Saints Together: Our Campaign for Community
SAINTS TOGETHER
Our Campaign for Community
BY JENNIE WILLS
Chief Advancement Officer
(Photo Credits: Jameson Bloom ’13, Ron Blunt, Melissa Maas ’76, Johnny Shryock)
A Bold Initiative Delivering on the Promise of Our Strategic Plan
In 2016, members of the St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School administration and faculty came together to chart the school’s course into its second century–one that honors a rich and storied history, while also embracing the immense potential that lies ahead. Almost a decade later, the school’s strategic plan has inspired new and dynamic programming, more meaningful connections and a greater sense of belonging across the community, a strengthened and solid financial foundation, and new spaces that engage and inspire our students.
Saints Together: Our Campaign for Community is a direct result of these endeavors. As of February 2025, the St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School community has generously contributed more than $33 million in support of three key priorities—the Upper School Project, the Saints Fund, and the Gift of a Saints Education Endowment. Each of these priorities plays a vital role in the school’s future, ensuring campus spaces and programming that match our students’ aspirations and making a Saints education possible for talented students.
“We are beyond grateful to our donor community for their generosity and steadfast commitment to this historic fundraising effort. Throughout our 100-year history, the philanthropic support of visionary donors has made the Saints experience possible for generations of students. Saints Together will ensure we can continue to inspire students well into the future.”
– Jennie Wills, Chief Advancement Officer, Parent of Maddie ’27 & Jacob ’31
The Three Pillars of Saints Together: Our Campaign For Community
The new Upper School Wing has become an energetic hub for our oldest students. Whether collaborating in a seminar room, connecting with friends in the Commons or Dining Halls, or finding a quiet spot to study, this space empowers students to learn and grow in an environment that reflects their needs and aspirations.
The Saints Fund remains the backbone of our school, ensuring best-in-class educational programming, extracurricular activities, and faculty development. Our community’s annual support enables the school to sustain its unparalleled student experience.
The Gift of a Saints Education is a commitment to increase endowment funds to provide greater financial assistance to students that might not otherwise be able to receive a Saints education. These critical endowment funds will support tuition as well as costs associated with the full Saints experience.
A REIMAGINED UPPER SCHOOL
When you walk through the doors of the new Upper School wing, you’re not just entering a state-of-the-art space for teaching and learning—you’re stepping into the heart of a vibrant community. The new spaces are designed not only to inspire curiosity and academic growth, but to foster collaboration, connection, and a sense of belonging. They are places where friendships will be forged, ideas will be exchanged, and futures will be shaped.
The entrance takes you into the Lewis-Hoy Upper Commons at the top of the Rita Meyer Saints Stairs. Along the left wall is a bank of windows looking into the renovated classrooms. On the right side of the upper level of the Commons are the new science labs for physics, chemistry, and two general science classrooms. At the far end is the Chiaramonte Family Seminar Room. The left side of the lower level includes an 85-inch screen for student and guest presentations and digital signage. On the right side of the lower level are the biology classrooms and three new art studios for 2D, 3D, and graphic design. The Dining Hall sits at the far end with a servery to the left.
The Lewis-Hoy Upper Commons
Named in honor of Lloyd Alexander “Tony” Lewis, Jr., St. Stephen’s Class of 1965, and The Rev. Emmett Hoy, Jr., the Lewis-Hoy Upper Commons is a hub of activity at the Upper School campus. The expansive light-filled space offers students and teachers alike the opportunity to connect and collaborate.
Rita Meyer Saints Stairs
The heart of the Commons area, the Rita Meyer Saints Stairs, provides a place for students to study and socialize in between classes, as well as a forum for performances and community gatherings.
THE DINING HALL
Where Meals Mean Connections
The new Dining Hall offers ample space for everyone to enjoy their meals and a six-line serving area for quicker service. State-of-the-art technology—supported by a matching grant from the E.E. Ford Foundation—is one of the many incredible features that make this space ideal for events and meetings. Our commitment to sustainability is reflected in its green roof and solar hot water panels.
–A 16’x9′ video wall on the left is composed of multiple LCD tiles, and includes specialized mounts that allow individual tiles to pop-out for easy service and maintenance. Weighing over 1,000 pounds, this wall is used for a variety of school meetings and events, such as a live broadcast of the Sleepy Thompson Boys Basketball Tournament.
–A 10” Crestron Digital Media Controller Touch Panel switches and distributes all of the audio/video signals throughout the room to the various presentation displays, including the video wall.
