Saint Mary's Hall

The school year is officially underway, and as everyone settles in, we are delighted to welcome all of our newest faculty and staff members, including:

🟣Marisa Andreu, Montessori Teacher
🟣Cash Bradley, Director of People Operations
🟣 Ben Calhoun, Upper School Social Science teacher
🟣 Nathaniel Dupont, Upper School Social Science teacher
🟣 Jason Fedor, Assistant Director of Safety and Security
🟣 Ashley Gunn, Nurse
🟣 Sarah Leslie Hayes, Health Educator
🟣 Kirk Herbold, Director of Facilities
🟣 Jill Krueger, Lower School Math Support Specialist
🟣 Clancy Patty, Middle School Academic Support Specialist
🟣 Erica Shapiro, Counselor and Lower School Academic Support Coordinator
🟣 Jaime Singh, Health Educator
🟣 Donna Wallace, Extended Care Staff Member

Happy , and happy ! This morning, our varsity football players were looking sharp as they greeted our lower school students during drop off. Tonight they take on Founder’s Christian School. Go Barons!

We are thrilled to announce that Greg Bice ‘99, a proud alumnus and four-time will be joining our coaching staff as the Lacrosse Director of Player Development. In this role, Coach Bice will collaborate closely with our Head Men’s and Head Women’s Lacrosse Coaches to establish a comprehensive feeder program aimed at nurturing the talents of our Middle and Lower School lacrosse players, while also building our academy lacrosse program. With his extensive knowledge and experience, Coach Bice is poised to be a tremendous asset to our lacrosse community. Read more at our link in bio.

Our amazing young dancers are already hard at work on this year’s Lower School Dance productions. We can’t wait to see them bring “The Little Mermaid” and “The Wizard of Oz” to life in the spring!

This summer, middle school student Cash Friesenhahn ‘30 was busy taking the sport of rodeo by storm! Cash travelled to Oregon, Oklahoma, and Nevada in addition to covering a lot of miles in Texas. In Oregon, Cash was able to earn a spot in the Yeti Jr. World competition that will be held in Las Vegas this December, and just a few days before school started, Cash represented Texas at the American Quarter Horse Youth World Show in Oklahoma City, OK. Way to go, Cash!

Last summer, SMH lost a beloved, retired member of our science faculty, middle school science teacher Mary Poarch, when she passed away. Mrs. Poarch often wore brooches to work, and just before school began this year, her husband Danny gifted many of the brooches from her collection to to her colleagues in the science department. These sparkling accessories serve as a happy reminder of Mrs. Poarch’s love for scientific inquiry, curiosity, natural beauty, and lifelong learning as we begin a new year!

Last Friday morning, Saint Mary’s Hall celebrated the joyful tradition of Blue Tie, beginning the festivities with a water-drenched parade before each member of the Class of 2025 was given their Blue Tie, a well-earned moment for our seniors.

The ties, bestowed by the Head of School; family members who are on the faculty, staff, or board; or relatives who graduated SMH before them, symbolize leadership and the responsibility that our seniors have to both sustain special traditions and leave a meaningful legacy behind.

Congratulations to our senior class on a strong and joyful beginning to your final year at the Hall! We cannot wait to see you lead the way this year. 💙

Saint Mary’s Hall kicked off our 146th school year with the beautiful tradition of convocation. All in attendance were inspired to be curious, to look up, and to truly learn delight in simple things.

We are so proud to share that Upper School Photography teacher Kyle Petersen was selected as the August Artist in Residence for the Greater Smoky Mountains National Park. Our students are certain to benefit from the lessons and work he will return with. Congratulations, Mr. Petersen!

Our beautiful campus is humming with activity as faculty and staff prepare for the next week! Our lower school teachers gathered in the children’s Garden today for their annual Back-to-School photo. Comment and tell us which of these amazing teacher your child is excited to see next week!

Today is the last day of Summer at the Hall! We couldn’t be more grateful for all of the fun we had with our amazing campers this summer! Thank you to our amazing counselors, volunteers, teachers, and SATH staff for making it all possible.

Next stop, first day of school!

Three members of the Class of ‘24 joined the Advancement Office as Interns this summer! Pinky, Blue, and Nico have been busy assisting our Alumni Relations, Development, and Communication teams, and we couldn’t be more grateful for their positive energy and steady work ethic.

It really *is* a small world! Mr. Petersen traveled through Galway, Ireland, last week as part of his Mays Grant research studies. While there he ran into Sani Karkar ‘24! Safe travels to all of our SMH explorers this summer!

It might be summertime, but we love to celebrate our teachers 12 months of the year!

Every year at Saint Mary’s Hall, four teachers are bestowed with the Master Teacher Award during our Founders’ Day celebration. One of our 23-24 award recipients is Lower School Kindergarten Teacher, Amy Whittington.

Mrs. Whittington has been at SMH since 2018, and can be found on campus from sunrise to sunset supporting a wide range of student activities. People use phrases like “above and beyond,” “dedication to spreading kindness,” and “bright, thorough, considerate advocate for students” to describe her, and she is spoken of with equal enthusiasm by colleagues and parents. One parent shared “I have a teacher from elementary school that I remember some 30 years later and I have NO doubt that Amy will be that person for my daughter. She is extremely loving. My daughter BOLTS out of the car to go experience the class because this teacher has taught her how to love learning.”

Many of you have probably seen the posters or books that say, “All I really need to know, I learned in kindergarten.” One of our parents referenced that quote, saying, “I always thought of these posters this as merely “cute” until my daughter experienced Mrs. Whittington! She has had a tremendous
impact on my daughter’s life.”

Thank you, Mrs. Whittington, for the joy, energy, and compassion you bring to campus, and we hope you’re resting up for another amazing school year!

