Middle School Newsletters

Dolly Parton. I’ve found myself thinking about one of her songs, “Light of a Clear Blue Morning.”

There is something about the beginning of a school year that feels a little like a clear blue morning. Everything is still new. Our students are finding their rhythms, building relationships with their teachers, navigating friendships, and figuring out who they are going to be this year.

Of course, not every day will feel clear and blue. This is middle school! There will be hard days. Our children will make mistakes. They will struggle with something they thought would be easy. They may face disappointment, friendship challenges, or moments when they aren’t quite sure of themselves.

And that is where so much of the growing happens.

As parents and educators, our job isn’t to clear every cloud from their sky. It is to walk beside them as they learn that clouds move. Hard moments pass. Mistakes can be repaired. Tomorrow offers another opportunity to try again.

At Episcopal, we talk about nurturing the whole child. Part of that work is helping our students develop the confidence and courage to navigate both the sunny days and the cloudy ones.

We are still at the beginning of this year, and there is so much possibility ahead for these wonderful middle schoolers.

Here’s to the light of a clear blue morning and all that is still to come.
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PARENT SERIES WEBINARS:

Episcopal families have access to the 2026–27 SAIS/ISACS Parent Series, featuring respected speakers and experts on topics designed to support parents and families throughout the school year. Parents may choose to participate live or watch the recordings, but you must sign up individually in advance.  Once registered, parents will receive a Zoom link to the live webinar and a follow-up link to the recording.  

Upcoming programs include:

September 29, 2026
School Readiness: Executive Function Needed to “Do School”
Sarah Ward

December 1, 2026
The Power of Beliefs: How Strengthening Seven Core Beliefs Predicts Greater Success and a Better Life
Shawn Achor

January 13, 2027
The Family Guide to Screen/Life Balance: What to Do About Tech & Kids
Catherine Price

February 9, 2027
Protecting Your Child in the Age of Deepfakes
Evan Harris

April 8, 2027
How Temperament Shapes Who We Become: Why Some Children Need More Than Others to Flourish
Aliza Pressman

May 4, 2027
The Power of One
John O’Leary

All sessions are held virtually from 6:30 – 7:30 pm. Central and will be recorded for families unable to attend live.

Please see the Parent Series information HERE & HERE for additional details and register using the Episcopal community link:

isacs.ws/PS26-27SAIS

Please note: This registration link is exclusively for members of the Episcopal School of Baton Rouge community. Please do not forward or share it outside our school community.
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ACADEMIC RESOURCE CENTER:

Middle School students are encouraged to utilize the Academic Resource Center! ARC is a free-of-charge, Upper School-student-run operation that offers peer-to-peer tutoring and studying. It is located upstairs in Aldrich Library and is staffed by 10th-12th grade Fellows (peer tutors) throughout the school day. 

Fellows specialize in all subject-areas and can help students with a number of tasks, including writing, revising, studying for an upcoming assessment, working a tricky math problem, or even speaking a foreign language! The Fellows are here to lend a helping hand to any student who comes to visit us.

Middle School students can access ARC during their Flex period by appointment. If students ever have questions about utilizing ARC or are having trouble booking an appointment, they can simply email Mrs. Sutcliffe at [email protected]. Our booking page can be found on the ARC Canvas Page, as well as here: https://calendly.com/episcopalpeertutoring 

We look forward to having another successful year of this meaningful collaboration between US and MS!
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COMMUNICATION:

Parents, please encourage your children to check their school email regularly. This is one of the primary ways we share important information directly with students. We also like to tuck in a few fun “Easter eggs” from time to time, so students who are not reading their email might miss something!

Dr. Wharton sends a Friday Focus each Friday afternoon to help students prepare for the week ahead. Please make sure your child is reading it. I will continue to share lots of information with you, but many of the reminders and details specific to students and daily Middle School life will come directly to them through email and the Friday Focus.
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BUST BREAST CANCER:

On Wednesday, October 7th, students are invited to donate $1 and wear PINK free dress in support of Woman’s Hospital’s BUST Breast Cancer initiative. Students should bring their $1 donation to their homeroom teacher, who will collect and record donations that morning. We hope our Middle School students will join us in wearing pink and helping BUST breast cancer! Please refer to the Student Handbook for free dress guidelines.
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LEARNING LAB:

Learning Lab provides homework support and executive function coaching to small groups of middle school students.  It's available on Mondays and Thursdays from 3:15 - 4:15 pm. Families will be charged by quarter at a rate of $25 per session. For more information or questions, please contact Ms. Stickle. To sign up, please do so here. This opportunity is open to all Middle School students.
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8th-GRADE FAMILIES:

Please make sure you have read the Camp Cho-Yeh communication sent in July. This trip is a fantastic opportunity for students to bond, learn, and create lasting memories. To ensure an accurate count, if your student chooses not to attend, please notify me by September 1st via email. After this date, refunds cannot be offered for the trip cost.

Please take a minute to sign the Assumption of Risk Forms.
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7th-GRADE FAMILIES:

Details about the 7th-grade trip was shared Tuesday afternoon! Please see the note here.

Our trip to NEW ORLEANS will be October 28th & 29th.
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CLUB DISMISSAL PROCEDURES:

Please see this link for new club dismissal & pick-up procedures.
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MAGNUS & HEALTH INFORMATION:

Please remember to complete all required forms and health information in Magnus. 

Please remember to complete all required forms and health information in Magnus before Labor Day. This includes uploading any required documents and completing all questions in the system. This is due August 21st. Students with incomplete Magnus requirements will not be permitted to attend school beginning August 24th. 

If you have questions or need assistance with Magnus, please contact MS/US Nurse Amy Johns.

You may access Magnus by clicking here.
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PORTRAIT ORDERS:

School picture order forms are due by Friday, August 21st. Late orders will be charged a $15 processing fee.
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BADGES:

Badges were handed out this week. Please help your student remember to wear their badge to school each day. Badges are an important security measure and also provide students access to badge-protected buildings across campus. Please help your student remember to bring their badge to school each day. If a badge is left at home, a replacement will need to be printed, and a $15 replacement fee will apply each time.

Canes & Pizza:

A quick note about Cane’s & Pizza orders: Some students have noticed their order is not showing on their badge. If an order was not placed during the pre-sale by July 25, it will not appear yet. Once the final sale is complete, those orders will be added and students will receive a reprinted badge at no charge. You can still order Cane's & Pizza until August 21st.
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ATTENDANCE:

To ensure consistency across divisions, please remember that all absences must be reported through PowerSchool. Please note, this must be done through a browser not the app. Students being picked up or released during the school day will not be released until the absence has been submitted through PowerSchool.
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MEDICATION:

 If you need to turn in medications, please drop them off with Nurse Amy in the infirmary.
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CONTACTS:

Feel free to reach out to any of us - we're here to help and support you. If we're not the right contact, we’ll connect you with someone who can assist you best.

Anne Dalton
MS Division Head
[email protected]
225-755-2724

Taylor Wharton
MS Dean of Student Life 
[email protected]
225-753-3655

Katie Carpenter
MS Counselor
[email protected]
225-755-2735

Dana Heuvel
MS Assistant 
[email protected]
225-755-2725

Upcoming Dates

Grade-Level Coffees provide a great opportunity to meet your child’s teachers and ask any questions you may have as the year begins.

*Monday, August 31st at 8:00 am. Join us for a 7th-Grade Parent Coffee in Quest.

*Wednesday, September 2nd at 8:00 am. Join us for a 6th-Grade Parent Coffee in Quest. 

*Monday, September 7th. Labor Day. No School.

*Tuesday, September 8th at 8:00 am. Join us for an 8th-Grade Parent Coffee in Quest.

*Monday, September 28th at 8:00 am. Join us for an All School Coffee: Security & Safety at Episcopal in the Alumni House.

*Tuesday, September 29th at 6:30 pm. Virtual SAIS/ISACS Parent Session. More information & how to register in Newsletter.

*Wednesday, October 7th. $1.00 Pink Free Dress. More information & guidelines in Newsletter.

*Fridays. Spirit Dress. Uniform bottoms. Episcopal spirit shirt. 

All School Calendar

Keep track of school holidays, major events, and important dates across all divisions—updated year-round for your planning needs.

MS Resources

Find supply lists, summer reading logs, orientation info, required forms, club sign-ups, and more—all in one place.

Lunch Menu

See what’s being served in Webster's Refectory. Updated every Friday with daily options