Knightly News

As we prepare our students for purposeful lives, what does it mean for them to be globally minded citizens? This is a question for our Episcopal community to reflect upon as we head into a new school year. Preparing students for purposeful lives is at the heart of our Episcopal mission, and this focus is apparent in everything we do. Students, families, teachers, administrators and staff are UKNIGHTED in this mission, and as a UKNIGHTED Community, we all have a role.

Recently, we welcomed an outstanding group of new community members to the classroom. These educators join a strong, dedicated faculty who create meaningful experiential learning opportunities to challenge our students and help them achieve their potential. Through project-based learning, service-learning projects and inspiring lessons, our faculty encourage students to grow, reflect and learn. Students will have an exciting opportunity for such growth and discovery through this year’s Quest for Peace program, which will focus on the creative and visual aspects of being a part of a UKNIGHTED community. To provide a roadmap for learning experiences, our teaching team established a set of faculty standards regarding relationships, professionalism, instructional planning, instructional methodology and learning assessment. Faculty are UKNIGHTED in adhering to these standards and offering the educational opportunities you expect at Episcopal.

It has been a pleasure to watch our students, faculty and staff return to campus. There is joy in seeing students return fresh from summer break, eager to share tales of adventures and hopes for a new year. For many, it is a return to a community they know and love. For others, it is an opportunity for new learning experiences and lifelong friendships. Our faculty and staff have done a tremendous job welcoming students to campus. For example, our PreK Knights and their families celebrated the first day of Lower School by releasing butterflies during a special Letting Go Ceremony. The expressions of wonder and excitement were priceless. Throughout the year, there will be numerous opportunities for divisions and/or classes to gather to help our students connect. These social/emotional experiences are important in establishing a UKNIGHTED Community.

As we celebrate the beginning of a school year less encumbered by pandemic restrictions, we want to prioritize self-care, balance and boundaries within our community. For example, our Upper School Advisory curriculum helps students feel empowered with a stronger awareness of themselves and others. Our counseling team will incorporate activities to encourage self-knowledge and self-reflection. Through all areas of school life, students will learn more about relationship expectations, how to address challenges and effective communication methods for in-person and online interactions. Students will benefit from guest speakers, student-led initiatives and much more.

We are UKNIGHTED in establishing a secure learning environment. The Welcome Desk in the Alumni House serves as the first point of contact for all campus visitors. Visitors should check in to receive a red visitor badge, as faculty and staff will stop anyone without this identification. In addition, teachers will keep classroom doors locked during instruction time. We will continue to review and revise school procedures as needed.

As I enter my third year at Episcopal, I am proud to be a Knight. I have witnessed the resiliency and compassion of this community, and there is nowhere else I would rather be. This year’s theme of UKNIGHTED in Community celebrates that spirit, and I hope you share that same sense of pride and belonging. I am confident that we will rally together to celebrate our students and the purposeful lives for which they are destined.

Show your school spirit at an upcoming fall athletic event and make plans now to attend Homecoming on October 1st. Join us for a Parents’ Knight, and help us honor 20 years of creativity as we celebrate the Visual & Performing Arts program on September 15th. 

Episcopal is a UKNIGHTED Community, and we are so grateful that you are part of it.

Dr. Carrie Steakley is in her third year as the Head of School at Episcopal School of Baton Rouge.  She received her Doctor of Education Degree in School Administration and Educational Leadership from Union University in 2004.  She also has Master’s and Specialist degrees in curriculum and leadership, respectively.  Before she and her husband Darryl moved to Baton Rouge, Dr. Steakley spent 17 years at St. Mary’s Episcopal School in Memphis, TN, where she served as Head of the Upper School, Academic Dean, and AP Biology and chemistry teacher.  While in Memphis, Dr. Steakley was also an adjunct professor at both Christian Brothers University and Union University.  Dr. Steakley previously served on the founding Board of Trustees for One Schoolhouse, an online independent school, and the advisory council of the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.  She is currently serving on the Southwestern Association of Episcopal Schools Board of Directors and the Board of Trustees for the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana. Dr. Steakley is the proud mother of an only child who internalized his mother's love of the sciences and is now enjoying a career as a wildlife biologist.  She is excited to welcome a daughter-in-law into the family next week.

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.