Episcopal Insider - BEACHES CAMPUS
August 1, 2025
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Schools are not just bricks and mortar structures – they are centers of life-long learning filled with dedicated educators!
Each year, ESJ faculty and staff participate in professional development to expand their knowledge in the ever-changing world of education. By remaining on the cutting-edge of their field, they serve as a cornerstone to student achievement in the classroom.
Your gift to The Episcopal Fund helps the school to continue to hire, retain, and invest in professional development for exemplary teachers who share their lifelong love of learning and empower students every day. There is no greater return on an investment than the education of our children.
We invite you to make your gift online today.
Double the Impact of Your Gift
Would you like the opportunity to multiply your giving and increase the impact of your generosity?
Many employers offer matching gift programs that can increase the value of your contribution to Episcopal School of Jacksonville. Contact your employer to find out if they offer a matching gift program and what steps you need to take to initiate a matching gift.
When completing your matching gift request, please select:
Episcopal School of Jacksonville
4455 Atlantic Blvd.
Jacksonville, FL 32207
EIN: 59-1147278
For more information or assistance with the matching gift process, please contact Lisa Allen at allenl@esj.org.
ESJ’s financial aid application for the 2027–2028 school year is open for students in Pre-K 3 through Grade 12. Families must apply annually to be considered. We evaluate financial aid awards using Clarity, a secure third-party platform. We keep all application information strictly confidential.
- November 13 – Application Deadline
- Applications submitted after the deadline will not be reviewed by the Financial Aid Committee until early April, after awards have been offered to new families. Please be aware that financial aid may no longer be available at that time.
- January 15 – Award Notification & Re-enrollment
Required Documents:
- 2025 1040 and W2 (auto-imported from IRS)
- Recent paystub(s) or earning statement(s)
Clarity application webinars that will include open Q&A with families.
Dates and Registration Links:
Tuesday September 30, 2026 6 pm ET
Wednesday October 28, 2026 6 pm ET
Questions?
- Email support at support@clarityapp.com
- Clarity phone support at 206-210-3752
- M-F 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m., Saturday 9:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m.
- “HELP” button on the Clarity website
- Application and support available in English and Spanish
- Refer to ESJ’s Financial Aid FAQ for additional information
- Contact the Financial Aid Committee at financialaid@esj.org
For information on the financial aid process and to apply, click here.
As a thank-you for your patience and continued partnership, Lands’ End is offering our school community 40% off with code OURTREAT40. The offer ends October 13.
Use the code when shopping through Lands’ End School Outfitters to take advantage of this special offer.
New This Week
Grandparents’ Day is Friday, November 7. Students who have a grandparent registered for the event will be dismissed from tutorial and fifth period to participate in Grandparents’ Day activities. The event consists of special time on campus together with tours or special family activities followed by chapel.
Grandparents must be registered for the event in order for a student to be on the dismissal list.
Important detailed information about the event schedule will be emailed to students on the dismissal list later this week. Grandparents’ Day ends prior to lunch. Students will go to lunch (Middle School) or Activities (Upper School) when grandparents leave at the end of chapel. Registration for Grandparents’ Day is done via an online RSVP form through the Advancement office.
Grandparents’ Day is designated time for students to spend time on campus with their grandparents. We kindly ask that parents wishing to visit campus do so during times reserved for parent activities in order to ensure space is available.
Contact Jennifer Windley at windleyj@esj.org with any questions. Please do not contact attendance or your student’s advisor regarding Grandparents’ Day information.
Hello 6th Grade Parents,
You’re invited to join the Parents’ Association and Parent Ambassadors for a casual morning of coffee and conversation!
It’s a great chance to meet other 6th grade parents, ask questions, share experiences, and enjoy fellowship and friendship. Whether you want to talk through a concern, make a new friend, or simply connect with our ESJ community, this time is for you.
Date: Tuesday, November 11
Time: 8:15 AM
Location: Blueberry Artisan Cafe, 3247 Beach Blvd, Jacksonville, FL 32207
RSVPs are appreciated to Melanie Davis (melanie.setina.davis@gmail.
Warmly,
ESJ Parent Association & Parent Ambassadors
Join us for Coffee & Conversation with the Office of Student Life / Deans
- Friday, November 14
- 8:15 AM
- Gooding Boardroom, ESJ Library
Join us and fellow parents in the Goodman Boardroom of the Library for coffee and conversation as we welcome the Office of Student Life / Deans. They’ll lead an engaging discussion on AI in education, feedback channels, philosophy and approach to students, and procedures.
This is a wonderful opportunity to connect directly with school leadership and other families — we’d love to see you there!
The ESJ Fine Arts Department is proud to present Autumn Leaves, brought to you by the ESJ Instrumental Music Ensembles.
The concert takes place at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 20 in the Deming Theatre. Come enjoy energetic, high paced music played by the beginning, middle school, and upper school bands. Swing to the music of the jazz band. Selections include season favorites such as Carol of the Bells, Nutcracker Suite, Carol for Coventry, Jingle Bells, and much more!
General admission tickets are now available for $15 at esj.booktix.com.
ESJ students are free when they show their student ID upon entrance.
Reminders
The ESJ Fine Arts Department is proud to present Urinetown, a side-splitting parody of greed, love, revolution (and musicals!), in a time when water is worth its weight in gold.
The performances are at 7:00 PM on November 13-15 in the Deming Theatre. General admission tickets are now available for $20 at esj.booktix.com/. ESJ students are free when they show their ID at the door. Reserved premier seating is available through Fine Arts Preferred Seating (FAPS).
For more information or to purchase a FAPS package, please click here. Urinetown is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI).