–A series of additional smaller displays, which can simultaneously present the content on the video wall, create multiple angles for viewing presentations for attendees without direct sight lines to the main display. Alternately, these displays can be separated from the main system with a local HDMI input, wireless projection, or as digital signage displays and used as small group collaboration areas.
–At the far end to the left of the doors to the Dining Hall Terrace is a living piece of art, the 5’x4.5′ Moss Wall, which requires an occasional spray and very little care.
–Above the Dining Hall is a 2300 sq. ft. green roof that is part of the storm water management system. The green roof allows water to be retained in the soil and feeding plants, controlling the speed with which rain enters the city’s storm drainage infrastructure. The green roof is planted with sedums and succulents that can survive through periods of drought and reduce the heat gain that accompanies a traditional flat roof.
–The roof also includes two solar hot water panels that serve to preheat water for kitchen and general hot water usage throughout the building.
–In the servery area, six 43” TVs are mounted in the ceiling, to display the menu options at each serving station.
THE SCIENCE CLASSROOMS
Where Discovery Happens
With the needs of each class in mind, our science teachers and the architects collaborated to create state-of-the art, subject specific labs, prep rooms, and storage.
“Scientific disciplines use spaces differently, so we wanted to have evenly sized, subject specific classrooms. Cox Graae & Spack Architects (CGS) took our ideas for the optimal chemistry, physics, and biology classrooms and made our dreams come true.”
~Shannon Fusina, Science Department Chair
–Each lab space is different and designed specifically for the needs of the particular chemistry, physics, and biology classes. The science teachers met with the architects to design their specific space for their curricular needs.
–There are three different prep spaces also specifically designed for our chemistry, biology, and physics labs that allow for immediate and convenient access to the necessary chemicals and equipment. For example, the biology prep room is equipped with multiple refrigerators for specimen and degradable chemicals, a dishwasher, a controlled chemical cabinet, and ample sink and counter space to prepare various lab activities for the multiple biology and environmental science courses. The prep rooms are accessible through the classrooms and the hallway.
–The chemistry rooms offer 35% more floor space to allow for easier and safer mobility during labs.
–Outlets in the physics rooms have been moved to the ceiling to allow for greater flexibility with equipment and classroom organization.
–The teachers’ offices are now in front of the classrooms with hallway access for meetings with students.
–Two general science classrooms were added, allowing classes outside chemistry, biology, and physics to have their own dedicated spaces, including the physical sciences, electives, and psychology.
Cunningham Family Biology Terrace
The biology classrooms open directly onto the Cunningham Family Biology Terrace, providing a natural outdoor teaching space where biology and environmental science students can observe wildlife and engage with their studies in a real-world setting.
GATHERING PLACES
The new Upper School wing includes many unique spaces where Saints can gather for small and large events, collaborate, study, meet, and socialize, including three terraces that wrap around from the Dining Hall to the biology classrooms. The terraces not only allow students easy access to the outdoors, they also provide inviting environments in which our students can create artwork, work on curriculum related projects, and conduct experiments. In addition, the terraces are the perfect space for Coffeehouse performances, alumni panels, and a myriad of other school events.
Chiaramonte Family Seminar Room
A modern and well-equipped conference room that provides a hub for student, Board, and parent volunteer meetings, as well as seminar classes.
An 85-inch TV was mounted in the Chiaramonte Family Seminar Room, paired with a 360-degree HD video conferencing camera system. The camera uses AI to automatically focus on the active speaker in the room.
The Terrace
This beautiful outdoor area is perfect for small events and has ample seating for students to eat, study, or enjoy the fresh air. Overlooking Kelleher Field and offering sunset views over Alexandria’s Cameron Valley, this space also makes an ideal area for Saints community events and celebrations.
THE PETERSON FAMILY ART CENTER
The new Peterson Family Art Center—including 2D and 3D art studios, the Thomas and Julie Frist Digital Arts Lab for graphic design, art display area, terrace, and an art gallery—are a dream come true for Upper School art teachers and students.
Studios Designed for Artists
Each new purpose-built art studio—for 2D, 3D, and digital lab classes—was designed with the input of the art teachers, Kate Elkins (Visual Arts chair), Sean Riley, and Thomas Bunnell, and a clear understanding of the materials used, the class sizes, and their storage needs. As a result, there is a natural flow of movement in the studios, high ceilings, ample space, and easy accessibility of equipment.
