Dear St. Martin’s Alumni,
As we close the first semester, I am grateful for the many moments this fall that reflected the strength and spirit of the St. Martin’s community. In October, we celebrated one of our favorite traditions - the Alumni Legacy Brown Bag Lunch. Gathering alumni parents and their StM students on the Lawn of the Van Slate House was a powerful reminder of the trust generations of families place in the values, relationships, and opportunities that define St. Martin’s. This fall also brought our annual Golf Tournament, where more than 100 golfers, including several alumni teams, came together at Chateau Golf & Country Club in support of Saints Athletics. We raised a record amount and are now able to use these funds to further invest in our athletic programs that, as always, foster teamwork, leadership, discipline, and excellence. | On St. Martin’s Day, our PK–12 community gathered to honor our namesake through service, gratitude, and joyful celebration. It was a true expression of our Episcopal identity and our commitment to forming compassionate and engaged students. November also featured a moving Veterans Day Assembly, thoughtfully prepared by our Eighth Grade as part of their interdisciplinary studies and highlighted by keynote speaker Lt. Col. Andy Chrestman ’98, USMC. | Athletics offered a proud moment as well, as our Girls’ Cross Country team, led by Coach Warren Lind, earned the 2025 LHSAA State Championship. This is the seventh championship under Coach Lind, exemplifying perseverance and excellence. We closed November with Grandfriends’ Day, welcoming grandparents and friends whose presence continues to enrich our students’ lives. | The month of December has already been filled with joy and connection. We welcomed former faculty and staff - who call themselves “Oldies But Goodies” - back to campus for a festive holiday luncheon. We also celebrated the season with a beautiful Winter Concert led by alumna Christina Vial Comer ’91, and reopened and blessed the newly renovated George Cottage classrooms and playground spaces, marking an exciting investment in our youngest Saints. Additionally, we welcomed home our newest alumni for the Class of 2025 Yearbook Brunch to reconnect with teachers and students, and hosted our final Decades Reunion of the year with members from the Classes of 2010-2022. | Lastly, we recently launched our Strategic Plan, "Faith in our Future," that will guide our work as a school over the next several years. The plan is organized around four strategic priorities: Academics, Community, Environment, and Resources. Each priority includes specific initiatives that will guide our work as we look forward to celebrating the school’s 80th anniversary. This plan is a living, breathing document, available on our website, and will continue to evolve as we meet milestones and identify new opportunities. School administrators and the Board of Trustees will use metrics and data to make informed decisions in every area of the school, and we will periodically provide updates on our progress online. | |
Thank you for continuing to support St. Martin’s in so many ways and to the many alumni who supported St. Martin’s on Giving Tuesday. As we look toward Christmas, we do so with deep gratitude for our community, for the light and hope of our Episcopal tradition, and for the many blessings of the season. I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season, and we hope to see you on campus soon.
With gratitude and Saints spirit,
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Letter from the Head of School
Fall Alumni Events Recap
Saints Stories: St. Martin’s Alumni Living Lives of Purpose and Service
The Strategic Plan:
Faith in Our Future
Inside the Renovated George Cottage Classrooms
Upcoming Events:
• Viva St. Martin's Gala March 21, 2026
• Alumni Easter Egg Hunt March 28, 2026
• Alumni Weekend April 17-18, 2026
Saints Making Headlines
Treasured Traditions: Christmas at StM
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Celebrating the StM Legacy: Alumni Parents Gather with Their Students for the Annual Alumni Brown Bag Legacy Lunch
| | One of our favorite traditions each year is the Alumni Brown Bag Legacy Lunch, when our alumni parents gather with their StM students for a special lunch on the Alumni Lawn of the Van Slate House. It's a special way to celebrate the bond our Saints share, bringing together multiple generations of Saints for a memorable afternoon. | |
Returning to Campus: Andy Chrestman '98 serves as Keynote Speaker for Eighth Grade Veterans Day Assembly
| | On November 10, our eighth grade students culminated weeks of collaborative work in their English and history classes with a moving Veterans Day Assembly honoring those who have served our country. The program featured guest speaker Lt. Col. Andy Chrestman ’98, USMC, who shared his reflections on service and leadership as a St. Martin’s graduate and veteran. He told students that he thought back to his own days as a St. Martin’s student and wanted to leave them with the advice he would have given his younger self: be kind, embrace failure, and begin serving others now. His message of humility, resilience, and purpose resonated deeply with students and faculty alike. | |
StM Golf Tournament: Fun and Funds Raised for Saints Athletics
| | We had a beautiful day on the course for the annual St. Martin's Golf Tournament on November 7. The food was plentiful, the drinks were flowing, and the contests kept our golfers competing for a great cause, which helped raise more than $41,000 for Saints Athletics! We are so thankful for our players' and volunteers' support and your commitment to our school's mission of Faith, Scholarship, and Service. The day was a hole-in-one for St. Martin’s Athletics! | |
Class of 2025 Yearbook Brunch: Our Newest Graduates Return Home
| | Members of the Class of 2025 returned to campus this month for the Yearbook Brunch! Several joined the community for Lessons and Carols Chapel, then enjoyed breakfast in the Dining Hall and of course, picked up their senior yearbooks. We loved reconnecting with this amazing group of Saints! | | Across classrooms, campuses, and mission-driven work in the communities they serve, St. Martin’s alumni keep proving that the school’s motto is not simply a tagline, it’s a calling. Faith, Scholarship, and Service is a way of moving through the world - learning deeply, leading humbly, and choosing work that widens the circle of dignity and belonging.
