St. Margaret's School (Virginia)
Encyclopedia
Saint Margaret's School is a private and religious all girls school located in the town of Tappahannock, Virginia
, along the Rappahannock River
. The school is 45 miles northeast of the Richmond metro area
, it is 100 miles southeast of the Washington metro area
, also 75 miles northwest of the Hampton Roads metro area
. St. Margaret's is sponsored by the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia
. St. Margaret's opened in 1921 with 14 students, and now has an enrollment of 150 girls. The student body is very diverse, with students from 11 different countries, 17 states, and the District of Columbia
. A 42 acres (169,968.1 m²) athletic complex is located a mile from the academic and residential campus.
Tappahannock, Virginia
Tappahannock is the oldest town in Essex County, Virginia, United States. The population was 2,068 at the 2000 census. Located on the Rappahannock River, Tappahannock is the county seat of Essex County...
, along the Rappahannock River
Rappahannock River
The Rappahannock River is a river in eastern Virginia, in the United States, approximately in length. It traverses the entire northern part of the state, from the Blue Ridge Mountains in the west, across the Piedmont, to the Chesapeake Bay, south of the Potomac River.An important river in American...
. The school is 45 miles northeast of the Richmond metro area
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
, it is 100 miles southeast of the Washington metro area
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, also 75 miles northwest of the Hampton Roads metro area
Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads is the name for both a body of water and the Norfolk–Virginia Beach metropolitan area which surrounds it in southeastern Virginia, United States...
. St. Margaret's is sponsored by the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia
Episcopal Diocese of Virginia
The Diocese of Virginia is a diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America encompassing 38 counties in the northern and central parts of the state of Virginia. The diocese was organized in 1785 and is one of the Episcopal Church's nine original dioceses. However, the diocese has...
. St. Margaret's opened in 1921 with 14 students, and now has an enrollment of 150 girls. The student body is very diverse, with students from 11 different countries, 17 states, and the District of Columbia
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
. A 42 acres (169,968.1 m²) athletic complex is located a mile from the academic and residential campus.
The River
The Rappahannock River is central to the St. Margaret's School experience. The river is brought into the academic, social, and athletic programs across and beyond the curriculum. Each year the entire school takes time in September to celebrate the river during River Days. Each grade level takes a trip to a different part of the Rappahannock River to see how the river changes during different parts of its journey. The eighth grade travels to the headwaters in the Shenandoahs, freshmen go to Fredericksburg above the fall live, sophomores stay in Tappahannock, juniors go to the Chesapeake Bay, and seniors see the ocean at Virginia Beach. Other river activities throughout the school year include kayaking and swimming in the river, the annual River Swim to the other bank, Fall and Spring crew teams, raising oysters in Ecology class, art projects, the Parent Council Rubber Duckie Derby, watching the sunrise over the river during breakfast, and the commencement ceremony on the back lawn overlooking the river.Academics
St. Margaret’s is a college preparatory school. Students’ schedules determined by skills rather than grade level, so almost every student has a unique schedule of classes. This also allows students to challenge themselves in their strong subjects and get extra support in areas they find more difficult. Each school day includes a Teacher Available time when students are encouraged to meet with teachers for extra help or to review before tests. St. Margaret’s offers classes in these subjects: English, ESL, Arts, Foreign Languages, Leadership, Mathematics, Health, Religion, and Science. Every trimester students take four or five core classes and one or two electives.Buildings and Dorms on the Campus
- St. Margaret's Hall - the main building on campus, built in the 1840s expanded in the 1920s, 1940s, and 1970s
- Pollard Art Center - the art hall of the school part of the main building built in 1991.
- Gruver Music Center - the music hall of the school built in 1991
- Brockenbrough House - oldest building, an historical building built in 1753
- McCuan House - newest building donated by the parents built in 2005.
- Anderton House - built in 1760
- Head of School's Office - offices at the school
- Chapel - built in 1921, the church of the school
- The Cottage - built in the 1930s as a dorm, it is now a building for MathematicsMathematicsMathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
, and EnglishEnglish studiesEnglish studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language , English linguistics English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language (including literatures from the U.K., U.S.,... - Latané Hall - built in 1955 and renovated in 2002 the Latané Hall is the main dorm on the campus. Named after former Headmistress Edith Latane. Includes an exercise room, study rooms, and dorms. It is one of the tallest buildings on the campus with 3 levels and (a very very scary) basement. Located next to the Dining Hall and the Library.
- Woolfolk Center - built in 1991 the Woolfolk center is the main library and an includes a few classrooms too. Named after former Headmistress Viola Woolfolk.
- Community/Technology Center - built in 1999 this is the main dining hall at the school for breakfastBreakfastBreakfast is the first meal taken after rising from a night's sleep, most often eaten in the early morning before undertaking the day's work...
, lunch, and dinnerDinnerDinner is usually the name of the main meal of the day. Depending upon culture, dinner may be the second, third or fourth meal of the day. Originally, though, it referred to the first meal of the day, eaten around noon, and is still occasionally used for a noontime meal, if it is a large or main...
. In the basement are science rooms and computer labs - Gilchrist Field - a gift to the school, this area includes a field for field hockeyField hockeyField Hockey, or Hockey, is a team sport in which a team of players attempts to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking a ball into an opposing team's goal using sticks...
and soccerFootball (soccer)Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
, plus tennis courts. - Ball Memorial Gym - built in 1966. The Ball Mem. Gym is the home court to the school's basketballBasketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
team and is where school dances are held. - River Lawn - located behind the SMS Hall the River Lawn is a special area by the docks. This open space is used during Graduation and May Ball.
- St. Margaret's Sports Complex - a newly completed sports complex featuring 2 soccer and field hockey fields, 2 softball fields, and a cross country trail