About St. John's
History of St. John's
Since 1961
What began in 1961 as four teachers and a few dozen children in a church basement has grown into a PreK–8 school that has educated generations of Olney families — and still holds to the purpose it was founded on.
Our roots
A School Born of a Historic Parish
St. John’s Episcopal School grew out of one of the oldest congregations in Montgomery County. St. John’s Episcopal Church was built between 1842 and 1845 on land donated by Ignatius and Eliza Waters, and was consecrated in 1845. In 1910 the church was moved to its present site, set on a fieldstone foundation, and given its three-story bell tower and pointed-arch stained glass windows. Today it is the oldest Episcopal church building in continuous use in the county.
More than a century after the church was built, its rector, the Reverend James Valliant, and the church Vestry saw a new way to serve the growing Olney community. That being St. John’s Episcopal school.
The founding
From a Church Basement to a Classroom of Our Own
St. John’s Episcopal School was founded in 1961 as an outreach to the greater Olney community. It opened in September 1961 in the basement of St. John’s Church with four teachers, 26 students in grades one through four, and a secretary. The school was funded by the St. John’s Church Vestry, which appointed a Board of Trustees to govern the school and ensure its educational, financial, and spiritual success.
Reverend Valliant set out a clear purpose: “to send forth well-balanced individuals — disciplined, courteous, and self-reliant — generously equipped with academic knowledge.” He believed that knowledge should be “imparted within the climate of a warm, Christian experience.”
“A thorough training in the fundamentals within a Christian environment.”
— St. John's Parish School booklet, 1963
The first five years
Small Classes, High Standards, and Rapid Growth
Following the practice of Episcopal day schools across the country, St. John's offered a well-balanced curriculum taught by well-qualified teachers in small classes. Families responded quickly, and in just five years the young school grew from four grades to nine.
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1961
Doors Open
Students in grades 1 through 4 begin classes in the remodeled Sunday School rooms of the church hall.
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1963
Enrollment Triples
Just two years in, 90 students fill classes from kindergarten through 6th grade, and the church hall rooms grow cramped.
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1964
Room to Grow
Seventh grade is added, and plans move ahead for a new ten-room building adjoining the church hall.
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1965
K–8 A complete schoolEighth Grade Arrives
With eighth grade added, St. John's offers a full elementary and middle school education under one roof.
Faith and community today
Still a Ministry of St. John's Church
Chapel and Christian Education
The church's Associate Rector serves as school chaplain, and the Rector and Associate Rector together guide the school's Christian education curriculum.
Pastoral Care
Church clergy offer pastoral support to students and families whenever it is needed, just as the parish has since the school's first day.
Serving Our Neighbors
Church and school share outreach, from the food pantry to donation drives and partnerships that support vulnerable families across the county.
Governance
How St. John's Is Governed
The School Board of Trustees has been closely connected to the Church Vestry since the school’s earliest days. The Reverend James Valliant served as the first Chair of the Board. When the Reverend Jack Scott succeeded him as Rector, he also first served as Chair. As the demands of the role grew, Reverend Scott became Vice-Chair and handed the chairmanship to an elected Board member.
Today the Board of Trustees serves as the governing body of St. John’s School, working within the same framework as independent school boards across the country. Its policies and procedures follow guidelines from the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), the Association of Independent Maryland Schools (AIMS), and the National Association of Episcopal Schools (NAES).
The Board is responsible for the general well-being and financial integrity of the school, and for hiring and supervising the Head of School. The Head of School implements the Board’s policies and runs the school’s day-to-day operations.
Trustees are elected by the Board and approved by the Vestry of St. John’s Church. The Vestry, as the school’s sole incorporated entity, holds all legal and fiscal responsibility for the school and approves its yearly budget, and is in turn responsible to the Episcopal Diocese of Washington. Two Vestry members serve on the Board, and the Rector of the Church serves as Vice-Chair. Trustees serve a three-year term and may be elected to a second.
Do You Have a Piece of Our History?
We'd love to see photos, yearbooks, and memories from alumni and families of every era. Help us tell the full story of St. John's.