Episcopal High School (Bellaire, Texas)

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Episcopal High School

Episcopal High School is a co-educational private day school in Bellaire, Texas, United States. The high school is located on a 34-acre campus in a city partially surrounded by the city of Houston.

The school is a part of the Independent Schools Association of the Southwest and the Southwest Preparatory Conference. The school is also part of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas.

[edit] History

Founded in 1983 by a group of Houston business and Episcopal Church leaders, the school opened its doors in the fall of 1984 to 150 students in grades nine and ten.

The founders, led by The Rt. Rev. Maurice M. Benitez, then the Episcopal Bishop of Texas, established the School as an institution of the Diocese. To introduce the School to Houston, the founders did extensive marketing via newspapers, television, and educational publications. Founding Headmaster the Reverend Warren R. "Jess" Borg served until 1995, when Edward C. "Ned" Becker was appointed the second Head of School.

A complete campus, with buildings in need of extensive repair, was purchased in 1983 from Houston developer Wayne Duddlesten, who had purchased the 34-acre site from the Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament. Formerly housing the Marion High School and the Congregation of the Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament ^[1][2], a convent and a girls' high school, the property had been vacant for several years before Duddlesten purchased it.

After fifteen years of rigorous fundraising, the campus debt was retired and a $42 million campaign for new buildings and endowment was initiated. In 2001, the campaign ended with the construction of a new classroom building and library, a student center, a gymnasium, and a field house, track, and stadium complex. Now in its 23rd year, EHS houses more than 600 students in grades nine through twelve.

[edit] The School's Mission

The school is guided by its mission: “Episcopal High School is an institution of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas, established for the purpose of providing a superior education in preparation for college and a significant life thereafter. Through a rich offering of academic, spiritual, artistic, and athletic programs, the School provides an opportunity for each student to reach his or her maximum spiritual, intellectual, social, and ethical potential. Operating as a Christian community within the beliefs and traditions of the Episcopal Church, EHS in its teaching philosophy emphasizes understanding and responding to the individual needs and capabilities of each student. In an effort to reflect the community we serve, EHS strives to maintain a student body that represents social, economic, ethnic, and academic diversity.”

[edit] The Four Pillars

The Episcopal High School curriculum is based on four pillars: Academics, Religion, Fine Arts, and Athletics.

The Academic Pillar prepares students for college with its extensive curricula in English, mathematics, science, history, languages, religion, fine arts, and wellness. Students may choose from more than 125 courses, including honors-level and Advanced Placement courses. Students are encouraged to give aid to one another outside of school, and members of the National Honors Society tutor students at least once a week.[1]

The Religion Pillar is evident in the daily chapel service attended by all students and faculty, as well as in several required courses, including Old Testament, New Testament, World Religions or History of Christianity, and Ethics. Community service is a strong element of the School’s mission, and many students participate weekly in such projects as Home Repair. The Students of Service (SOS) Club is the largest and most popular organization on campus.

The Fine Arts Pillar offers coursework in dance, media arts, music, theatre, and visual arts, coupled with performances and art exhibits throughout the school year. The School has several dance troupes and an improvisational group, as well as active yearbook and newspaper staffs. In addition, many extracurricular clubs and organizations support the arts.

The Athletics Pillar is supported by the Wellness Department, which offers courses in health education, physical education, wellness, strength and conditioning, and athletic training. The sports program fields teams in 19 sports over three seasons during the school year. Consistently, more than 80% of the students participate in at least one sport. As a competitive member of the Southwest Preparatory Conference, the School has regularly won championships, most recently in softball and baseball.

[edit] School uniforms

Episcopal High School students are required to wear school uniforms [2]. Uniform shirts are purchased from Lands' End and have the EHS logo on them. On some days, students must wear a formal uniform.

[edit] The Laptop Program

All students and teachers have laptop computers and are connected via a wireless network. The laptop program integrates the use of technology across the curriculum and offers students the opportunity to enhance their learning experiences by accessing new resources and facilitating communication, as well as preparing them for using technology in colleges and universities, more and more of which have become wired.

Laptop theft on campus and fraudulent insurance claims soon became problems, with a few students being expelled as a result. [3]

[edit] Accreditations and Statistics

Episcopal High School is accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Southwest. The School currently enrolls approximately 630 students in grades nine through twelve and employs 94 faculty members, 61% of whom hold advanced degrees.

[edit] Before Episcopal

Episcopal has multiple feeder schools, but the majority of the student body attended St. Francis Episcopal Day School[4], River Oaks Baptist School [5], Annunciation Orthodox School [6], or Presbyterian School [7].

[edit] External links

• Episcopal High School