St. Margaret's Episcopal School

St. Margaret's Episcopal School
Address
31641 La Novia San Juan Capistrano , CA United States
Coordinates	33°30′15.2136″N117°39′0.6366″W / 33.504226000°N 117.650176833°W / 33.504226000; -117.650176833
Information
Type	Private College Prep Academy
Established	1979
Founder	Rev. Ernest Sillers
Headmaster	Jeneen Graham
Grades	PreK-12
Gender	co-ed
Color(s)
Nickname	Tartans
Rival	Sage Hill School
Accreditation	WASC, CAIS (2018)
Website	http://www.smes.org

St. Margaret's Episcopal School (SMES) is a selective private, pre-K – 12th grade college preparatory school located in San Juan Capistrano, California. It is a member of the National Association of Episcopal Schools (NAES), the National Association for the Education of Young Children, the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), the Western States Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and the California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS). ^[1]

History

St. Margaret's was founded in 1979 by the Reverend Canon Ernest Sillers. The school began with only 79 students in kindergarten through grade six.^{[ citation needed ]} It was named in honor of the 11th-century Queen Margaret of Scotland, the patron saint of education. The significance of this name is reflected in many St. Margaret's traditions, such as the use of bagpipes in formal ceremonies, along with their athletic team nickname, the Tartans.

St. Margaret's opened an Early Childhood Development Center in 1981 and its high school in 1982. By 1985, students were enrolled in grade levels preschool through 12. ^[2]

In 1986, St. Margaret's brought in Markham B. Campaigne as its second headmaster. During his 17-year tenure, St. Margaret's grew to serve over 1,200 students and expanded to a 20-acre (81,000 m²) campus. It is now included in Princeton Review's top 444 private schools in the United States book. ^[3]

In 2004, Marcus Hurlbut became the new Headmaster of SMES. In 2013, William Moseley became headmaster.^{[ citation needed ]} Dr. Jeneen Graham became the next Head of School on July 1, 2023.

Academics

St. Margaret's offers courses in core subjects, as well as other subjects through electives. Theater, art, music and other subjects are available to be taken in addition to the main subject. There are 26 Advanced Placement courses offered in history, math, science, art, language, theatre, music and other subjects. In addition to Advanced Placement (AP) courses, St. Margeret's offers honors courses throughout their various subjects. The variety of courses gives students the opportunity to excel to the best of their ability. ^[4] As of 2025, the school is ranked as the #1 Christian high school in Greater Los Angeles. ^[5]

Athletics

St. Margaret's sports teams are called the Tartans, and they compete as members of the Orange Coast League in the CIF Southern Section.

Campus

In 2007, St. Margaret's completed construction on the DeYoung Family Math and Science Center. In 2011, St. Margaret's constructed a performing arts center, which includes the Hurlbut Theater and houses the music, dance, and theatre departments. A new middle school was constructed in 2015. The campus covers a span of 22 acres.

St. Margaret's has 2 gyms: the Campaigne Center, used by lower schoolers, and the Pasternack Field House, used by middle and upper schoolers. The Pasternack Field House was completed in 2007. There is a middle school field and a main football field, used by members of the high school. In 2022, plans were released for a new student commons, which would include a renovated weight room and cafeteria.

References

1. "SMES Review". Private School Review.
2. "About SMES". SMES Website. St. Margaret's Episcopal School.
3. "NPS Focus", San Juan Capistrano Patch, Patch Network, retrieved May 9, 2012
4. "SMES Review". Private School Review.
5. "Niche Review". Niche.

External links

• St. Margaret's Episcopal School Website
• 2007 St. Margaret's Episcopal School Educator of Distinction by the National Society of High School Scholars