EXPERIENCE EPISCOPAL

September 3, 2014Episcopal Values

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PreK-3 through Grade 12College Preparatory

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piscopal has developed an enviable set of traditions in its first 50 or so years. These traditions are inherent in

the school’s current Mission & Ministry. All things considered, Episcopal has done a remarkably good job being transformational, and not just transitional.

One of my first acts in 2010 was to ask the community to join in “Gratitude, Celebration, and Affirmation.” Louisiana and the school had come through a lot in the years of Katrina, the global economic downturn, and other challenges. We slowed down enough to thank God for guiding us through. We catapulted into some celebratory exercises of the greatness of this community. We ended up with an affirmation of our best traditions. During this process, I was introduced to the depth of love people have for Episcopal.

As I have thought about this while moving on since 2010, I have focused in on the source of this

Traditions, Mission, Ministry,

and Transformation

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From TheHead of School

Hugh M. McIntoshHead of School

depth of love. I have adopted this as a value I encourage at Episcopal:

The Episcopal educational experience has been consistently outstanding in helping round out students by creating experiences in each of the aspects of the current Mission & Ministry --- spiritually, intellectually, morally, physically and artistically. In striving to do just what the Mission & Ministry advertises, the classic Episcopal educational experience has been – year after year -- transformative and not merely transitional.

Some college preparatory schools settle for the goal of merely granting diplomas and, thereby, transporting students to college. Episcopal is in that much smaller group of schools across the country that strives to be transformative. There is an ultimate element of developing in age-appropriate ways toward a positive human transformation here at Episcopal. I value that and work to encourage retention and deepening of that tradition here.

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Episcopal is no accident! It was founded, quite intentionally, by a handful of insightful and dedicated people. The spirit of the founders is alive today in the school’s extreme volunteer activity, the motivated and good student body, the Board of Trustees thoughtful governance, the dedicated faculty/coaches, and the school’s daily administration. This sinks in on students as they develop some awareness of “why” this community is important. It brings a focus to their well-rounded development and transformation.

Living in a community with high standards and rules is a big part of this transformation. Learning what conduct “washes” and what can’t stand comes often through the honor code and its enforcement. Working in student-led organizations “teaches” how to participate with colleagues and develops both formal and informal leadership skills. Episcopal’s athletic programs are filled with object lessons and personal growth that, classically, stick with students for life. Presence in worship two times a week, on average, sink into the bones, creating a reservoir of goodness to draw upon for life. The quality and depth of what students learn in Episcopal’s advanced curriculum aids understanding of life and passions (or interests) that escalate transformation quite naturally. The examples put before students in the forms of teachers, coaches

and administrators can serve as beacons for life. Constructive friendships among like-minded people of similar age have to go into the priceless category as part of the traditional Episcopal experience. Learning to be a friend with “good” contemporaries is part of the transformation.

Even those adults closest to the transformation that occurs at Episcopal are often heard to express surprise as a “class comes together,” as strong “student leaders” come out of nowhere seemingly, as teams go “beyond” in Lower, Middle or Upper Schools (football, Future City, softball, robotics, or cheerleading), and as acts of amazing kindness all blend with the academic achievements that simply reinforce what is really going on here! It is a phenomenon of transformation. We are working to preserve and deepen it—every school day.

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n the first weeks of each new school year, we intentionally plan opportunities to focus our middle school students’

attention on the key values promoted by our School Honor Code, honesty and respect. This focusing happens in a variety of ways: beginning-of-the-year class sessions in which students and teachers collaborate to develop guidelines for safe and productive classrooms, advisory discussions about how we can support the Code’s values through our daily choices and interactions, and Morning Meeting time we spend with our Upper School Honor Council members to clarify their important role in upholding the Code and its mandates.

One of the gratifying results of opening school in this way and maintaining emphasis on our Honor Code’s values is healthy, positive school climate. Middle School traditionally is a time when conformity is a norm among students, and they may experience stress and uncertainty about where they fit into the peer groups at

school. The desire for acceptance and the need to belong are powerful. These normal developmental realities for young adolescents sometimes can lead them to respond in less than respectful ways with others, especially when they are feeling vulnerable or when they are trying to project a “cool” image among their peers. When this dynamic becomes dominant in a class, our community suffers.

Fortunately, the breadth of our middle school program provides a wide array of opportunities for students to grow, discover their gifts, and contribute to the life of our school. Having a variety of ways to develop and demonstrate positive leadership can dramatically negate the stereotype that being “cool” means being a “queen bee” girl or “king pin” guy who wields power in negative, manipulative ways in the peer group. Instead, genuine appreciation for the beautiful range of talents and personality traits among our students and the development of both self-respect and respect for

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others make our community healthy and strong.

One of the most active group of leaders in our middle school are our Peer Leaders. They have been busy as our year has begun helping our new students adjust and feel at home in our school community. They continue to be a vital part of efforts to promote respect in our middle school throughout the year by serving as positive role models for their classmates.

