Our History

St. Andrew’s was founded in 1952, with a $4,000 loan and a big dream to become the school for “all of Austin.” St. Andrew’s was initially located temporarily in a house on Pearl Street, serving 1st-3rd grades in the West Campus area of central Austin.  In 1957, property became available, and funds were raised to purchase the land.

And here begins the story of the yellow shovel. 

Bishop Scott Field Bailey, one of our founding Episcopal priests, used this yellow shovel to break ground on our new Lower School Building on West 31st Street in 1957. Since that time, this shovel has broken ground on every capital project at St. Andrew’s – from the Lower School expansions to the addition of the Middle School, gymnasiums, Chapel, our kindergarten building, Eleanor Hall, and our entire Upper School campus.

On August 30, 2024, we once again used the yellow shovel to bless the ground where our new Athletics Complex & Student Union will rise. We’d like to think that the first blessing by Bishop Bailey in 1957 continues to provide hope, resilience, and inspiration as we dig a new chapter in the life of St. Andrew’s Episcopal School.