Francis Episcopal School is a premier learning institution located in Houston, Texas attempting to provide a safe atmosphere for its students to learn, develop and grow as educated leaders. Francis Episcopal School prides itself on its balance of academic achievement, community service, and Christian faith – which the mission statement indicates, “are embodied in the school’s work at all levels, either academic or social.” This reputable private school has a very well rounded educational program that celebrates learning as a joyful experience and supports students to have great success in high school and beyond. Families from the Houston area appreciate the school and its long standing traditions of supporting learning while nurturing a healthy community.
What Causes Francis Episcopal School to be a Top Choice for Families in Houston?
Understanding the Academic Excellence at Francis Episcopal School
At Francis Episcopal School, academic excellence is paramount in our mission. Our curriculum is academically challenging and it helps to develop students’ emotional and social development. We are accredited by the Southwestern Association of Episcopal Schools, and we provide a rigorous education, based on well-structured academics and broad academic subjects that fit many needs for each student. Our teachers are skilled and caring and use creative approaches to develop students’ critical thinking and love for learning over their lifetime. Students are also engaged in hands-on projects, group collaboration, and peer interaction in classroom discussions to engage them further with the material. With small classes, our teachers can deepen learning processes where every student arrives at their stage of learning.
How Does Francis Episcopal Cultivate Community and Values?
Community and values are the fundamental building blocks of the Francis Episcopal School. The school fosters community between students, families, and faculty that creates a family-like environment. Even in a small suburban school with 230 students, the school continues to practice community and purpose. Students take part in dinners with families, engage in community service, and participate in school celebrations/ activities in addition to learning to show one another compassion, respect, and love. The school has a mission that is not only academic but also moral; it shapes and develops responsible citizens who are productive, engaged, and active in their communities. Francis also has its own Christian values that serve as a guide for students to apply to their decisions and interactions with peers.
What Makes the Upper School Program Distinctive?
The Upper School program at Francis Episcopal School provides distinctive characteristics that differ from most other schools in Houston. Upper-grade students are allowed to pursue areas of interest outside of the core curriculum through unique electives or pursuing academic interests that exist outside of school, through extracurricular responsibilities. You will see much of the Upper School in view of a model of student leadership. Student leadership should necessarily entail some form of owning responsibility and commitment to the cause even sometimes for drastic actions of change for the better. There are also some excellent programs encouraging students to engage in their academic experience in both explicit and overt ways on a daily basis and in the longer term. Lastly, the Upper School program operates with advanced advanced-placement coursework to better prepare and engage students for the academic demands that will accompany the high school and college years, even adult life to some extent. The character development is a fundamentally important emphasis as students not only will recognize or identify the right or best answer but will ultimately accept and engage as ethical leaders contributing positively to society.
How Does Francis Episcopal School Help Educate for Leadership?
What Are the Opportunities?
Leadership development is a key component of education at Francis Episcopal School. Under ideal circumstances, students are able to develop their leadership skills in a variety of ways, be it student government, clubs, or athletic teams. In each circumstance, students must be willing to take charge, collaborate with peers, and find their own voice. The same goes with opportunities that occur in the realm of service-learning projects, which will take students outside the school environment, and into the community, which begins the process of helping them see how they fit as a citizen. All of these experiences serve to empower our students when they return to school and to foster developments of values, confidence, and resilience, the latter of which we hope will be able to carry them through more complex challenges to come.
How Does Leadership at Francis Episcopal Equip Students for the Future?
At Francis Episcopal School we think of leadership as a philosophy, not a “program”. This allows us to form future leaders. As we teach students how to think critically, problem solve, and communicate, we prepare students to face the world’s challenges. Our students left Francis Episcopal School with a great academic experience and equip themselves to lead from any level, whether it be in college, their careers, and/or community service. The leadership training at Francis Episcopal School is a key factor in our student’s when competing in school’s all across the world.
What Role Do Faculty Members Play in Developing Student Leaders?
At Francis Episcopal School, the faculty members play an important part in cultivating the next generation of leaders. Our educators are continuous mentors and guides for students as they help foster and support self-directed interests and growing leadership capacity. Faculty exemplify the dispositions of integrity, compassion, and collaborative engagements through daily life while modeling responsible leadership, investigating the best practices for themselves, and working on maintaining their own integrity. Faculty members, through one-to-one relationships and mentoring, help students find their strengths through the arduous (yet rewarding) path of success in academic and personal discovery opportunity.
What Activities are Available at Francis Episcopal?
How Does the Athletic Program Foster Student Development?
