October 2026 October 2026
Excellence Enduring Campaign Update
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Excellence Enduring Campaign Update
October 2026
Campaign Events O
n Friday, August 28, the St. John’s School community gathered under the new Fridaynight LED lights to kick off the home football season and celebrate a milestone in our campus history: the official rededication of Skip Lee Field and the Frank McMurrey Memorial Track. The rededication follows nearly a year of intensive construction as part of the School’s campus improvement plan. The evening, which culminated in a thrilling Mavericks victory over Second Baptist, marked the opening of a new chapter on a space that has defined our campus since 1949. First named in 1996 to honor Lamar “Skip” Lee, the field’s rededication celebrated a coach and mentor who shaped generations of students. Skip served St. John’s for 36 years in roles ranging from basketball coach and science teacher to Dean of Students and Athletic Director, setting a lasting standard for sportsmanship, integrity, and dedication. Nearly 30 years after its original naming, Skip Lee Field remains a tribute to his enduring legacy and the character he instilled in his students and players.
October 2026
For decades, Mavericks have run the turns of the Frank McMurrey Memorial Track, first dedicated in 1975 by the Class of 1974 in memory of their classmate. Frank McMurrey ’74 was an exceptional athlete, student, and friend whose 15-foot pole vault remained a school record for 34 years. Following his tragic passing during his senior year, the McMurrey family gifted a pioneering track surface that helped elevate the experience for Houston student-athletes. Today, the newly resurfaced track carries that legacy forward, ready to welcome a new generation of Mavericks. Through this state-of-the-art reconstruction, St. John’s has not only modernized its athletic hub but also preserved the heart of what makes this place special. As Head of School Dan Alig remarked, “In the spirit of Skip Lee and Frank McMurrey, our athletes will continue to strive for excellence, both on and off the field, ensuring that their legacies endure.”
Excellence Enduring Campaign Update
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Fundraising Progress As we enter the third year of the Campaign, we have raised more than $177 million comprehensively, including more than $145 million in capital gifts. Supporters like you have made this incredible progress possible, and we continue to be in awe of the generosity flowing from this community. We are incredibly grateful to the nearly 150 donors recognized below whose extraordinary support has helped bring us to this point. While halfway through the Campaign, there is still work to be done. Our goal is to raise $225 million, and at every milestone we reach, we are reminded that the ambition of the Campaign is matched by the generosity and commitment of the St. John’s community. We’re proud of what this community has accomplished and excited for all that lies ahead. $10,000,000 & Above The Brown Foundation, Inc. Ting Tsung and Wei Fong Chao Foundation Sarofim Foundation Randa and K. C. Weiner $5,000,000 - $9,999,999 Laura and John Arnold Susie and Scott Bender Kathy and George Britton The Elkins Foundation The Peter J. Fluor Family Bailey & Pete McCarthy Mr. & Mrs. Wil VanLoh $1,000,000 - $4,999,999 Anonymous (3) Durga and Sushila Agrawal The Allen Family The Anchorage Foundation of Texas The Ludwig Bertuccio Family Yasmin and Michael Bilger Sylvie & Gary Crum The Cullen Foundation Estate of Helen Bloxsom Davis Marilyn and George DeMontrond Kate and Holbrook Dorn Mr. and Mrs. Robert W. Eifler Charles Jago Elder Foundation, Inc. Kate and Steve Gibson Abbie and Will Giraud Mr. and Mrs. Robert H. Graham Diana and Russell Hawkins Jill and Dunham Jewett Jenny and Chris Johnson
