Oct. 2 is Episcopal School Sunday

Dear St. Andrew's Church Community,

Sunday, October 2, 2016, begins a week of celebration for Episcopal schools.  This celebration includes the ministry of nearly 1,200 Episcopal schools and early childhood education programs throughout the Episcopal Church.  The National Association of Episcopal Schools' Episcopal Schools Celebration theme for 2016-2017 is "Behold, I Will Do Something New!". 

This is a time to give thanks for Episcopal early childhood programs, elementary, middle, and secondary schools.  Through daily Chapel, St. Andrew's Church and school staff work in partnership to encourage and nurture our students to be "doers of the Word."  Our lessons teach them to be "quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger" so that they may hear and learn from God.  We are fortunate enough to observe our efforts in the way our students live out their day at St. Andrew's School.

Please join us on Sunday, October 2 to celebrate not only St. Andrew's Episcopal School, but Episcopal Schools everywhere, all of which are vital to God's mission.  Our school chorus will sing at the 10:30 a.m. service.  I look forward to seeing you then!

Sincerely                                                                                          

Janna M. Outlaw                                                                                       

Head of School

Janna and The Rev. Katherine Gray will be sharing a dialogue sermon at all three services on Sunday, October 2. There will be no Children's Chapel that day at the 10:30 a.m. service.  The 3^rd, 4^th, and 5^th Grade Chorus will lead the music for this service.

Here are some interesting facts about Episcopal schools: 

• There are 1,183 Episcopal Schools and early childhood education (ECE) programs.
• The Episcopal Diocese of Haiti has 252 schools, the most of any diocese of The Episcopal Church.
• Texas has 121 schools and ECE programs in six dioceses, the most in the United States.
• There are approximately 160,000 students in Episcopal schools.
• Approximately 25% of Episcopal school students are actually Episcopalians.  This means that Episcopal schools serve a large number of students from other Christian denominations, non-Christian traditions, or no formal faith backgrounds.
• It is estimated that $212,000,000 in financial aid was offered by Episcopal schools in 2013-2014.
• There are approximately 28,500 administrators, faculty, and staff members employed by Episcopal schools.
• Trinity School, New York City, founded in 1709, is the oldest continually operating Episcopal school. 

St. Andrew's Episcopal School belongs to the National Association of Episcopal Schools (NAES), an independent, voluntary membership that supports, serves, and advocates for the vital work and ministry of its members.  The NAES is the only pre-collegiate educational association that is both national in scope and Episcopal in character.