As the past months have clearly shown us, Episcopal schools need support in their efforts to grow as communities committed to the work of diversity, equity, inclusion and justice, and to be able to draw upon their very foundation as Episcopal schools in order to find inspiration, understanding, and courage for this work. The following statement hopefully serves as a reaffirmation, reminder, and recalling of our schools to the vital link between DEIJ work and our Episcopal identity. In essence, this is our playing field, what we are called to do and be, and we hope this statement from the staff and Governing Board of NAES will serve as a springboard for further initiatives and a deeper understanding of our very nature as Episcopal schools.
Read More » When I first began teaching, I thought academics were all that really mattered. But the more I worked with young people, the more I came to see that great intellect did not always come with a warm heart or a clear moral compass. I saw students crippled by sadness in their lives, or worry, or anxiety or anger and hurt that made learning a shadowy process. Slowly, I came to see not merely their minds but the totality of who they were, and who they were becoming.
Read More » The Weekly Meditation is a regular, Monday-morning email message from the Rev. Daniel R. Heischman, our executive director, to NAES member heads, rectors, and chaplains. It’s intended to inspire and encourage you in your leadership of your Episcopal school.
Timely, sometimes tough, questions and insights from NAES and Episcopal school leaders on leadership, governance, Episcopal identity, community life, and other issues.
Read More »There is a natural tendency for schools to claim their Episcopal identity primarily if not solely in terms of its most visible symbols. At the same time, there are less visible but equally powerful cultural norms at the heart of each school’s Episcopal identity that often remain unspoken and unclaimed.
The many meetings and community gatherings that mark the start of a new year lay the foundation and set the tone for the year ahead. Here are five simple ways to address your school’s Episcopal identity with faculty, staff, and parents during the opening days and weeks of the school year.
The Rev. Canon Julian P. Bull offers a list of five gifts or values from our Episcopal heritage and their implications for curriculum and organizational development.
Today, “2.0” is used throughout the education world to signal a transformational reinvention of schooling. Similarly, Episcopal schools are exploring how best to live out their core values in the context of a changing social and religious landscape.
Each Episcopal school has its own culture and way of being. But amid their great variety, Episcopal schools share common characteristics and a set of core assumptions about human formation.
Episcopal early childhood and elementary programs can nurture the spiritual lives of children first by recognizing that young children are spiritual beings and then by giving their spiritual development the same attention and care as language development, motor skills, or social-emotional growth. How might we do this?