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Mr. and Mrs. John W. Johnson Jennifer and Chris Laporte Rita J. Leader Amy & Gentry Lee Lowe Foundation The Mackey Family The Marek Family Mr. and Mrs. Ben L. Marshall Laura and Andrew McCullough Anna B. McCullough Family Ruthie and Adam Miller Diane and David Modesett Mr. and Mrs. John S. Moody John L. Nau III Mr. and Mrs. John D. Pitts, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Jarrod B. Pollock Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Sarofim Mr. and Mrs. Charles E. Sheedy The Stepanian Family Dr. Michele and Mr. Dheeraj Verma Nina and Michael Zilkha $500,000 - $999,999 Anonymous (2) Mr. Jean-Pierre and Dr. Caroline Baizan The Blanton Family The Paul Chapman Family Susie & Joe Dilg, Lane Dilg, and Mary S. & Jack Dawson Lexie White and Jason Dunahoe Lacey and Matthew Goossen Mr. and Mrs. Herschel T. Hamner III Mr. and Mrs. Brian Michael Haufrect Hobby Family Foundation The Krieger Family
Excellence Enduring Campaign Update
October 2026
$500,000 - $999,999 (continued) Drs. James and Anita Major Chris McLaren & Tevia Weiner McLaren The Sloan Family Mr. and Mrs. Carson Lee Randolph Yost $250,000 - $499,999 M. D. Anderson Foundation Mr. Stewart Baker and Mrs. Julia Louis Baker Mr. William J. Boyce and Mrs. Maria Wyckoff Boyce Marina and Alan Christensen The Crain Foundation Katie and Will Derrick Mr. and Mrs. David F. Gow Mr. Spencer Harkness and Mrs. Clayton Crum Harkness Mr. Robert Le and Mrs. Cecile K. Cao The John M. O'Quinn Foundation The O'Sullivan Family Mr. & Mrs. Nicholas M. O'Sullivan Mark C. Rodriguez and Cristina Espinosa Rodriguez Mr. Suhail A. Sikhtian and Mrs. Janwa R. Dajani Mr. Karl Stern and Mrs. Ann Barnett Stern $100,000 - $249,999 August and Jc Al-Uqdah Mr. and Mrs. Eric Bass V. Peyton Bruns Laura and John Chapman Allison and Ivan Chavez Class of 1965 Yini & Dane Collette Kathleen and Bo Dawson Sara Paschall Dodd-Denton and Family Carolyn and Christopher Dorros Florence and William K. McGee Jr. Family Foundation Rajni and Mike Jain Dr. Asha Kuruvila and Mr. Renju Jose Kuruvila Katherine & Paul Manuel Kimball and David Moriniere Cathy and John Pearson Ryan '00 and Caitlin '01 Mullen Pickard Laura and Michael Pipkin Mr. and Mrs. Reynaldo Reza Mr. Carleton Riser and Mrs. Winifred Kelsey Riser Dr. Jennifer M. Segal Dr. Uma Ramaswamy and Mr. Ananth Shankar The Malani & Shukla Family Mr. and Mrs. Thomas E. Smith Natalie and Jamey Steen Alicia and Matthew Summers Family October 2026
$50,000 - $99,999 Jenine and Dan Alig Mr. John Boettcher and Mrs. Katharine Terrell Boettcher Carruth Foundation, Inc. Dr. David Doherty, Jr. and Mrs. Amy Wilkinson Doherty Carter Dugan, John Dugan and Ron Walker Louis J. Gordon Mr. Frank O. Griffin and Ms. Janet McNeill Vicki and Bill Hitzhusen Monica and Vik Kalra Tola and Tunde Laniyan Mr. Ba Nguyen and Ms. Gwendolyn Dawson Alison and Cullen Powell Ms. Lisa Taylor Mr. Jim Taylor Ann G. Trammell Kelley and Harper Trammell Up to $49,999 Kelli and Eddy Blanton/The Blanton Family The Otis Booth Foundation Wortham Foundation/Buddy F. Carruth, Jr. Mr. Pierce G. Crist Dickson-Allen Foundation H. Fort Flowers Foundation Angela and Elliot Fullen Dr. Linus Ho and Dr. Rosa Kim Houck Family Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Richard C. Kellogg, Jr. The Khera Family Martha Low Margarett B. Lummis Maria and Camilo Muñoz Amy and Paul Nelson Mr. and Mrs. Robert M. Nimocks III Mr. and Mrs. Walter Jeffrey Paine The Powell Foundation Phillip and Sarah Sampson Bryan Sanchez and Anna Rotman Dr. Jaime Titus and Mr. Matthew J. Titus Dr. and Mrs. Jon Edward Tyson Dr. George Van Buren II and Dr. Kristin Lynette Van Buren Mr. and Mrs. Jack B. Wilkinson John and Maria Zerr Dr. Jing Zhou and Dr. Xiaohui Li
Excellence Enduring Campaign Update
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A Legacy of Excellence S
usie and Scott Bender have worn many hats at St. John’s over the years. Scott is an alumnus of the Class of ’71, often speaking fondly of his classmates and instructors. The consummate milestone hosts, the Benders continue to unite the class more than 55 years later. They returned to SJS in a new role as parents of three boys, Jason ’97, Steven ’01, and Eric ’05. The Benders were active members of their sons’ lives at SJS, getting to know SJS students and parents spanning almost three decades. “We love the care, attention, and opportunities extended to all students as well as the true sense of belonging to a community of people with shared values.” Susie and Scott became SJS grandparents in 2018 when grandson Max joined the Class of ’31, followed later by Rose ’34 and Sam ’37. Scott was
