Executive Chair’s Report

FROM THE EXECUTIVE CHAIR

Episcopal High School, founded and guided by the Diocese of Texas, is an inclusive and joyful Christian community where students discover and develop their individual talents through the Four Pillars – academics, arts, athletics, religion – preparing for meaningful lives in service to others. –EHS Mission Statement

Working on the committee to restate the school’s Mission was a highlight of my three-year term as Executive Chair of the EHS Board of Trustees. I enjoyed the meaningful discussions exploring the vision of our founders, the inclusive values of the EHS community, and the enduring purpose of the Four Pillars. One of our overriding goals was to distill the essence of the EHS experience. After many hours of wordsmithing and word sleuthing, we determined the proper word to describe EHS was “joyful.”

It is with that focus on “joyful” that I write this article. At the start of the school year, Bishop Andy Doyle shared “…we look forward to a year of dedicated effort, challenges faced and conquered, and life embraced and lived to the fullest.” By the grace of God and the incredible dedication of the EHS faculty and staff, I am happy report to the Bishop and the entire EHS community; that we have lived up to this call and more. While the coronavirus was an unforgettable part of the 2019-2020 school year, it was just that… one part. There is much to celebrate.

The Board of Trustees has three primary responsibilities: to set strategic goals for the school, to hire and supervise the Head of School, and to ensure the school’s financial stability. Divided into standing committees, the 26-member Board works tirelessly throughout the year for the benefit of Episcopal High School. I am most grateful for the work of my fellow Trustees.

Capital Improvements: After successful fundraising efforts, the Board of Trustees approved the construction of a new baseball field, a new water-based turf field hockey field, and a putting green. These are the first improvements on the south campus athletic facilities along Bissonnet. The south fields are heavily used year-round and are poorly drained; this combination necessitated these improvements. The next steps will be to continue to raise funds for a new turf softball field, new scoreboards for baseball, softball, and field hockey, and the addition or improvement of stands and lights for these fields.

These field improvements are part of the larger campus master plan, which successfully led to the construction of our greatly enjoyed Hildebrand Athletic Center and Underwood Student Center. In addition to the outdoor athletics facilities improvements, the plan calls for construction of a new Visual and Performing Arts Complex and a new Benitez Chapel. The Board is committed to completing the master plan and is actively focusing its fundraising efforts. The Board has committed funds for the design-development phase of the Visual and Performing Arts Complex plans, the construction of which is our next priority.

Financial Stability: The Report of Philanthropy celebrates the many individuals, foundations, and corporations who voluntarily donate their resources to support Episcopal High School. Through the strong efforts of the Board, partnered with the advancement and business officers of the school, the Endowment Board, and a healthy admissions season, the school’s operating needs were met, and EHS is on strong financial footing as we weather what looks globally to be stormy financial markets ahead.

Joyful Community: At every Board of Trustees meeting, Ned Smith gives a Head of School report. These reports often contain inspiring and innovative work from the classrooms. It makes me wish I were a student at EHS when I read about the creativity of Level 4 Chinese students designing their dream home with Feng Shui concepts and their vocabulary lessons. Or, the National English Honors Society collaborative poem exercise in which each advisory invented individual poetic lines, to then be grouped together in the most surprising, arresting way possible. And, Honors Biology students writing science curriculum for 4th grade science classrooms using StopMotion and VideoScribe. From art classes to physical education, guest speakers, including celebrated alumni and renowned professionals, joined via video to enrich the lessons of the day. I am also inspired by the continued focus on service to others, exemplified daily by EHS students. Just one example, in April, EHS launched an allschool service project, including the delivery of 50 boxes of food to Small Steps Nurturing Center for distribution to Houston families in need due to the COVID-19 crisis and layoffs.

Class of 2020: To the Class of 2020, it was an honor to celebrate your in-person graduation on June 6. On the Simmons Field, we gathered with joyful hearts to celebrate you. It was great to be together as a community, even if we had to be six feet apart. Your accomplishments across the Four Pillars are impressive; your college acceptances are outstanding; you are Knight Strong!

In conclusion, I am honored to serve as the Executive Chair of the Board of Trustees. I want to thank again the individuals who serve with me on the Board. Thank you to Bishop Andy Doyle whose vision and sense of purpose are guideposts for me. Thank you to Ned Smith, Head of School, for his partnership with the Board and his daily leadership of EHS. Thank you to all the senior administrators, but especially Peggy Haney, Evelyn Cambria, and Nancy Eisenberg who make things look easy. Lastly, thank you to Haag Sherman, to whom I pass my gavel, as the Executive Chair. Go Knights!

Kind regards,