| Episcopal Collegiate School | |
|---|---|
| Address | |
| 1701 Cantrell Road Little Rock, Arkansas, Pulaski County, 72201 United States |
|
| Information | |
| Funding type | Private |
| Motto | Respect, Reverence, Responsibility |
| Denomination | Episcopalian |
| Established | 1998 |
| Founder | Trinity Episcopal Cathedral |
| Headmaster | Steve Hickman |
| Chaplain | The Reverend Canon John Childress |
| Faculty | 80 |
| Grades | PreK - 12 |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Student to teacher ratio | 8:1 |
| Sports | American football, baseball, basketball, cheerleading, cross country, golf, softball, tennis, track, volleyball, wrestling |
| Mascot | Wildcat |
| School roll | 600 |
| Endowment | $30 million |
| Website | episcopalcollegiate.org |
Episcopal Collegiate School is a small private school located in Little Rock, Arkansas established in 1998 under the name "The Cathedral School". In July 2003, it changed its name to Episcopal Collegiate School.[1] It has a total student body of approximately 385 students and an average class size of 15, and the teacher to student ratio is approximately 10:1.[2] It has a financial endowment of over $30 million dollars, which was contributed by Jackson T. Stephens and his son, Warren A. Stephens.[1] ECS's colors are hunter green, white, and navy blue and its mascot is the Wildcat.[3]
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Episcopal's academic extra curricular activities include student congress, quiz bowl, chess team, politically conscious society, environmentally conscious society, drama club, art club, Latin club, Spanish club, French club, mythology club, student council, interact club, and Harry Potter Club. The school also has an honor system, complete with an honor code, and an honor council consisting of eleven students chosen by their peers. Students are not allowed to campaign for a seat on the honor council, but instead are chosen according to how well they uphold the school motto of Respect, Reverence, and Responsibility in the eyes of their peers. Those chosen are considered to have received the highest honor a student can achieve at Episcopal.[4]
Episcopal's athletic department includes baseball, basketball, cheerleading, cross country, football, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, track, volleyball, and wrestling.[3] In the 2005/2006 season, the football team went undefeated in regular season play, becoming 3A conference champions and were given a berth in the state playoffs. The team made it to the semi-finals, where they were defeated by Dierks. The tennis teams have won the boys championship for five out of the last six years with the latest victory in 2009 also garnering a girls championship. In early October 2009, the varsity boys golf team captured the 3A state golf championship by narrowly defeating Arkansas Baptist.
Episcopal is accredited by Southwestern Association of Episcopal Schools and Arkansas Non-Public Schools Accrediting Association.[3] Episcopal also has affiliations or is a member of each of the following organizations: National Association of Episcopal Schools, School and Student Service for Financial Aid, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, International Reading Association, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Arkansas Activities Association, National Science Teachers' Association, and National Council of Teachers of English.[3]
In 1996, a group of dedicated parents and community leaders spearheaded an effort to establish a new middle school with a similar Episcopal educational experience as The Cathedral School, K-6. As a result of this effort and with the endorsement of Trinity Episcopal Cathedral Parish, The Cathedral Middle School was established in 1997 as an independent and separately incorporated school.[5]
In the fall of 1998, The Cathedral Middle School opened its doors at a temporary location at the Quapaw Quarter United Methodist Church. Shortly thereafter, The Cathedral Middle School Board of Trustees purchased 31 acres (130,000 m2) to build a middle school with a vision to expand to an upper school. In the fall of 2000, the doors opened for grades six through nine at the newly named Jackson T. Stephens Campus. The campus was named in honor of Jackson T. Stephens for his lifelong support of education and his significant role in making The Cathedral Middle School a reality.[5]
The Middle School was dedicated on November 3, 2000. Construction of the Upper School began shortly thereafter and was completed and dedicated on December 7, 2001. In July 2003, the Board of Trustees unanimously voted to change the name of The Cathedral Middle and High Schools to Episcopal Collegiate School to better reflect the heritage, identity, and mission of the School.[5]
On May 11, 2004, Warren A. Stephens, President of the Episcopal Collegiate School Foundation, announced that his father, Jackson T. Stephens, along with he and his wife, Harriet Stephens, made a gift of $30 million to establish a permanent endowment for the Episcopal Collegiate School Foundation, which will assure the School's financial security in perpetuity.[5]
On May 22, 2004, the first senior class graduated. The School realized its vision of establishing an excellent college preparatory school in the Episcopal tradition for grades 6-12. The vision of Episcopal Collegiate School is to have not only first-class facilities, but also the finest faculty and administration, the best and broadest curriculum, and to make this education available to a diverse population of students.[5]
Jeanne Joyner (President), Bob Staten (Vice President), Chuck Erwin (Treasurer), Tom Charlton (Secretary), Joyce Babin, Dr. Debra Becton, Curt Bradbury, Traci Braunfisch, Michael Brown, Claude Cousins, Joe Gregory, Joe Hadden, Claire Hancock, Sarah Henry, Christy Kelly, Mark Lee, Paula Parke, Dr. G. Richard Smith, Harriet Stephens, Penny Wilbourn, Steve Hickman (Ex Officio) [6]