Episcopal Insider
St. Mark's Campus
September 20, 2024
All Campuses
Important Dates
February 1, 2025 – Florida School Choice Scholarship application opens for renewal and new applicants. New applicants can apply for the 2025-2026 school year through Step Up for Students. April 30, 2025 – Renewal application deadline. Applications received after April 30, 2025 will be processed as new students.Key Information & New Steps for Scholarship Applicants
Here is some helpful information to be aware of, including a new step that families will need to complete this year:- Application checklist: For a list of documents that may be needed when a family applies, please click here.
- Priority deadline: To ensure renewing students receive priority for the Private School Scholarship and the Unique Abilities Scholarship, families must submit their application by Wednesday, April 30. After this date, all students will be processed as “new students” due to legislative changes for this year.
- New step for families: Once a student is found eligible, the family will be asked to “Accept” or “Decline” the scholarship. Once accepted, the student’s status will be updated to “Awarded.” Please monitor your email for future updates about enrollment.
- Step Up for Students is here to help: In addition to their regular hours, their team will be available to assist families this weekend from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET.
Many ESJ parents are familiar with The Monique Burr Foundation’s Child Safety Matters curriculum taught at our Lower Schools. ESJ parents are encouraged to join our programming partner The Monique Burr Foundation for a webinar on Thursday, February 6, 2025, from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. – Developing Digital Safety, Empathy, and Mindfulness with Richard Guerry.
The webinar is free and you must register to attend. Click here to register.
Register: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_58L7OQvgTwunFpgLObrbsw
About the Webinar
From The Monique Burr Foundation for Children (MBF)
Apps like TikTok continue to grow; Deep Fakes are becoming a more common issue, AI is being deployed on a larger scale, Communication in online gaming is growing more frequent for children at younger ages, and; Wearable tech like Snapchat Specs & Meta Smart Glasses will continue to evolve, thus the need for responsibility, as well as empathy and kindness has become even more paramount.
Richard will provide attendees with information & tips to create responsible decision-making with today’s – and tomorrow’s – technology and understand how to replace blind decision-making with informed decision-making. The information provided will assist attendees in helping youth, and other adults, not just understand how to survive – but how to thrive – with continuously evolving digital tools and technologies.
About Richard Guerry
Richard Guerry is the founder of the non-profit organization the Institute for Responsible Online and Cell-Phone Communication (IROC2.org) and one of the nation’s most sought-after speakers on digital safety, empathy and mindfulness. He is the author of multiple cyber safety books and has been a featured speaker at numerous national & international conferences. His Programs have received the School Safety Advocacy Council’s:
- Exemplary School Safety Program Award
- Exemplary School Safety Initiative Award
- National Anti-Bullying Award
Richard has appeared as an expert on Radio Disney, CNN, FOX, CBS, MTV’s Thin Line Campaign, as well as in Parade Magazine and many local, regional, and international publications to help humans better understand how to wield the power of evolving technology with wisdom and responsibility through solution-oriented concepts critical to anyone using digital tools.
Applications for the 2025-2026 school year are open and now is the time to apply for siblings at all ESJ campuses!
Episcopal families interested in a sibling applying to the Beaches Campus (Grades Pre-K 3 – 5), St. Mark’s Campus (Age 1 – Grade 5) or Munnerlyn Campus (Grades 6 – 12) should follow the steps below and complete the process by January 31. Siblings receive priority consideration, but space is limited, so be sure to complete the application process early.
View Steps to Apply for a Sibling
New This Week
On Wednesday, October 9, at 8:25 a.m., Pre-K 3 – grade 5 students will gather in St. Mark’s Episcopal Church for one combined Chapel. The Wednesday afternoon Gathering will not take place on this day.
Following Chapel, fourth and fifth grade students will take a bus to the Episcopal Schools Celebration.
Students in fourth and fifth grade from Episcopal School of Jacksonville, St. Mark’s Campus will gather for worship with other local Episcopal schools at a joint service:
Wednesday, October 23
10:00 a.m.
St. John’s Cathedral, (256 E. Church Street in downtown Jacksonville).
Students are invited to wear their Episcopal maroon polos for this service. At 9:15 a.m., a bus will depart from the St. Mark’s Campus for the Cathedral.
Each student is asked to bring one item that will be donated to the Food Pantry at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church. Click here for a list of needed items.
Weather permitting, kindergarten through fifth grade students will enjoy worship in the park. Parents are welcome and encouraged to attend!
Friday, February 7
8:25 a.m.
Stockton Park
Early dismissal for all grades is Noon on October 16.
The Eagle Afternoon Program is open for registered students.
- October 17 & 18 – School Closed. Holiday Care open for preregistered students
- October 21 – School resumes*
For questions regarding holiday care, please contact Betsy Porter at [email protected].
* Given the unprecedented disruption to learning this fall with two hurricanes, students will be in school on October 21. Read more from the parent email sent October 11.
