Episcopal Insider
Munnerlyn Campus
August 22, 2025
All Campuses
Grandparents’ Day 2025-2026 will be held the first week of November 2025. Specific dates and times will vary by campus. Details will be updated as the school year begins.
Complete updates by September 1 to ensure grandparents receive all communications including the Grandparents’ Day invitation mailing that will provide them with additional details for each campus.
To update grandparent information in My ESJ:
Log in to the My ESJ Parent Portal
Click on “Update My Profile” located under My Tools
Click on “Grandparent Households” to update their information
New This Week
Please make plans to attend our Middle School Open House on Thursday, August 28, at 5:30 p.m. Open House, a parent only event, provides an opportunity for parents to meet your child’s current teachers and walk through your child’s schedule.
The Open House schedule and a campus map may be viewed here. Prior to arrival, please access your student’s schedule in the Parent Portal of My ESJ and print as needed. Paper copies of schedules and maps will not be available.
We ask you to wear your parent nametag to help us welcome you. Check-in is not required. If you need assistance upon arrival, please go to the Bryan Library. Advisory will begin promptly at 5:30 p.m. and the evening will conclude at 7:30 p.m.
While time will not allow for discussion about individual students, please note Parent-Teacher Conferences will be on Friday, October 3, when you will have the opportunity to meet with teachers individually. Additional information regarding Parent-Teacher Conferences will be available in the Insider at a later date. If you feel there are issues or needs you wish to discuss prior to conferences, please reach out to your child’s advisor.
We look forward to seeing you at Middle School Open House on August 28.
Dear Parents and Guardians,
We hope that you enjoyed some time over the summer to connect and make memories with your family. As we prepare for the 2025-2026 school year, we are excited to introduce a new Health, Safety, and Well-Being series created specifically for parents and caregivers of older students. This series is designed to empower you with tools and strategies to support your pre-teen or adolescent’s social and emotional health and well-being. In addition to addressing healthy social-emotional development, this series will also help parents recognize early signs of common social, emotional, and behavioral challenges that may arise during late childhood and adolescence.
Upcoming Sessions
What to Expect in Middle School: Major Academic and Social-Emotional Changes and How Parents Can Help
Speakers: Paige McGee, Head of Middle School; Christy Hodges, Dean of Student Life; Amy Perkins, Director of Student Services
Target Audience: Parents of 6th/7th/8th grade students
When: Thursday, September 4 – 8:15-9:30 a.m. and 4:30-5:45 p.m.
Where: Harden Hall
Supporting Your Teen through Upper School Stress: Reframing the College Search and Promoting Well-Being Along the Way
Speakers: Julie Carter, Director of College Counseling, and Elise Fallucco, Director of Health, Safety, and Well-Being Programming
Target Audience: Parents of Upper School students
When: Tuesday, October 28 – 8:15-9:30 a.m. and 4:30-5:45 p.m.
Where: Busey Board Room
Previous Sessions
- August 19 – What to Expect in Upper School: Major Academic and Social-Emotional Changes and How Parents Can Help
Through workshops, resources, and open dialogue, we aim to build a stronger bridge between home and school, helping families feel informed, confident, and connected as we work together to raise well-rounded, emotionally healthy children.
We hope you’ll join us in this important initiative.
Warm regards,
Elise Fallucco, MD
Director of Health, Safety, and Well-Being Programming
Meet Your Parents’ Association – Partners in Building a Stronger School Community
Join us at our upcoming meetings to connect, collaborate, and hear from our featured speakers!
Meeting Dates:
- September 19
- October 24
- November 14
- February 20
- April 24
Time: 8:15–9:15 AM
Location: Gooding Boardroom, Bryan Library
Mark your calendar and join us – all are welcome!
Come enjoy the view from the roof deck patio at the Haskell Center for Science and Student Life while enjoying free drinks, food and meeting other dads on Wednesday, September 10 at 5:30 p.m.
This is an annual highlight for the Dads’ Club to have causal and dedicated time with our Head of School – Rev. Adam Greene.
Please email Kevin Davidsen at kevinpdavidsen@gmail.com to help us plan for drinks and food. Last year we had about 75 dads which was fantastic. Let’s break 100 this year.
