Episcopal Insider
St. Mark's Campus
January 17, 2025
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.
New This Week
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
It takes a village of Eagles to pull off this community-wide event. From serving pizza the night before to handing out water bottles and medals at the run, there is something for everyone. Please sign up to help!
Ortega River Run Volunteer Opportunities
On Friday, February 7, ESJ, St. Mark’s Campus will host a pizza dinner in the Lori Schiavone Commons from 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. Friends and neighbors are encouraged to attend.
To ensure enough pizzas are ordered, please pre-order your pizza. Dine-in or takeout orders are accepted.
Students are invited to wear accessories matching their grade level color on Ortega River Run t-shirt day (February 7) and race morning (February 8).
- ELP: Purple
- Pre-K 3 and Pre-K 4: Green
- Kindergarten: Blue
- Grade 1: Teal
- Grade 2: Red
- Grade 3: Lime green
- Grade 4: Camo
- Grade 5: Yellow
February 14, 2025
- February 10 -14, students are invited to wear Valentine’s Day/heart accessories with their school uniforms.
- Parents will receive class party communication directly from homeroom parents.
- Please be sweet without bringing sweets. Non-candy class Valentines are recommended.
Click here to view a list of key dates for next school year.
*Please note one revision: December 19 will now be an Early Dismissal (12:00 PM) with Holiday Care Available.
Reminders
2024-2025 Important Upcoming Calendar Dates
- 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)
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)
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.
Wednesday, January 29
6:00 p.m.
Lori Schiavone Commons
Attend a roundtable discussion with the Rev. Billy Cerveny, Associate Rector, Sr. Mark’s Episcopal Church, and ESJ Dad, followed by a social including bbq and beer.
Please RSVP to [email protected] by 1/27 if possible.
Thursday, February 13
6:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Lori Schiavone Commons
Pre-K 3 – fifth grade daughters and their special friends are invited to make memories at the Sweetheart Soirée Daughter Dance, hosted by the Parents’ Association. Enjoy sweets, dancing, and a photobooth with your best girl.
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
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
- March 19 – Fruit of Faithfulness Gathering
- April 23 – Fruit of Gentleness Gathering
- May 14 – Fruit of Self-Control Gathering