MEMPHIS, Tenn — St. Mary’s Episcopal School in Memphis has launched a $10 million campaign to renovate and expand its campus, including a library honoring teacher Eliza Fletcher, who was killed in September 2022 while on a morning run.
School leaders said ‘Liza’s Library’ will honor her lifelong love of learning, and foster each student’s passion for reading.
“Liza loved teaching and took pride in helping kids be their best. She always connected with the children who were struggling to read,” said Richie Fletcher, Liza’s husband. “Liza had a defiant hope in Memphis and in her students. I hope and pray Liza’s Library is a place where girls are inspired to be a light in our community.”
The ‘Light, Life, and Legacy’ campaign includes renovations and a 9,000 square-foot expansion for Moss Hall, which will house the library, a MakerSpace and science classroom, a nursery for faculty children, an art gallery, school store, and more. The school said spaces for STEM courses will be upgraded with a new science laboratory, and four new classrooms will be added to the Upper School.
The school said as of Jan. 4, 60% of the $10 million has been committed and construction is set to begin this summer, with completion set for August 2025.
“This investment ensures that today’s remarkable girls have the spaces and resources necessary to become tomorrow’s leaders and world changers,” said Head of School Albert Throckmorton. “Thanks to generous donors and friends, St. Mary's can continue to offer a premier educational experience to girls of all ages."