News & Publications

We’re proud to announce that Niche has named St. Mary’s Episcopal School the 2026 Best All-Girls School in Tennessee for the second year running. Additionally, St. Mary’s was ranked #49 out of 293 all-girls high schools nationwide and received top honors across Tennessee

“A Remarkable Journey Continues 1998–2025” is the comprehensive new volume documenting St. Mary’s Episcopal School’s life, culture, and growth from 1998 through the present day. Written by Dr. Patti Person Ray ’65, the book collects the stories, traditions, and moments that shape the school.

Dr. Patti Person Ray ’65 became a St. Mary’s girl in 1955, and 70 years later, you can still find her on campus making new memories and preserving the past.

Head of School Albert Throckmorton announced his plan to retire after the 2026-2027 school year. The Board of Trustees will launch a national search his his replacement.

As an intern for Voices for a Safer Tennessee, Maggie Taylor ’26 advocates for the health and safety of Memphis youth. 

The St. Mary's Wilson Society engages in hands-on community service throughout the city, focusing on improving literacy. 

Sunday nights are the perfect time for a routine refresh, especially as we head into the new school year. Middle School English Teacher Crystal Spillyards shared five tried-and-true hacks to make homework, studying, and daily habits more manageable, efficient, and enjoyable.

Jada Lin ’29 was inspired to create her award-winning ceramic art piece, “School Lunch Tray,” after a visit to the American Girl Doll store, where a miniature dining hall display sparked the idea.

Computer Science Teacher Hal Roberts guided sixth-grade students through a semester-long project focused on designing 8-bit pixel games due to their simple graphics and bright, fun retro look, making them an excellent choice for students new to coding.

Last week, we celebrated our 6th - 8th grade students at Middle School Class Day, paying special tribute to the Class of 2029 as they head to high school.

On their last day as Lower School students, the Class of 2032 took a bittersweet walk through St. Mary’s North Campus. It was a chance to remember their earliest Turkey days, as they paraded past old classrooms and beloved teachers.

Though they’re only in fourth grade, these girls are already entrepreneurs. Through innovation, collaboration, and creativity, the fourth graders spent weeks planning and creating their very own inventions to solve a problem using the skills they learned in class. 

Mrs. Mitchell asked 3rd-grade students to consider the “roots” of their lives—the people, things, thoughts, and values that support them in challenges. Each girl mapped these components out visually, drawing them as roots on a tree that represents who they are.

Our 2nd-5th grade Turkeys have been eagerly following the progress of a full clutch of three eaglette eggs in Big Bear Valley, California, as part of Mrs. Johnson's science class!

This week, Junior Kindergarten students are exploring kindness through the lens of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s life and legacy.

As part of our school-wide observation of Native American Heritage Month, our Junior Kindergarten class engaged in a thoughtful study on the significance of Native American dolls. Using resources from the Smithsonian, our teachers crafted a lesson that explored the cultural and historical significance of dolls across various Native American tribes.

What do you get when you combine moss, sticks, polka dots, clay, a little bit of glitter, and a lot of love? A magical amphibian habitat that is toad-ally awesome! Senior kindergarten students used their imagination with this ordinary mix of items to create something truly extraordinary: Toad Abodes.

Meet Mary "Cera" Sparkles! Mary Cera, derived from "Triceratops," is the newest addition to the Early Childhood Center and was entirely engineered (and named!) by our "dino-mite" Senior Kindergarteners. This dino-building project originated several years ago when her students indicated an interest in learning more about female scientists.

On Friday, November 8, Ayanna Martin ’15 came back to campus to share her wisdom with current St. Mary’s students. Currently pursuing her JD at Howard University School of Law in Washington, D.C., Ayanna’s journey to become a lawyer began later than she expected. However, it taught her about divine timing, presence, and compassion – all meaningful lessons she shared with us.

In a world where shopping is often squeezed between errands or done quickly on an app, St. Mary’s alumna Fannie Weinberg ’17 is offering an opposite experience: a chance to linger in a store filled with special items, get to know those around you, and find a treasure or two, if you dare. 

Our Light and Life Service Award recipient, Laurin Maddux ’98, embodies the school's motto "For Girls. For Life" through her generosity and dedication to the St. Mary's community. 

Our 2025 Young Alumna Award recipient, Dr. Anna Peeler ’13, works in palliative care, helping patients receive the care they need.