In the midst of a larger national culture that does not always seem to value respect for others, it is reassuring to witness daily examples of our peer leaders and other students striving to demonstrate this value in their work and play at school. Respect is key to our success as a school community.

by Lucy Smith Middle School Division Head smithl@ehsbr.org

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PreK-3 students enjoy a day of discovery and fun with Episcopal’s Science/Math and Creativity Instigator, Betsy Minton.

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piscopal values. I’ll admit, it’s a phrase that means a lot to me. Literally. First of all, does it mean Episcopal—

the Church—or the school—my place of work every day for the last six years? And what about values? Does it mean core principles or is it about worth—where value means great quality?

When I think about these things, I realize that all those meanings—and these are just a few—occur to me because I’ve only recently begun to try to put into words what my own values are here. I mean, to be honest, the first few years at Episcopal for me were filled with so much change professionally and personally that I just had to keep moving. Looking back

wasn’t an option because if I did, something would pass me by. And that something could have been important to a student.

But that’s actually where I realize what my Episcopal Values are. I’ve learned that these students are of great value—well worth the cost—and my own core principles are directly tied to them. Just last night, I spoke to parents of my English students about how I am humbled continually by our students—who work harder, longer, and more than I did in high school. I value their success. I value their happiness. I value the respect they give me. I value the trust their parents and the school administrators have in me. I value them all. Meaning, I feel the cost of them all.

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by Scott Engholm Upper School English engholms@ehsbr.org

I’ve learned this mostly through the development of the Honors Diploma Program. I realized very quickly that I value honoring these students’ individual work—which, because their work is often legitimately above their age-level, can be agonizingly gratifying for them. Honestly, I watched children choose to be challenged despite the odds against them. And each year since then, we’ve raised the bar on the challenge—adding risk, asking for more, and pushing them further out of the nest.

And guess what? While the challenges increase, the numbers of students who want the challenges has increased too. That’s the most literal definition of value. The cost is well worth it. It has value; it is a value; it is value.

I think “Episcopal values” means we see our experiences here well worth the cost. There may be days when I’m drowning in a sea of papers that I don’t appreciate it, and there may be days where the stress of modern life in general narrows my optimism to a pin-prick.

But there are more days where I feel the value—where I feel that all the costs are well worth it. To me, “Episcopal values” may be that literal. It’s all worth it.

Worth the Cost

ny school can provide a good education or even a great education for that matter, but not every

school provides an educational experience that has real value—one that has importance and is worth more than other schools can provide. Episcopal provides an experience that has both value and values. I have the fortunate pleasure to work in areas of the life of this school where I see those things play out on a daily basis.

In my work as chaplain, I get to see middle school and upper school students take leadership roles in our student vestry organizations and influence what our chapel experiences look, sound, and feel like so that our students can be assured that the things they will hear are relevant to them—things that have value. At Episcopal we value the soul.

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A In service learning, I get to see the way our kids live out the values that we all try to teach them—service, compassion, hard work, thoughtfulness, and the ability to truly reflect on what they have been a part of. They are seeing their impact on the world, how they can influence issues and how much there still is to be done. At Episcopal we value the heart.

But if I had to distill it all down to one thing, I can’t do any better than Jesus did when he was asked the same question. Love. The single biggest thing we teach our kids at Episcopal is to love. The heart and the soul are both about love—the love of God and of our neighbor. It is that simple. It is what we are, not just able to do, but able to focus on, that helps make us different and special.

Students see faculty and staff model what it is to love your colleagues and love the place where you work. They know what it feels like to be cared for by someone who is teaching them and truly is in it for the student. Students here are taught how to love one another. They are guided through difficult situations and admonished when it is needed so that they are adept at creating and maintaining healthy relationships.

We are all part of a family and it is our one heart and one soul that holds us together. It is the connective tissue that keeps all the pieces—academics, arts, athletics, clubs, activities, etc.—from falling apart. It is the love of that family that makes the sum of Episcopal greater than all the parts. And, as with anything we want our kids to learn, it’s the application that matters.

When we took some of the 40+ kids who have signed up to help in our Center for Service Learning tutoring program at THRIVE Academy, I saw our Episcopal kids looking for the THRIVE kids they have gotten to know in the past two years. I saw THRIVE kids running up to our students and hugging them and calling them by name, walking arm in arm with them around the campus. Our kids have learned how to love because it is what we value here. It is our value here. And they are taking

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that with them, just as they would with anything they learn here, and putting it to good use; loving and serving others because of what they have seen and learned here.

I am grateful that the work that I get to do deals with matters of the heart and the soul here at Episcopal, but then again, that’s what we all do here. Everyday.

by The Reverend Skully Knight Associate Head of School and Senior Chaplain knighk@ehsbr.org

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StudentCentered

Valuesn art teacher of mine once pointed out that artists do something that not everyone can do. We face a blank piece of

paper and turn it into a thing of beauty, a vehicle of expression, a communication, a living thing.

