Dear St. Christopher’s Families,
 
I hope you are doing well and enjoying this beautiful fall weather. Since our 2021-2022 opening just over one month ago, our campus has been enlivened by the sights and sounds of boys delighted to be on campus—learning, laughing, competing, and performing. It is a joy to be together in this special community, pursuing our mission to prepare boys for lives of honor and integrity, service, and leadership.
 
I write today with an update on the implementation of our strategic plan, Momentum 2025. While COVID continues as a significant factor in campus operations, we are determined to press forward with the exciting goals and initiatives outlined in the plan. We have four strategic priorities in the strategic plan: Improving the Student Experience, Empowering Our People, Strengthening Our Community, and Stewarding Our Resources. Today I will provide updates on three examples of our strategic plan in action.
 
Expanding BUILD 
Our BUILD program (Boys Using Innovation to Learn and Design) is not a new one—it was first introduced during the implementation of the School’s previous strategic plan, the Second Century Vision. However, Momentum 2025 charges us to “increase the impact” of this JK-12 program that focuses on hands-on design, engineering, iteration, and collaboration skills.
 
I am pleased to share that we have made a notable commitment to our BUILD program by creating a new, dedicated space in our Luck Leadership Center (LLC), one that is wholly devoted to BUILD instruction. Located on the second floor of the LLC, the new BUILD Lab boasts nearly 1,000 square feet of open and boy-friendly space designed for boys to design, tinker, experiment, 3-D print, cook, and more!
 
Our Upper School curriculum has been updated to include a BUILD primer class for every 9th grade boy. In addition, we offer an 8th Grade BUILD elective and an Upper School “Make” elective course that utilizes the space. Finally, there is dedicated time in the Upper School schedule for boys to visit the BUILD Lab during free periods. While the space is primarily designed for Upper School use, we are creating opportunities for students in all grade levels to utilize this innovative new teaching and learning space to augment robust existing divisional BUILD programs.
 
Introducing The Social Institute 
 Over the summer, St. Christopher’s entered into a multi-year partnership with The Social Institute (TSI) for students, teachers, and families in Grades 4-12. TSI collaborates with schools and other partners to offer training, resources, and an online curriculum to support young people on their journey to becoming savvy and civil digital citizens. Using a “gamified” online platform, TSI enables students to sustain a healthy relationship with social media, owning their online reputation and activity while emphasizing positive character traits such as empathy, integrity, and teamwork.
 
St. Christopher’s has already begun implementing age-appropriate TSI lessons and activities with students in both the Middle and Upper Schools. Look for a subsequent communication about TSI that provides parents with online access to tips and tools to educate you and your son on successfully navigating the challenges and opportunities facing young people through online activities.
 
Announcing the Chamberlayne Achievement Program 
I am delighted to share news of the creation and growth of the Chamberlayne Achievement Program (CAP). Consistent with the goals of Momentum 2025, CAP enables St. Christopher’s to support and retain students from backgrounds traditionally underrepresented at St. Christopher’s. CAP has been in operation at St. Christopher’s for several years, but 2021 marks the year in which CAP has formally expanded into both the Middle and Upper School divisions.
 
Now serving nearly 30 students, CAP provides additional mentoring, guidance and support to boys and families who come from backgrounds—whether geographic, racial, religious, socioeconomic, or other—that are different from the majority of St. Christopher’s students. In our efforts to be fully inclusive and welcoming to every student in our care, CAP ensures that all students have the tools and resources they need to thrive in the St. Christopher’s environment. For additional information about CAP, please click here.
 
As you can see, our campus is alive with activity, and our students and faculty are thriving in the opening weeks of the 2021-2022 school year. As we continue to make progress toward objectives outlined in Momentum 2025, I will continue to keep you informed.
 
Thank you for your continued support of St. Christopher’s and our boys.