Curiosity, Meet Challenge
Children are born with boundless curiosity and eagerness to learn. And with the right balance of encouragement and challenge, we adults can nurture that curiosity into a lifelong pursuit of knowledge. In the Lower School at St. Anne’s-Belfield, we want to show young children the whole world, so that they may begin to understand the role they want to play in it.
Within the school day, children engage in a dynamic academic program that introduces them to a wide range of disciplines while also growing foundational skills. Before- and after-school opportunities, like our Saints Beyond the Classroom, extend learning in meaningful ways. Together, these experiences help students begin to identify their passions, recognize their strengths, and approach areas for growth with confidence.
Our goal is that every child leaves the Lower School with a deepened sense of themselves as learners, well-prepared for the increasing opportunities, rigor, and specificity that await in Middle School. We look forward to being your partners in this exciting journey.
Our Academic Program
A Firm Foundation
Our academic program gives children a broad and balanced introduction across many disciplines. Systematic reading instruction and a strong math foundation sit alongside Spanish, science, art, daily physical education, and music and movement, with computer science woven throughout. This is enhanced by enrichment opportunities like Saints Beyond the Classroom, which offer classes across the spectrum, from STEM to arts to sports to writing, and beyond. Students develop essential skills and discover sparks of passion that will shape their learning journey for years to come. Learn more in our Lower School Curriculum Guide.
Curiosity in Action
At every grade level, our teachers use pedagogical approaches that invite children to question, explore, and experiment. Students are not only taught knowledge but also encouraged to build agency in how they acquire it. This spirit of inquiry empowers them to take ownership of their learning and see themselves as active participants in the world of ideas. The capstone of this experience occurs in Grades 3 & 4 FAB Lab, where students choose an area of interest and dive down deeper into this topic of choice.
Relationships that Inspire Growth
The heart of the program is the strong connection between students and teachers. In small classes, faculty come to know each child well — their strengths, challenges, and individual ways of learning. These close relationships allow for responsive teaching that maximizes growth, builds confidence, and fosters a true love of school. Children feel invested in their learning, and in turn, we see the very best of them.
A Day in the Life at the Lower School
Our K – Grade 4 students receive a full complement of classes each week including Spanish, science (which includes forest days in K – Grade 3), music and movement based on the Orff Schulwerk program, visual arts, and weekly time in the library. Recognizing the vital importance of outdoor and exercise time, students also have daily P.E. along with twice daily outdoor recess and breaks.
Sample Schedule
ϐ 7:30 Morning Care
ϐ 8:00 Morning Meeting
ϐ 8:45 Reading & Language Arts
ϐ 10:00 Snack and Recess
ϐ 10:30 Social Studies
ϐ 11:15 Arts/Spanish/Science/Library
ϐ 12:00 Lunch and Recess
ϐ 12:30 Math
ϐ 1:45 Physical Education
ϐ 2:30 Writing Workshop
ϐ 3:15 Dismissal
Saints Beyond the Classroom (SBC)
SBC classes are a fun, engaging after-school enrichment opportunity. Classes run once a week for six weeks, with new classes offered each trimester. Past offerings have included everything from sports, arts and crafts, world languages, LEGO, robotics, and more!
“St. Anne’s-Belfield School has amazing education with kind and patient teachers. St. Anne’s also has two recesses which gives your brain a break and makes focusing easier. Finally, the lunches are amazing!”
What are three things that you like about the school?
“I really like FAB Lab. I think it is a very unique thing where we get to stretch our brains and have fun. I love that our school has a football team because it gets everyone pumped and ready for the day. I love Español because we have an amazing teacher and I have always wanted to learn a different language.”
— Kiera D. ’34, Bronze Key Ambassador
Kindergarten –Grade 2 Toolbox
Imagine how much better off we’d be if everyone were taught from a young age how to navigate their emotions, handle disappointment, maintain relationships, and be a good citizen? Every child who goes through our Kindergarten through Grade 2 grows their own toolkit, developed by one of our teachers, Lindsay Rubin, P. ’29. Teachers integrate the toolkit into all parts of the curriculum to help young learners develop skills, strategies, and language around the common moments of friction that we all experience.
Example tools include: the Make a Plan Tool: I/We can make a plan to move forward. The Courage Tool: I am strong enough to do the right thing even when it’s hard. The Think-It-Through Tool: Before I act, I stop and think about what might happen. The Perspective Tool: I consider others’ perspectives and show them that I care. The Bounce Back Tool: I can bounce back and keep trying.
Whether your child is entering in K – Grade 2 or later, this toolbox benefits all St. Anne’s-Belfield Lower School students by equipping them and their classmates with shared language and strategies for approaching difficult situations. And of course, caring and attentive teachers are also present to guide their process and redirect as needed.
“One of the first things we liked at St. Anne’s-Belfield was the strong academic curriculum. We knew our boys would be challenged, motivated, and guided to try new things. We also knew about the school’s core values, which are so important in this social media filled world. But nothing really prepared us for the amazing community that received us. Being the mom of four boys with totally different personalities, I can truly say my boys are known. They have not only made incredible friendships with their peers but also with their teachers. The faculty and administration are always ready to help with any questions I might have about my kids. I’m so grateful for all the opportunities and experiences the school has given my kids.”
