Episcopal Insider
St. Mark's Campus
December 20, 2024
All Campuses
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
Friday, January 17
8:25 a.m.
St. Mark’s Episcopal Church
(Pre-K 3 – Grade 5)
Pre-K 3, Pre-K 4 and Kindergarten
Fathers come to the classrooms between 8:10 – 8:15 a.m. to walk children to church
Grades 1-5
Fathers/special friends meet students outside the church at 8:15 a.m.
*If you have children in Pre-K or Kindergarten and Grades 1-5, please pick up your youngest child(ren) first, then wait for older children outside the church.
School and the Extended Day Program are closed on Monday, January 20, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. School will resume on Tuesday, January 21.
Thursday, January 23
5:30 – 6:30 p.m. Open House
Eagle Afternoon Program will close at 5:30 PM on January 23
All St. Mark’s families with ELP 1 through Grade 5 children are invited to our Family Open House! Join us for a fun and interactive evening where you can explore your child’s current classroom, discover exciting enrichment classes, and experience a glimpse of your student’s 2025-26 school year.
Each child will receive a passport to guide them on this evening’s journey. Once their passport is complete, they’ll be entered into a raffle to win some sought-after ESJ swag. Don’t miss this wonderful opportunity to celebrate your child’s progress this school year. Please remember to wear your parent name tag when attending events on campus. (If you have lost your tag, please use this form: Name Tag Orders.)
For questions, please contact Melissa Tucker at [email protected] or 904-388-2632.
The Eagle Afternoon Program will close at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, January 23, so families can attend the Open House Event.
Reminders
2024-2025 Important Upcoming Calendar Dates
- 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 (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
Current ESJ families will be able to re-enroll for the 2025-2026 school year January 16-31. Please review the key updates listed below. If you have any questions concerning re-enrollment, please contact Melissa Tucker, Director of Lower School Admission & Enrollment – St. Mark’s Campus, at [email protected]. We look forward to welcoming your family back for the 2025-2026 school year!
Key Updates
- Payment Plans: Early Learning Program
- 1 Pay: July
- 2 Pay: July and November
- 10 Pay: July – April
- Payment Plans: Pre-K 3 – Grade 5
(ELP 2 to rising Pre-K 3 families: note there will be one month of tuition overlap as you transition from the ELP payment schedule to the Pre-K 3 payment schedule.)
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- 1 Pay: April
- 2 Pay: April and November
- 10 Pay: April – January
- Financial Obligation Schedule: Pre-K 3 – Grade 5 contracts that are canceled after the deposit is submitted will have the following financial obligations:
- Upon signing the re-enrollment agreement: 25% of the annual tuition
- April 1 – June 30: 50% of the annual tuition
- After June 30: 100% of the annual tuition
All students are invited to wear their Christmas pajamas to school on Friday, December 20. Children will enjoy class parties on this day as well.
Throughout the week, students may wear Christmas accessories.
Race registration fees for the one- and 5-five mile W.W. Gay Ortega River Run will increase on January 1. Join the ESJ community and supporters from near and far on February 8, 2025, on the St. Mark’s Campus for a fun and exciting event benefiting the ESJ, St. Mark’s Campus financial aid program.
The day will feature:
- 1-mile fun run
- 5-mile Jacksonville Grand Prix Running Series race
- A family-friendly street fair with activities for all ages
To sign up, visit www.esj.org/orr.
On Friday, February 7, 2025—just one day before the W.W. Gay Ortega River Run— all faculty, staff, and students are invited to wear their Ortega River Run shirts.
When you register for either the one-mile or five-mile race, you will receive a complimentary short-sleeve shirt.
Toddler, adult long-sleeve, and adult tank shirts are also available by following the link below:
Order deadline = January 8, 2025
Please note the following dates for Christmas Break. ESJ hopes you and yours have a wonderful Christmas!
- Friday, December 20
- Early Dismissal (Eagle Afternoon Program Open)
- Monday, December 23 – Friday, December 27
- School and Extended Day Programs Closed (Christmas Break)
- Monday, December 30 & Tuesday, December 31
- School Closed, Holiday Care Open (Needs Advanced Registration)
- Wednesday, January 1
- School and Extended Day Programs Closed
- Thursday, January 2 & Friday, January 3
- School Closed, Holiday Care Open (Needs Advanced Registration, Contact Betsy Porter at [email protected] with questions)
- Monday, January 6 & Tuesday, January 7
- School and Extended Day Programs Closed (Faculty Professional Development)
- Wednesday, January 8
- Classes Resume
ELP 1 – grade 5 Christmas class parties will take place on Friday, December 20. Parents are welcome to attend! More details will be shared by the homeroom teacher in your child(ren)’s class.
All students are invited to wear Christmas accessories with their uniforms throughout the week of December 16 – 20. Merry Merry!
The ability to register and pay for 2025 spring a la carte holiday care concludes Friday, January 31.
Holiday Care includes the following dates:
- Spring Break (March 10-14)
- Easter Monday (April 21)
Tuesday, January 14
8:15 – 9:15 a.m.
Youth Center
St. Mark’s Campus parents will continue discussing Dr. Becky Kennedy’s “Good Inside” book, Chapters 16-20. Chapters cover Rudeness and Defiance, Whining, Lying, Fears and Anxiety, Hesitation and Shyness. If you have not previously attended a meeting but are interested in these topics, you are welcome to attend!
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