Saint Andrew’s School Dedicates Charles and Hagerty Hall, A New Era of Learning Begins

With its soaring light-filled spaces, purpose-built classrooms, and vibrant areas for collaboration, Charles and Hagerty Hall has already begun to reshape the daily experience of Saint Andrew’s Upper School students. 

On Friday, September 26, the school community gathered to take part in a dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony for this remarkable new facility, celebrating both the generosity that made it possible and the vision it represents for the future.

The $25 million, 26,000-square-foot facility opened to students in August and has already begun transforming the Upper School academic experience. Featuring 17 state-of-the-art classrooms, specialized testing spaces, administrative offices, the Stern Family Learning Center, Afsaneh Z. Siadat Faculty Collaboration Center, and the Shibe Flagler Macfarland Family Student Terrace, Charles and Hagerty Hall was designed to meet the needs of today’s learners while preparing them for the future.

Friday’s dedication program included remarks from Head of Upper School Paul Beekmeyer, Head of School Ethan Shapiro, and Board of Trustees Chair Michael Goodman. School Chaplain Father Ben Anthony offered a blessing, and the Lower School Tartan Singers performed the alma mater before the official ribbon cutting. Guests then enjoyed refreshments and self-guided tours of the facility.

“Moments such as this cause me to reflect on the history of the school and inspire in me tremendous admiration for the men and women who came before us and had the vision, dedication, faith, and guts to believe that the world needed a place like Saint Andrew’s School and none of it would be possible without the continued generosity of people equally as passionate and committed to seeing this school thrive, our donors,” said Head of School Ethan Shapiro.   

Charles and Hagerty Hall stands as a tribute not only to modern learning but also to the school’s enduring history. It expands upon the legacy of Rooks Hall, Saint Andrew’s first major academic building, which opened in 1963 and served generations of students for more than six decades. The new facility continues that legacy with a renewed sense of purpose, ensuring that each space is designed to inspire discovery, creativity, and collaboration.

The project was made possible through the generosity of the Charles and Hagerty Families, together with leadership gifts from the Siadat/Britton Family, the Stern Family, the Macfarland Family, the Kaiden/Robinson Family, the Scott Family Foundation, and the Metz Family. Their collective vision reflects a purposeful investment in both educational excellence and the professional growth of faculty.

“A building matters because of what happens inside it. In rooms like these, students find mentors, test ideas, learn to listen, and learn to lead. Teachers collaborate, share their best thinking, and lift one another up. That is what the Charles and Hagerty Hall is for,” said Board of Trustees Chair Michael Goodman. “To our students, use this place well. To our teachers, may it serve your craft. To our donors and friends, thank you for your trust.”

With its dedication complete, Charles and Hagerty Hall now stands as both a tribute to the past and a bold step into the future that advances our mission of Mind, Body, and Spirit while fostering innovation, collaboration, and academic excellence for generations to come.

Click here to watch a recap video from the dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony. 

Read the remarks made at the dedication.