We had the opportunity to connect with several Saints who are leading lives of purpose and service in the world of education and nonprofit. What links the alumni featured in this profile is a shared instinct, to ask Who needs help? And then to bring both heart and skill to the answer. Through education, counseling, coaching, nonprofit leadership, and advocacy, these graduates’ lives share a through-line that is unmistakable - serving others is a pursuit; an orientation of the self toward others, sustained by discipline, relationships, and the belief that people are worth the work. | | | |
Faith in Our Future: Strategic Plan 2025
Over the past year, St. Martin’s engaged in an intentional and collaborative strategic planning process, guided by our mission and values. This work has resulted in a forward-looking plan that will guide our decisions and priorities in the years ahead. It is a roadmap that builds on our strengths, addresses our challenges, and positions St. Martin’s to
thrive for generations to come.
Read the Full Plan
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The Renovated George Cottage Classrooms: Reimagining Early Childhood Learning
On December 11, St. Martin’s Episcopal School marked a meaningful milestone with the blessing and grand opening of the newly renovated George Cottage three-year-old classrooms. Designed with intention and imagination, the renovated classrooms and expansive outdoor play space represent a renewed commitment to early childhood education and to shaping environments where curiosity is honored, joy is cultivated, and each child is known and nurtured from the very beginning.
Read More
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Make Plans to Join Us for Alumni Weekend in April!
We encourage all classes to return to campus and plan their reunions during Alumni Weekend, which includes Alumni Chapel and the annual Alumni Spirits Party Crawfish Boil. We will be celebrating Friday, April 17 - Saturday, April 18, 2026! All alumni are invited, and we're especially celebrating those milestone classes who graduated in years ending in 6's and 1's!
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Go "All In" for StM at the Annual Spring Gala
On Saturday, March 21, 2026, the Adkerson Gym will become the hottest casino in town! From live table games and slots to auctions and raffles, the Gala will bring Vegas-style fun and glamor to Green Acres, and we need your help. Donate a product, service, or experience to our Live or Silent Auction and put your business in the spotlight while supporting our students and your alma mater
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Save the Date for the Alumni Easter Egg Hunt
Bright the whole family back to campus for the annual Alumni Easter Egg Hunt! Join us for crafts, games, inflatables, bubbles, and of course, the Egg Hunt, on Saturday, March 28, 2026.
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| | | St. Martin’s Named #1 in Best Christian High Schools in the New Orleans Area | | St. Martin’s Girls’ Cross Country Team Wins State Cross Country Championship in Dominant Finish | St. Martin’s Student-Athletes Named to All-District Volleyball and Football Teams | | Seventh Grade Class trip to USM Marine Education Camp Continues to Inspire | | StM Day Brings Saints Together in Faith and Fun | | Alumni Families Lead the Charge for George Cottage Work Day | | Senior Juliet Whitaker participates in Stanford University’s Intensive Law & Trial program | | Third Grade Hosts Balloon Parade with Macy's Parade-Style Balloons Designed in Ms. Ott's STeaM Class | | From Faculty Skits to Nativity Plays to Bell Choirs and Choral performances, banquets in The Barn and candlelit services, Lessons and Carols services and Papa Noel Chapels, to Senior Favorites and Letters to Santa, Christmas traditions have been honored in many different ways at St. Martin’s Episcopal School, and documented in The Shield since the 1953-54 school year. For many years, the Little Gym was the backdrop for these festive performances, which then moved into the Dan and Frances White Chapel, the Martin Family Library, and the Solomon Theater. If you have an idea for a Treasured Tradition, or have some photos to share, please contact the Alumni Office at alumni@stmsaints.com. And if you want to browse, flip through some old copies of The Shield online. Or view past issues of the Newsletter on our Alumni Resources page. | | | | |
