http://www.stthomaskids.com/ghutchinson/index.php Copyright 2012, Greg Hutchinson Greg Hutchinson en-US SPHPBLOG 0.5.1
Deprecated: Function split() is deprecated in /home/stthomas/public_html/ghutchinson/scripts/sb_feed.php on line 85
http://www.stthomaskids.com/ghutchinson/index.php?entry=entry090130-204807
What are the principal qualities that distinguish a school as Episcopal?

This question, more than any other, is asked of NAES by Episcopal school and Church leaders, parents and the general public. The answer is that they are Christian communities whose missions integrate spiritual formation into all aspects of the educational experience. Episcopal schools are most distinctive when they are true to this mission and when they do so in the graceful and inclusive manner which is the hallmark of the Anglican approach to education over the centuries.

All Christian communities, even the most ecumenical and diverse of Episcopal schools, are upheld by the basic principles of the Baptismal Covenant. As expressed in The Book of Common Prayer, this Covenant maintains that individuals and institutions are called by God to adopt certain fundamental disciplines and dispositions in order to embrace fully their basic identities. As embodiments of the Christian faith, Episcopal schools are created to be communities that honor, celebrate and worship God as the center of life. They are created to be models of God’s love and grace. They are created to serve God in Christ in all persons, regardless of origin, background, ability, or religion. They are created to “strive for justice and peace among all people and [to] respect the dignity of every human being.” These principles are the basis on which identity and vocation are to be defined in Episcopal schools.

Episcopal schools have been established, however, not solely as communities for Christians, like a parish church, but as ecumenical and diverse ministries of educational and human formation for people of all faiths and backgrounds. Episcopal schools are populated by a rich variety of human beings, from increasingly diverse religious, cultural and economic backgrounds. In fact, the intentional pluralism of most Episcopal schools is a hallmark of their missions. It is also a distinguishing characteristic of these schools that they seek to integrate religious and spiritual formation into the overall curriculum and life of each school community. Episcopal schools are clear, yet graceful, about how they articulate and express their basic identities, especially in their religious curricula and traditions. They invite all who attend and work in them – Episcopalians and non-Episcopalians, Christians and non-Christians, people of no faith tradition – both to seek clarity about their own beliefs and religions and to honor those traditions more fully and faithfully in their own lives. Above all, Episcopal schools exist not merely to educate, but to demonstrate and proclaim the unique worth and beauty of all human beings as creations of a loving, empowering God.

By weaving these principles into the very fabric of the school’s overall life, Episcopal schools ensure that their missions are built on the sure foundation of a Christian love that guides and challenges all who attend our schools to build lives of genuine meaning, purpose and service in the world they will inherit.

]]> http://www.stthomaskids.com/ghutchinson/index.php?entry=entry090130-204807 Greg Hutchinson Sat, 31 Jan 2009 02:48:07 GMT
Deprecated: Function split() is deprecated in /home/stthomas/public_html/ghutchinson/scripts/sb_feed.php on line 85
http://www.stthomaskids.com/ghutchinson/index.php?entry=entry090112-183256 The challenge for us then is to demonstrate a similar faith to that of the patriarch of three major world religions did at a time when he apparently had the comforts of his day. Such a task does not seem so difficult considering many of us have a head start on Abram. After all we have grown up listening to the stories of all the great Bible figures. We can spout off what it means to follow God almost as quickly as we open presents at Christmas. Many of us tithe faithfully and make sacrifices for other worthy charities. In spite of these advantages, the question remains whether we are willing to hear and then obey the call that could take us away from all we know. What if God’s plan involves a change in career? How will we handle a move to a new city? What are we going to do when the call to make financial sacrifices comes? Perhaps the more fundamental question is what do we want the history books to say about our answers to God’s call? Abram embarked on a journey that not only changed his life but also the course of history. Along the way, he met with blessings he might never have known: wealth, a son, a covenant that God still honors. One of the great patriarchs of our faith did not let complacency or fear prevent him from fulfilling God’s plan for his life. My prayer for the members of the St. Thomas community is that each of us will show the faith and the boldness of Abram when God calls our names.
]]> http://www.stthomaskids.com/ghutchinson/index.php?entry=entry090112-183256 Greg Hutchinson Tue, 13 Jan 2009 00:32:56 GMT
Deprecated: Function split() is deprecated in /home/stthomas/public_html/ghutchinson/scripts/sb_feed.php on line 85
http://www.stthomaskids.com/ghutchinson/index.php?entry=entry081021-111741
The faculty and students at St. Thomas Episcopal School consider this question as a vital link to our understanding of God's will for us. While we recognize that education is essential to living lives of excellence, we also recognize that life entails far more than what we can glean from books, projects, and field trips. Our goal is to help our students recognize the special relationship the Creator of the universe desires to have with them and then to understand they have been called for a very special purpose. We take every opportunity to teach these principles. Students participate in daily chapel, practice acts of service for charitable organizations every month, and even learn to demonstrate kindness to others in simple ways like opening doors, sharing the sidewalk, and saying hello.

Spiritual development is critical to the program at St. Thomas. Even so, academic preparation is one of the pillars on which St. Thomas is built. Elementary students are benefitting from the adoption of a new math curriculum that encourages them to think more while offering repetition in learning math concepts. Third, fourth, and fifth graders have also taken huge steps in vocabulary development with the new vocabulary curriculum that focuses on word usage in a variety of contexts. In the last two years, most of the curriculum has been updated in the elementary school to ensure continued success for our students. In addition to a thorough curriculum, St. Thomas teachers also emphasize the importance of personal responsibility. Preschoolers learn how to put away their tote bags, turn in their take home folders, and clean up after themselves. By first grade, students learn how to use daily agendas for recording homework, developing study habits for tests, and planning for upcoming school events. By the time students graduate from the fifth grade, they are very capable of taking care of their academic needs with little prompting from teachers or parents.

St. Thomas offers a unique blend of academic preparation and spiritual awareness. The consistent results are students who are well balanced and who love school but who recognize that life involves more than conducting science experiments and working math problems. Our students know Whom they serve; they make the most of every opportunity to do so. I encourage you to take a tour of the school so you can see for yourself that St. Thomas is the best place to be. ]]> http://www.stthomaskids.com/ghutchinson/index.php?entry=entry081021-111741 Greg Hutchinson Tue, 21 Oct 2008 16:17:41 GMT