About Us
St. Anne’s-Belfield is located in Charlottesville, Virginia, in the shadow of the University of Virginia. Our students benefit from living in a small town community while also having access to all of the resources afforded one of the top universities in the United States.
Head of School
Dr. Autumn A. Graves
Location
Charlottesville and Albemarle County, Virginia
Association
Non-denominational/ independent
Accreditation
Southern Association of Independent Schools (SAIS)
By the Numbers
- 33%of Students Receive Financial Aid
- 72%of faculty hold advanced degrees
- 9:1student to teacher ratio
- 993Total Students
- 16countries and 16 U.S. states in the student body
- 20Advanced Placement (AP) exams offered
- 14average class size
- Top K – 12school in Virginia Living “Best of Virginia”
- 4213living alumni in 49 countries
- 51sports teams
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the St. Anne’s-Belfield School mission?
Mission Statement
“We wish our students to become strong in body, broad of mind, tender of heart, responsive in soul.” – Mary Hyde DuVal, Founding Headmistress
Core Purpose
St. Anne’s-Belfield School aims to inspire and prepare the next generation of exemplary citizens and visionary leaders.
What are the St. Anne’s-Belfield School core values?
- Integrity
- Curiosity
- Diversity
- Creativity
- Agency
- Impact
Portrait of a Graduate
Portrait of a 2036 Graduate
The Portrait of a 2036 Graduate is an articulation of the habits, mindsets, and skill sets that St. Anne’s-Belfield School believes are essential for our graduates in the present and the future. With the first phase completed in 2023-24, it is an aspirational document and applicable in an age-appropriate manner for our entire student population, from age 2 to Grade 12. The date, 2036, symbolically represents the year that the then-Kindergarten students will walk the stage at Commencement. The Portrait ties together the St. Anne’s-Belfield School mission, vision, and core values. We believe that all of our students should become exemplary citizens, as stated in our school vision statement. We define exemplary citizens as those who are strong in body, broad of mind, tender of heart, and responsive in soul, as articulated in our mission. The Portrait of a 2036 Graduate further explores how we define these ideas and our expectations for our students as they grow into exemplary citizens. Each of the School’s six core values (integrity, curiosity, diversity, creativity, agency, and impact) is found in these definitions
What local school do students typically come from?
St. Anne’s-Belfield School students came here from a range of other schools/educational providers, the following being the top based on current and past student enrollment (listed in alphabetical order).
Private/Independent Schools
- Charlottesville Catholic School
- Charlottesville Day School
- The Covenant School
- Field School of Charlottesville
- First Presbyterian Pre-School
- Free Union Country School
- Grymes Memorial School
- Montessori Schools
- Peabody School
- Regents School of Charlottesville
- Renaissance School
- Tandem Friends School
- Village School
- Waldorf School
Public Schools
- Albemarle High School
- Buford Middle School
- Burley Middle School
- Cale Elementary School
- Charlottesville High School
- Fluvanna County High School
- Henley Middle School
- Jack Jouett Middle School
- Meriwether Lewis Elementary School
- Monticello High School
- Murray Elementary School
- Venable Elementary School
- Walker Upper Elementary School
- Western Albemarle High School
What is the history of St. Anne’s-Belfield School?
St. Anne’s-Belfield School is a best-in-class, co-educational independent school in Charlottesville, Va. serving students age 2 through Grade 12. The School’s present structure is the result of the merger of St. Anne’s School, a girls’ boarding school founded in 1910 by the Reverend Dr. Henry Bedinger Lee, rector of Christ Church (Episcopal) of Charlottesville, and Belfield School, a co-educational elementary school established in 1955. Situated on two campuses totaling more than 50 acres, St. Anne’s-Belfield School graduated its first class in 1974. While an interfaith Chapel remains one of the School’s most treasured traditions, the School is no longer affiliated with the Episcopal church or any particular religion.
What is the St. Anne’s-Belfield School philosophy?
