By the mid-1940s, the congregation had grown sufficiently to need a new location and expanded facilities. In what would become a long-standing tradition of generosity, support and vision from the community, parishioners and long-time Altadena residents Mr. and Mrs. Fred Markham made a generous gift in March 1947. The 5-1/2 acre gift, including the family mansion, precipitated the Parish’s move to its present site. Concurrently, the congregation purchased the land adjoining the Markham property and construction of St. Mark’s church building was officially completed in May, 1948. (The mansion and its adjacent grounds were sold in 1978 and is now Sahag Mesrob Armenian School.)

In the late 1950s and early 1960s, under the guidance of The Rev. Charles Perry, the Parish saw the need for additional space and new outreach initiatives particularly to the area’s youth. St. Mark’s, therefore, purchased two properties – the site of the current Dunlap Elementary building and the Spicer home on the corner of Altadena Drive and Maiden Lane which served as the Rectory for many years and is now the School House or school administration building.

Church leadership also recognized the needs of Altadena’s children and youth. By the late 1950s, Altadena was beginning to experience community tensions due to changing demographics and the presence of drug use among the area’s youth. The Parish responded by building a Youth House on the lower property. The Youth House was made available to a wide variety of community groups such as the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and Campfire Girls and used as a meeting place for the Parish’s growing Youth Group and Sunday School. It later housed the kindergarten during the day and was expanded to include modern-day play equipment.

In addition, a nursery school was created to provide younger children with a quality preschool education in a positive, integrated setting. The preschool opened with 23 students in September 1960 and rapidly became an integral part of the surrounding community. By 1966, the community was calling for an expanded elementary program. St. Mark’s responded by deciding to offer a new grade-level each year until the school reached its current configuration of Preschool through Grade 6. A new classroom building, the current Dunlap Hall, was built in 1968 to accommodate the expansion.

Beginning in 1975, under the leadership of Principal Merrily Dunlap, St. Mark’s School became the Parish’s most vibrant and enduring community outreach. The elementary program was solidified. Faculty development and strengthening the core curriculum were a priority resulting in a quality academic program that continues to be noted throughout the San Gabriel Valley. Now under the direction of Dr. Doreen Oleson, the School has progressed to the point of being accredited by the California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS) and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). All this was accomplished without sacrificing the fundamental mission of St. Mark’s School: To provide a quality education within the context of an Episcopal Parish where children could learn and prosper in a setting which promoted the acceptance and respect for differences in ethnic, racial, religious and cultural backgrounds.

The School was now poised to undergo its next phase of development.

THE CONTEMPORARY VISION

In 1986, school administrator and staff initiated a Long Range Plan, which culminated in the vision we have today. The first plan, adopted in 1988, called for further refinement of the academic program. Resource specialists were added for art and physical education. Classroom computers were introduced and subjects such as math and English were departmentalized in the upper grades. The School Board also committed to increasing faculty compensation to be commensurate with CAIS norms thereby strengthening St. Mark’s ability to attract and retain outstanding teachers. And, more funds were made available for faculty to use for continuing education opportunities. With these key objectives accomplished by the early 1990s, a new planning process was launched and completed by 1995.

The 1995 plan, adopted unanimously by the St. Mark’s Parish Vestry and School Board, is a bold initiative. The recommendations flow from a single over-arching belief that St. Mark’s can significantly improve each child’s educational experience by adding an additional classroom at each elementary grade level while simultaneously reducing class size to 20 students. Two classrooms per grade will allow flexibility in grouping students. A constantly changing student mix will enhance classroom dynamics, allowing children to maximize their creative potential. Teachers, particularly in the upper grades, will be able to use a departmentalized approach to core academic subjects which will mean greater flexibility in teaching strategies. Finally, two classrooms will help promote student social interaction and maturation.

The plan also calls for greater integration of media and technology into the curriculum and a strengthening of the present resource curriculum which includes Spanish, music, art and physical education.

The unanimous approval of the Long Range Plan is tangible evidence of the strong partnership between the Vestry and School Board. Under the guidance of The Rev. Colville Smythe, Rector of St. Mark’s Parish, and Dr. Doreen Oleson, Head of School, the Vestry and School Board commissioned an Architectural Master Plan. The result is an approach which will maximize the current ambiance of a small, intimate campus while accommodating plans for expansion.

In 1997, the Long Range Plan was put into action with the addition of a second kindergarten. The governing boards contracted the remodeling of the current Parish Hall into two kindergarten class rooms during the summer and the new classes opened on time in September.

As the second year approached and the school received more than 200 applications for fewer than 40 seats, the physical expansion continued in 1998 with the addition of a temporary modular for the School Library which was housed in classroom space. The placement of more temporary classrooms will continue until the Long Range goals can be reached.

This new generation of St. Marksmen has set a phase-one building goal of $1.45 million, which nearly 50 percent has been received in gifts and pledges through a comprehensive campaign that includes the building of endowments and annual fund drives for parish stewardship and school gifts.

Our community exists as it does today because of the vision, faith and dedication of previous generations. Now, the Parish, consisting of both a dedicated church congregation and thriving preschool and elementary school, look to the support and generosity of its community once again. Both governing boards, guided by several key developmental groups and in-house personnel, have waged a capital campaign to raise the roofs of a new Community Hall, a Resource Cottage and the needed additional classrooms.

As the subsequent years of this two-class grade school moves up and the campus is expanded to meet those goals and needs, there is no doubt that the quality of education that children already receive at St. Mark’s will further enhance. Moreover, the show of goodwill and commitment, as well as the wealth of talent and support, will continue to strengthen this community. This community of Altadena and Pasadena, this community of St. Mark’s.

Yet, as St. Mark’s Parish turns to its community to provide the financial support necessary to reaffirm its extraordinary legacy, they are not beyond accepting support from its greater community, the global community at large. U.S. tax deductible gifts may be sent to St. Mark’s Capital Campaign, 1014 E. Altadena Drive, Altadena CA 91001-2041.