Grace-St. Luke’s Episcopal School (GSL) is pleased to announce Pam Smith as our new Head of Middle School (Grades 5-8) and the Rev. Jessica T. Abell as School Chaplain.
Pam Smith is a lifelong educator and relationship-centered leader with 30+ years of experience in public, international, and independent schools. She comes to us most recently from Rowland Hall, an independent PK-12 school in Utah where she served as the middle school principal. Pam earned her bachelor’s degree in education from New Hampshire’s Keene State College and her master’s in education from Lesley College (now Lesley University) in Cambridge, Mass.
Deacon Abell comes to us from St. George’s Independent School where she worked for the past 19 years, serving as head chaplain and director of spiritual life since 2018. She earned her B.A. in English from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville and her M.A. in teaching at Christian Brothers University. She completed her Alternative Clergy Training at Sewanee (A.C.T.S.) through the University of the South in 2020. She was ordained as a vocational deacon in 2021 and assigned to Grace-St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, where she serves as deacon one Sunday per month.
GSL is delighted to welcome these new hires, along with a number of other individuals who will join our Episcopal School community this year. Grace-St. Luke’s Episcopal School is an independent school for girls and boys from 18 months to 8th grade, located in the heart of Central Gardens, Midtown Memphis. Our mission is to prepare boys and girls to become creative problem solvers, confident lifelong learners, and responsible citizens in their communities and the world. We draw families from the tri-state area, and are known for graduating bright, well-rounded kids of good character. GSL accepts EFS and ESA and offers need-based financial aid to qualified applicants. Please visit our website today (gslschool.org) to learn more and schedule a tour!
