Good News January 2015 by Christ Episcopal School

The Good News January | 2015

Celebrating 30Years

Great Things About Christ Episcopal School

School Administration Mr. John Morvant Headmaster

Dr. Carol Barlow Junior High Division Head Mr. Jeff Brock High School Division Head Mrs. Reina Gardner Early Childhood Division Head Mrs. Molly Heurtin Lower School Division Head Mr. Jerry Henson Director of Advancement

Celebrating a special birthday for Mrs. Gardner, the ECC participated in a school-wide 50s Sock Hop.

Mrs. Pam Perry Admission Director Mr. John Pousson Director of Finance and Operations

School Board of Trustees Mr. Barbee Ponder Chairman Mr. Steve Croxton Vice-Chairman

Learning about the nation’s capital, the second grade took a “flight” to D.C. to get a closer look

Mr. Charlie Caplinger Treasurer Mrs. Erika Briggs Secretary The Rev. Dennis Ryan Interim Rector, Christ Church Mr. Bert Duvic Mr. Sam Giberga

Junior High brought the decades back to CES during fall Spirit Week.

Mr. Clark Heebe Mrs. Beverly McQuaid Mr. Kirk Michel Vestry Representative Mr. Jim Miles Mr. John Morvant Headmaster Mrs. Jane Slatten Mrs. Beth Tees CESPA President Ms. Emery Whalen

Christ Episcopal School is an ISAS member. We seek to enroll all qualified students regardless of race, creed, or ethnic background.

Under the direction of Dr. Fox, the High School performed the first all high school play, Eurydice.

In This Issue Celebrating 30 Years

Christ Episcopal School celebrated its 30th Anniversary with two parties; a Founder’s Dinner on Thursday, August 28 at Christ Church and the Southern Hotel and a school-wide celebration on Friday, August 29 at both the school’s Christwood Boulevard Campus and Early Childhood Campus Those attending the Founder’s Dinner included members of the school’s initial planning committee, original Board of Trustees, and the first faculty members. A cocktail reception was hosted by the current Board of Trustees, followed by dinner provided by Ox Lot 9 in the Camellia Sunroom of the Southern Hotel. (See pages 10-11) At school on Friday, the afternoon was dedicated to a celebration for Christ Episcopal’s students, who now number 602 (there were 34 students the first day of school in 1984). Sno balls, cupcakes, and music provided by M.T. Noggin made for a festive anniversary commemoration. (See pages 12-15)

Mission Statement The philosophy of Christ Episcopal School reflects the reasons for its origin: to provide a superior academic opportunity within the framework of a warm and nurturing Christian environment. Each child is special, an individual. Therefore, at the heart of Christ Episcopal School is the belief that the development of the intellectual, emotional, physical, and spiritual needs of each child must be tailored, to the greatest extent possible, to the individual child. We seek to give our children an awareness of God’s love and, through such an awareness, to foster those ideals - self-esteem, independence, and self-motivation - which will prepare each child for the continuing educational process. Our goal is to prepare our children for living in God’s world, with all their rights and privileges, duties and responsibilities.

2. From the Headmaster 3. From the Board Chairman 4. 30 Great Things About CES! 10. Founders’ Dinner 12. CES Students Celebrate 30 Years 16. Early Childhood Campus Halloween Festivities 17. Lower School Dauphin Island Trip 18. Junior High School Yearbook Signing 19. High School Senior Ring Ceremony 20. Booster Club Fore! Wildcats Golf Tournament 21. From the CES Archive 22. Art at the Park Goes Under the Big Top 24. Around Campus 25. Christmas at CES

