Since our founding in 1971, St. Paul has shaped students through three core principles: academic excellence, passion for Christ, and leadership development.

Ahead of our 50th anniversary in the fall of 2021, we launched a five-year master plan as part of a long-term vision for St. Paul and our campus. For the past 18 months, we have collaborated with countless members of our community and discussed what they value in their child's education. The leadership team, along with the board of trustees, and faculty worked together to help this vision become possible.

Through the intentional planning and confidence gained through the success of our 50th Initiatives, we refined our vision and are now engaging in the first significant capital improvements to our campus since 2011. Our plans center around ways to honor and grow the academic, spiritual, and leadership legacies of the school in every aspect.

How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an eternal kingdom; his dominion endures from generation to generation.

Daniel 4:3

For more than 50 years, the Dining Hall has stood on St. Paul's campus. As this space has grown to accommodate performing arts programs, camps, and community events, it became necessary to transform this cornerstone of our campus. An enhanced stage, improved acoustics, A/V equipment, and flexible, retractable seating now complement the high caliber performing arts productions. A dedicated dance studio provides improved rehearsal and performance space, allowing programmatic expansion. Finally, an updated dining room impacts every student, every day. This project was completed in August 2023 on time and under budget.

Since our founding in 1971, students have walked the halls of McGuffey. A new welcome area will create a first impression that reflects St. Paul as a leader of early childhood education. A build out of additional classrooms will allow the Lower School and Upper School to be united in their respective campus locations. Creation of a Lower School common room will provide an ideal venue for multi-grade meetings and parent and school events, while offering lower school students a place to explore and be immersed in numerous learning opportunities outside of the classroom.

Through good stewardship of resources and the generosity of our community, St. Paul plans to grow the endowment to $5 million within the next five years. This investment will provide greater longterm financial stability and will almost fully fund financial aid, including the Shepherd's Fund and Cheeseman Fund. Given the strategic importance of a healthy endowment, a portion of the Advancing the Pillars Campaign will be committed to this effort.

Join Us!

We invite every member of the St. Paul community to join us in Advancing the Pillars. To make a gift or pledge, please complete the Donor Letter of Intent below.

Donor letter of Intent

If you would like to learn more about the Advancing the Pillars campaign or if you would like to set up a one-on-one meeting, please contact Ashley Larmer, Director of Development, or a member of the Advancing the Pillars Campaign Committee:

Jefferson Adcock
Elizabeth Barrett
Emily Douglas
Travis Dunn
Jackson Moore
Will Norton, Head of School
Ashley Larmer, Director of Development

FAQs

How were the campaign priorities determined?

In 2018, St. Paul engaged in a campus master planning process to create a long-term vision for the campus that would support the St. Paul mission and program needs. In 2021, that plan was reevaluated by the Head of School, board of trustees, and administrative team, and several capital projects were identified as potential first steps in the plan. St. Paul then engaged a consulting firm to conduct a feasibility study. Through one-on-one conversations with the board, faculty, and leadership donors, as well as an in-depth study of the school’s readiness, the firm developed a report that recommended the campaign priorities and fundraising goals. These recommendations were presented to the board, who approved the Advancing the Pillars campaign projects and fundraising goal.

What is the value of St. Paul’s endowment? What is the target for increasing the endowment and why?

St. Paul’s endowment is currently valued at approximately $1M (Nov. 22), up from $400K in 2020-21 thanks to prudent management and investment of internal resources. Currently, all earnings are reinvested each year. We have a 5-year goal to bring the endowment to $5M, which would allow us to almost fully cover financial aid through the endowment payout and would provide stability for the school if needed in the future. As part of that discipline of allocating funds to the endowment and to underscore its importance, we have established a $500K goal for the campaign

Is a capital campaign gift above and beyond my annual fund gift?

This is a unique moment in time in St. Paul’s history— a time that has been years in the making. The campaign projects benefit our children, our community and future generations of St. Paul Saints. Support of the annual fund is necessary to maintain the wonderful programs and projects for today’s needs, but a commitment to the Advancing the Pillars campaign paid over several years, is a long-term investment in the school’s future.

Can pledges be made over a period of time?

Yes, pledges can be fulfilled over the course of the campaign, up to five years. A Donor Letter of Intent form is used to summarize a donor’s plans for the capital campaign, as well as the annual fund, eliminating the need to complete future forms over the course of the pledge. The Office of Development will send pledge reminders according the schedule that is established on the Donor Letter of Intent.