Savannah, GA. Dr. Kelley Waldron, Head of School for St. Andrew’s, recently shared details of The Campaign for the Foundation of our Future, including the exciting news that approximately $3.5 million has already pledged towards the campaign’s $5.5 million goal.
Included among the projects to be funded by the Foundation for our Future campaign is a new performing arts space on campus, including a 300-seat auditorium with a full stage, wings, and backdrop along with purpose-built classrooms for orchestra, band, choir, theatre and visual arts. The campaign will also fund extensive renovations to the existing athletic fields, including a complete rebuilding of the fields, and drainage ensuring a high-quality playing experience for student athletes participating in football, soccer, baseball, and flag football. A final focus of the campaign is on growing the endowment, providing the financial foundation for a strong future for the school.
“In recent years, we have had to cap participation in orchestra, band, theater, and choir. Instruction takes place in traditional classrooms, rather than purpose-built instructional rooms that allow for the full space and resources to maximize learning in these disciplines,” said Waldron. “The quality of instruction is excellent, but the impact of that instruction is challenged as long as the quality of the physical environment does not match the potential of our teachers and students.”
When it comes to athletic facilities, Waldron shared a similar story of facilities not meeting the skill and potential of the students. “Our fields date back to our founding and are at the end of their functional use. They have lost their crown and flood easily and often. This means our teams are sometimes required to forgo practice and reschedule games long after storms have passed.”
“This campaign will allow us to invest in facilities that match the quality of our programs and provide a foundation for our students’ success,” said Waldron.
Led by a committee of volunteers, the campaign is co-chaired by Davy Clay and Elyssa Minton, both St. Andrew’s parents. When speaking to the group, Clay spoke of community and investing in his daughters’ future. Said Clay, “Athletic fields and an auditorium—that’s where kids of all ages come together to practice after school, where they gather on Friday nights, and where their families come together to cheer them on for games and performances. These are the places where we build community. Our girls are still young. We do not know if they will love arts or athletics. Investing in both allows us to honor their potential and the potential of
all St. Andrew’s students for years to come.”
“We love our St. Andrew’s family and can’t say enough great things about the school,” said Minton. “We made our gift in honor of what St. Andrew’s has done and will continue to do for our children every day and for the bright future they will enjoy because of this place. St. Andrew’s has encouraged them to try new things, to see their school as a place where there are no limits on what they can do. That is important because you never know when a child is going to discover something new, something they love, and begin to shine.”
People can learn more about the campaign and make a gift by going to the school website at https://saslions.com/capitalcampaign/
St. Andrew’s School is an independent college preparatory school offering classes for students from Early Childhood through Grade 12. Originally started as Independent Presbyterian Day School 1947, the school became St. Andrew’s School and moved to its current location on Penn Waller Road in 1978.