Athletics is an important part of the student experience at Francis Episcopal School, and important to the development of students at Francis. The athletic program focuses on many attributes related to physical health, teamwork, and discipline. There are many athletic options for students to consider becoming a student athlete such as basketball, football, soccer, and volleyball among others. The program provides students an opportunity to be a part of an athletic program, and develop skills as a student athlete. For the duration of the athletic program, students will learn the values of sportsmanship, teamwork, and resiliency. The will learn commitment, hard work, and dedication through athletics. High school sports activities are a pathway for student-athletes to expand their horizons both with respect to athletic abilities, and experiencing camaraderie with teammates. Ultimately, this interactions allows the students to enhance their experience at school.
Possibilities for Artistic Engagement for Students of Francis Episcopal?
Francis Episcopal School has a solid arts program to complement the athletics departments and allow students to express themselves creatively as well as explore their artistic talents. There are multiple opportunities for students in visual arts, music, and theatre; at Francis we expect students to engage in the arts through participation, and as audience members. The school provides frequent opportunities to showcase student work in the arts, stage dramas, link growing and sculpture displays and musical performances that foster community pride and signal input, and permit students an opportunity to explore their creativity while entry their intellect in their creative art process. Hence, when students engage in creative art intellectual activity as an exploratory activity, it aligns our understanding of how one remembers and stores information and knowledge, cultivates a mind into an avenue of growth academically and artistically through opportunity.
Are Clubs and Organizations Promoted within the School?
Francis Episcopal School promotes clubs and organizations to allow students to pursue their interests and develop leadership skills outside of the classroom. There are a wide variety of clubs and organizations from curricular clubs to service clubs – allowing students to connect with classmates that may have very similar interests. Students are also able to partner to start new clubs to fit their needs, which fosters not only an entrepreneurial mindset but also a sense of ownership of the club and their school. Also, participation in clubs and organizations contributes to the overall educational experience – developing responsibility, social skills, teamwork, and project master skills.
How does Francis Episcopal School honor the Christian faith?
What role does Holy Week play in the School Community?
Holy Week is a significant time of year at Francis Episcopal School, as it means deepening a connection to the Christian faith in the community. There will be special service, reflective, and engagement oriented activities to orient students with the spiritual journey towards Easter. Students will work through some themes such as sacrifice, redemption, and love, all of which will help them cultivate meaning in exploring faith. The school’s focus on Holy Week illustrates the school’s desire to be engaged in student spiritual development and create a sense of belonging for families.
How Does Prayer and Worship Fit into Daily Life at Francis Episcopal?
Prayer and worship are at the heart of daily life at Francis Episcopal School. The school regularly comes together for chapel services, and every student participates in worship, and biblical reflections and prayers with fellow students. This gets the students into a level of spirituality and reflects upon the significance of establishing a personal relationship with God. Establishing the custom of starting a day with prayer gives Francis Episcopal an atmosphere of assurance and stability that helps the students frame their day in an additional sense of serenity and purpose when they attempt to meet their personal and academic goals.
What Programs Are Taking Place to Provide a Christian Environment in Education?
Francis Episcopal School strives to live the Christian way of life through practices that emphasize service, compassion, and community. Students can engage in outreach to people in less fortunate circumstances and see how to impact people’s lives while learning about giving of themselves. This awareness and understanding creates an awareness of others, and opens the door to claiming a responsibility or obligation to act in the best interests of others. Continuing in our Christian community of love and support, service is one aspect of fulfilling our mission at Francis Episcopal School.
How do I apply for admission for Francis Episcopal School?
What grades can I apply for admission for at Francis Episcopal School?
At Francis Episcopal School, we welcome applications for many grades. We accept applications for students ages preschool through upper school. Families interested in enrolling at Francis can utilize programs at all grade levels; this gives them the confidence that they can transfer their child as they experience education. We have a loving home for boys and girls; where we are learning to allow them to develop and grow as an individual every step of their developmental milestones.
How Do Families Prepare for the Admission Process?
Families will need to prepare for the admission process into Frances Episcopal School in multiple different ways and these are important for families to know. Caregivers/families should learn the mission, values, and educational philosophy of the school. They should visit the website, visit the property, attend Associated Information sessions, visit the school during open houses and meet and connect with teachers to understand the school’s community and culture. Finally, families should prepare for any interviews or assessments as part of the application process to bring their best selves to the process.
Why Is the Application and Interview Process Important?
The admissions and interview process at Francis Episcopal School is essential to finding out if this is the right school for students and their families. Through this process, both parties are learning about each other. The school and staff are assessing the prospective student’s readiness academically and socially. Families are considering whether this school matches their student and can help them grow. The interview is also a chance for students to tell the school about their interests and aspirations, making it important for them, too.