At the St. Austin School in Town & Country, staff and faculty understand the value of collaborating with parents to develop young minds. The elementary and middle school’s mission is to provide rigorous academics that prepare students for the next step in their education—something that can’t be done without everyone pulling toward the same goal.
“This understanding of the importance of family and faculty collaboration is key to helping form our students in Christian virtues and establish the practice of the Catholic faith,” says headmistress Gerry Dolan. “Students get the same message from their parents, faculty and peers—and that message is consistent with learning about science, math, religion, language and history.”
It’s also about learning how to be good, kind and caring citizens. “When you visit St. Austin, you will see students greeting each other and their teachers in the hallways, holding doors open for each other, and thanking teachers at the end of their classes,” Dolan says. “The smiles you see and the joyful spirit that rings throughout the school are contagious.”
The St. Austin School is built on a Benedictine philosophy that puts Christ at the center of everything. It emphasizes a classical education and small class sizes, usually about 15 children per teacher. This means students get the individual attention they need and are as well-grounded in ancient philosophical thought as they are in modern technology. It’s an approach that goes beyond simple memorization into the realm of reasoning and ideas. It also has placed St. Austin in the top 10 percent of schools nationally for standardized test scores in reading and math.
“Ancient philosophers such as Plato, Socrates and Aristotle influenced Western thought,” Dolan explains. “Philosophy is important to the teaching of logic, which supports critical thinking. And Socratic questioning is important to classical education. We want students to deepen their thinking, rather than just have knowledge transmitted to them.”
As a new academic year begins, St. Austin is approaching 100 students and has seen a 20 percent increase in enrollment since last year. Although it’s what Dolan calls a good problem to have, the school is expected to run out of room if enrollment keeps growing at its current pace. But the goal has always been to find a permanent address.
Before it took up residence at Destiny Church a year ago, St. Austin had operated from Assumption Greek Orthodox Church in Des Peres since its inception. “Since 2011, we have partnered with others in the community for shared space, but our growth soon will outstrip the capacity and hospitality of our hosts,” Dolan says.
Ultimately, she would like to see the school situated near the Benedictine monks at Saint Louis Abbey. That way, it would be easier for them to continue officiating the sacraments, celebrating Mass and visiting St. Austin for special events.
Recently, St. Louis Archbishop Robert Carlson officially recognized St. Austin as an independent Catholic school. The ultimate goal is for it to serve about 190 students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. “The St. Austin School was founded to be ‘the best little school in St. Louis,’” Dolan says. “Seven years later, we remain committed to that vision.”
The St. Austin School, an independent Catholic elementary and middle school in Town & Country, is dedicated to helping students learn and grow through classical education. To learn more about the school’s programs, call 314.580.2802 or visit saintaustinschool.org.
Cover design by Allie Bronsky
Cover photos courtesy of the St. Austin School
Pictured above: The most Rev. Robert Carlson with students
