On a joyful morning with students, parents, Trustees and professional community members in attendance, St. Margaret’s Episcopal School officially welcomed the Tartan community into the St. Margaret’s Commons after a ribbon-cutting ceremony took place on the steps of the beautiful new campus space on the first day of the 2026-2027 school year. 

The opening offered a first look at St. Margaret’s new “heart of the campus” and students quickly embraced the Commons as a hub of student life. Lunch was served to excited St. Margaret’s students on campus, the Spenuzza Family Tartans To-Go counter was busy all day serving snacks and drinks, and Upper School students were seen connecting and spending time in the Monge Family Tartan Student Loft and in athletic spaces throughout the building. 

“We gather as students, families, professional community members, alumni, trustees, and friends to celebrate the unveiling of a space that will serve as the heart of our campus and the heart of our community for generations to come,” St. Margaret’s Board of Trustees President Dana Sullivan said. “This building represents a bold investment in our future and a powerful reflection of who we are as a school.”

Mrs. Sullivan was joined by Head of School Dr. Jeneen Graham and four St. Margaret’s students—Brayden Brisbois, Lia Frick, Logan Kim and Michael Kim—to ceremoniously cut the ribbon and officially open the Commons. Almost instantly, the building began weaving into campus life as students, professional community and parents visited and interacted with the spaces throughout the day.

“At St. Margaret’s, we believe that learning flourishes in community,” Dr. Graham said. “We know that some of life’s most important moments happen not only in classrooms, but also around a table, in conversation with friends, during a chance encounter with a teacher, and while celebrating achievements big and small. The Commons was designed to make those moments possible. For generations, community members will gather here to celebrate milestones, share stories, and continue the proud legacy of this remarkable school.”

The St. Margaret’s Commons opened on schedule, a little more than a year after groundbreaking. Lunch and snack was served to all students on the first day of the 2026-2027 school year through the Tartan Table dining program located in the Commons, with Upper School and Middle School students eating in the Payton Chester Dining Hall—affectionately called “The Pay.” In addition, spaces like the strength and conditioning center and the film room welcomed Tartan student-athletes for training and preparation.