Sage Hill School ushered in a new era with a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Middle School and Bolen Family Gymnasium building on August 17, the opening day of the 2026-27 school year.
Wielding a giant pair of scissors, Head of School Patricia Merz and Board of Trustees Chair Mike Bolen cut a ceremonial ribbon in front of a large crowd of students, parents, faculty, staff, administrators, trustees and other special guests.
With the opening of grades 7 and 8, about 140 new students will be added to the campus, bringing its total enrollment to approximately 730.
“Over the past 26 years, Sage Hill has made a lasting impact on education in Orange County and beyond,” Merz said. “Today, we continue that legacy as we become the only independent school in Orange County serving students in grades 7 through 12.”
The 38,658-square-foot building provides eight classrooms, offices and a café specifically for the middle school division. It also adds a second gymnasium that will include enough seating to accommodate the entire school, as well as multiple courts to run simultaneous games if needed.
Eleven new Middle School faculty members have been hired for the new Middle School.
In 2023, Sage Hill launched a $25 million capital campaign to support the building’s construction and strengthen its student body by increasing its commitment to tuition assistance.
The ribbon-cutting event caps over five years of planning, fundraising, design, and construction.
“Today is a celebration of far more than a new building,” Bolen said. “It is a celebration of the many people whose vision, expertise and partnership have helped shape the future of Sage Hill School. On behalf of our Board of Trustees, I would like to recognize and thank the outstanding partners who have helped bring this project to life.”
Dr. Joseph Moody, Director of Middle School, said, “To our inaugural seventh and eighth grade students: thank you for being pioneers. Years from now, other students will walk these halls and participate in traditions that began with you. You are helping write the first pages of a remarkable new chapter in Sage Hill’s history.”
Sage Hill School is a private 7-12 grade school located on 28+ acres in Newport Coast. Founded in 2000, the school provides 730 students with small class sizes that average 14 students per teacher, outstanding academic curricula and a dedicated team of college counselors.
Sage Hill aims to nurture minds and transform lives by instilling a love of knowledge and the ability to use that knowledge creatively, compassionately and courageously throughout their lives.
Visit https://www.sagehillschool.org.