asked to join the Advancement Committee in 2022 and the following year became a Trustee. Scott says, “As a Trustee, I most appreciate the candid communication, transparency, extraordinary care, and integrity exhibited. We are stewards of an important Houston institution.” When Scott came on board as a Trustee, the Excellence Enduring Campaign was just taking shape. The School’s 2022 Strategic Plan had recently been finalized and in the fall of 2023, the board approved the campaign’s capital priorities. Susie and Scott approached the school that fall with a significant commitment to the campaign, one of the largest commitments to date. When reflecting on their reasons for giving, the Benders say, “We strongly believe that the school’s facilities should reflect the same degree
Susie, Rose ’34, Max ’31, Sam ’37, and Scott ’71 Bender
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Excellence Enduring Campaign Update
October 2026
of excellence we endeavor to demonstrate in our approach to teaching. We further feel strongly that the school must continue to provide opportunities to students beyond academics.” The Benders were two of several whose generous support lent the Campaign early momentum. Their generosity combined with a handful of other leadership gifts led the Board of Trustees to reconsider the Campaign’s scope. Once regarded as two necessarily separate campaigns, support for a new Middle School building as well as Lower School seemed within reach. In December of 2024, one year after the Bender’s gift, the Board officially expanded the scope to include a new Middle School. The adjusted plans called for water detention under Skip Lee in conjunction with the new Middle School building, raising the capital project bar from $100M to roughly $175M. Scott and Susie approached the school a second time, increasing their commitment to reflect this expanded scope. Of the increase, the Benders say, “Our original gift was in support of the Lower School only. When SJS decided to embark on the Middle School immediately thereafter, we felt we should increase our support commensurately. We hope others may feel compelled to do the same.” Excellence means a continual quest for improvement, even in areas of strength. Susie and Scott Bender see a premier school that they have a responsibility to preserve, saying, “We have all enjoyed, directly or indirectly, the benefits of an affiliation with SJS. Tuition alone does not even cover the cost of an SJS education. We have been blessed and feel a responsibility to share our good fortune in support of the community. We further believe in setting an example for our kids and grandkids. We must ensure that SJS remains the best institution of its kind for the coming generations.”
October 2026
Excellence Enduring Campaign Update
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Last year, we partnered with Generation, a research, strategy, and branding consultancy, to help shape the identity of our campaign. Through interviews with more than 40 members of the St. John’s community—including current students, parents, alumni, faculty, staff, and trustees—along with additional internal review and discussion, we developed a campaign name to guide us through the final three years of this important effort. We’re excited to introduce Excellence Enduring: Our Campaign for St. John’s School. Excellence Enduring reflects our commitment to ensuring that St. John’s students have the spaces and opportunities they need to make the most of the crucial moments when curiosity blooms, growth is immeasurable, and an enduring love of learning begins. Together, we will build on what makes a St. John’s education exceptional and elevate it even higher.
