Each August, as students return and classrooms come alive again, I’m reminded of how I found a place in Episcopal schools—and why I’ve rooted my career in the Episcopal school tradition. Twenty-five years ago, I stepped into a small classroom of twenty children from different backgrounds, each bringing their own story, their own rhythm. My colleagues were just as diverse—and joyful! We laughed in the lunchroom, lingered in each other’s classrooms, and leaned into collaboration with a kind of generosity that made work feel special. I had found a sure path and a work home that would hold me for twelve years, a place where faith, intellect, and justice were not separate conversations but shared commitments.
That early Episcopal school experience shaped the educator I’ve become. Now, as I begin my thirty-fourth year in education and third year as Head of School at Bishop John T. Walker School for Boys in Washington, D.C., I feel that same sense of energy and possibility that comes with every new school year. The way the building hums with anticipation makes fall one of my favorite seasons. And this year, it feels even more meaningful.
In 2025, we are celebrating what would have been Bishop Walker’s one hundredth birthday. His name graces the front of our school building, but more importantly, his values shape what happens inside it. A champion for justice and education rooted in dignity, Bishop Walker’s legacy lives in the daily life of our community—in our chapel reflections, in the joyful noise of our boys reading aloud, in our commitment to every child’s full humanity.
Our Episcopal identity provides a compass for our work. The Book of Common Prayer reminds us that we are called “to strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being.” That’s not a motto. It’s a mandate. And it pushes us beyond comfort into the kind of discomfort that drives institutional change, deeper belonging, and greater joy. At BWS, love is public and justice is practiced. Our boys are scholars, poets, mathematicians, athletes, friends, and dreamers. They are also deeply loved.
I chose Episcopal schools because they don’t separate academic excellence from spiritual and moral formation. At their best, they form communities where children are seen, heard, and loved into their fullest selves. That vision isn’t just poetic. It’s institutional. It’s theological. It’s built into the DNA of our schools—especially through the pillar of social justice, which calls us to widen the circle and make more room at the table.
This year, we’ll honor Bishop Walker’s centennial not just with reflection, but with renewal. As we begin this new school year, I am filled with gratitude: for our students, faculty, staff, leadership, and families, for the path that brought me here, and for the Episcopal tradition that continues to light the way. We are ready for learning, for growth, for joy!
And that, for me, is the gift of this calling.
Dr. Angelina Arrington is Head of School at the Bishop John T. Walker School for Boys in Washington, DC.