Earlier this week, Richmond Magazine published an article about local women who support other Richmond women and address community needs — building a better Richmond in the process. Sponsored with the help of other local businesswomen, the’Bold Women of Richmond’ article will be used to help financially support the 2020 Women’s Build project, overseen by Richmond Metropolitan Habitat for Humanity’s own team of bold women.

One of the recognized women is St Andrews School’s head, Dr. Cyndy Weldon-Lassiter. St. Andrew’s School, which is celebrating its 125th anniversary this year, was started by Grace Arents in 1894 with the purpose of offering space to working-class families.

“We have created a whole-child approach, which includes several key areas of our programming that meet the needs of a child,” says Dr. Weldon-Lassiter, who has been with the school since 2010. “We’re not just thinking about the academic piece, we’re thinking about the social and emotional piece, we think about nutrition and wellness, we think about the performing and visual arts and how that impacts student academics.”

The piece on Dr. Weldon-Lassiter also mentions the COVID-19 pandemic –

“It was tough,” she admits. “We have an extended year and extended day program on purpose, to decrease the likelihood that students are out of school for an extended period of time.” Luckily, she and her staff have been able to move resources online for their students pretty quickly, and she is encouraged by the results.