Pathways: School Chaplains

Episcopal school chaplaincy offers a unique opportunity to minister to people of many ages, faiths, and backgrounds. Chaplains develop and lead school worship, provide pastoral care, develop and teach religious studies classes, and often coordinate or lead service learning and community service initiatives. It is a profound ministry that truly “serves Christ in all persons.”

Here are some resources to support your school ministry.

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Recent Webinars for Chaplains

Nurturing Mental Well-Being in Episcopal School Communities (Webinar)

In Episcopal schools, we all share responsibility for the spiritual care and emotional well-being of our students. This workshop will equip school leaders, educators, and staff with practical tools to recognize signs of student distress, support resilience, and foster a culture of belonging. Together, we will explore how emotional, physical, academic, and social indicators can signal deeper challenges and how to respond with compassion and effectiveness.

Case Study: Creating a Research-Informed Instructional Framework to Guide Improvement at Breck School (Webinar)

This webinar shares the process of collaboratively creating a school framework to guide improvement in P–12 teaching at Breck School in Golden Valley, MN. The framework includes three domains—cultural awareness, inclusive learning environments, and deeper learning experiences—and each domain comprises five to seven indicators that describe observable phenomena teachers and students now use to guide documentation and reflection. Each domain and indicator is connected to research in the Learning Sciences, such as cultural relevance, motivation, cognitive load, and authentic tasks. The session presents the Framework, outlines its development, describes its integration into broader curricular review and improvement processes, and highlights how teachers and instructional leaders might adopt or adapt it to the needs of their own schools.

Faith in Action: Strengthening Civic Engagement in Episcopal School Communities (Webinar)

Civic engagement as individuals and institutions plays a foundational role in our society and common life together. Watch this program to explore two fundamental dynamics that can help us lean into our responsibilities for civic engagement and navigate this topic during this moment in our country.

The Three C’s Framework—Affirming the Episcopal Model of School Leadership (Webinar)

In an increasingly complex world, leaders in Episcopal schools—of all faith backgrounds—are called to guide their communities with a deep sense of purpose and compassion that embraces the dignity of each community member. The Three C’s Framework offers a faith-centered leadership model that is anchored by the Baptismal COVENANT, modeled after CHRIST, and oriented towards COMMUNITY. This webinar presents a model of Episcopal school leadership that both affirms and strengthens the great work already happening in schools while offering a faith-based strategy to build mission-aligned, inclusive, and Christ-centered communities where all are valued.

“I’m Not Okay.” Student Mental Health in the Age of TikTok (Webinar)

As a faculty or staff member, you likely find yourself at the forefront of supporting adolescents with increasingly complex, challenging psychosocial needs. Moreover, students are more likely to seek out a trusted teacher, advisor, or coach for support than to confide directly in a parent or even a school counselor. Drawing from her recent book, Deborah Offner, an adolescent psychologist, will provide a backdrop to Generation Z’s concerns and challenges, a quick primer on “normal” adolescent development, and—most importantly—tips and strategies that teachers, deans, coaches, nurses, counselors, and other professionals can put into immediate use with students in distress. We will also consider how you can understand today’s parents—and talk to them in a way they can hear—and how you can collaborate with colleagues to best support students and families.

Deep Dive: State of the Chaplaincy (Webinar)

The chaplaincy plays a vital role in Episcopal schools, and a clear understanding of this role is essential for chaplains to thrive. Drawing on insights from the 2024 NAES Chaplaincy Survey Report, this webinar will explore key aspects of chaplaincy and the impactful work of chaplains. Designed for heads of school, administrators, rectors, bishops, and chaplains, this session will provide valuable perspectives to support and strengthen chaplaincy in Episcopal schools.

Chaplains and Heads of School—Navigating Tensions in the Chaplaincy (Webinar)

Living into your school’s Episcopal identity is a critical strategic topic for heads of school. It’s hard work! Success in implementing the board’s vision for a school’s Episcopal identity depends on a highly effective partnership between the head of school and the chaplain. Join us to hear from three pairs of heads of school and chaplains about how they navigate tensions in the chaplaincy and cultivate collaboration in this important work.

Zoom Chat: Service Learning Idea Exchange (K–8)

Join colleagues for a dynamic exchange of service-learning ideas! This facilitated discussion will highlight both non-fundraising and fundraising service-learning opportunities for students. Come prepared to share your experiences and leave with fresh ideas to bring back to your school.

Episcopal Identity 101 for Administrators and Faculty Leaders 2024 (Webinar)

What makes a school “Episcopal?” How can teachers, administrators, and school leaders new to an Episcopal school better understand, articulate, and live out their school’s Episcopal mission, culture, and program? This webinar will explore the distinguishing features of Episcopal schools with a specific focus on the roles of administrators and faculty leaders.

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Latest Articles for Chaplains

The Three C’s Framework: A Leadership Model for Episcopal Schools Anchored in Faith and Community

In an increasingly complex and diverse world, leaders in Episcopal schools are called to guide their communities with a deep sense of purpose, compassion, and inclusivity. “The Three C’s Framework” offers a comprehensive leadership model that is deeply rooted in the life and teachings of Jesus and designed to foster a sense of belonging and communal well-being within Episcopal Schools. The framework is anchored by the Baptismal Covenant, a central tenet of the Episcopal School tradition that emphasizes the love of God revealed to us in Jesus Christ and the image of God inherent in every person. This framework positions Christ as the ultimate model of leadership—one that establishes a community marked by sacrificial love, service to others, and a commitment to justice and peace.

