St. Andrew’s-Sewanee School opened the 2025-2026 school year by welcoming students from 12 countries, 11 states, and across Tennessee, marking the 158th year of Episcopal, independent, secondary education on the campus.

Boarding students moved onto campus Aug. 16, and all students and parents gathered for the all-school assembly Aug. 17 followed by registration and class activities.

In addition to its new students and faculty, the school is celebrating the completion of a new Outdoor Learning Complex that features a professionally designed bouldering gym and includes storage space for outdoor equipment and bicycles. The building is flanked with a new pump track, a topnotch training area for the mountain biking team and participants in the school’s Outdoor Adventure: Cycling program.

“We have an extremely competitive mountain biking team, and the program is increasingly popular here and across the country,” said Karl Sjolund, head of school. “The same is true for our climbing team. While our focus will remain on outdoor climbing, this new bouldering wall will allow our climbers to train more efficiently and increase their skills more quickly.

“The center strengthens our commitment to utilizing our 550-acre campus as a learning lab, for everything from adventure education to outdoor teaching spaces.”

SAS will officially mark the opening of the Outdoor Learning Complex during Fall Family Weekend, Sept. 26-28.