By: Grace Yurko 25’
The sun shone down on the St. Paul’s School campus on September 20, 2024 as students and faculty from Pre-K through 12th grade assembled on the grassy hill with the sounds of the Jazz Band playing in the background. The theme of gratitude wove through the speeches delivered by students, faculty, and administrators. School President Clark Wight spoke in the culmination of the morning program and announced the creation of the “Gratitude Garden,” an area in which students were invited to display the things for which they are grateful. Truly, having a designated time to reflect on our blessings is itself a reason for gratitude.
For many who wondered what One St. Paul’s Day signifies, the positive messaging centering around gratitude was an uplifting feature. Hearing from members of both the boys’ and girls’ communities created a feeling of unity. Reflecting on the day, however, leads perhaps to more questions than answers. The messaging around campus seems to indicate that St. Paul’s is moving toward being “One.” But what exactly does this mean? While there may be advantages to this positioning, school leaders and administrators must define this unified community. Are we truly “One”? Or are we two separate schools — one for girls and one for boys – that fall under one umbrella?
Although the atmosphere of One St. Paul’s Day conveyed unity, the schools’ function quite separately, and on a regular basis, we are not one, but two. Beginning with their Mission Statements, the two schools diverge. According to the SPSG webpage, the mission states: “St. Paul’s School for Girls educates hearts and minds in an inclusive community that is grounded in the Episcopal values of respect, integrity, and spiritual growth. We empower voice, nurture intellectual curiosity and creativity, and inspire confident leaders who serve in the world.” The SP mission is: “Seek truth, knowledge, and excellence; live by faith, compassion, and integrity.” This discrepancy seems to indicate differences in focus, philosophy, and goals.
Other elements of our school experience also seem to signify two schools, rather than one. Our classes are mostly separate and often quite different. Additionally, our activities rarely occur together. This publication is an example of the division: formerly, the Page & Epistle gathered members of the boys and girls’ schools together in a collaboration to create one school newspaper. Beginning this year, two separate staffs will contribute to a new format entitled The Voice – although they will both post to the publication, the boys and girls school representatives will operate independently. These may seem like insignificant divisions, but they do not represent characteristics of a community functioning as “One.”
If the vision for a unified, One St. Paul’s is to succeed, then One St. Paul’s Day cannot be just one day. Throughout this year and for years to come, the SPSG and SP communities should work to identify the specific goals and missions that mean the most to them. Inevitably, given the differences in focus that seem to exist between the two entities, disagreements may be part of this process. Yet the outcome of collaboration could mean improvements for all. Each school must define its strengths and admit its weaknesses with the goal of an even more successful “One St. Paul’s” — one which we could all be proud to champion, one for which we can be grateful
The words of St. Paul himself offers guidance:
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (Philippians 4:8 (NIV)).
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