St. Francis Episcopal School

St. Francis Episcopal School, formerly St. Francis Episcopal Day School, is a private Episcopal school located on two campuses in the City of Piney Point Village and the Memorial area of Houston, Texas, United States. In fall 2018, St. Francis opened a high school on the Couper Campus (2300 S. Piney Point Rd., Houston, TX 77063) with its inaugural freshman class that will graduate in May 2022. The Piney Point Campus and affiliated parish, located at 335 Piney Point Rd., house the lower and middle schools. The Couper Campus is home to primary and upper school facilities, along with athletic fields used by the middle school. With approximately 900 students, St. Francis Episcopal School was once the largest K–8 Episcopal parish day school in the United States. In the 1998-1999 school year, St. Francis was named a National Blue Ribbon School.[1][2]

History and facilities
Campuses in the Houston area

A coeducational school, St. Francis was founded in 1952 as a mission of St. Francis Episcopal Church. For its first year, it welcomed a class of 24 preschoolers and gradually expanded into elementary education.[3] In 1965, Sarah W. Woolrich, who originally joined St. Francis faculty in 1959 as a first-grade teacher, was named St. Francis' first head of school.[4] The current head of school is Stephen Lovejoy.[5]

The school continued to expand and by 1973 included sixth-grade classes. Between 1978 and 1985, capital campaigns funded the construction of a gymnasium, dining hall, additional classrooms, and the Sarah W. Woolrich Education Building. In 1997, the school added an Outdoor Activity Center and in 2001 opened a new Lower School Building, library, Fine Arts Center, and technology center, along with a renovated dining hall, gymnasium, and common area. The Woods Outdoor Classroom was established in 2011.

Today, the school serves students from age 2 years through 11th grade on two sites - a main campus and south campus - together totaling 39 acres providing ample room for the school's 600-seat state-of-the-art Fine Arts Center, 7,000-square-foot library and technology center, and nine acres of regulation playing fields for a wide variety of sports.[6][7]

Leadership and accreditation

Since its founding, St. Francis has been led by five heads of school: Sarah Woolrich (1965–1986); Dr. Kay P. Walther (1986–1993); Dr. Annette Smith (1994–2000); Dr. Susan Lair (2001-2017); and Stephen Lovejoy, the present head of school, who has served St. Francis since 2017.

St. Francis Episcopal School is accredited by the Southwestern Association of Episcopal Schools and the Independent Schools Association of the Southwest.

In addition, the school is a member of the following organizations including:[8]

Athletics

St. Francis Episcopal School is a member of the Houston Junior Preparatory Conference (HJPC) and has won 23 conference championships including: Football 2003, 2006, 2008, 2011; Cross-Country 2006; Field Hockey 2002; Volleyball 2011; Boys Basketball 2008–09, 2011–12, 2013–14; Girls Soccer 2000–01; Wrestling 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06; Softball 2004, 2007, 2010, 2012; Baseball 2013; Boys Lacrosse 2007, 2012, 2014; and, Track and Field 2002.

Notable alumni

References
  1. "Blue Ribbon Schools Program 1983-2000" (PDF). US Dept of Education. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  2. "Why St. Francis?". St Francis Houston. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  3. Kutchin, Joseph (2001). How Mitchell Energy and Development Corp. Got Its Start and Grew. Universal Publishers. p. 603. ISBN 9781581126631. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  4. Moody, Peg (March 1985). "Alumni Notes". The Alcalde. 73 (4): 48. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  5. "Faculty and Staff Directory". St. Francis Houston. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
  6. "Certified Classrooms". Nature Explore. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  7. Graham (December 22, 2011). "Looking to expand, St. Francis Episcopal School finds hidden treasure nearby". Examiner. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  8. "Accreditation, Membership, and Awards". St Francis Houston. Retrieved 26 June 2014.

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