Student Support

At St. Andrew’s, our students are supported in every aspect of school life, from their academic success in the classroom and their athletic ability on the field, to their sense of belonging and their social, emotional, and spiritual growth. Scroll down to learn more about the many ways we support our Lions.
Our support team of nurses, advisors, counselors, learning specialists, and chaplains, among others, are committed to ensuring that students can bring their best selves to school each day. When students need extra help, they receive individualized support grounded in our mission to know and inspire each child. The mindset and strategies applied by our support team are reinforced and enhanced by the professional development our faculty and staff receive in-house through The Center for Transformative Teaching & Learning (CTTL)


List of 4 items.

  • The Center for Transformative Teaching & Learning

    The Center for Transformative Teaching & Learning (CTTL) is the bridge between the latest Mind, Brain, and Education Science research and the teaching practice in our school, as well as primary and secondary schools around the world. One hundred percent of St. Andrew's pre-school through grade 12 faculty is trained by the CTTL in how to read and translate research in the field of Mind, Brain, and Education Science and implement it in their classrooms. This training allows teachers to use research-informed whole-class and personalized strategies to help each student become more confident, efficient, and independent learners throughout their learning journey.
  • College Counseling

    College counseling at St. Andrew’s is a comprehensive four-year process that is managed by two full-time college counselors. The counselors assist students in developing their college lists and in navigating the college search and application process.  The goal of college counseling at St. Andrew’s is to help each student find the right match, the place where the student will find the right environment to learn and prepare for their future.
  • Diversity, Equity, & Belonging

    The Diversity, Equity, and Belonging (DEB) office at St. Andrew’s helps students build knowledge, understanding, and communication around culture and identity. In addition to facilitating assemblies, programs, and other DEB-focused learning opportunities, our six DEB team members also support students individually by helping them advocate for ways to deepen their sense of belonging and ensuring that they feel seen and heard when they feel marginalized. For families, the DEB office can be used as a resource for navigating conversations with their children around their own identity and the identities of others.
  • Health & Wellness

    When students notice they are feeling unwell or when teachers notice when a student seems off, the first stop is the nurse’s office. St. Andrew’s has two nurses, one in the Lower School building and one in the Main Building. The nurses bring compassionate care and attention to the range of ailments that bring students to their doors. Both nurses are critical partners to families, ensuring that students receive prescribed medications throughout the day and staying in touch with families as students navigate chronic health challenges.

    In addition to our school nurses, St. Andrew's student athletes can see our Athletic Trainer for evaluation and treatment of injuries that occur at school. The athletic trainer communicates daily with coaches about the status of injured players, refers student athletes to doctors, and teaches students how to prevent injuries. There is also a team of doctors who support the Athletic Trainer and are available to students.

List of 4 items.

  • Learning Support

    The Education Center at St. Andrew’s is a resource for all students to help build their academic skills and develop strategies to realize their full potential. The Director of the Education Center coaches students on executive functioning skills like time management, study skills, and organization, while also helping them set their own academic goals. Furthermore, the Director of the Education Center summarizes all psychoeducational testing reports into a school plan and works as a liaison with families to apply for accommodations for standardized testing. The Education Center in the main building is available for students who want a quiet space to study or room to collaborate with peers on homework and group projects.

    In the Lower School, all homeroom teachers receive professional development, including Teaching All Kinds of Minds (TAKOM) and the Orton-Gillingham Approach, to help them build scaffolds for all learners in their classrooms. The Lower School Teaching & Learning Strategist is a resource for families as they connect learning behaviors they see at home to learning behaviors exhibited in the classroom.

    Learning support in all divisions is informed by the latest research in Mind, Brain, and Education Science through The Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning (CTTL) at St. Andrew's.
  • Pastoral Care

    St. Andrew’s has two chaplains, one who serves the Lower School and one who supports Middle and Upper School students. The chaplains at St. Andrew’s are resources for all students, families, employees, and even alumni who seek support as they anticipate joyful events or confront life-altering changes. This type of pastoral care is not limited to one faith perspective; the chaplains are available to help families discern their own beliefs and how they can share them with their children during times of change in a developmentally appropriate way.
  • Social and Emotional Support

    St. Andrew’s has two school counselors, one who serves Lower and Middle School students and one who supports Upper School students. The counseling offices in the Lower School and Main Building are safe spaces for students as they navigate challenges with their mental well-being, whether they are in crisis or simply having a bad day. The counselors collaborate with nurses, teachers, learning specialists, administrators, and families to provide the optimal resources and support for students.
  • Support for International Students

    St. Andrew's hosts a small number of international students in the Upper School each year (students on an F1 visa). Students reside in a local homestay, and are supported on-campus by two international student program coordinators, in addition to the Upper School leadership team. Students benefit from guidance about their student visas and other required documentation, support in their adjustment to American school culture and academics, and they enjoy periodic social gatherings throughout the year. 


Student Support Team

Jennifer Shoemaker-Trinh, Director of Learning Support
Glenn Whitman
Director of the Center for Transformative
Teaching and Learning
Danita Salone
Associate Director of
College Counseling
Taniya Williams
Middle School
Diversity Co-Coordinator
Shelley Keneally, RN, BSN
Lower School Nurse
skeneally@saes.org
James Isaacs
Middle and Upper
School Chaplain
Lan Yao
International Student Program Support
Monique Levy
Lower School Learning Specialist
Ian Kelleher
Dreyfuss Chair of Research, Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning
Danielle Collins
Acting Director of Diversity, Equity, and Belonging
dcollins@saes.org
Jocelyn Harris
Middle School Diversity Co-Coordinator
Sean Hurney
Head Certified
Athletic Trainer
Diane Stewart, BSN, RN
Middle and Upper
School Nurse
dstewart@saes.org
Christina Chalmers
Middle & Upper School
Learning Support
Eva Shultis
Associate Director for Research, Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning
Chavonne Primus
Upper School Diversity Co-Coordinator
Sung Hee Kim
Lower School Diversity Co-Coordinator
skim@saes.org

Robin Foreman, LCPC
School Counselor
Sally Slater
Lower School
Chaplain
Amanda Waugh
Librarian & Research Support Team Member
Jonathan Gerelus
Director of
College Counseling
Rob Gamble
Upper School Diversity Co-Coordinator
Christina Kornegay
Lower School Diversity Co-Coordinator
Alexis Friedlander,
LMSW, Lower & Middle School Counselor
Lisa Shambaugh, PDSO, Director of International Student Program
St. Andrew’s Episcopal School is a private, coeducational college preparatory day school for students in preschool (Age 2) through grade 12, located in Potomac, Maryland.