During our school days, most of us just listened to lectures and memorized facts and figures. That approach to lessons is foreign to the students of Principia School. Rote learning has been left in the past to focus on an innovative approach to education and character formation. Located in Town and Country, the private day and boarding school serves students in preschool through grade 12, and it’s on the forefront of changes in educational methods and techniques. The school empowers students to lead their own education through project-based and integrated learning.
Principia’s approach to education is centered on five main formative aspects: the spiritual, intellectual, physical, moral and social. This whole-person approach encourages students to strive to reach their highest potential. “When you come to Principia, you can’t be just one thing,” new head of school Terry Grigsby explains. “Our students aren’t just athletes or scholars. We want them to develop their character as well as gain the skills needed to succeed in secondary school and beyond.” Students are empowered to take control of their own learning through experiential lessons. These hands-on projects foster engagement in core concepts while developing important skills like critical thinking, communication and innovation.
Principia’s whole-person approach also benefits students outside of the classroom. Athletics director Shawn Brown notes that student athletes strive for excellence beyond simply winning. With the motto “high-minded hard-fighting,” the program is dedicated to helping develop grit, character, sportsmanship and leadership on and off the field. “The objective of many competitive sports is to win, but we emphasize our athletes also have purpose when they play,” he says. “It’s not just preparing for a competition. We have an opportunity for physical, intellectual, moral and spiritual development. If you look at sports as merely a winner-loser dichotomy, you lose sight of just how powerful athletics can be.”
Students at Principia are inspired to look beyond themselves, whether it’s offering empathy and respect for opponents on the field or inspiring civic engagement through hands-on projects. “We want kids to see that they have unlimited potential and understand the impact they can have,” Brown notes. “The betterment of humanity is not something that is often talked about in the athletic space, but our students are inspired to push themselves to uplift others even in the spirit of competition.” The result is well-rounded character development that pushes young people from being passive receptacles to active participants in all aspects of their educational experience.
With his first academic year as head of school beginning, Grigsby is looking forward to interacting more with students and their families. As a Principia alumnus and parent of current students, he knows first-hand how impactful the school’s approach to education can be, and he’s thrilled to engage with the community in his new role. “Principia is such a vibrant place, and I’m excited for the students to return to campus,” he notes. “This amazing community can change lives. Our students are dedicated to good—whether that’s being a good leader, good thinker, good friend or good citizen. That’s the Principia difference.”
Located in Town and Country, Principia School is a coeducational day and boarding school grounded on the teachings of Christian Science, welcoming students of all backgrounds. Pictured on the cover: Head football coach Maty Mauk with student-athletes. For more information, call 314.434.2100 or visit principiaschool.org.
Cover design by Julie Streiler
Cover photo courtesy of Principia School
Pictured at the top: Students engage in hands-on learning in Principia’s state-of-the-art Idea Lab.
Photo courtesy of Principia School