McCuan House - New Dorm

Head of School Margaret R. Broad; Patrick, Jill and Megan McCuan; and Tappahannock Mayor Roy M. Gladding cut a tartan ribbon held by School President Kris Price ’06 and Head Boarding Prefect Abbey Potter ’06 to officially open McCuan House on September 3.

“Today we realize a dream that we have cherished since we developed our campus master plan nearly five years ago,” Mrs. Broad said. “Many of us stood here last October to break ground. And today, McCuan House–our first new dormitory in 50 years–is home to 24 students and 3 faculty families.”

SMS administrators designed the building to provide a homelike environment in which girls can learn life lessons. In addition, the modern, well-equipped residence allows SMS to remain competitive for the best students and faculty.

As is customary, the new dormitory was named for lead donors Patrick and Jill McCuan, parents of Megan, a 2004 SMS graduate. Additional funding was provided by The Mary Morton Parsons Foundation, The Scott Foundation, Church Schools in the Diocese of Virginia, and parents, alumnae and friends.

The biggest gift in St. Margaret’s history soon will have the school breaking ground in more ways than one. That’s because it’s making possible the construction of a new, 24-student dormitory that will transform residential living and learning.

“We are incredibly grateful to our donors, Patrick and Jill McCuan, for the generosity that makes this opportunity possible, and for the challenge they have given all of us to help St. Margaret’s rise to the next level,” said Head of School Margaret R. Broad.

The McCuans, parents of three-year boarding student Megan ’04, chaired the 03-04 Parent Council. They have agreed to give St. Margaret’s $750,000 toward the building’s estimated $1.5 million cost, provided that other donors match their contribution. Plans call for a groundbreaking in the fall so McCuan House can open for the 2005-2006 school year.

While the project is moving quickly, Mrs. Broad said, it’s important to note that residential life was a key component of the campus master plan that the SMS Board of Governors approved in early 2002 to guide the school’s facility use and development.

“We’re taking the first step toward offering living environments that mirror the intimate scale of our academic program,” she explained. It’s a strategy that will further our ability to provide an ‘education for life,’ which is our mission. We also expect it will help us remain competitive for the best students and faculty.”

Only five boarding beds will be added once the dorm opens, Mrs. Broad stressed. The number of students living in Latané Hall will be decreased, which will open up rooms that day students can use to study or stay overnight.

The new building will be located parallel to Duke Street in front of Anderton House, where school vehicles currently are parked. It was sited specifically to preserve as many of the school’s ancient trees as possible, including the Bishop Meade Cedar and the Gingko.

To ensure that the building is compatible with adjacent colonial and antebellum structures, the project team took the extra step of consulting with an historical architect. Plans call for the two-story building to feature white clapboards, dark grey shingles and dark green shutters. Details like pillared porticos and front porches create a further relationship with older school buildings.

In addition to six student suites with attached baths, McCuan House features high quality faculty housing in the form of two 2-bedroom apartments and a 3-bedroom, 2-story townhouse. A great room, family room and study enhance the homelike setting and foster student-faculty interaction.

To learn how you can support this project, please contact SMS Development Director Sarah Wilson at 804-443-3357 or swilson@sms.org Two other SMS parents also played key roles in McCuan House’s construction. General contractor Ken Miller of Miller Brothers is the father of Taylor ’07. Electrical contractor Chris Fisher of W.A. Fisher, Inc., was assisted by his daughter Blair ’04, an engineering student at Virginia Tech. Summer work on campus also included remodeling the Pettigrew Hall faculty apartments, sprucing up common areas in Anderton House, and renovating historic Brockenbrough House, which once again is home to admission and marketing offices. :