News

Two St. Mary’s students and a faculty member are helping to shape the global curriculum here and across the country. The school is one of 22 named as a Leading Partner in Global Dialogues by Global Education Benchmark Group (GEBG), a collection of K-12 schools that researches and establishes model practices in global education.

In fourth grade, students paired up to create a podcast about resiliency. The assignment was inspired by the novel Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan. In the podcasts, students discussed challenging moments in their own lives, what resiliency means to them, and how Esperanza’s story exemplified resilience. 

When it was time to apply to college, Addie Heehs ’22 wanted an experience that extended beyond the classroom. The Haslam Scholars program at the University of Tennessee has exceeded all her expectations. The highly-competitive scholarship includes study abroad, a paid internship, a stipend scholarship, an intensive thesis project, and a full scholarship.

For Amina Dilawari ’95, there was no question where Noora ’36 and Nadiya ’34 would attend school. “We make a lot of difficult choices as parents; fortunately for us, choosing the right school for our girls was easy. It was always St. Mary’s,” Amina said.

The St. Mary's Alumnae Association is pleased to announce that Brandon Garrott Morrison ’83 will be honored as the 2023 Outstanding Alumna. Morrison will receive the award and deliver remarks during St. Mary’s Alumnae Weekend on Friday, March 31. Morrison is the Family Office President of MBA Corporation, a member of the Shelby County Board of Commissioners, and a former chair of St. Mary’s Board of Trustees. Each year, the Outstanding Alumna Award is given to an alumna who has distinguished herself through service, courage, compassion, and leadership.

Turkey swimmer Grace Ciaramitaro ’23 will continue her athletic and academic career at Vanderbilt University. This month, Ciaramitaro signed with the Commodores swim team. Ciaramitaro has had an accomplished swim career at St. Mary’s and has been an essential part of the Upper School team. She earned seven first-place medals over three years at county and state meets.

St. Mary’s student Bianca Dishmon ’24 was one of 30 volunteers and only two students selected for “Our Next Era” Planning Committee, an initiative of recently re-elected Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris. The committee, comprised of community leaders from various fields and areas of expertise, was tasked with providing ideas and solutions to help guide the Harris Administration’s next term. Dishmon and one other student were selected to participate from a pool of 150 applicants for the commitee.

For Amina Dilawari ’95, there was no question where Noora ’36 and Nadiya ’34 would attend school. “We make a lot of difficult choices as parents; fortunately for us, choosing the right school for our girls was easy. It was always St. Mary’s,” Amina said.

The St. Mary's Alumnae Association is pleased to announce that Brandon Garrott Morrison ’83 will be honored as the 2023 Outstanding Alumna. Morrison will receive the award and deliver remarks during St. Mary’s Alumnae Weekend on Friday, March 31. Morrison is the Family Office President of MBA Corporation, a member of the Shelby County Board of Commissioners, and a former chair of St. Mary’s Board of Trustees. Each year, the Outstanding Alumna Award is given to an alumna who has distinguished herself through service, courage, compassion, and leadership.

Performing Arts Teacher Taylor Ragan '07 reflects on her experience in the theater department during her time at St. Mary's. 

The flower girl/senior tradition has long served as a way for some of St. Mary's youngest students to connect with its oldest. A critical part of St. Mary's culture, this tradition allows students to create long-lasting friendships across grades and campuses. 

Springfest, a treasured tradition at St. Mary’s, has evolved over the years, both in name and festivities. Called May Day until 1990, Springfest dates back to when the Sisters of the Order of St. Mary led the school.

“Our counseling program is proactive instead of reactive. Beginning in SK, we work to empower the girls with the skill set they need to navigate friendships, communicate effectively, and understand their feelings,” shares Lauren Mitchell, North Campus Counselor.

Kathy Buckman Gibson ’80 was recognized as the 2022 Outstanding Alumna this spring. During Alumnae Weekend, Gibson spoke at Alumnae Chapel, where she shared her story and accepted the honor. 

Two St. Mary’s students and a faculty member are helping to shape the global curriculum here and across the country. The school is one of 22 named as a Leading Partner in Global Dialogues by Global Education Benchmark Group (GEBG), a collection of K-12 schools that researches and establishes model practices in global education.