Cox Graae & Spack Architects (CGS) collaborated with our art teachers, observed how they used their old spaces, and offered innovative solutions to their issues. “We loved that our 2D and 3D studios connected,” Kate recalls. “However, there were some drawbacks, particularly with sound.” CSG addressed the issue without sacrificing the accessibility between the two studios by separating the studios with storage closets, sink bays, and a pocket door.
Sean’s wish list included extra space for making and storing glazes for ceramics, a larger kiln room to make the tedious process of loading and unloading the kilns much easier, and heavy-duty tables on wheels. “Our 3D Art program is so dynamic and explores so many mediums that it is essential to have our room be as flexible as possible,” he says. “The new moveable tables allow us to teach ceramics one period, stained glass the next, and paper-mache after that.”
The tables on wheels also make it easy to set up an outdoor classroom on the patio, in a matter of minutes. Access to the outside was high on everyone’s list. Kate, Tom, and Sean started taking classes outside right away. They also transformed the patio into a cozy fall harvest theme for the October Coffeehouse event. Sean has hosted outdoor slime-making workshops, and Tom and Kate have taught outdoor plein air observational drawing. The patios also serve basic functional needs. “We can quickly set up a table for spray-painting or applying fixative to seal charcoal drawings–things that were super difficult in our old studios,” Kate says.
Other wish list items included built-in frame storage for in-house framing and space to accommodate students who are taking advantage of their open-studio policy during their free periods, even while other classes are being run. In order to maximize student work space, the teachers opted to have their desks in the studios.
Tom has noticed a difference in the new studios. “I see students using the studio spaces for longer periods of time than before. The design of the rooms, the lighting, and the general ambiance allows the students to focus and really pursue their craft.” The students have noted that they particularly love the lighting, both natural and overhead. The 2D studio includes counters around the perimeter, facing the windows. “This configuration offers students the chance to work independently without feeling crowded, but also keeps them connected to their peers who are creating in the same space,” Kate adds.
The new Thomas and Julie Frist Digital Arts Lab for graphic design has a 10×8 ft. wall dedicated to photo backdrops, which opens up opportunities to incorporate video into our classes. Kate is excited that her advanced graphic design students can record videos of themselves dancing that can be transformed into animations. “In our old studios we were constantly searching for makeshift spaces to take large photos, but it was never ideal,” she says. “Now, our students can explore motion graphics and video editing in a way that we couldn’t before.” In the digital lab students have access to the full Adobe Creative Cloud suite, including Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign. “They’re taught to lay out our literary magazine, Fire & Stones, from scratch, which really gives them a taste of professional design,” Kate says. “By the time they finish our program, they are fully prepared to earn certifications in a variety of software. We also have a Cricut machine for precision cutting that’s been a useful addition to our graphic design curriculum. It helps students create sleek, professional-looking package designs.”
The Peterson Family Art Center
This state-of-the-art facility empowers students to push the boundaries of their imagination and discover their creative potential.
The Art Gallery
Incorporating an authentic art gallery into the design of the new art wing was at the top of Kate’s wish list. “We had this growing, fantastic art program at our school, but we didn’t have a proper way to exhibit student work. When I first arrived in 2013, we spent a lot of time hanging our end of year show, Evening of the Arts, in the dining hall, but the cinder block walls made it nearly impossible to display anything effectively.” Even when the event was moved to the Chapel and Performing Arts Center lobby, the space had to be transformed into makeshift exhibits with large wooden temporary walls that were never meant to stay. “It became clear that our students deserve a dedicated space to display their hard work and creativity without having to repurpose spaces originally intended for other uses,” Kate says. Having dedicated spaces for art makes a world of difference. Working with the building’s design team, the teachers requested specific lighting that would properly illuminate the work on display and that the walls be reinforced with a plywood backing that makes hanging artwork easy, even pieces of substantial weight.
The process of preparing their artwork for hanging is also a learning experience for our student artists. They write artist statements that are mounted on museum-quality foam core plaques to accompany their artwork. This extra step also encourages students to articulate their artistic decisions and creative processes. “Our school places such an emphasis and importance on writing skills–it’s no different in the art department as the students communicate their ideas to their audience,” Kate says. “This also prepares students for future exhibitions where professional artist statements are a required element in college and beyond.”
The art gallery provides a platform where students can receive recognition from peers, teachers, and family members. This positive reinforcement helps build confidence, encourages continued artistic exploration, and demonstrates the value of their creative work. “Knowing that their work will be displayed for an audience can motivate students to take greater risks in their art, pushing their boundaries and exploring new mediums and concepts,” Sean explains. “They are more likely to challenge themselves and experiment when they know their creative voice has a place to be seen and celebrated.”