Reminders
2024-2025 Important Upcoming Calendar Dates
- February 7 – Chapel in the Park (Weather Permitting) (Grades K-5)
- February 7 – Ortega River Run T-Shirt Day
- February 7 – Ortega River Run Packet Pick-up and Pizza Dinner
- February 8 – W.W. Gay Ortega River Run
- February 13 – Daughter Dance
- February 14 – Valentines’ Day Class Parties
- February 17 – Presidents’ Day – School and Extended Day Closed
- February 21 – Early Dismissal (noon), Eagle Afternoon Program Closed
- March 3 – Eucharist Chapel (Grades 1-5, Church, Wear Maroon)
- March 5 – Ash Wednesday Chapel Service (Grades 1-5, Church)
- March 5 – Pre-Primary Chapel in the Lori Schiavone Commons
- March 5 – No Gathering
- March 6 – Spring Musical (Grades 4 & 5, 8:25 a.m. & 6:30 p.m., Lori Schiavone Commons)
- March 10 – 14 – Spring Break. School Closed, Holiday Care Open
- March 17 – 20 – Fifth Grade Kanuga Trip
- March 21 – Chapel in the Park (Grades K – 5, Stockton Park)
- March 21 – A Vision for Art Opening Night Celebration
- March 22 – 24 – A Vision for Art Public Shopping
- March 26 – Parent/Teacher Conferences, School and Extended Day Programs Closed (childcare available during conference slots)
School and Extended Day Programs are closed on September 20. Childcare is available during your child(ren)’s conference time(s):
- ELP 1 and ELP 2 – conference care offered in Dempsey Chapel
- Pre-K 3 – Grade 5 – conference care offered in the Lori Schiavone Commons
The ability to sign up for a conference time is located on the My ESJ Parent Portal, under “Important Right Now”
Friday, September 27
Munnerlyn Campus
5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. | Cookout on the Forbes Event Lawn
7:00 p.m. | Friday Night Football at Jangro Stadium
Come cheer on the mighty Episcopal Eagles as they take on the Yulee Hornets! No formal program – this is a casual evening of fellowship and fun!
- Admission is free for St. Mark’s and Beaches Campus families.
- Family Ticket Packets for those who RSVP will be emailed closer to the event.
- All students must be accompanied by an adult.
Click here to RSVP by September 20
Episcopal’s Cheer Program Director invites students in grades 1 – 5 to cheer with the ESJ varsity team at the football game on Friday, September 27 (during Lower School Family Fun Night). We are excited to have our lower school campuses on the Munnerlyn Campus for Friday night lights at Episcopal!
Registration is closed.
What to Wear:
- The junior cheerleaders will receive their shirts on Wednesday, September 25, at practice. They will wear these shirts to Episcopal on Friday, September 27 to cheer in.
- Please have the junior cheerleaders wear black athletic shorts and white socks with sneakers to cheer in on Friday.
- Girls should have hair up in a secure ponytail on Wednesday and Friday.
- Please bring water bottles both days.
Wednesday, September 25
- Practice, 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. at the Munnerlyn Campus
- Bus transportation with adult supervision will be available for both campuses to this practice. If you would like to sign your child up for transportation to practice on Wednesday, please email Matt Flakus at [email protected].
- Parents will pick students up at the Munnerlyn Campus Upper School Drop-Off (campus map) after practice at 6:00 p.m.
Friday, September 27 (no transportation provided)
- 4:30 p.m. – Check-in and drop off at Munnerlyn Campus Upper School drop-off circle (campus map)
- 4:30 – 6:00 p.m. – Junior cheerleaders practice and get ready with varsity cheerleaders.
- 6:00 p.m. – Junior cheerleaders will be walked over by varsity cheerleaders and coaches to join parents and families at the Lower School Family Fun Night Cookout at the Forbes Event Lawn.
- 6:30 p.m. – Varsity cheerleaders and coaches will walk back over to Forbes Event lawn to pick up the junior cheerleaders.
- First Quarter: Cheer on sideline
- End of First Quarter: Cheer routine
After the Routine:
Cheerleaders may join their parents and families in the stands to continue cheering on the Eagles.
Pre-K 3—Grade 5 students receive a book for their birthday that is added to the Steve Williams Library Collection. Please be on the lookout for an email from Mrs. Trumpler regarding book selection. After a special bookplate is placed in the book, it will be blessed at the Birthday Chapel. Your child will be the first person to check out the book, and we ask them to return it after reading it for a few weeks so other children can enjoy it! Please join us at their special birthday Chapel.
8:25 a.m.
St. Mark’s Episcopal Church
February and July Birthdays
- February 24 (Grades 1-5)
- February 26 (Pre-K and Kindergarten)
March Birthdays
- March 24 (COMBINED Grades Pre-K 3 – Grade 5)
April and May Birthdays
- April 14 (Grades 1-5)
- April 23 (Pre-K and Kindergarten)
Each month, first – fifth grade students are recognized by peers and teachers for demonstrating qualities of the Fruit of the Spirit that the Apostle Paul writes about in his letter to the church in Galatia. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” Galatians 5:22-23. Parents are welcome to attend these afternoon gatherings, as they are all Chapels and gatherings.
Wednesdays at 2:30 p.m.
Lori Schiavone Commons
- February 19 – Fruit of Goodness Gathering
- March 19 – Fruit of Faithfulness Gathering
- April 23 – Fruit of Gentleness Gathering
- May 14 – Fruit of Self-Control Gathering
Parents at ESJ, St. Mark’s Campus are interested in developing a book group to further bring our community together and foster dialogue on building perseverance, resilience, and healthy boundaries in our students. We welcome your input.
Take Survey
Vision is Priceless will be on campus Monday, October 7 to conduct vision screenings for Pre-K 3 – grade 5 students.
- Pre-K 3 – Grade 5 will have individual and class photos on November 5.
- ELP students will have individual pictures only. ELP class photos will take place on April 10.
- A picture retake day for individuals will occur on December 10.
Parents may place an order on mylifetouch.com using the Picture Day ID: EVT6KDKS2. Order before midnight on Picture Day to get FREE shipping! Your child can also bring their completed flyer with cash or check on Picture Day.
Don’t miss a fun evening celebrating our sons. The event is tailored for Pre-K 3 – grade 5 students and will include pizza, games, a parent/student dodgeball game, and lots of room to play on Berg Field! Come dressed in your favorite sports team t-shirt or jersey.
Friday, October 11
6:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Lori Schiavone Commons & Berg Field*
*In the event of inclement weather, this gathering will be canceled.