We at St. Anne’s-Belfield School believe that our students will become exemplary citizens and visionary leaders because of the inspiration of exceptional teachers and the nourishment of every child’s innate curiosity. Our mission is to feed this curiosity through exceptional, innovative teaching and learning in an intentional age 2 through Grade 12 community in which close relationships provide the foundation for achievement and where every child is known well. Curiosity — that desire to grow, know, ask, create, and solve — is both the fuel of learning and an essential ingredient to success in an ever-changing world; it must be encouraged from the earliest years and throughout life. Our goal is to nourish our students’ curiosity about themselves, their world, and the diverse people around them, in an educational experience that inspires, challenges, and stimulates innovative, empathetic, and creative thought. We pose compelling questions and seek answers through inquiry, application of core skills, development of essential habits, thoughtful reflection, collaboration with others, and the appropriate use of technology. The questions we ask and the answers we seek reflect our commitment to the cultivation of responsible, honorable behavior and to a mindfulness of the needs of others.
We strive to equip our students with the knowledge, skills, habits, and attitudes that will allow them to pursue their dreams in a rapidly changing and increasingly technological world, and to be exemplary citizens in life and work. Ours is a challenging yet charitable community distinguished by superior instruction that is cutting edge and student driven; by exceptionally knowledgeable and highly-trained teachers; and by an environment that exalts growth over grades by providing a culture of intellectual candor and rich feedback. Our community strives for excellence in all aspects of School life and encourages students to discover and develop empathy, diversity of perspective, adaptability, flexibility, resilience, agency, self-efficacy, and inventiveness. We embrace uncompromisingly high expectations for ethical, selfless behavior and hold firmly to our commitment to inclusion, civility, and kindness.
Inclusive Excellence
St. Anne’s-Belfield School believes that exemplary citizenship and visionary leadership are best nurtured in a welcoming School community based on equity, inclusivity, and the pursuit of excellence. Our School strives to provide a well-balanced educational experience that affirms the richness and diversity of humanity, creates an expectation of belonging based on shared human dignity, and encourages a desire to learn about and from each other.
What is the oldest tradition at St. Anne’s-Belfield School?
Chapel is the oldest continuous tradition of St. Anne’s-Belfield School, reflecting the history of the School’s founding by the Episcopal Church in 1910. The School is independent of any specific faith, and while our Chapel program is rooted in the Episcopal tradition, our community is inclusive of all faiths, backgrounds, and beliefs.
All St. Anne’s-Belfield School community members share the common experience of attending Chapel services. Students and faculty gather around a personal reflection from a community member that opens a window into the diverse perspectives and experiences of others, inspires introspection, sparks thoughtful dialogue, or offers a moral lesson. Student-centered voice, in developmentally-appropriate ways, lies at the heart of the Chapel experience.
Across the divisions, three guideposts shape the Chapel experience: the spiritually rooted tradition of our service, the heartfelt community focus of our reflections, readings, and music, and a warm openness to spiritual diversity and belonging in our outlook. In the midst of the busyness of school life, Chapel gives us a place to nurture the fullness of Mary Hyde DuVal’s mission: “We wish our students to be strong in body, broad of mind, tender of heart, and responsive in soul.”
What are other important traditions and values?
Honor Code: The Honor Code simply states: “A student is not to lie, cheat or steal.” Honorable behavior is the standard for all conduct and is encouraged and nurtured at all ages. While dishonorable behavior is not tolerated, we judge each case individually and presume each student has acted honorably unless proven otherwise. Please see Honor Code section for division-specific information.
Community Meetings and Assemblies: One of the School’s most cherished attributes is its sense of community. In addition to Chapel, students and faculty meet in a variety of ways, including Morning Meeting (age 2 – Grade 4), Community Time (K – Grade 4), Community Meeting (Grades 5 – 8), Advisory (Grades 5 – 12), Community Meetings and Forums (Grades 9 – 12), and more.
Student Activities & Organizations: A variety of activities are available for students who want to pursue interests or passions. In the past, offerings have included Saints Beyond the Classroom (SBC) Classes, theatre productions, Girls on the Run, Legner Library Club, student government, and a variety of Upper School clubs, organizations, and leadership positions. Opportunities vary by year and division and are communicated to parents and students as they become available throughout the year.
Sandbox Kids: The term “sandbox kid” is defined as a student who started their time at St. Anne’s-Belfield School in the Early Childhood Program (Two-Year-Olds, Pre-School, and Junior Kindergarten) or Kindergarten and has been enrolled at the School for 12 or more years.