Valuing the ideas of others and what we call “student gifts,” is truly a part of our Episcopal culture. Daily we witness the emergence of these gifts in a variety of ways, all across our campus.

Media Arts students, who are also known as the “Accolade” yearbook staff, routinely meet around a large table in the middle of Perkins 212. I listen, I observe, I get to know who these students are and I catch glimpses of who and what they may become. More importantly, already this year I have witnessed who they are to each other. They are friends, they are teammates,

and “I love y’all” is written across the board (in something between a script and decorative font ) by an unknown author of the team.

Just a few weeks ago, I saw my roster for the first time. I worried when I saw Media Arts loaded heavily with freshman. Where was my faith? Where was my gratitude?

“The kids always do a great job…don’t worry,” consoled Ms. Kirschner and others. I wanted to believe them and part of me did, but the other half of me was filled with doubt. Freshmen can’t drive to after school events, they leave cameras in strange places that make perfectly good sense to them, some have lacked confidence when it came to taking a photo of a SENIOR.

After the class met for the first time, the doubt about the ability of this young team vanished. They

A Most importantly, I have already witnessed who they have become to each other.

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reminded me that the whole focus is about each one of them and what they will learn and what they will do when challenged. It is not about the product. The value is in their growth.

Last Thursday, as this most energetic, spirited, volunteering, amazing group met at the big table for the student led discussion on calendar assignments, football field etiquette and “Photoshopping your favorites”, I was happy to share the following texts that I received the night before from last year’s Accolade editor, Breanna, who is now attending LSU.

Text 1: “My professor for mass communication was very impressed when he asked the class who had used InDesign in high school and I was the only one who raised my hand. Thanks!”

Text 2: “Tell the yearbook class that I have 3 classes, 2 that are gen-ed and in all of them I’m learning about design and yearbook is

what is helping me stay ahead! We learned about rule of thirds and scale today in my Interior Design class! Go Yearbook!”

Text 3: “I have a job interview as a page designer with the LSU newspaper next week. Imagine that, like yearbook but I will get paid!”

This year, Media Art students will transform hundreds of ”blank sheets of paper,” into a colorful, collage of Episcopal life. As this large student led project comes to fruition, there will no doubt be great joy, challenges and many lessons learned. But, along the way, the real lessons, the lessons that will be meaningful for a lifetime, will develop from the values we share.

by Dianne J. Madden Media Arts Maddend@ehsbr.org

hen we graduate from Episcopal, we not only leave with a diploma, but we are also instilled with

the values Episcopal has taught us throughout the years. We have the honor code, which helps us to hold each other accountable for our actions. The honor code calls for us to stand up for what is right, and inform another student if they are breaking the code. Episcopal provides a safe atmosphere that allows us to do that comfortably. Not only are the teachers and staff encouraging honesty, but the students are actively holding each other accountable. We help each other in becoming better people through encouragement, respect, and support.

We value respect, which helps create an atmosphere where students can speak up without feeling nervous that someone may disrespect them. The respect we value allows us to express ourselves and not fear being different. No EHS student that is the same, and each EHS student has talents that can be valued through the various opportunities offered. We have students of all different races, backgrounds,

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religions, beliefs, and all are free to express themselves without the fear of being judged.

We also value support. Episcopal offers opportunities of leadership roles, sports, various arts, and everything in between. We have anything from the robotics team to our football team, yet we all come together to support each other. It is truly special how we can stand behind any group at Episcopal and cheer them on. We may be a small school, but the amount of participation in different activities and fanning at events is incredible. When I’m cheering on the sidelines, I’m in awe of how many people come out to support our school and show school spirit.

The respect Episcopal teaches us carries into the events we attend. We respect the other team and are focused on cheering positively for Episcopal, rather than negatively about the other team.

In order to graduate, each student must complete his or her service requirement. There are not a set number of hours, but only a certain amount of opportunities to be completed. This allows students

by Melissa Episcopal Senior

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The respect we value allows us to express ourselves and not fear being different.

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to focus more on the experience rather than completing an amount of hours without realizing the purpose. Episcopal offers different programs, which allow students to deepen their service, if they so desire. Each year the amount of participation increases, as more students realize the value and importance of serving others. Learning the value of service early on helps us to continue serving in our community even after we graduate and no longer have to fulfill a requirement.

A sense of pride is felt as an Episcopal student. These values are what set us apart from students of different schools, and will help us succeed in the future in whatever we may choose to do. The Episcopal community is unlike any other. We help each other become the people we want to be through the values instilled within us.

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The e-Update is a publication ofThe Communication Department

of Episcopal School of Baton Rouge

Jason Hubbard, Associate Head of School

Shandi Fazely, Admission and Communication Coordinator

Dianne Madden,Marketing and Public Relations Coordinator