Headmaster's Blog

Faculty standing in space of new Performing Arts Center stage. During yesterday's faculty meeting, I took all faculty and staff on a hard hat tour of several new spaces in our soon-to-be expanded Saint David's School. They visited the new lobby, performing arts center, fourth floor gymnasium and 8th Grade commons, and enjoyed a view from above of the new middle school regulation size gymnasium. Our new middle school regulation size gymnasium space. The two beams signed by donors, faculty and boys, installed in the ceiling of the new large gym. Being able to stand in spaces that are still taking shape, but are increasingly coming into focus, provided the opportunity to imagine more concretely their powerful, positive impact on program and our community. Faculty taking in our new lobby area. These are such exciting days at Saint David's. We look forward to school starting next week as we continue to envision all that we can be--all that we will be!

Each August, just prior to the beginning of school, I host a theme-related retreat for the Saint David's leadership team. Usually, we travel off campus to participate in a shared experience that is connected to the school's mission. We have hiked, cooked, raced, meditated, sailed, flown. This year was different. Instead of leaving 89th Street, Cabinet members spent Monday morning in the space where our amazing new performing arts center will stand. Our theme this year is "Omnium Nobis--All that we can be."  I wanted the team to explore that theme with paint. After participating in an art lesson by Art Studio New York , each team member was charged with creating a painting and envisioning the school experience and "all that we can be" as we begin a year-long countdown to the opening of our new facilities. They were inspired by iconic images of Saint David's representing our four foundational pillars, one of which is, aptly, the arts. I...

Summer construction remains on schedule and the school is abuzz with activity. Much of the work this summer is focused on the Basement level of Buildings 12, 14 and 16 (the original Schoolhouse).  Work includes the complete renovation of the kitchen along with the expansion of the Small Dining Room and the addition of new Life Safety Systems, HVAC equipment (the entire new and old school will be air conditioned), structural support, and data and telecommunications drops. New Kitchen Framing New Kitchen Storage Room Framing Installation of FRP Panels on the Exterior Wall New Life Safety System Installation New Sprinkler Systems Throughout the Original Schoolhouse (Buildings 12-16) Sprinkler Install Outside PreK Following the completion of shear wall construction, exterior brick installation is now underway along the west wall and will continue along the south, then east walls of Graham House.  Glazing will follow in the fall with the aim of co...

The 100 boys participating in Horizons at Saint David's are well into the six-week program, enjoying the hot days of summer immersing themselves in reading, music, art, writing, math, STEM projects, swimming lessons, field trips to local museums, and sports.  Our program, now in its sixth year, includes students from four elementary schools in Harlem, who will enter Grades One through Six come September, and aims to prevent the common problem of academic summer learning loss among children in lower-income families. Social-emotional learning is also infused throughout each day. New this year is the addition of full time athletic director Keith Williams and our partnership with Ramapo for Children, an organization that provides training programs to educators working with children who may face obstacles to learning. Ramapo works with our teachers and volunteers, providing practical strategies on how to best address the students' needs. Horizons at Saint David...

Our construction project is moving along well. Here's an update of recent and current work: Concrete pour on the rear of Graham House has been completed with the exception of the second mezzanine level. Concrete pours on the second mezzanine level in both buildings are scheduled for late next week. Once all welding is complete, the temporary columns supporting the truss will be systematically removed, allowing for the balance of the concrete to be completed. The elevator pit slab has been poured and wall work is now underway. Steel work is also underway with large steel deliveries containing the balance of the steel needed for buildings 18 and 20. CMU shear wall block-work has extended up to the fifth floor level. Now that the sixth floor is also poured, block-work can continue working up to the top of the building. The sixth floor block-work is scheduled to begin this week. The phased demolition and steel infill work has commenced on the third floor. The first h...

Members of the Class of 2018 are in Salamanca, Spain, for a two-week Summer Study program--our 7th year. They are having a fantastic time! The boys spend their mornings in immersion Spanish classes at Colegio Unamuno, tailored to their level of proficiency with the language. In the afternoons, they and their teachers tour various cultural and historical sites. The boys also have several opportunities to interact with Spanish peers in both formal academic and informal situations. The Spain Summer Study piques boys' intellectual curiosity as they engage in the culture, history, and language of Spain. This enriching experience builds on the immersion Spanish program at Saint David's, where our boys learn the language and about the cultures of Spanish speaking nations throughout their years at our school.

Friday afternoon, Board Chair Dan Connolly '77 and I had the honor of conferring diplomas upon the 41 members of the Class of 2017.  What an incredible class! These boys displayed enthusiastic intellectual curiosity throughout their time at Saint David's. They were also highly accomplished in music and on the sports field, truly representative of the classical ideal of balance at the core of our school. Over the years I have watched them grow academically, aesthetically, athletically and spiritually. I am certain that they will continue their life's journey curious without bias, and guided by moral virtues. Class of 2017, you will be missed. Return often to your Alma mater!