Advancing Education

Train children in the right way, and when old, they will not stray.

Proverbs 22:6

Advancing Education

EPISCOPAL HIGH SCHOOL STANDS OUT

ANNOUNCES FIRST DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY AND INCLUSION

Wayne Jones

In May of 2019, Houston’s Episcopal High School (EHS) appointed lifelong educator Wayne Jones as its first Director of Community and Inclusion. Head of School Ned Smith announced that Jones would join the school’s senior leadership in this capacity. In addition to his nearly nine-year tenure at Episcopal High School, Jones has also taught and coached at The Kinkaid School and Strake Jesuit College Preparatory School. EHS realizes that there are hard conversations to be had, and the belief is that the faculty and staff are willing to make them happen. Efforts towards arriving at this point started with a group of faculty beginning a conversation on inclusion several years ago. Jones was part of that discussion and began to explore the National SEED Project, a peer-led professional program that focuses on creating conversational communities to drive change toward greater equity and diversity.

Jones has a wealth of experience, having served as history teacher, junior grade level dean, and boys' varsity basketball head coach. In addition to getting to know the faculty, students, parents, and alumni better, he also looks forward to starting a faculty book club on inclusiveness, continuing the Black History Month program, but also celebrating Hispanic Heritage and Women’s Month. He further envisions moving the annual Culture Fest to the spring semester, creating even more support around the event.

His five-year goal is to be the person who helped change the narrative and conversations at EHS. He would like for everyone to feel comfortable speaking up and speaking out, while respecting others’ opinions throughout all constituencies.

WELCOME TABLE RECEIVES GRANT

St. James’, Austin, was one of 23 Episcopal-affiliated programs to receive grant funding from the All Our Children National Network for their program “Welcome Table.” Grants were awarded to those programs which showed “exemplary commitment to high-quality public education, commitment to race equity and inclusion and strong demonstration of a blend of effective justice action with charitable service” (Episcopal News Service, 2019). Welcome Table is the only Freedom Schools program in Austin, a six-week reading and STEM enrichment program for elementary school students who are at risk of falling behind academically. This ministry is a vital resource for the community, not only for bridging elementary schoolers’ academic gap during summer months, but also for building bonds between volunteers and students.

BISHOP RYAN VISITS ST. STEPHEN’S EPISCOPAL SCHOOL

On Thursday, Oct. 17, the Rt. Rev. Kathryn Ryan, newly appointed bishop suffragan of the western region of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas, visited The Hill. In addition to meeting with school leaders and having lunch with the campus community in the dining hall, Ryan spoke to students in both Upper School and Middle School Chapels. Alluding to letters written by St. Ignatius of Antioch just before he was martyred in Rome in 108 A.D., the bishop offered students words of advice that she has come to embrace in her new role. “Suffer all people in love,” she said. “Ask for wisdom you do not have and commit to passing along the gifts you receive in life.”

Toward the end of Upper School Chapel, five Spartans presented Ryan with a commemorative wooden plaque that they designed and engraved using a DNC router, the newest piece of high-tech equipment in the school’s Project and Idea Realization Lab. In creating the intricate design, 9th graders Emmie Casey, Meredith Clay and Jackson Price, along with 11th graders Bo Parham and Isabella Villarreal, emulated the cross that Ryan designed and wore when she was ordained in June.

In addition to overseeing some 80 Episcopal congregations in cities ranging from Waco to Matagorda, Ryan serves as chair of the board of trustees at St. Stephen’s Episcopal School, Seminary of the Southwest and El Buen Samaritano. As Ryan leads our trustees, who are charged with school governance and advocacy, she looks forward to building strong relationships throughout the campus community and getting to know our members even better.