Facts At-a-Glance

Seventy-eight percent of the Upper School faculty and nearly 56 percent of the faculty school-wide hold advanced degrees. Faculty members are life-long learners and model this enthusiasm for learning in and out of the classroom.

St. David's is dually accredited by and a member of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) and the Southern Association of Independent Schools (SAIS). We are also a member of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), the National Association of Episcopal Schools (NAES) and the Educational Review Board (ERB).

The school's motto: “Fides, Virtus, Scientia” translates to “Faith, Virtue, Knowledge” and comes from the Latin text of 2 Peter 1:5: "Curam omnem subinferentes ministrate in fide vestra virtutem, in virtute autem scientiam" meaning "And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;" (KJV)

These core elements are central to a St. David's education and are prominently represented in the school's seal and shield.

The white cross in the blue field represents Faith, the scales of justice represent Virtue and two books represent Knowledge.

The book facing up represents knowledge gained by general revelation and the book facing down represents knowledge gained by divine revelation. The open and faced down books were used by Harvard University in their crest for its first 200 years of existence to represent the dynamic relationship between reason and divine revelation.

The bright light encompassing the seal represents the glory of the Lord (Psalm 36:9, "In thy light, we see light.").

In a 2023 refresh of the school's logos, the shield was updated and streamlined while maintaining all the elements of the former school shield and seal—the cross (faith), scales of justice (virtue), and books (knowledge) as well as the rays (representing the glory of God) which are featured in the school’s seal.

A second logo was created to reach a broader market with a bold design. This eye-catching D features an interesting graphic element. A close study reveals that the line in the downstroke of the D is the shape of the shield, tying a graphically interesting design to the rich and meaningful history of our school. 

The patron saint of Wales, David was the first of the saints of Britain to be formally canonized. Born in the 6th century to a Christian family of royal lineage, he received a monastic education and was thrust into national leadership at a young age when he was selected to become the Archbishop of Wales. He was recognized for his eloquent defense of Christianity, his outwardly visible life of piety, and his passion to serve the Lord.

Saint David exemplified the ideals of faith, virtue, and knowledge from youth to adulthood, and thus, serves as the embodiment of what we seek in a name and mission as an independent Episcopal school.

Saint David’s life is commemorated each year in the Anglican Church calendar on March 1, called St. David's Day. We, too, remember him in a special chapel service each year.

Board of Trustees

St. David’s is fortunate to have a dedicated Board of Trustees who oversee the school’s administration, set operating policies, and ensure the financial viability and integrity of the institution. They have oversight of the headmaster who reports directly to the Board of Trustees and serves as the school’s CEO.

Our Trustees come from diverse backgrounds and serve independently and on a volunteer basis to shape the future of the school and its role in the Raleigh community. Members are nominated by fellow board members and others in the St. David’s community. The Board currently consists of nine trustees and is overseen by a chairperson.

Head of School

Historically, the headmaster was, in fact, the Head Master-Teacher of the independent school. In the English public schools of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, schools were frequently administered by the faculty who elected the headmaster from among the corps of Master-Teachers. The head of school of the modern independent school serves as the school’s CEO and is the only employee of the school who answers directly to the Board of Trustees. The head of school has complete authority over the administration of the school’s policies, resources, faculty, and staff.