This past summer St. Paul’s Nursery School, (SPNS), joined The National Association of Episcopal Schools, (NAES) in an effort to improve our church-school relations and to expand and improve our school “governing” board. “The National Association of Episcopal Schools is an independently incorporated, voluntary membership organization that supports, serves and advocates for the vital work and ministry of those who serve over 1,200 schools, Early Childhood Education programs and school establishment efforts, and their sponsoring institutions, throughout The Episcopal Church. NAES is the only pre-collegiate educational association that is both national in scope and Episcopal in character. As such, it is the national voice of Episcopal schools to The Episcopal Church, the education community, and the world.”

“Episcopal schools have been established as ecumenical and diverse ministries of educational and human formation for people of all faiths and backgrounds. Episcopal schools are populated by a rich variety of human beings, from increasingly diverse religious, cultural and economic backgrounds. In fact, the intentional pluralism of most Episcopal Schools is a hallmark of their missions. It is also a distinguishing characteristic of these schools that they seek to integrate religious and spiritual formation into the overall curriculum and life of each school community. Episcopal schools are clear, yet graceful, about how they articulate and express their basic identities, especially in their religious curricula and traditions. They invite all who attend and work in them – Episcopalians and non- Episcopalians, Christians and non-Christians, people of no faith tradition –both to seek clarity about their own beliefs and religions and to honor those traditions more fully and faithfully in their own lives. Above all, Episcopal schools exist not merely to educate, but to demonstrate and proclaim the unique worth and beauty of all human beings as creations of a loving, empowering God.”

Did You Know That:

• Over 1,000 parishes and cathedrals in The Episcopal Church have a school. Of these schools, over 600 are Early Childhood Education Programs serving our youngest students as part of their ministry.
• Since 1990, over 100 Episcopal Schools and Early Childhood Education programs have opened their doors, a 29% increase.
• On average, about 25% of the students in Episcopal schools are Episcopalians, meaning our schools serve a large number of students from other Christian denominations, non-Christian traditions or no formal faith background.

We hope this new alliance with NAES will provide the support and guidance that we will need to progress to the next level. We are still looking for individuals who would like to be part of this school board and help us to continue to move forward.

God Bless,
Linda