Episcopal Insider
St. Mark's Campus
October 11, 2024
All Campuses
The ESJ Fine Arts Department invites students, families, and community members to attend The Art of Art, a night of creativity and exploration of visual arts. Come try throwing a pot on a ceramics wheel, participate in a photography demonstration, or create artwork that you can bring home.
This free event takes place on January 16 from 5-8 PM on Arts Row on St. Elmo Drive at the Munnerlyn Campus.
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
Picture Day, initially scheduled for October 10, will be rescheduled for a later date. A new date will be communicated via the Insider once it is determined.
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.
Thank you to Cielo Bibby and Amy Futch for their dedication and hard work in planning the Sports Night Son Event. Unfortunately, this event had to be canceled due to the unexpected arrival of Hurricane Milton.
As previously communicated, ESJ is unable to reschedule the event. This decision was made due to the end of daylight savings on November 3, along with an already packed spring calendar on all three campuses.
Thank you for your understanding and support! We look forward to being together for upcoming community events through the holidays, starting with Fall Festival and Book Fair on October 25!
Episcopal School of Jacksonville, St. Mark’s Campus is excited to announce a new Parent Book Club! The first book is Good Inside by Dr. Becky Kennedy.
“This book is for any parent who has ever struggled under the substantial weight of caregiving—which is to say, all of us. Good Inside is not only a wise and practical guide to raising resilient, emotionally healthy kids, it’s also a supportive resource for overwhelmed parents who need more compassion and less stress.”
— Eve Rodsky, New York Times bestselling author.
First Meeting Details
Tuesday, October 15
8:15 a.m.
Lori Schiavone Commons
This first meeting will introduce the book and the club, so there is no need to read anything beforehand!
The Book Club will meet monthly after drop-off. Don’t worry if you can’t make it to every meeting or are behind on the book — it’s all about sharing and supporting each other!
If you cannot come next week but are still interested in participating, please complete the Book Club Interest Form below.
Trimester 2 After School Activities registration will open on Monday, October 28. Parents will receive an email when registration is live.
Activities begin the week of November 11.
Reminders
2024-2025 Important Upcoming Calendar Dates
- January 10 – Kindergarten joins Grades 1 – 5 Chapel, 8:25 a.m. St. Mark’s Episcopal Church
- January 16 – Re-Enrollment for 2025-2026 School Year Begins
- January 17 – Fathers’ and Special Friends’ Chapel (Pre-K 3 – Grade 5, 8:25 a.m., St. Mark’s Episcopal Church)
- January 20 – MLK Day. School and Extended Day Program Closed
- January 23 – Family Open House, All Grades, 5:30 p.m.
- January 23 – Eagle Afternoon Program Closes at 5:30 p.m.
- January 29 – Dads’ Club Gathering (6:00 p.m., Lori Schiavone Commons)
- January 31 – Deadline to Re-Enroll for 2025-2026 School Year
- February 3 – 6 – CTP 5 Testing (Grades 3-5)
- February 7 – Chapel in the Park (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 Open
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.
Please save the date for the Scholastic Book Fair on St. Mark’s Campus (Lori Schiavone Commons).
Friday, October 25
9:00 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Additional Book Fair Information
- Volunteer opportunities
- Student shopping times
- Sign up for eWallet and pre-load money into your child’s account!
Friday, October 25
Grades 1-5
9:00 a.m.
The Quad
Students are invited to dress as their favorite book characters to celebrate this year’s Book Fair. Grades 1 – 5 will parade around the Quad in the grassy area by the music and art classrooms. Younger students will enjoy being spectators and parents are welcome to attend!
Students should wear their costumes to school either over their school dress code attire or bring a change of clothes with them to school.
Save the Date: Fall Festival – Fun for All Ages!
Friday, October 25
4:30 – 6:30 p.m.
Berg Field
Important notes:
- Eagle Afternoon Program closes at 5:00 p.m. this day.
- In addition to regular parking in the front of the school, parking will be available from 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. via Baltic Street. The Baltic Street gate entering Berg Field will be open during the festival.
- In case of inclement weather, the Fall Festival will be canceled.
When:
Thursday, October 31 at 9:00 a.m.
What:
Kindergarten students will lead students in a costume parade around Berg Field to showcase their costumes with parents and older students.
Who:
ELP 1 – Kindergarten students and their families
- ELP Parents: Please send your child to school in costume and plan to walk with your child in the parade. Afterwards, please come to the classroom to help your child change back into school clothes and attend your child’s class party.
- Pre-K Parents: Please send your child to school in costume. Head to Berg Field and enjoy the show! After the parade, meet at your child’s classroom for a special snack.
- K Parents: Please send your child to school in costume. Parents are invited to watch the parade from Berg Field while the kindergarten students lead the parade. The kindergarten class party will take place at 2:15 p.m. Parents are welcome to attend!
Scary costumes or props are not permitted.
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
- January 22 – Fruit of Kindness Gathering
- 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
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
January and June Birthdays
- January 27 (Grades 1-5)
- January 29 (Pre-K and Kindergarten)
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)