Rowland Hall was founded in 1880 as an Episcopal school, providing an education to daughters of miners and ranchers in the Intermountain West. St. Mark's, a separate co-educational day school, was established in 1867 but in support of the new public school system closed just before Utah achieved statehood. It reopened sixty years later as a boys' day school.

During the financially troubled Depression Era, student numbers at Rowland Hall dwindled significantly. The doors of the school were kept open with the financial assistance of alumni and local patrons. Today, alumni participation in the school is at an all-time high.

In 1959, Rowland Hall achieved national recognition by the Science Research Associates when it placed in the top one percent of the nation's secondary schools. Since that time, high scholastic recognition has been the norm. In fact, the class of 2006's 61 students, five are National Merit Finalists, the highest percentage of any senior class in Utah.

In 1964, Rowland Hall and St. Mark's merged to become a coeducational, college-preparatory day and boarding school. In 1976, the school closed its boarding facilities, ending a ninety-six year tradition.

Increased interest in quality education and small class sizes in the 70's and 80's caused a surge of growth at RHSM. In 1982, the school created Rowmark Ski Academy, which has become one of a handful of elite ski academies for secondary school students in the United States. Former Rowmark skier/scholars have participated in the 1988, 1992, 1994, and 1998 Olympic Winter Games. Our skiers have won numerous World Cup and World Junior championships including U.S. National Champion in both slalom and giant slalom and Olympian Alex Shaffer '94.

When the original Avenues campus could no longer accommodate RHSM's growth in 1984, Middle and Upper School students were relocated to a renovated public school on Lincoln Street, just two miles from the Avenues campus. In 1986, Rowland Hall-St. Mark's was recognized by the United States Department of Education with its National Exemplary School Award for exhibiting strong leadership and steadfast dedication to achieving excellence.

As a result of a major commitment from parents in the early 1990's, a new Middle School was completed in the summer of 1994, connected to the Upper School where the students share access to the Larimer Center for the Performing Arts, the gymnasiums and other facilities.

Currently, the school provides education for children ranging from age two through high school on its two campuses. Emphasis is placed on small classes of 20 or less, providing teachers with the opportunity to give individual attention to each student. Current student enrollment is 986 and the student:teacher ratio of 10:1.

The school provides over $1,000,000 in financial aid to students each year. Currently, 18 percent of the student body receives financial assistance. Need and merit-based scholarships are also available on an annual basis.

A full-time director of college counseling assists students with the college preparation and application process. Prior to spring graduation, most college bound seniors have already received letters of acceptance. Historically, all Rowland Hall-St. Mark's School graduates attend college.

As Rowland Hall-St. Mark's prepared to move forward into this millennium, big changes took place. On January 25, 2000, members of the school's Board of Trustees and school administrators signed on the purchase of 8.9 acres of land on Guardsman Way in Salt Lake City for the relocation of its preschool and elementary school. After 120 years on its historic two-and-a-half acre site in Salt Lake City's Avenues neighborhood, RHSM implemented a landmark $21 million capital campaign to make this move possible along with two endowment funds for financial aid and faculty development. The Beginning and Lower School moved from the Avenues campus to the new Philip G. McCarthey Campus on December 2, 2002.

Today, Rowland Hall-St. Mark's School's well planned academic curriculum, extracurricular activities, and service learning projects are the avenues by which its students receive the value of an excellent liberal art education. Unique to each child, the RHSM experience culminates when a graduate leaves for college secure, self-confident, and ready to take on the world. Since 1880, Rowland Hall-St. Mark's School has prepared young men and women dedicated to high purpose and prepared for leadership.

While RHSM is proud of past accomplishments, the administration, faculty and trustees continue to plan and implement improvements to insure ongoing academic excellence. This could not be accomplished without the generosity and loyalty of current and past parents and alumni. For their support – past, present and future – we are extremely grateful.