St. Margaret’s officially welcomed in a new school year on Tuesday, as the All-School Opening Ceremony joyfully brought together K-12 students on their first day of school.

 

Tuesday’s ceremony featured readings, songs and moving remarks by Upper School senior and Associated Student Body President Brayden Brisbois, and Head of School Dr. Jeneen Graham.

“To our returning Tartans, welcome back!” Dr. Graham expressed with full enthusiasm. “And, to those of you who are new to our community, welcome to your new home!”

The ceremony was well attended by the entire Tartan community, including several members of the Board of Trustees as well as faculty emeriti. Dr. Graham acknowledged the many individuals whose leadership, vision and contributions shaped St. Margaret’s into the thriving school it is today. 

This year, St. Margaret’s has 211 new students, 188 new families, and 47 new students with current St. Margaret’s siblings, and four new sets of twins (two in Middle School, one in Lower School and one in Early School). In addition, Dr. Graham extended a warm welcome to 25 new members of our professional community.

The school is fully enrolled, and Dr. Graham gave special mention to the Class of 2034 in its last year of Lower School, the Class of 2031 in its last year of Middle School, and the Class of 2027 starting its last year at St. Margaret’s in the Upper School.

 

Dr. Graham expressed, “And if there is one word that is guiding my thinking this year, it is connection. We have so many new ways of connecting with each other, ourselves and our broader community and I find myself incredibly grateful for all that is to come.”

With the opening of The St. Margaret’s Commons, connection is becoming a physical part of St. Margaret’s campus life—a place designed to bring students, faculty, staff and families together, fostering community through shared experiences, conversation and belonging. A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Commons took place following the Opening Ceremony.

The celebration also marked a significant moment for St. Margaret’s as the school honored The Reverend Canon Robert Edwards, affectionately known as Father Rob, who will retire from St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church in October following 30 years of service. In recognition of his extraordinary and sustained contributions to the church and school, Dr. Graham appointed Father Rob to Professional Community Emeritus, the highest honor bestowed upon a member of the professional community. The distinction, reserved for those who have served St. Margaret’s for at least 25 years, recognizes Father Rob’s three decades of dedicated service and lasting impact on the community. As part of the celebration, Father Rob received an Emeritus Certificate, a St. Margaret’s chair engraved with his name and years of service, and a school quilt.

Dr. Graham also outlined the three school-wide goals for St. Margaret’s this year, aligned with the school’s mission to educate the hearts and minds of young people for lives of learning, leadership and service:

Learning: Stay focused on fulfilling our commitment to our Strategic Plan goals. 

Leadership: Establish the St. Margaret’s Commons as a vibrant community hub and center for wellness. 

Service: Activate La Novia Farm as a center for learning and community engagement.

Reflecting on his experience as a longtime Tartan, Brayden has witnessed St. Margaret’s evolution alongside his own journey through the school. Having arrived in Early School in 2012, the same year the Darcy Rice Center for the Arts opened, he later watched the Middle School building welcome students in 2015. Now, as a senior leader in the student community, he sees The Commons as the next defining space on campus. More than a new building, he said, The Commons will serve as “the heart of our school”—a place where students can share meals, connect with one another and create memories.