From the Headmaster CES – The Next Thirty Years

“Never make predictions, especially about the future.” Casey Stengel To describe what Christ Episcopal will look like in the next 30 years is a daunting proposition. Just recognizing how much our campus and facilities have changed in the six short years that I have been around gives me pause to even speculate. I would tend to agree with Old Casey Stengel, who was the manager of the New York Yankees when I was a boy, and stay far away from such predictions! And I’ll gladly defer to our Board Chairman, Barbee Ponder, as he describes, in his accompanying letter, some of the initiatives already underway for a glimpse into the near future. As reluctant as I am to suggest what CES will physically look like in the years ahead, I do feel pretty comfortable commenting on what the character of our school will be like 30 years from now. And just as I was able to report last August to a gathering of the founding Board members and faculty of CES, that although some characteristics of the school have evolved since 1984, the essence of who we are has not changed in 30 years. I firmly believe that the foundational principles upon which this school was built will continue to define us. Our unique approach to education, which is now manifest from Pre-K to 12th Grade, is qualitatively different from the approach taken by other schools. There is definitely a CES brand, and one of my primary responsibilities as the Headmaster is to protect and promote that brand. So 30 years from now, I believe, CES will still be the school which honors the individuality and differentness of each student. We will still be the school with the unrivaled Wilderness Education program along with a competitive and mature athletic program. I feel quite certain that 30 years from now, our First Graders will still enjoy their English Tea Party in December, and our Second Graders will still assume the costume of a famous figure on Biography Day. The Popcorn Company will still provide the opportunity for our Fourth Graders to learn the basics of how an economy works. Our Seventh Graders will still travel to North Carolina, our Eighth Graders will still experience the attractions of Chicago in the spring, and our Ninth Graders will still trek each year to Yosemite. And our high school will still be known for its strong academic offerings and as a gateway to selective colleges. We value our traditions and we value the philosophy and mission which have served us so well for our first 30 years. So as we look to the future and we envision what’s ahead, we would do well to stand by those things which got us to this place. And so the best hope for the future of CES is to strengthen the present, and we are committed to doing exactly that. With faith in God and with the firm belief that we are on the right track, we look forward to the next 30 years with optimism and promise. John Morvant Headmaster

Act Justly Imitate Christ Instill Peace

From the Board Chairman Dear Friends, At the beginning of the school year, the Board of Trustees agreed to pursue certain strategic initiatives meant to place Christ Episcopal School on a firm physical and financial footing for its continued growth and success over the Next 30 years. These initiatives included completing the athletics complex with a premiere track and field, resolving all issues surrounding the continuing risk of Christwood Boulevard being extended to Brewster Road, and completing a Campus Master Site Plan that incorporates what we learned from last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s strategic planning process so as to ensure that we maximize the value of our most scarce physical resource - the land that we own. As we are now midway through the school year, I am pleased to report that we are making substantial progress on all of these initiatives. Regarding the much anticipated athletics complex, we have successfully completed the zoning and permitting processes that clear the way for the next phase to commence - construction! The initial ground preparation will commence in the coming weeks, so please stay tuned for more details on an official ground breaking ceremony in the works. The athletics complex will have a significant footprint, requiring the dedication of a substantial amount campus land. Deciding precisely where to locate it and the trade-offs that location decision required was a lengthy and involved process for the Board. While it has taken longer to finalize than anyone wanted, I can assure you that the decisions we ultimately made are in the long term best interests of our school and its students. Finalizing plans for the athletics complex was also complicated by the ongoing negotiations with Christwood Retirement Community regarding a potential real property exchange, and discussions with representatives of Parish Government and Stirling Properties regarding the need to provide a better entrance to our campus from Brewster Road, while not turning Christwood Boulevard into a high-traffic â&#x20AC;&#x153;through streetâ&#x20AC;?. I cannot overstate how much time and energy numerous board members have dedicated to these issues over the past decade, all to ensure that Christ Episcopal School has the land necessary to support its continued growth while also ensuring that our campus never loses that quality of a peaceful oasis that we all hold so dear. While our future includes construction of a sports complex as well as a new gymnasium, cafeteria, and additional classroom space, we will always have room for a barnyard filled with animals, an outdoor chapel among the trees, and a pond for continuing our wilderness education traditions. Over the past several months, we have made substantial progress on these important initiatives that will maximize the amount of property available to the school for its future needs, and provide a much-needed safer entrance to the campus from a more controlled intersection at Brewster Road, while constructing it in such a way that will ensure that Christwood Boulevard never becomes the dreaded through street. These discussions are ongoing and nothing is yet final, but all stakeholders are now moving in a positive direction to resolve these issues. Finally, we are in the process of engaging professional consultants to guide us in the deliberations and creation of a Master Site Plan for the school campus. We expect to conclude the master site plan by the end of this school year, which will serve as a guide for a future capital expansions -- all built on a firm foundation for our next 30 years. While the above described activities are by no means the only efforts in which the Board of Trustees is presently engaged, they have been designated as a priority for completion this year. I look forward to providing you with future updates on our progress, and on behalf of all of the members of the Board of Trustees, we wish you a safe and joyful New Year. L. Barbee Ponder IV Chairman, Board of Trustees

30 Great Things Christ Episcopal School opened its doors on August 29, 1984 in the Sunday School classrooms of Christ Church, Covington. 34 students in grades one through four had enrolled, and the faculty was comprised of seven teachers along with a Headmaster. 30 years later, 602 students in grades Early Pre-Kindergarten through 12th Grade attend a school with 80 faculty and staff members on two campuses. To honor this anniversary, I comprised a list of 30 wonderful things about Christ Episcopal School. This list is not ordered in any way or prioritized, and is certainly not all-inclusive. Just 30 things, out of thousands of possibilities, off the top of my head. I hope that you enjoy this list and will share items of your own to our Facebook or Twitter accounts. We will share our favorites in upcoming publications.

