Ann Mellow: Morning Meditation from Biennial Conference 2020

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 »

Common Prayer for Children and Families

Common Prayer for Children and Families is a collection of prayers and liturgies written for kids and the adults or communities who pray with them. Whimsically illustrated with pen and ink, this book contains prayers for morning, midday, and evening; prayers throughout the Church year; and prayers for all sorts of occasions. Read More »

Calendar of World Religious Holidays

This calendar of religious holidays is created by the Center for Spiritual and Ethical Education (CSEE). This is a comprehensive calendar of events for all major religions in two formats — a PDF download or a Google calendar you can add to your own account. Read More »

Tips for Successful Chaplain Searches

The elements of a chaplain search will be different than those for teachers, administrators, or other staff positions. These practical suggestions can help improve your chances for a successful chaplain search. Includes information and questions that can assist both schools and candidates when exploring this “culture fit” as well as the details of a given position.

The Weekly Meditation

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.

The Commons: the NAES Blog

Timely, sometimes tough, questions and insights from NAES and Episcopal school leaders on leadership, governance, Episcopal identity, community life, and other issues. Read More »

Principles of Good Practice for School Ministry in Episcopal Schools

The ministry of a school chaplain, in Episcopal schools, is both a time-honored one, as well as one that currently exists amidst a great deal of change. Given the increasingly fluid and complex religious landscape of our culture, chaplains now minister in a school community that is increasingly diverse: in most schools a variety of religions are represented as well as an increasing numbers of students, parents, and faculty who come to the school with no experience with any religious tradition. Adopted by the NAES Governing Board in 2016, this document offers these principles of good practice to highlight the potential for school chaplaincy, as well as to serve as a resource for a school in a variety of ways. Read More »

Episcopal Identity 2.0

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.

Nurturing the Spiritual Lives of Young Children

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?

School Climate and Anti-Bullying Resources

The following resources can assist Episcopal schools of all types to foster a positive school culture as well as to develop, disseminate, and evaluate effective policies and programs to prevent and respond to social cruelty, including harassment, hazing, and bullying.