The St. Austin School emphasizes joy. You can hear it in the singing that comes from the corridors. You can see it in the gait of the children as they skip down the hall. “It feels more like family here,” says headmistress Gerry Dolan, who has led the school since it opened in 2011. Currently, there are 70 students in grades pre-kindergarten through eighth, which means everyone knows everyone. “At recess, it looks more like a family barbecue,” says admissions director Danielle Morgenthaler. “Everyone plays together.”
The school offers a classical program of primary education “grounded in the intellectual and spiritual wealth of the Catholic faith.” Dolan says its mission ‘to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ’ is taken from St. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. “We wish to develop the natural love of God in the hearts of the children so that they seek Him above all things. Christ is at the center of all we do,” Dolan explains. “We recognize that we all are created in God’s image and believe our role is to help form character in each child so that he/she will develop sound judgment and self-mastery.” The Chaplaincy Program is provided by Benedictine monks from Saint Louis Abbey, and every day begins and ends with prayer.
Dolan says the academic curriculum is rigorous, and because classes are small, with 17 students at most, teachers know each child’s learning style and what motivates them. “We keep the bar just above their heads so they are always reaching for it,” Dolan explains. The school has an interdisciplinary approach to learning, which means that the different academic subjects echo and complement each other as much as possible. In addition to the core subjects, Latin and Spanish also are taught. Children learn Biblical Hebrew to enhance their study of scripture.
Because it firmly holds to the Catholic conviction that parents are the first and most enduring educators of their children, the school works collaboratively with families. “When parents drop their children off at school in the morning, they want to feel secure in the knowledge that their child will be influenced by someone they trust,” Dolan says. “At St. Austin, we seek to assist parents in passing on their religious and moral values by promoting a consistent message at school.”
Morgenthaler says the school’s small size and emphasis on goodness means that kindness is central here. “We talk about virtues all the time, and that way, discipline issues can be headed off at the pass,” she says.
For now, the school is located in Assumption Greek Orthodox Church in Town & Country, but it’s looking for a new home. “This will allow us to double our numbers,” Dolan says, adding that they will likely never go higher than 150. “Small is good. We’re one, big, loving family,” she concludes.
Pictured: Headmistress Gerry Dolan and students
Photo: Bill Barrett
The St. Austin School is an independent school devoted to a classical education imbued with the Catholic faith. For more information, call 314.580.2802 or visit saintaustinschool.org.
Cover design by Julie Streiler | Cover photo by Bill Barrett
