Episcopal Upper School Newsletters

Dear Upper School Families,

As we mark the halfway point of the first quarter, it is worth considering all that we have accomplished so far.  We have established new routines, built new classroom communities, worked out the inevitable kinks in our systems, and fully shaken off any dust that accrued over the summer break. Our fall teams are competing with schools throughout the region. Our performance ensembles are busy rehearsing. Our student clubs kicked off their year with a successful Club Fair on Tuesday afternoon, and all of our academic classes are in high gear.  And in the midst of all this busy-ness, we still make time to gather each day with intention, in Chapel, Student Announcements, or Advisory, to ensure that relationships and human connections remain at the core of all that we do. I continue to be impressed by this community, and I am proud to be a part of it.

We want to be sure that we are providing appropriate support for each student, so we want to remind you that all Upper School students are able and encouraged to utilize the Academic Resource Center (ARC).  The ARC is a free-of-charge, student-run operation that offers peer-to-peer tutoring and studying. It is located upstairs in Aldrich Library and is staffed by 10th-12th grade Fellows (peer tutors) throughout the school day. These Academic Fellows specialize in all subject areas, and they can help students with a number of tasks, including writing, revising, studying for an upcoming assessment, working a tricky math problem, or even speaking a foreign language. The Fellows are ready to lend a helping hand to any student who visits the ARC.  Upper School students can access ARC during their study hall or free study (appointments and walk-ins welcome). ARC is also open by appointment-only during Office Hours. If students ever have questions about utilizing ARC or are having trouble booking an appointment, they can simply email Mrs. Sutcliffe at [email protected].  The booking page can be found on the ARC Canvas Page and the ARC Calendly page.  We look forward to having another successful year of this meaningful collaboration among our students.

We’re also excited to invite you to participate in the ISACS Parent Series, an engaging lineup of virtual webinars designed to support and inspire parents in independent schools like ours.  Through this series, you’ll hear from nationally recognized experts on topics relevant to parenting, education and student well-being.

How to Join

• Visit the Parent Series page: isacs.ws/PS25-26SAES
• Click Register for the sessions you want to attend
• Add the events to your calendar after registering

Important Notes

• Registration is required to attend live or view the recordings
• Recordings will be available after each session for a limited time
• This link is for our school community only—please do not share publicly

The first parent webinar, on September 25th, features Lisa Damour, speaking on the topic School Skills: Setting Kids Up for Success. Lisa Damour is a clinical psychologist and author of several bestselling books, such as Untangled, Under Pressure, and The Emotional Lives of Teenagers.  We encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity to learn and grow alongside other Episcopal parents. 

Finally, as we enter into the heart of college football season and as we approach our own Homecoming Week, please take a moment to review the School’s policies regarding drugs and alcohol. You will find these on pages 47-48 of our Parent Student Handbook.  Please also see the section on “Self Referral” on page 60.

Thanks,

Dan Binder

CONTACTS:

Feel free to reach out to any of us in the Upper School office — we are here to help and support you.  If we're not the right contact, we’ll connect you with someone who can assist you best.

Dan Binder
US Division Head
[email protected]
225-755-2708

Scott Engholm
US Dean of Student Life
[email protected]
225-963-9894

Kristen Wilcox
US Counselor
[email protected]
225-755-2709

Danna Sabolik
US Assistant 
[email protected]
225-755-2711