01. Mr. Homer

Without question, the person most associated with Christ Episcopal School. Master teacher, philosopher, advisor, keeper of the physical plant.

Happy anniversary! Jerry Henson Director of Advancement

02. Art at the Park

Our oldest, largest, and most popular event. It puts the fun in fundraiser and celebrates our love for the arts.

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03. The Chapel

The spiritual home of Christ Episcopal School.

04. Fish Fest

Parents are invited to this lesson in ecology, biology, and art.

05. The Post Office 04. 4

The most efficient way to communicate with a Second Grader.

About Christ Episcopal School 06. The Collins Diboll Gymnasium First a sports pavilion, now a gym, event space, and the home of all-school gatherings.

07. The Arts

Since its inception, the arts have been an integral part of Christ Episcopal Schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s curriculum.

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08. Butterfly Ball

A beautiful event for Kindergarteners and moms!

09. Bug Bash

Junior entomologists in the First Grade explore our campus looking for signs of arthropod life.

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10. The Barn

Teaching students about caring for nature and pets while preventing goats from wandering the campus.

30 Great Things 11. Popcorn Sales

Teaching Fourth Graders a valuable economics lesson while providing snacks for an eager market.

12. Pam Perry

For 25 years, Pam has been the voice and face of CES, welcoming new parents and faculty alike.

13. Carpool

It is unavoidable. Dreaded by some, an inconvenience to many, but also a wonderful opportunity to visit with parents, teachers, and friends.

14. Lunch

Students make the most of our beautiful campus during lunch while sitting outside, enjoying the weather and friends.

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15. Rocking Chairs

Colorful and comfortable, the rocking chairs set a relaxed and sociable tone for the Christwood Boulevard Campus.

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;Last year we learned how to all work together even though we all had different roles in the popcorn company.â&#x20AC;? -Walker Dubreuil, Fifth Grade

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About Christ Episcopal School

16. Wilderness Education What would Christ Episcopal be without Wilderness Education? What would Wilderness Education be without Mrs. Dessauer?

17. CESPA

The Parent Association is actively involved in every school event. The help that parent volunteers lend makes it all possible. Thank you!

18. The Key Club

Under Joe Sotoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leadership, this group of high schoolers is committed to service, improving our school and the community at large.

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19. Eighth Grade

What a merry band of learners. Small but diverse, cheery but serious. A great group of students.

20. Athletics

Offering opportunities for students of myriad interests and skills, Athletic Director Greg Carnovale leads a program that is growing in every direction.

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30 Great Things 21. Service Learning

Our students are members of this community and learn so much by giving their time and labor to worthwhile causes.

22. Sunshine Lunches 21.

Anxiously anticipated and certainly appreciated by the faculty and staff. Thanks, CESPA!

23. The Administrative Staff The ladies who really run the school.

24. The Center of Inquiry

The biggest and busiest space on campus. Also, a great reminder of our community’s generosity and the future of our school.

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“The Center of Inquiry is a large building but it still does a great job of keeping us all close. It really helps drive home that feeling that we are family, and this building is our home.” -Corrin Roe, Junior

25. The Rev. Steve Holzhalb

Our founder, the visionary who created the mission statement that continues to guide our school.

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About Christ Episcopal School 26. Senior Night

For current and former students on the cusp of high school graduation, a great opportunity to gather.

27. ECC Art Stroll

An opportunity for our youngest artists to display their talents for parents and the community.

28. Biography Day

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Everyone at this school loves a costuming opportunity. When it serves an academic purpose, even better.

29. Operating Principles for Students

Proposed, written, and practiced by our students.

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30. The Early Childhood Campus

Where it all began and where it continues to begin for our youngest students.

Founderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Dinner

Steve Croxton, Susan and The Rev. Dennis Ryan Jerry Henson, Gina and Bart Loomis

Craig Wylie, John Morvant, and Greg Homer

Marguerite and Bert Duvic

Cindi and Perry Raymond

Burns and Jeanne Crotty *Photos Courtesy of Eric Suhre Photography

August 28, 2014

Caroline LeGuin â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;93 and Don Bann

Gina Loomis, Leo Hladky, and Perry Raymond

Gina Loomis and John Morvant

Cindi and Perry Raymond, Suzy and John Graham, Lynn and Leo Hladky, Susan and The Rev. Dennis Ryan

Craig and Judith Wylie

The Camellia Sunroom at the Southern Hotel

Lynne and Leo Hladky