Spanish Exchange Program Invitation Letter
Episcopal-Colegio Inglés, Zaragoza, Spain
Traveling: June 4-18, 2026
Hosting: March-April, 2027
Dear Students & Parents,
I am pleased to announce that Episcopal will begin the new 2026-2027 Spanish Exchange cycle with Colegio Inglés. Our community did an amazing job this past spring hosting Colegio Inglés and they are very excited to receive us this summer! We will travel to Spain June 4-18, 2026 and stay in Zaragoza with host families for 10 days. Afterwards, we will spend two nights in Barcelona and then return to Florida. In turn, ESJ students and families will host Spanish exchange students in Jacksonville in March/April of 2027. There are spaces for 18 students in grades 9-11, ages 14-17; they will be matched with students in the same gender & age range with similar interests, subject to host family availability. Priority is given to students who can both travel and host. This is an exchange program and character is very important. Students need to be in good standing, academically and behaviorally, with the ESJ community and Student Life.
Mrs. Nitza Plaski and Mr. Alex Hernández, ESJ teachers, will be the trip leaders for the program in Spain. The total cost for the program will be determined once we have a final list of students, but is not expected to exceed $5,500. It will include airfare, accommodation with a host family, all ground transport within Spain, all excursions and activities listed on the itinerary, medical insurance, ESJ chaperone accompaniment, two nights hotel accommodation in Barcelona and three meals a day as provided by the host family, and meals in Barcelona. The application and $1,500 deposit is due for the first deadline of November 6, 2026 and checks should be made to Episcopal School of Jacksonville.
If you are interested in participating in the new 2026-2027 cycle, please
- fill out the Spanish Exchange Travel to Zaragoza Interest Form,
- view the Zaragoza-Barcelona Presentation for more information on the proposed activities,
- renew/apply for passports, which must be valid for a minimum of 3 months post departure,
- complete 2026-2027 Application , 2026 Teacher Recommendation and Introductory Letter instructions.
- All forms are due by November 6, 2026; forms can still be submitted after this date until trip is full.
I hope you can join us! Feel free to reach out to me with any questions: plaskin@esj.org
¡Zaragoza Te Espera!
Sincerely,
Nitza Plaski
MS and US Spanish Instructor
Spanish Exchange Coordinator
Greece: In the Footsteps of St. Paul
June 2-13, 2026
Students will be immersed in experiential learning traveling to Greece – literally and theologically walking where St. Paul walked. We will focus on St. Paul’s missionary journeys in Greece. Students may travel on their own under the guidance of our chaperones which include myself, Dean Wells and Mrs. Wells, as well as other chaperones to be named.
Parents and family members are also welcome on this trip. Students may earn one semester credit in Theology for successfully completing the trip as well as attending four lunch and learn gatherings before we leave for Greece. Students also are responsible for the completion of a final paper or project after we return from Greece.
Please see The Rev. Teresa Seagle for more information. Registration with Educational Tours is due by November 15, 2025, or when the trip is full – whichever is sooner.
Educational Opportunities Tours
https://www.eo.travelwithus.com/tours/pa26060226e62540#eotours
Villa Amistad: Cochabamba, Bolivia
June 24-30, 2026
We will travel to Bolivia for this year’s mission trip. Villa Amistad is a children’s village which provides a loving Christian community to children who have been abused, abandoned, or orphaned. Children live in casas (houses) with caregivers. Children are kept together with their siblings in their casas, which may have up to eight children ages 1 to 17.
This mission trip is very relational. We will be assigned to one of the casas, playing with the children and doing anything else that is helpful to their family unit. We may bond through outings in the city, play vacation bible school games and do arts and crafts, and morning worship.
We hope this is the beginning of an ongoing relationship with Villa Amistad. You will earn community service hours on this mission trip. Along with chaperones, we will travel with up to 10 students on this mission trip. Please see me or Fr Chris if you want an application or you have questions.
We’d love your help! Whether you have a little time or a lot, your involvement makes a huge difference.
Join our amazing team of parent volunteers—there’s something for everyone! Sign up today and be part of what makes our school community so special.
Prayer on the Kirwan Flag Plaza is held Friday mornings at 7:55 a.m. A weekly prayer is shared over the intercom, then followed by a prayer gathering on our Flag Plaza.
All are invited – students, faculty/staff, and parents. We hope you’ll join us.
We extend a special invitation to all parents on Wednesday, November 12, at 12:35 p.m., to attend a Middle School chapel. This chapel is planned and led by one of our student Vestry teams. Come and worship with us and see an example of what your students participate in each week.
Parents are always welcome to attend our weekly chapels. Because of the number of Upper School students and faculty, we do not have any seats available during our Upper School Chapel time. There are plenty of seats available to attend our Middle School chapels, which are usually identical to the Upper School Chapel.
Parents should sit in the center upper section. Middle School chapel begins at 12:35 p.m. (Due to the Upper School chapel which precedes it, you will not be able to enter early.)
During our All Saints chapel on November 5, we will list those in our community and family members who have died in the past year. This is called the necrology. Please submit names using the form below.
In addition to the names displayed during the Holy Eucharist on November 5th, chalk will be provided on the Kirwan Flag Plaza on this day to write names of loved ones who have died. All names are welcome no matter when they died. The chaplains will pray over these names at the end of the day, lifting up their family and friends who mourn their loss.
The official ESJ Graduation Announcements can now be ordered at jostens.com. The deadline to place your order is December 1.
Class of 2027, it is time to order your Class Rings. You can design your own ring or order the classic Episcopal signet ring by visiting Jostens.com. All orders must be placed by December 1, to guarantee a spring delivery.
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