Our Foundational Priorities
A Reimagined Goodrich Campus
The cozy, welcoming charm of the Goodrich Campus is a defining element of the Lower School's culture and community. But as our K-5 curriculum evolved, so did our needs for an updated physical space.
Renovations included:
-
Revitalized classrooms providing flexible and functional space for our innovative K-5 curriculum, which includes small-group work, mixed-age classrooms, and collaboration between teachers.
-
Renewal of beloved community spaces such as the Living Room and the Library to accentuate their beauty, and improve capacity and functionality.
-
Five new Learning Centers for the Christopher Center Pathways Program at SPA. This new program supports students with diagnosed language-based learning differences and provides a multisensory, structured, and sequential way to teach literacy. Learn more about our Pathways program here.
-
Needed improvements to safety, accessibility and infrastructure including roofing, mechanicals, tuckpointing, restrooms and security elements.
“The magic of the Lower School is in the relationships. The ways we come together as a community are so important, from being greeted by name every morning, to sitting by the fire in the Living Room, to our assemblies and annual Bazaar—these are the joyful, celebratory moments that define our community and that students remember for the rest of their lives."
- Beth Melin, Lower School Principal
Legacy of the Summit School
In 2024, the historic school building on Goodrich Avenue turned 100 years old. Designed by acclaimed Minnesota architect Clarence Johnston, the building was originally home to Summit School, a K–12 college preparatory school for girls. For over five decades—until its 1969 merger with St. Paul Academy—it served as a cornerstone of academic excellence and innovation.
In 2024, the historic school building on Goodrich Avenue turned 100 years old. Designed by acclaimed Minnesota architect Clarence Johnston, the building was originally home to Summit School, a K–12 college preparatory school for girls. For over five decades—until its 1969 merger with St. Paul Academy—it served as a cornerstone of academic excellence and innovation.
That merger gave rise to the school we know today: St. Paul Academy and Summit School.
Community at the Heart
From the very beginning, this school was built through the determination and generosity of its community. The first headmistress, Sarah Converse, was a driving force—rallying parents, teachers, students, and alumnae to turn a shared dream into reality.
Today, we find ourselves in a similar moment of possibility. And once again, we’re turning to our community to help shape the future.
Summit School Class of 1943
Summit School in the Spring
SUPPORTING OUR FACULTY
We are working to be a leader in faculty compensation solutions by investing in a dedicated faculty endowment fund. This endowment, which will increase faculty salaries across all three divisions, will support a robust compensation strategy that will make SPA the best school at which to teach as well as the best school at which to learn.
Our faculty are the heart of the academic experience at SPA, inspiring curiosity, critical thinking, and a love of learning. Your support of the Community Phase will help us attract and retain the exceptional educators that prepare our students to thrive.
“IT ALL STARTS HERE. Our teachers are and always have been the backbone of the SPA experience. This is evident in the respect, trust, and deep affection that our students have for their teachers, both while they are students here and long after they graduate. Those close relationships are the foundation of our success as a school and as a human enterprise, and supporting our teachers in their work and in their lives is critical to the long-term health of the institution.”
– Dr. Luis Ottley, Head of School
