonathan Eades , the now open Doggett Family Fieldhouse and Gymnasium is an aesthetically pleasing space that accommodates the full range of Kinkaid students from Pre-K to varsity teams featuring two courts, a second level running track, and cardio facilities, as well as multipurpose rooms. Now, we can host an array of activities including basketball, wrestling, volleyball, track events, yoga, and even provide shelter for rainy-day soccer, field hockey, and touch football matches - not forgetting, of course, the timeless joy of dodgeball.
Our family feels privileged to contribute to such an ambitious endeavor. To those considering supporting Kinkaid’s future, I want to share the profound sense of joy making such a contribution has brought to our family. My mother, Onie Masterson Doggett ’46 , attended the school on the Richmond Drive campus in the 1920s and, today, my grandchildren Katie ’36 (K) and Will ’34 (2nd) represent our fourth generation of Falcons. Kinkaid has shaped the lives of these generations in our family, and our contribution will hopefully continue to enrich the lives of students long into the future.
The School’s motto, “Lux per Scientiam,” translates to “Light through Knowledge.” I typically do not pay much attention to mottos but, in this case, the words have special meaning. The love of books and reading, uncovering more knowledge – learning – has been the most important gift from my time at Kinkaid. I can see the way the School taught my children, and now is teaching my grandchildren, to love to read, to love to learn.
I have found success often eludes the smartest and even the most focused people, but people with a real drive to learn, listen, and understand are most likely to succeed in any endeavor. You’ll typically find these folks reading, reading, and reading more. Ann and I know our contribution will help the School to continue to inspire students in this way, and we hope you will see that any contribution you can make (of any size) will do the same.
Leslie Doggett ’75 Campaign Co-Chair, Trustee
On January 9, we celebrated the opening of The Doggett Family Fieldhouse and Gymnasium. Remarks were given to a Kindergarten class and campaign volunteers by Jonathan Eades and Leslie Doggett ’75 before a ribbon cutting. The students then got to play a game of dodgeball during the first PE class in this new space. A good time was had by all!
Student reactions include:
“I love it because it’s super big!” - Lucy S ’36 “I like that we get to run upstairs on the track.” - Katie D ’36 “It was special that we were the first kids to enter it.” - Jack H ’36 “I liked how we got to play and run around to get our energy out.” - Charlotte M ’36
This new two-story fieldhouse is 35,907 square feet. There are two multi-purpose gyms, a team room, and storage on the first floor and a ⅛ mile running track, yoga room, and cardio area on the second floor. This building will connect to the new Upper School Building once it is completed.
On March 7, Middle and Upper School students and Faculty/Staff signed a construction beam, which was then placed on the second story of the new Upper School building near the main entrance. This signed beam created excitement among the students and has been visible for everyone to see this spring.
Students share the following:
“It made me feel like I was an important part of the School’s history and that makes me feel even more connected to the School!” - Catherine H ’29 “It means a lot to me because my name will always be a part of Kinkaid, and it is very cool.” - Aaryan M ’30 “Kinkaid is moving forward as a school, and it was special I could be a part of it.” - Abigail H ’29 “It means that I am a part of my school’s community, and it is fascinating how my name will be there forever to represent our school.” - Charlie L ’30
The Upper School construction is moving forward quickly and remains on schedule for a Summer 2025 completion. Significant progress was made in the spring semester. The Upper School building foundation and all underground mechanical, electrical, and plumbing were completed. Structural steel started arriving in mid-February, and all of the steel structure is anticipated to be installed by the end of May. The relocation of the last existing tree, demolition of the old central plant, and relocation of the campuswide telecommunications and networking infrastructure were successfully completed in March. The exterior bricking will start over the summer break, along with interior mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems. When the full project is complete, we will have used 450,000 Rosio Buff Old Texas Bricks. The old Upper School was 58,600 square feet. This new two-story Upper School building will more than double the size to 143,871 square feet.
Laura Lomax-Bream, Ph.D. was recently selected as the inaugural Director of the new McGuyer Family Center for Wellbeing and Success. She is currently one of our Upper School counselors and will have the pleasure of shaping this important initiative.
Dr. Lomax-Bream holds a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and previously worked as an Assistant Professor first in the Division of Developmental Pediatrics at UT Houston and later in the Department of Psychiatry at Baylor College of Medicine. She then spent five years in private practice as a psychotherapist before coming to Kinkaid almost 13 years ago. Dr. LomaxBream’s research centered around attachment and its role in child development, psychopathology in children and adults, and neurobiological development in response to social experience. She considers herself fortunate to be coordinating and expanding existing efforts and developing new efforts to advance wellbeing at Kinkaid. One of Kinkaid’s strongest assets is our commitment to nurturing supportive mentoring and peer relationships for our students, among our faculty, and between parents and school professionals.
One of Dr. Lomax-Bream’s first tasks is to develop and teach a wellbeing class to our 8th graders next year, and she will start work on the class this summer. She also hopes to research our existing Middle School curriculum to identify areas to reinforce the expansive and effective wellbeing efforts already well developed in our Lower School. Specifically, for many years LS faculty have been teaching our youngest students about healthy mindsets and mindfulness lessons through established social-emotional learning units. While Middle and Upper School days tend to be filled with prescribed, curriculum driven instruction across multiple different teachers, these themes continue in the readings and other areas of instruction received by older students. With a new director to research and highlight wellbeing curriculum topics, lessons can be introduced or reinforced for students throughout their Kinkaid experience.
Another area of expansion slated for next year comes in the restructuring and growth of the Student Wellbeing Advisory Board in the Upper School, where students will take on a new level of leadership and development of programming for their peers and their community. Through the Center, Kinkaid is implementing and expanding parent education opportunities and looking for ways to increase participation in wellness education efforts for parents. Parent education programming will address areas of greatest concern for student wellbeing and will be provided for all the adults who support our students. We can make the greatest impact when we partner together, learn how to maximize our own health and wellbeing, maintain optimal perspectives and energy, and have up-to-date information about what our children need to stay healthy