— Antonia Silva, P. ’26, ’28, ’32, & ’34
The Saints Community
At St. Anne’s-Belfield School, we are first and foremost an academic community. Our community reaches beyond the classroom to build strong, intentional relationships with the whole family.
“We’ve been impressed with the school’s rigorous academic program. It’s clear that the teachers challenge students to think critically and push their boundaries, which gives us confidence that our daughter is in a place where she can truly grow intellectually. The warm, welcoming community and attentive staff made her transition smooth and exciting. We’re excited about the opportunities ahead and grateful for a school that values strong academics along with a caring environment.”
—
Alan Taylor, P. ’34
Chapel
Chapel has existed at St. Anne’s-Belfield since our founding in 1910. While today’s Chapel is inclusive of all faiths, backgrounds, and beliefs, it remains one of the sacred traditions of the School. In the Lower School (LS), we gather every-other week to sing together, listen to a message, celebrate highlights, and build community. Student voice is an important component of our Chapel program.
Parent/Guardian Programming
Wednesday Wellness webinars connect child development experts with our parents and the larger community; Curriculum Night gives parents and guardians a peek into the LS academic program; and various parent/guardian chats during the school year focus on a variety of topics relevant to raising young children.
Parent/Guardian Partnership Meetings
Our Parent/Guardian Partnership Meetings, the first of which takes place prior to the start of school, enable faculty and family caregivers to form an important connection and build strong communication between home and School.
Community Events
Cheer on our Saints athletes, bring the family to an arts performance, attend a lecture, come decked in maroon for our Fall Family Fest or Maroon & White Party, roll up your sleeves and volunteer alongside a local organization during Saints Serve Saturday — our School community loves to come together. In the Lower School, Grandparents’ & Special Friends’ Day is a treasured tradition that allows students to share their favorite parts of the School with special people in their lives.
The Parents’ Association (PA)
The Parents’ Association provides many opportunities for families to become involved. In your student’s class, parents and guardians serve as grade level reps, support special events, volunteer in the library, and more.
Interaction Across Grade Levels
From their first day of school through the time they are initiated into our expansive, global alumni network, all Saints know they are part of a caring and vibrant community. With students from age 2 to Grade 12 and representing 20+ countries, your student will have the opportunity to interact with students of all ages and backgrounds through programs like Chapel Buddies.
Meet the Head of the Lower School
Lisa Keeler, M.Ed., P. ’15 & ’16
I am so glad you are considering St. Anne’s-Belfield for your family. These years are a time of joyful discovery, and our Lower School is intentionally designed to lean into children’s natural curiosity. Children learn best when they are known, nurtured, and nudged. Our job as adults — both the ones at school and at home — is to provide gentle pressure, relentlessly applied.
We want children to ask questions, pursue answers, test ideas, experience bumps and challenges, and courageously try again. Our program provides students a foundation in as broad a range of disciplines as possible to grow and practice these skills.
Equally important, however, is cultivating an environment where students build agency as learners. With our small class sizes, faculty get to know each child individually — their strengths, their areas for growth, and the ways in which they learn best. That connection both fuels the student’s confidence and investment in their learning, and allows the teacher to be responsive in the moment to students’ needs.
By the time our students leave the Lower School, they are well-prepared for the increased rigor and opportunities provided by the Middle School. And vitally, they have a continued thirst and excitement for knowledge.
St. Anne’s-Belfield School
At A Glance
Quick Facts
994 students age 2 – Grade 12
672 family households
4,975 living alumns in 49 countries located in Charlottesville and Albemarle County, VA
55 acres of land between two campuses around the corner from University of Virginia
44 sports teams
104 zip codes
13 countries represented in the Residential Life Program as of Aug. 20, 2025
21 Advanced Placement (AP) exams offered on campus
26 countries and
10 U.S. states in the student body
“We wish
our
students to become strong
in body, broad of mind, tender of heart, responsive in soul.”
— Mary Hyde DuVal, Founding Headmistress (1910 – 1920)
Class of 2025 College Success
87%
admitted to one of their top 3 institutions
51%
our UVA in-state admission rate vs 23% UVA in-state admission rate
16 average class size 235 LS students The Lower School
9:1 student-toteacher ratio
46.5%
enroll in highly selective schools with <25% admit rate
1313 average SAT vs 1028 national average
28
average ACT vs 19.9 national average
1 out of 5 in the Class of 2026 are “Sandbox Kids” (joined by Kindergarten)
The School admits qualified students of any race, color, national origin, place of birth, ancestry, sex, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, mental or physical disability, or any status protected by applicable law, and extends to them all the privilege to participate in the educational programs generally accorded or made available to students at the School. The School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, sex, religion, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, mental or physical disability, or any status protected by applicable law in the administration of its admission or its educational programs.
799 Faulconer Drive | Charlottesville, VA 22903 admission@stab.org | www.stab.org | (434) 296-5106