Turkey swimmer Grace Ciaramitaro ’23 will continue her athletic and academic career at Vanderbilt University. This month, Ciaramitaro signed with the Commodores swim team. Ciaramitaro has had an accomplished swim career at St. Mary’s and has been an essential part of the Upper School team. She earned seven first-place medals over three years at county and state meets.

St. Mary’s student Bianca Dishmon ’24 was one of 30 volunteers and only two students selected for “Our Next Era” Planning Committee, an initiative of recently re-elected Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris. The committee, comprised of community leaders from various fields and areas of expertise, was tasked with providing ideas and solutions to help guide the Harris Administration’s next term. Dishmon and one other student were selected to participate from a pool of 150 applicants for the commitee.

The Honors Independent Research Study (HIRS) program offers a unique opportunity for rising juniors and seniors to conduct an original, engaging research project of their choosing. HIRS students begin their research project in the summer by completing hands-on work in partnership with a community mentor who is an expert in the field.

St. Mary’s senior Maggie Akers was one of 23 students who traveled to France recently as part of the school’s Global Education Program. St. Mary’s Global Education program encourages students to investigate the world, recognize perspectives, communicate ideas, and take action.

Working at St. Mary’s is a “destination job” for Upper School World Language Chair Pat McFadden. In his 22 years at St. Mary’s, Dr. Mc Fadden has taught countless girls grammar, literature, history, and culture of the Latin language. 

Julie Millen says, “I want my students to learn that they are talented in a multitude of ways.” As Chair of the Fine Arts Department and Director of Upper School Choir and Chamber Ensemble, Ms. Millen teaches her students to embrace their artistic talents, giving them the instruction and skills they need to grow as both a performer and a student. 

“I hope by the end of the year my students learn to be the students they are capable of being, each reaching her individual potential,” said St. Mary’s veteran teacher, Lynda Lyttle. For 36 years, Ms. Lyttle has taught St. Mary’s Middle School students how to tackle equations, giving them the skills they need to confidently solve for any variable. 

After 26 years of teaching at St. Mary’s, Middle School Art Teacher Elizabeth Garat says she finds joy in teaching girls to express themselves artistically. “I love teaching girls because they are eager to learn and try new things,” Garat said. 

Middle School is a time of transformation. Our dedicated faculty know both the ins and outs of their subject matter, as well as the ups and downs of a girl’s life during these critical years. Students are challenged to develop the reading, writing, and thinking skills they need for Upper School, college, and life.

We are excited to welcome the newest members of St. Mary’s Faculty and Staff. Below you’ll find short bios and photos of our new employees, as well as updates about a few people who are transitioning into different roles. 

Thirty-four Middle School students took the stage for three fun-filled performances of the musical Matilda JR, a gleefully witty ode to the anarchy of childhood and the power of imagination. After four weeks of rehearsals, the students thrilled and delighted audiences with the story of the special little girl with an extraordinary imagination.

Since 1847, St. Mary’s has equipped girls with the skills to make the world a better place. Our girls learn to be leaders in the classroom and the community. Across campus, the curriculum integrates community service in meaningful ways. The goal of service-learning is to educate students on their community, as well as the needs of their community and how to address them.

Earlier this month in Middle and Upper School Chapel, we announced the winners of the Mays Prize in Writing. The Mays Prize is St. Mary’s annual fiction-writing contest. Students from grades 1st-12th submit creative writing stories. This year’s prompt, “Growing Up is Magical,” asked students to imagine a character the same age as them and tell the story of something magical that happens to that character during their school day. We are proud of all our entrants for their impressive and inventive stories. This year’s entries were beautiful, inspiring, and magical.⁠

In fourth grade, students paired up to create a podcast about resiliency. The assignment was inspired by the novel Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan. In the podcasts, students discussed challenging moments in their own lives, what resiliency means to them, and how Esperanza’s story exemplified resilience. 

“I hope to instill a love of learning in each of my students,” says first-grade teacher Sarah Trimm. For 16 years, Mrs. Trimm has taught St. Mary’s first graders how to read fluently, add and subtract numbers, and be a good friend.

