Last December, Mary Elizabeth Grimes replaced Maureen Herrmann as president of Marian Middle School, the city’s only all-girls Catholic middle school. Community members – familiar with Grimes’ extensive background in management, strategic planning, marketing, and fundraising – recommended Grimes to the search committee for the position.
“It was something that was meant to be,” Grimes said. “I don’t feel like I’m working.”
Herrmann served 10 years as president. Grimes reflected on Herrmann’s legacy.
“One of her lasting legacies at Marian is the adoption of the school’s tagline, ‘Educating Girls for Life,’” Grimes said of Herrmann. “Our holistic educational approach provides a solid foundation for our students to build a positive and productive future.”
Grimes wants the community to know that Marian, which she says is “the best kept secret in St. Louis,” is a viable option for their daughter. Marian follows the NativityMiguel model and is one of three middle schools to do so, Grimes said.
Marian provides a faith-based education to underserved girls in fifth through eight grades. Marian’s holistic approach fosters the academic, emotional, spiritual and physical development of each student.
Marian’s small class sizes allows for personalized attention between teachers and students. Students who enter Marian performing below average at admission often make significant gains. And students who remain at Marian almost always leave performing above grade level, Grimes said.
At Marian, students are encouraged to attend “high-performing” high schools and participate in the Graduate Support Program, Grimes said. The program provides academic and financial support to alumnae during their high school careers.
“There aren’t many places where a school says, ‘We will remain committed to your daughter’s education from middle school through college,’” Grimes said.
Marian is tuition-based. On average, it costs $12,000 to educate one Marian girl. Each family is responsible for approximately $400. The remainder is covered through donations from individuals, corporations, grants and foundations, as stated on the school’s website. Annual incomes of Marian families average $$23,900, Grimes said.
Girls from all walks of faith are welcome at Marian. During the 2013-14 school year, Marian served 72 students, 71 percent of whom were African-American. Thirteen percent identified as multiracial and a combined 15 percent of students were Hispanic and Asian. More than half of students resided in St. Louis city and 90 percent qualified for free and reduced lunch, a national indicator of poverty.
In terms of her own legacy at Marian, Grimes will work toward expanding Marian’s base of support “by involving others who want to be part of our growth,” Grimes said.
Grimes has experience in this area. She most recently worked as state director of the Greater Missouri March of Dimes Chapter. In this role, she transformed a “declining organization into a sustainable and operationally efficient organization” within two years, she said.
Grimes was born into a family of educators. Her mother, Lucille, was a teacher and counselor in the St. Louis Public School system. Her older sister, Sheila Grimes Williams, has over 40 years in education and is currently serving as vice president of the Normandy School Board. From her mother and sister, Grimes learned that all children matter. There is special value in educating girls, Grimes said.
“You are impacting generations,” Grimes said. “Once she is educated, she makes more informed decisions that in turn impact her family and community.”
Grimes strongly believes that “we are all teachers,” regardless of one’s educational background. Grimes earned a MBA from Washington University in St. Louis’ Olin Business School. She said it is an interesting turn of events to serve as president of an all-girls middle school having attended the all-girls Spelman College in Atlanta. At Spelman, Grimes obtained a bachelor’s in English and mass communications.
The native St. Louisan lived in Atlanta for 20 years during a time when the city was being run by its first black mayor, the late Maynard Jackson Jr. Jackson, she said, shifted the paradigm for what it meant to have African Americans in leadership roles.
She returned to St. Louis for family-related reasons. She was asked to share her experience as an African-American female professional in St. Louis.
“I have been very blessed to meet and work with a wide range of community and civic leaders, CEOs, entrepreneurs, community organizers and many individuals committed to helping others and making St. Louis a better place to live, work and play,” Grimes said.
“I am proud to be an African-American woman, and I stand on the shoulders of many who sacrificed to make my life possible. I honor them by exhibiting a will to win, the desire to succeed, and the commitment to reach my full potential in every situation.”
Follow this reporter on Twitter: @BridjesONeil.