The Sailing Program is led by Florida Yacht Club Waterfront Director Nogay Dokmeci and Junior Program Manager Matthew King. The Episcopal Sailing Team trains out of the Florida Yacht Club located in Ortega on the St. Johns River and trains with Bishop Kenny High School.
Sailing practices twice a week at the Florida Yacht Club (FYC) from 3:45 to 6:45 p.m., on Mondays and Thursdays. Fall season starts September 8 and ends mid November.
If a student needs transportation it can be provided by the school–they would ride the St. Marks bus to FYC. The Upper School Varsity and JV Team travels to regattas in the southeast each season. Middle School only participates in one home regatta per season.
Middle School students interested in trying sailing do not need any prior experience. On Wednesday, September 3, there is an Open House from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. for any interested students to come and check out the boats and get to know the current team members. There will be pizza and popsicles!
Any questions can be directed to Coach Dokmeci at sailing@thefyc.org or Stephanie Cornais at cornaiss@testing-phlexon.online.
Try Sailing with Episcopal!
No experience? No problem! Middle School and Upper School students are invited to join the Episcopal Sailing Team, led by Florida Yacht Club’s Coach Nogay Dokmeci and Matthew King.
Practices: Mondays & Thursdays, 3:45–6:45 p.m.
Location: Florida Yacht Club, Ortega – transportation available
Varsity & JV compete across the Southeast; Middle School races in one home regatta each season.
Open House: Wednesday, September 3, 4:00 – 6:00 p.m.
Come check out the boats, meet the team, and enjoy pizza & popsicles!
Questions? Email sailing@thefyc.org or cornaiss@testing-phlexon.online.
The parent book study this year will be reading 10-25: The Science of Motivating Young People by David Yeager.
Our first meeting will be Tuesday, August 26, after drop off in room J-214 (located in Jangro Stadium near the pool observation terrace). The goal is to discuss the introduction (pages 1-17), but no reading is required to participate.
Our meeting dates for the Fall semester are 8/26, 9/9, 9/23, 10/7, 10/21, 11/4, & 11/18.
Please let Jim Caserta P’26, P’29, know if you have questions or want to be added to the email group, jimcaserta@gmail.com or 336-416-8471.
Reminders
Traffic Flow Map for Middle School Afternoon Pick-up
Ways we can partner to expedite the process:
- Make sure your student knows their pick-up plan each morning before school
- If plans change, have a process for your student to be notified (ie, email their school email, text them)
- Remind your student to retrieve their materials from their locker and proceed to the pick-up area quickly
- Follow the instructions by the ESJ Security Team
- Pull close to the curb and the car in front of you to allow for the left lane to be used for those exiting the line
We ask that you communicate directly with your student via their school email or text message. You may contact the Welcome Center prior to the dismissal bell if there is a pick-up change. As a reminder, the library is open and supervised until 6:00 p.m.
Revolution Prep is offering the following ACT 101 Strategy Session, free to Episcopal students:
ACT 101 Strategy Session: Sunday, August 24, 2025 | 7pm-8pm | live online
This one-hour session is designed to give students insight into the ACT exam, as well as provide tips and tricks for test day. One of Revolution Prep’s professional tutors will teach core test-taking strategies, including a dive into the exam content and structure, how to avoid common traps, and how to create the best plan for success.
Register here: https://www.revolutionprep.com/partners/4275
Questions? If you have questions or want to learn more about Revolution Prep, you can reach out to Christina Brownell at (904) 862-2663 or by email at christina.brownell@revolutionprep.com.
Parents of seniors are invited to join the College Counselors for an informational coffee on August 26 from 8:00 to 9:30 am in the Busey Boardroom, located on the third floor of the Haskell Center. During this session, the counselors will share important information about the application process and timeline, as well as office policies and procedures, and ample time for an open forum of Q&A, giving parents the chance to connect with our counselors and ask any questions they may have.
The information from our presentation will be shared after the meeting for any parents who are unable to attend or who would like to revisit the information shared.
Parents are always welcome to reach out to their College Counselor with questions or concerns.