“I love teaching girls because they are curious, imaginative, creative, and fun-loving,” says Stephanie Poje. As Lower School Learning Specialist, Ms. Poje works with teachers, parents, and administrators to develop individual learning plans for students, guiding each student toward reaching her full academic potential.

“Our counseling program is proactive instead of reactive. Beginning in SK, we work to empower the girls with the skill set they need to navigate friendships, communicate effectively, and understand their feelings,” shares Lauren Mitchell, North Campus Counselor.

We are excited to welcome the newest members of St. Mary’s Faculty and Staff. Below you’ll find short bios and photos of our new employees, as well as updates about a few people who are transitioning into different roles. 

Second-grade students recently wrapped up a quarter-long collaborative project on birds, flight, and kites with a fun Kite Day at Shelby Farms. The project began in science class with Mrs. Ruhland, where the girls learned about birds, feathers, and wings. 

Recently, our North Campus Librarians, Mrs. Catherine Denman and Mrs. Caryn Brannen, organized a book discussion for the 4th-grade students. Joined by special guests, the 4th-grade girls read the book Operation Frog Effect by Sarah Scheerger. 

Each day is an adventure of wonder and discovery for students in our Early Childhood program. From the strong foundation to our flexible schedule, St. Mary's is a great place for young girls.

“I want my students to learn compassion and kindness over anything else,” says St. Mary’s veteran teacher Shelley Herzke. For more than 20 years, Ms. Herzke has worked with some of St. Mary’s youngest students, giving them a foundation for their academic journey and teaching them the importance of cooperation, respect, and kindness.

The flower girl/senior tradition has long served as a way for some of St. Mary's youngest students to connect with its oldest. A critical part of St. Mary's culture, this tradition allows students to create long-lasting friendships across grades and campuses. 

“Our counseling program is proactive instead of reactive. Beginning in SK, we work to empower the girls with the skill set they need to navigate friendships, communicate effectively, and understand their feelings,” shares Lauren Mitchell, North Campus Counselor.

We are excited to welcome the newest members of St. Mary’s Faculty and Staff. Below you’ll find short bios and photos of our new employees, as well as updates about a few people who are transitioning into different roles. 

Senior Kindergarten and Junior Kindergarten students turned recycled materials into extraordinary creations at the Tinker Fair. The girls made everything from castles to guitars to elephants. It was incredible to see what the girls created from discarded materials like cardboard boxes and paper towel rolls. One person’s trash turns into a Tinker Fair treasure! ⁠

Mary Jensen Nease, RN ’10, the newest member of the Health Center team, loves working with St. Mary’s parents and students. “There is so much life and joy among these sweet girls that I get to interact with!” Mary joined St. Mary’s in August as the North Campus Nurse. Mary, an alumna and PK parent, knows the St. Mary’s community well, but has enjoyed the opportunity to get to know more students and parents.

Turkey swimmer Grace Ciaramitaro ’23 will continue her athletic and academic career at Vanderbilt University. This month, Ciaramitaro signed with the Commodores swim team. Ciaramitaro has had an accomplished swim career at St. Mary’s and has been an essential part of the Upper School team. She earned seven first-place medals over three years at county and state meets.

Theirs was a season seven years in the making, and a championship won with only 17 seconds left on the clock. For the seven seniors who helped clinch the 2021 state championship for St. Mary’s Episcopal School varsity lacrosse, their final season of play reflected the girls’ strength, determination, and mutual trust as a tight-knit team.

It’s a new era of Turkey basketball! Two seasoned basketball coaches recently joined St. Mary’s Episcopal School’s athletic department. Jerry Dover is the new varsity basketball coach. David Norton will lead the junior varsity team. Sarah Williams will continue to support the program as an assistant coach.

What an incredible week for our Middle School teams! We will go into fall break with three runner-up trophies and a championship. MS Golf finished as the runner-up in the Shelby League Championship on Tuesday. MS Tennis won the Shelby League Championship. Congrats to 6th grader Jaiya Siffrard who led the way as a singles finalist. Both the Blue and White Soccer teams won the runner-up trophy in the Shelby League Championships.