The State of the Chaplaincy

The purpose of this survey is to provide a demographic profile of chaplains and characteristics of the chaplaincy across the country for analytical, comparative, and reporting purposes as well as to assist heads of school, rectors, bishops, governing boards, and vestries in important program-level decision-making.

NAES Culture and Climate Survey for Administrators, Faculty, and Staff

The NAES Culture and Climate Survey for Administrators, Faculty, and Staff is one of the resources developed by NAES in response to member schools requesting tools to support their efforts to strengthen and sustain their Episcopal identity and commitment to inclusion. This survey is designed to be one element of your school’s ongoing reflective process by providing data from administrators, faculty, and staff about how Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Social Justice exist in the school’s programs and practices and the respondents’ experiences.

Survey: Jesus in America

Jesus in America is a national study released in March 2022 in a partnership between The Episcopal Church and Ipsos. The research found that while the majority of Americans polled believe Jesus was…

NAES Statement on Inclusion and Episcopal Identity

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…

Book & Video Series: Building A Children’s Chapel, One Story at a Time

Based on his work with young children at the Episcopal School of New York, teacher and storyteller Gordh offers a collection of stories from the Bible, arranged and told to create a meaningful…

DEI and Episcopal Identity…A Partnership Worth Having

Episcopal Identity and DEI work should go hand in hand, together 24/7 and every day of the school year. Taking time to develop a relationship between the person(s) responsible for maintaining our Episcopal identity AND the person(s) responsible for ensuring we are equitable and inclusive is the only way towards justice.

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…

Book & Video Series: Making Room for Everyone

For ages 3-11. Working with the same overall themes of his first book, Building a Children’s Chapel: One Story at a Time, Bill Gordh presents a wide range of folktales from around the world, stories…

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Upcoming Events for Chaplains

Join the Online Community

The NAES Online Community is the best way for members to connect and collaborate. Get started with the Online Community today by creating a profile or signing in to your NAES account.

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Top Products for Chaplains

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. Adopted by the NAES Governing Board in 2016, this document highlights the potential for school chaplaincy and serves as a resource for a school for the evaluation of the chaplain position, as a vehicle for the review of Episcopal identity, and an aid in formulating a position description and search tool for a new chaplain.
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Principles of Good Practice for Chapel and Worship in Episcopal schools
Adopted by the NAES Governing Board in April 2011, this document is intended to affirm the commitment of Episcopal schools to chapel programs that are creative, inclusive, and draw fully upon the liturgical resources of the Episcopal Church; offer a broad perspective on the goals, purposes, structure, and best practices for Episcopal school chapel and worship; support Episcopal schools in their efforts to develop meaningful, age-appropriate worship that is aligned with each school’s mission and culture and that nurtures the spiritual lives of all members of the school community; help Episcopal schools engage their larger community in dialogue about the role of chapel and worship; and serve as a useful tool for the school’s assessment of its chapel program, whether undertaken independently or as part of an accreditation process.
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Reasons for Being: The Culture and Character of Episcopal Schools, 2nd Ed.
Reasons for Being: The Culture and Character of Episcopal Schools, first published in 1997, is a collection of essays on foundational, mission-related topics central to Episcopal school identity, governance, and leadership. Newly updated in 2010 and written by Episcopal school leaders and NAES staff members, the fifteen essays examine: the mission and Anglican ethos of Episcopal schools; the history of Episcopal schools and their relationship to the Episcopal Church; the head of school’s role; the school as a spiritual community; chapel and worship; religious studies; religious pluralism; early childhood education; community service; and Episcopal schools as just communities. Each essay includes suggested questions for discussion and reflection.
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Principles of Good Practice for the Study of Religion in Episcopal Schools
In keeping with the need to highlight the role that Episcopal identity plays in all aspects of school life, NAES has developed this set of Principles of Good Practice for the Study of Religion in Episcopal Schools. They are intended to support the efforts of all schools to come to a clearer understanding of the often difficult task of placing and valuing the academic study of religion within the broader perspective of the total curriculum; help departments of religion, chaplains, rectors, deans of faculty, and directors of studies assess the quality of instruction, determine areas of improvement within this academic discipline, and measure the scope and sequence of offerings against a larger perspective; and assist schools when searching for new chaplains or teachers of religion as they consider candidates and determine what they want from those who will join their colleagues in this capacity.
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Cycle of Prayer for Episcopal Schools, Second Edition
First published in 1993, Cycle of Prayer for Episcopal Schools provides prayers specifically for the calendar and rhythm of school life, augmenting the standard of prayer in Episcopal schools that is The Book of Common Prayer. This second edition now includes new prayers for occasions in and members of Episcopal school communities not previously addresses, as well as a series of short prayers for use with lower and elementary school students.
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Principles of Good Practice for Furthering Episcopal Identity in Episcopal Schools
Adopted by the NAES Governing Board in 2005, this document is intended to support the incarnational journey of Episcopal schools as they live out their missions; assist schools in describing how their Episcopal identity makes a difference in the daily life of the community; guide discussion and processes rather than prescribe a formula for Episcopal identity; and exist as a living document, expanding and changing as our schools change and expand.
This title is perfect for use in parent, faculty/staff, and board handbooks and training sessions, and as an aid at times of transition in a school’s life.
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Connect with NAES

We’re here for you! To learn more about how NAES supports your school, contact Claire Leheny, NAES Director of Engagement, by calling (212) 716-6135 or by emailing claire@episcopalschools.org.

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More Resources for Chaplains

Culture and Climate Dashboarding Tool

NAES Mentoring Program for New Chaplains

Apply for an Outreach Grant for Your School