August 8, 2024

Dear St. Andrew’s Families,

I hope you have enjoyed a restful, rejuvenating, and healthy summer. We have been working hard at St. Andrew’s to prepare for the 2024-2025 school year. All of our academic and athletic facilities have been newly constructed or renovated in recent years, and our warm, light-filled campus is primed to welcome our Lions back a few weeks from now.

People matter most at St. Andrew’s, and our community has never been stronger. Thanks to our positive environment and leadership in research-informed teaching, learning, and professional development, St. Andrew’s has become a destination school for outstanding educators. Our annual faculty and staff retention rate remains well above 90%, and our carefully chosen new faculty and staff are deeply excited to join the positive, growth-minded culture created by their veteran colleagues. Our Center for Transformative Teaching & Learning (CTTL) continues to raise St. Andrew’s global profile, with 580 researchers, teachers, and school leaders from across the United States and six other countries attending our annual Science of Teaching & School Leadership Academy this summer, which took place on our campus, virtually, and at eight satellite locations, including Mexico City. 

Demand for a St. Andrew’s education continues to remain strong, as we once again set a record for admission applications. While allowing carefully managed growth in select grades, we have kept overall 2024-25 enrollment steady at approximately 715 students to ensure that we continue to know and inspire each student well.

Handbook

The revised St. Andrew’s Handbook is available online. Please read the handbook carefully and discuss St. Andrew’s philosophy, values, and expectations with your child in an age-appropriate way. Please note that the school expects students, as part of their membership in this community, to uphold the rules, reputation, and spirit of St. Andrew’s at all times.

Each student’s parent(s) or guardian(s) must digitally sign a Handbook Acknowledgment Form before the first day of school. Click here to read the handbook and when you are done, please sign the Honor Code and Handbook Acknowledgement Form, which can be found after signing into the website (you will see a yellow banner directing you to sign the form). Both must be done prior to the first day of school.

Health and Safety Forms and Information

All student health forms are due on August 9. Thank you to the overwhelming majority of families who met this deadline. If you have not yet turned in your forms, please do so as soon as possible. Students will not be allowed to attend classes or to participate in any on-campus activities, including orientation events or preseason athletic practices, until their completed forms have been uploaded to Magnus Health. Information on our health and safety protocols can be found in the handbook (pages 21-30).

All-School Directory

Later this summer, you will receive the school directory, which contains the contact information of your fellow parents, as well as a break-down by grade and zip code. We hope you will utilize this information to build social connections and to facilitate carpool opportunities for families seeking to share rides to and from campus.

Keeping Connected with Life at St. Andrew’s

I strongly encourage every parent to log in to the school’s website throughout the year. By doing so, you will be able to see your child’s schedule and report cards as well as important resources like parent-teacher conference sign-ups when ready. As part of orientation and during the first few days of classes students will be instructed on how to access Canvas, our online learning management software where our faculty post homework and other assignments. During Back-to-School Night (September 5 for US, September 12 for MS, September 19 for LS), parents will receive information from our Technology Office on how to access and use Canvas. 

For the most current news, information and updates on the school, we encourage you to follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Links to all of our social media can be found at the bottom of every page of the St. Andrew’s website. You should receive your first parent newsletter on Friday, August 30. Please read each email newsletter carefully to stay up-to-date on school life and upcoming events. Please let our communications office know if you do not receive your first newsletter by emailing communications@saes.org.

Please Join Us for Our Opening Chapel Service

On Friday, September 6 at 8:45 a.m., St. Andrew’s annual Opening Chapel service will take place. Students in K-12 will attend this brief service in person at Washington National Cathedral, and all parents are welcome to attend. We are delighted that the Rev. Michele Hagans, a St. Andrew’s grandparent and member of our Board of Trustees, will deliver the homily.

Over the coming weeks, you will receive additional back-to-school information from division heads and other school administrators and coaches. This is to help you and your family have as smooth a re-entry as possible to school life.

Like you, I am so excited to have our full Lion community gather on campus in September and hope to see you at our SAPA-sponsored Coffee on Campus on September 3 (invitation with details coming in the mail). Please do not hesitate to contact the school with any questions about the upcoming school year. Best wishes for a healthy and restful summer and a great start to 2024-2025!

Faithfully,

Robert Kosasky

Head of School