Coming in Fall 2026...

Just over a year ago, we celebrated our ISACS accreditation, a testament to our collective commitment to excellence and our Sacred Heart mission. Alongside the many commendations about our impressive School, our accrediting body also highlighted an opportunity: to envision a clearer, multi-divisional future at Villa. This called our team to reflect upon and evaluate our structure and the needs of our students and families, with a particular focus on our thriving Middle School program. We asked ourselves: how can we build upon the success of our all-girls seventh and eighth grades and create an even more transformative Middle School experience? 

The answer is an intentional, research-driven investment in Villa's all-girls Middle School program, a comprehensive investment designed to benefit our students immediately, add value to our families, and strengthen our community. We are creating:

• A Distinct Middle School Division for grades 6, 7, and 8  with a dedicated Middle School Principal;
• An Innovative Academic Program designed to foster confidence, independence, and intellectual curiosity in adolescent girls;
• A Beautiful, Purpose-Driven Physical Space tailored to support the developmental stage of Villa’s Middle School students.

Limitless Potential

This initiative aligns perfectly with the Goals and Criteria, particularly Goal 2, which calls for Schools of the Sacred Heart to implement a dynamic curriculum that reflects effective instructional methodology, current educational research, and ongoing evaluation and to utilize space and the physical environment in alignment with best pedagogical practices. We are also guided by our Strategic Plan, which identified the need for more distinction within our Middle School division, and what we learned during our ISACS accreditation process.

This strategic shift is also motivated by the evolving landscape of independent secondary education in St. Louis. With Saint Louis Priory School and De Smet Jesuit introducing sixth-grade entry points for boys next year and the popularity of Chaminade College Prep's sixth-grade entry point, we know that our boys will be leaving Villa after fifth grade. We see these market changes as an opportunity for us to re-envision our sixth grade and create an unparalleled, all-girls middle school experience for sixth, seventh, and eighth grades. Our Lower School team, led by Lower School Principal Mrs. Christine Phillips, will continue to provide exceptional support for our boys as they navigate the secondary school application process during their fifth-grade year.

The middle school will occupy entirely existing spaces and square footage and will reimagine the function, use, and layout of the second floor with best practices in student pedagogy at the forefront of the design process. 

We will continue confidently in the direction of this collaborative vision, drawing on our strengths and addressing areas of challenge. As with all strategic initiatives, this will require the investment and support of our community. Your support allows us to continue to give our students the best possible educational experience. As our plans continue to crystalize, we will bring our community along every step of the way.