Knightly News

Episcopal is pleased to announce that Anne Dalton will become Middle School Division Head next academic year. A veteran educator, Anne spent a decade in the classroom before taking on a leadership role as a Middle School Principal and Academic Dean at Cornerstone Academy in Sugar Land, Texas. At Cornerstone Academy, Anne implemented crisis plans, emergency procedures and reporting procedures. She also developed the middle school curriculum and ensured vertical and horizontal alignment. For the last 11 years, Anne has served as the Director of Enrollment Management at Houston Christian High School, where she identified top candidates, led the Parent/Student Ambassador Program and Admission Review Committee, established an online leadership course for high school students, served as Chair of the 25th-Anniversary Committee and the Head of School Retirement Committee.

Anne is active in educational leadership, serving as the Secretary of the Houston Area Independent School Admissions Board. She is also a faculty member of the International Student Leadership Program in China, where she taught a leadership course to Chinese high school students. Anne is a member of the Association of Independent School Admission Professionals, the National Forensic League, the National Catholic Education Association, the Council of Education Standards & Accountability and the Enrollment Management Association. Anne is a consultant for “The Generation Gulf,” a business established to help parents, teens and educators communicate between the generations. In addition, she consults “Queen Bees & Wannabes” author Rosalind Wiseman on education and curriculum projects and author Rachel Simmons on the update of her New York Times best-seller, “Odd Girl Out.” 

Anne earned a master’s degree in organizational leadership from National University and a bachelor’s degree in communications and public speaking from the University of Texas. She and her husband, John, have two children, Finley and Pierce, and two Australian Shepherds, Cooper and Bear. Anne loves estate sales, “Friends” and LEGO.

Please join us in welcoming Anne to the Episcopal family. We are confident that she will partner with our students, families and faculty to ensure exceptional learning and development opportunities continue in our Middle School. “We are grateful to Mark Engstrom for his leadership of the Middle School over the past five years, and we are excited about the next chapter with Anne Dalton,” says Head of School, Dr. Carrie Steakley. “Anne values clear communication and authentic relationships, and she will be eager to collaborate with our Middle School parents, support our talented faculty and staff, and build meaningful connections with our students.  We look forward to welcoming Anne to Baton Rouge and wish Mark the very best in his new adventures abroad.” 

We invite you to learn more about Anne in her own words below.

My motto is “Be brave.” I believe educational leaders, more now than ever, have to be brave. 

What about our school attracted you and made you want to apply?

I have long been an admirer of Episcopal School of Baton Rouge. Throughout the years, people have told me about the “magic” at this dear school. It is one of community, thoughtfulness, learning, exploring and fun. I felt that magic the moment I walked on campus. I told my husband, these are my people.

My experiences have prepared me for this opportunity many times over. Having had the opportunity to be a full-time classroom teacher for ten years, being a middle school head for two years, and currently being the director of enrollment management for the last eleven years has uniquely given me different lenses in which to view education, leadership, and management.

I believe in working and leading in schools in which the "whole child" approach is more than just a phrase we use. A good example is keeping our school a size where not only every child's name is known but where they also have opportunities to try more and be more.

I am enthusiastic about the opportunity to continue building upon the unified program from pre-primary to grade 12 and being the bridge in the middle.

In your opinion, what is the most important thing a school can do to support the growth and development of its students?

I believe the most important thing a school can do to support the growth and development of students is to allow them to push the edges of their comfort zones and to provide them the opportunity to try, fail, and get back up. My goals focus on continuing to foster the opportunity for improving classroom learning and building a positive, safe, fun and student-centered culture.

How do you plan to create a school culture that promotes academic excellence while also fostering social and emotional well-being among students?

I know that successful leaders set high expectations for learning outcomes and evaluate the effectiveness of instruction. I am always learning. I intentionally foster opportunities for the sharing of ideas and professional development to create meaningful teams.

Every decision I make is with the mission and student impact in mind. If we continue to ask how this advances the mission of the school and how this benefits our students, we are doing the hard and good work.

How do you plan to support the professional development and growth of teachers and staff?

Student-centered classrooms where high-quality faculty foster inquiry and curiosity are at the center of my educational philosophy. I believe in the value of applying educational research in contextually appropriate ways to classrooms.

My biggest strength and gift is building relationships and speaking truth in love. I am the champion and cheerleader to the middle school faculty and staff.

The Episcopal School of Baton Rouge 2024-2025 application is now available! ​For more information on the application process, to schedule a tour, or learn more about the private school, contact us at [email protected] or 225-755-2685.