With Summer at the Hall in full swing, our delightful counselors are incredibly busy keeping hundreds of happy campers safe and smiling! Thank you to our counselors and volunteers for making magic every day! runs until July 31.

Members of the Classes of 2028 and 2029 kicked off summer break with an epic journey to NYC, Washington DC, and Pennsylvania. Students immersed themselves in history and culture as classroom lessons came to life at the White House, Gettysburg, and even Broadway as they celebrated the end of the school year! Thank you to our delightful students for demonstrating exemplary behavior throughout the trip, and to our amazing chaperones!

The Saint Mary’s Hall Department of Social Sciences, in collaboration with the Alamo Trust, Inc., kicked off its inaugural History Scholar Program with a Museum Studies Workshop, which included conversations with our Director of Fine Arts, Ms. Carrie Avery, who shared her experience working in museums, as well as a guided tour of the Alamo by Senior Historian, Kolby Lanham. Five students were selected for this unique internship program to gain hands-on experience in the preservation and presentation of artifacts, historical documents, and cultural treasures related to the iconic Alamo mission. They are excited to begin their internships this month!

Happy !

The highly-regarded Tobin School of Fine Arts at Saint Mary’s Hall encourages students to innovate, take risks, and channel their creative power. Students learn problem-solving skills, integration of technology, literacy, and critical thinking in alignment with their chosen discipline.

For upper school visual art students, this process culminates in One Big Show and the Fat Bird Film Festival. These events highlight our students’ exceptional, celebrated work in sculpture & design, photography, film, and drawing & painting throughout the year.

Just a few of our favorite snaps from last Friday’s Commencement Ceremony. Congratulations again to the Class of 2024!

“…May God bless you with the audacity to know that you can make a difference in the world, so that you will do the things which others tell you cannot be done…”

Last night the Class of 2024 attended their Baccalaureate service, a beautiful and serene occasion with music, readings, words of wisdom, and blessings bestowed. Later, the senior video was presented honoring the many memories this class has made together at SMH. Seniors, as you graduate tonight and embark on your bright futures, we hope you’ll always hold tight to the lesson shared so vividly by Dr. Brock, and remember that you are never alone in this journey.

Congratulations to the delightful Class of 2028 on your Promotion to Upper School! Each of you have grown and achieved great things this year and we are incredibly proud of you. High school, here you come!

This entire year in the Lower School, the students have focused on the theme “Every Piece Matters.” Students learned about commonalities and differences, and celebrated that they are all unique and very important pieces in the puzzle. Recently, they created colorful and creative t-shirts celebrating their one-of-a-kind identities and enjoyed a video featuring them and their families during community time. It was a beautiful way to celebrate the
as the year comes to a close!

Yesterday was full of joy as the Class of ‘24 donned t-shirts naming the schools that they will attend and transformed their school uniforms to represent their next steps. The entire student body, family, and faculty lined up to cheer on and high-five our soon-to-be graduates as they made their way to their next celebration. We love and are so proud of every single one of you, Class of ‘24!

On Monday, Saint Mary’s Hall commemorated Legacy Day, honoring three outstanding members of our team by inducting them into our Legacy Society, which honors faculty and staff members who have served 25 years or more. Susan Moore-Sickmann is retiring after 34 years at Saint Mary’s Hall, Amy Read is retiring after 29 years, and Kathy Rigsby is retiring after 28 years! Many esteemed members of our faculty from over the years came to celebrated these beloved educators along with students, alumni, family, and colleagues. Thank you, Susan, Amy, and Kathy, for your tremendous contributions to the students of SMH! Your legacy will live on in the many lives you touched. 💜

Finals and AP exams didn’t stop our Upper School Sports Council from putting on an absolutely amazing Bishops’ Day. Capers prevailed again, winning the coveted cup for a second year in row. Maybe next year, Elliotts!

It’s ! Our dance department has dazzled audiences this month, presenting “Romeo and Juliet” for our middle and upper school ballet performance, and “Peter Pan” for our lower school dance performance. These performances were the culmination of months of practice for our dancers, and their talent and hard work paid off with absolutely magical performances. Well done to all of our dancers, as well as their dance instructors and the many volunteers behind the scenes. Bravo!!

ICYMI, Saint Mary’s Hall began a beach volleyball program this year - the first high school in San Antonio to do so! Our athletes have competed against some of the top coed players in the region this season, and have upcoming scrimmages against Incarnate Word High School and our faculty/staff. The Barons are coached by Amanda Silva, who is a former National Beach Volleyball Champion.

¡Viva Fiesta!

Congratulations to the newest members of the National Junior Honor Society! Your leadership, citizenship, character, service, and scholarship contribute so much to .

Every year at Saint Mary’s Hall, four teachers are bestowed with the Master Teacher Award during our Founders’ Day celebration. One of our 23-24 award recipients is Upper School Science Teacher, Kenny Hoang.

Positive, Optimistic, Genuine, and Compassionate, are all words that are often used to describe Mr. Hoang. A student shared, “he has had a tremendous impact on my life and I know many of my peers’ lives as well. He’s a spectacular teacher who presents the subject in a way that allows students to discover a new way of learning.”

Students and colleagues frequently mention Mr. Hoang’s support for their many endeavors, saying “He dedicates so much of his time to support our students in their various activities. You will see him at sporting events, fine arts productions, social events, etc. He has created an environment where students feel safe and accepted. Kids who aren’t even his students anymore are always in his classroom because he has created a home for them.”

One of his colleagues summed it up, sharing, “Students love him and teachers want to be like him. At least, I know I do. He makes our community better and he makes me want to become a better teacher.”

Thank you, Mr. Hoang, for everything you bring to the classroom, the lab, and the Hall!