When Principal Elizabeth Edmondson walked onto Beaumont’s campus for the first time, she felt it immediately – the energy, the joy, the deep sense of purpose that fills the halls. “What a thrill it has been to join Beaumont during this 175th Anniversary year,” she says. “We stand in the center of a rare convergence of mission, momentum, and possibility.”
Ms. Edmondson believes Beaumont’s long history is not just something to celebrate, but a foundation for shaping the future. “Our world is shifting rapidly - how young people learn, what young women need, and what excellence looks like – and Beaumont is uniquely positioned not just to react to that change, but to shape it,” she explains. “After all, we have 175 years of experience doing so.”
Her vision for Beaumont is both grounded and forward-looking: a community deeply rooted in its Ursuline charism and unapologetically ready for the future. She describes her goal as creating a school that is “academically rigorous, spiritually grounded, culturally relevant, and genuinely joyful.”
That means supporting teachers with the time and resources to be great educators, fostering true partnership with parents, and deepening pride and connection among alumnae. It also means strengthening academic programs, expanding opportunities for global learning and service, and ensuring every young woman is “known and loved.”
The most important skills and values young women need today, she says, are those that help them navigate complexity with confidence and purpose. “They need to be critical thinkers who can analyze information, collaborators who can listen across differences, and courageous leaders who can fail forward without letting perfectionism silence their voice. And they need a deep moral center, a sense of responsibility to something larger than themselves.”
Ms. Edmondson has already been inspired by Beaumont students. “Just this week, I saw an older student give up her free block to tutor a younger classmate,” she recalls. “In that one hour, I saw empathy, patience, and connection, not to mention real academic strength on full display.” She’s also been struck by their joyful spirit. “From Convo presentations to Spirit Week class dances, they cultivate such a silly, spirited, fun-loving atmosphere. Beaumont girls work incredibly hard and they also know how to celebrate, laugh, and enjoy one another.”
She describes Beaumont’s spirit as a “joyful, courageous sisterhood” where girls show up fully, cheering loudly, and caring for one another in very real ways. “It’s a place where faith and purpose matter, not as slogans on a wall, but as habits of heart.”
Looking ahead, Ms. Edmondson hopes her legacy will be a Beaumont that is “even stronger, more courageous, and more joyful. A place where every girl feels known, challenged, and inspired to lead and serve.”
When asked to describe Beaumont in one word, she doesn’t hesitate: “Empowering.” It’s the word that captures not only the spirit of Beaumont’s students, but the vision of its new principal. One who believes wholeheartedly in their potential to think deeply, act courageously, and lead with purpose.
