Episcopal Upper School Newsletters

Dear Upper School Families,

With the passing of writer Wendell Berry this week, his insights on the true purpose of education may carry a deep resonance for our community:

A proper education enables young people to put their lives in order, which means knowing what things are more important than other things; it means putting first things first.

In a fast-paced culture that constantly bombards our children with competing noise, anxiety, and distraction, Berry’s reflection echoes a timeless spiritual truth that underlies our school's mission.  Our goal at Episcopal is not merely to prepare students for academic success, but to partner with families in guiding young people toward wisdom, discernment, and a moral commitment to the common good - a purposeful life.  We want our students to understand that character, integrity, and the dignity with which we treat one another far outweigh any letter grade or test score.

Every day in our classrooms, our advisory spaces, our rehearsal rooms and athletic fields, our faculty and staff work to help your students tune out the noise, order their lives well, and focus on what lasts.  Thank you for trusting us with your children and for allowing us to do this essential work.

Please keep reading for important reminders and information.  As always, don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns.

Thanks,
Dan Binder
Head of Upper School

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HOMECOMING KICKOFF DANCE:
This year's Homecoming Kickoff Dance will be September 12th from 8PM to 10PM.  Doors will be locked at 8:30PM and will open again at 9:45PM.  Student Council will be selling tickets to the dance during lunch/office hours all week; a single ticket is $15 and a couple ticket is $25.  Students may use either cash or card as payment.

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ACADEMIC RESOURCE CENTER:
Upper 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.  Upper School students can access ARC during their study hall or free study (appointments and walk-ins welcome).  The booking page can be found on the ARC Canvas Page, as well as here.

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The All4One eFund Campaign kicks off September 8.  We are proud to share that our faculty and staff have reached 100% participation, and we are hopeful our parent community will help us reach that milestone as well.  Your support, no matter how large or small, truly makes a difference.

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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.  We hope our Upper 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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KARNIVAL KNIGHT:
Get ready to tee off for Karnival Knight 2026: The Masters! Order now through September 8th at the school store. The Karnival Knight store is officially LIVE! Sponsorships, T-shirts, hats, wristbands, and tickets are all available for purchase. 

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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.  For more information, please click here.

CONTACTS:

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

Mr. Dan Binder
US Division Head
[email protected]
225-755-2708

Ms. Marian Castille
US Dean of Student Life
[email protected]
225-963-9894

Ms. Dakota Newman
US Counselor
[email protected]
225-755-2709

Ms. Tracie Hiles
US Administrative Assistant
[email protected]
225-755-2711