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Construction Progress
While summer is typically a season for rest and relaxation, summer on the SJS campus was full of activity and momentum, with longawaited projects getting underway, significant construction progress taking place, and important upgrades completed. The water detention vault beneath Skip Lee Field is now complete. While spectators enjoy the stunning new turf and beautifully resurfaced track, a vital transformation is hidden below. Directly beneath the playing surface is a massive 2.2 million gallon stormwater detention vault— large enough to hold more than three Olympicsized swimming pools—designed to provide critical flood protection for both the campus and surrounding neighborhood.
Excellence Enduring Campaign Update
October 2026
The new track and turf aren’t the only upgrades to our athletics facilities. A new sound system and scoreboard are now fully operational, too. After a year of constructionrelated interruptions, this central gathering place for our Mavericks community is officially back online and ready for another season. Thanks to your incredible support, our new Lower School is also taking shape. The foundation has been poured, the underground parking garage is complete, and dewatering is finished. The building remains on track to officially open two years from now, and while it has been exciting to see the building take root, we’ll soon see it begin to rise with framing expected to start any day.
October 2026
Excellence Enduring Campaign Update
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Excellence Enduring
As we continue to refine the plans for the Brown campus, Curtis & Windham Architects, Inc. spent the summer evaluating feedback on the scope, cost, and timing of the initial Middle School renderings and developed a new set of renderings and design plans. These milestones are a direct reflection of what our community can accomplish together, and we’re grateful to everyone whose support is helping bring this vision for St. John’s to life.
SITE PLAN - MIDDLE SCHOOL WESTHEIMER RD.
FUTURE MIDDLE SCHOOL
NW PATIO EXISTING FINE ARTS ANNEX EAST LAWN
SW LAWN
EXISTING TRACK & FIELD
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EXISTING BIG RED
We’ll continue to keep you updated as this work progresses. If you have questions or would like to learn more about the Middle School project, please contact Dawsey Romero at 713-850-4037 or dromero@sjs.org.
Excellence Enduring Campaign Update
October 2026
Endowment Opportunities
Over the past 20 years, St. John’s endowment has more than doubled—from $43 million to $123 million—steadily supporting the life of the School. Excellence Enduring builds on that momentum. Our endowment helps sustain the continued excellence of a St. John’s education. A stronger endowment allows us to attract and support exceptional educators, expand access for talented students across Houston, and make strategic decisions about the future of our School from a position of strength. It is a lasting investment in our people, a way to uphold our values, and a foundation for ensuring that the excellence of St. John’s endures for generations to come. We have a variety of endowment opportunities available for those who would like to make a lasting investment in St. John’s. To learn more about these opportunities or how you can support the endowment, please contact Ashley Matthews, Donor Engagement Officer, at amatthews@sjs.org.
Impact Opportunities
As the Campaign continues to move forward, we remain energized by the strong momentum already in place. We are excited to share that there are several recently finalized Middle School naming opportunities, in addition to a number of other opportunities across campus, offering a unique opportunity to create a lasting legacy in support of the School. For the most current information on available opportunities, please contact me at 713-850-4037 or dromero@sjs.org.
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Campaign Cabinet Andrew McCullough ’86, Co-Chair Liz Stepanian, Co-Chair Scott Bender ’71 Kathy Britton Holbrook Dorn Will Giraud ’98 Lacey Fluor Goossen ’02 Chris Johnson ’86 Gentry Lee ’90 Ruthie Johnson Miller ’95 Vivie Knapp O’Sullivan ’78 Caitlin Mullen Pickard ’01 Carolyn Chao Sabat ’97 K. C. Weiner ’72 Carson Yost
Excellence ExcellenceEnduring EnduringCampaign CampaignUpdate Update
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