The StG Blog

Established in 2013 through the generosity of Bruce and Lynn Lelong, the Betsey King Award for Faculty Excellence honors those who make a difference in their students’ lives each day through expertise, dedication, and an unwavering commitment to our mission. Congratulations to this year's recipient, Lindsey McConnell!

The St. George's community came together on Tuesday, December 18, 2024, to celebrate our annual Service of Lessons and Carols at St. George's Episcopal Church. Read Dr. Kreutziger's opening remarks in this blog post and view photos from the event.

Congratulations to FLL robotics qualifying tournament champions, St. George’s 7th and 8th grade team, the STEMgineers! They, along with the 5th and 6th grade RoboDragons, have advanced to the state tournament in January 2025.

St. George's nationally recognized expertise in the Project Approach extends into Lower and Middle School; while projects are connected to curriculum standards, student interests, leadership and curiosity continue to be a priority—just as in Early Childhood.

St. George's is known and recognized as New Orleans's educational leader in literacy instruction. The insights gained from understanding the Science of Reading have not only transformed our approach to literacy education in our reading groups but also strengthened our commitment to providing every child with the tools they need to succeed. In this post, we are excited to share with you what we have learned about the Science of Reading.

This is the final installment (8th grade) in a series of three new StG blog posts that introduce us to “Joey K.,” none other than Dr. Joe Kreutziger, our Head of School! Characterized as, “The three best days of the year,” Dr. K transformed into Joey K. this school year—a new St. George’s student experiencing a day in the life of our Pre-K4, 4th grade and 8th grade students.

This is the second installment (4th grade) in a series of three new StG blog posts that introduce us to “Joey K.,” none other than Dr. Joe Kreutziger, our Head of School! Characterized as, “The three best days of the year,” Dr. K transformed into Joey K. this school year—a new St. George’s student experiencing a day in the life of our Pre-K4, 4th grade and 8th grade students.

The first installment in a series of three new StG blog posts introduces us to “Joey K.,” none other than Dr. Joe Kreutziger, our Head of School! Characterized as, “The three best days of the year,” Dr. K transformed into Joey K. this school year—a new St. George’s student experiencing a day in the life of our Pre-K4, 4th grade and 8th grade students.

When reduced to its essence, JEDI at StG is belonging. It is ensuring and reinforcing that every child feels safe, valued, included and supported at St. George’s. As parents, this gives us the confidence that each of our children is loved for who they are and feels a sense of belonging every day they walk through the doors of their classes. Our faculty, staff and administration do a wonderful job of weaving the principles of JEDI into the fabric of StG, of instilling in our children the values that recognize the dignity and worth of every human being. 

The evening's program included scripture readings, performances by 1st-4th grade singers and 6th and 8th grade Orff music students and celebrations of our Lelong Family Betsey King Award recipient and faculty and staff reaching 10, 20 and 30 years of service to the school.

You never know what small gifts you give will make the biggest difference.

JEDI at St. George's refers to our community's work for justice, equity, diversity and inclusion. In our first blog post of the 2022-2023 school year, Dr. Veronica Gillispie-Bell—trustee, parent and JEDI Task Force chair—reminds us that, "Change requires us to get uncomfortable," but also that, "We cannot exercise our core values (perseverance, integrity, respect and compassion) without also making St. George's a place where everyone feels them."

St. George's 5th graders visited the Tate, Etienne & Prevost Interpretive Center this week and received an opportunity to tour with, interview and learn from Leona Tate, one of the three girls to integrate what was then McDonogh 19 Elementary School (now the TEP Center). Dr. Kreutziger recounts the trip and the students' valuable experience, as well as Ms. Tate's challenge to stay positive and focused.

Today's blog post by StG parent and Registered Dietician Nutritionist Julie Canseco provides a plethora of recommendations and ideas to answer the age-old question of, "What should I pack my kid for lunch today?" 

Kate Remillard, incoming Interim Director of Lower School, writes about her journey to teaching and introduces Growing Minds, an initiative driven by St. George's educators with a goal "to expand our knowledge and use of books that reflect a diverse racial, cultural or religious perspective, as well as those that feature characters with different intellectual and physical abilities or unique social-emotional struggles. Our name, Growing Minds, comes from the idea that we have so much to gain from taking a peek into another's perspective and seeing our own perspectives reflected back to us. This is how we grow our minds and open our thoughts to the world around us."

Dr. Kreutziger recounts a busy but magical Mardi Gras Friday at St. George's: "Masks off and guard down, right now I choose to embrace a Mardi Gras and a city and our school resuming the traditions and culture that make us uniquely special. This day, none of it needed to be reimagined or curtailed. Perhaps last Friday afforded me such joy because of what I’d forgotten—or more precisely, what I’ve been missing for too long."

St. George's parent, trustee and JEDI Task Force member Jonathan Leit has authored this incredibly meaningful post, which also includes a must-watch video interview component. The interviewee and subject of his writing is Leona Tate, who in 1960, with Gail Etienne and Tessie Prevost, desegregated McDonogh 19 in the Lower 9th Ward at 6 years of age and later joined Ruby Bridges at William Frantz Elementary School in 4th grade.

What I love about StG is that our students are never defined in a singular way. They are more than their gifts and certainly more than any challenges they face, whether it be a learning disability or anything else. The acceptance, support and compassion that the faculty and student body share allows for real embodiment of “well-rounded” — not a student who is athletic, intelligent and artistic, but a student who is confident and knows how they learn best and can thrive in any setting beyond our 'casita' on Napoleon Avenue, whose magic comes from the faculty behind the doors of each classroom.

JEDI work at St. George’s is ingrained in so much that we do on a regular, daily basis. The goals of fostering a sense of belonging for each and every student and sharing new and different perspectives are especially embedded within our school’s emphasis on project work. Today’s blog post, written by StG Project Coach Rebecca Teall, connects the importance of trust, connections, communication and inquiry to project-based learning and community within the classroom and school.

December is a month of celebration! At St. George’s, as we embrace justice, equity, diversity and inclusion, we honor the diversity of religious beliefs in our community. We believe that our school is a place of belonging. We encourage you to read and learn about faiths that may be different from your own and celebrate with them throughout the month of December.