WES or St. Andrews

[Anonymous]

So you are saying that you have to look at the job openings on AIMS or NAIS to find out whether or not there are staffing changes at WES? Not very forthcoming. Most schools send out an end-of-year or beginning-of-year update on departing staff and new staff. Also, as an Episcopalian with kids in Episcopal schools, I absolutely think it's a big deal to have an ordained priest on staff. Or go the way of Norwood and become non-religious based.

[Anonymous]

WES is a non-parish school, it has had non-ordained Chaplains before who were great and did a fine job. You should schedule a meeting with the new Chaplain and see for yourself. I learned from the WES admin that WES used a headhunter that specializes in Chaplain placements/hires. So while it was not posted on NAIS, the school worked with an expert in the field to find quality candidates. As for the other job openings mentioned in this thread, it is pretty standard practice to offer your current staff the opportunity to fill a position before you open the position to the public.

[Anonymous]

I see. So WES doesn't have enough students or enough money to continue having two second-grade classes or to replace the admissions assistant, but there is enough money to hire head hunters? There is a seminary just across the Potomac river in Virginia, and there are more priests in the Episcopal Church than there are positions. I find it hard to believe that hiring someone who is not ordained was the best option. WES is not the only non-parish school in the diocese, yet all of them have ordained chaplins.

[Anonymous]

If an earlier poster was right about the number of positions filled by internal candidates and only a few were advertised for outside candidates, simple math would suggest that the school is downsizing its number of employees.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If an earlier poster was right about the number of positions filled by internal candidates and only a few were advertised for outside candidates, simple math would suggest that the school is downsizing its number of employees.

Sounds more and more like money and finances are driving decisions around there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe he was the best candidate? Someone from Yale Divinity School is no slouch. Plus, have you even met him? He is really kind and personable.

He could be Superman, but if he is not an ordained priest, he cannot celebrate the Eucharist or wear the collar so what is the point of hiring another counselor?

[[e-mail]]

While I was raised Episcopal, my family currently is not. But we are extremely happy at WES! I have no personal experience with SAES to draw any comparison which was the true question. Thus, I don't think I can give any particular insight.....but rather a suggestion....

Given the importance of the decision about where to attend school and that you are asking particularly about the faith aspect (which also means it is important to you!) - why not call up the admissions folks at both schools and ask to arrange a one-on-one with each schools' chaplain? Yes, time consuming! But it may be well worth your time! I would like to think that both schools would understand (if not appreciate!) that you value the Episcopal principles of the school and would be happy to help you in your process.

While talking to the chaplains (theoretical) may be slightly different than what you would experience in practice, it could help answer some of your questions. Ask about curriculum and chapels and so forth. Hear it from the source itself. (Since it seems everyone loves to speculate on DCUM!)

At a minimum maybe you could get a sense of how well you think you (and your child) might "connect" with the respective chaplains. Besides home and your church, which chaplain do you think better matches what you are looking for?

Just an idea.

[Anonymous]

[e-mail] wrote:While I was raised Episcopal, my family currently is not. But we are extremely happy at WES! I have no personal experience with SAES to draw any comparison which was the true question. Thus, I don't think I can give any particular insight.....but rather a suggestion....

Given the importance of the decision about where to attend school and that you are asking particularly about the faith aspect (which also means it is important to you!) - why not call up the admissions folks at both schools and ask to arrange a one-on-one with each schools' chaplain? Yes, time consuming! But it may be well worth your time! I would like to think that both schools would understand (if not appreciate!) that you value the Episcopal principles of the school and would be happy to help you in your process.

While talking to the chaplains (theoretical) may be slightly different than what you would experience in practice, it could help answer some of your questions. Ask about curriculum and chapels and so forth. Hear it from the source itself. (Since it seems everyone loves to speculate on DCUM!)

At a minimum maybe you could get a sense of how well you think you (and your child) might "connect" with the respective chaplains. Besides home and your church, which chaplain do you think better matches what you are looking for?

Just an idea.

Speaking to the school chaplain is a good idea, especially to get a sense of how they approach religion classes and chapel. But if a school does not have an ordained priest (therefore does NOT have a chaplain) on staff, that alone can answer the question of how much of an Episcopal identity the school has or wants to have. If you are looking for an Episcopal school, look at a school that has an ordained priest. Most, if not all Episcopal schools have an ordained priest (except WES I gather), whether or not they are associated with an Episcopal parish. Keep in mind, an Episcopal parish school is nothing like the Catholic Parish school model - where the parish financially supports the school, and offers parish member families reduced tuition.

[Anonymous]

This is ridiculous. This fine man just graduated from Yale Divinity School. He has the support of the Bishop's representative on the Board of WES. He's amazing with kids, very personable, and has the support of the school and the diocese. What is with you people? If you're such committed Episcopalians, your kids can take the Eucharist on Sunday at your home church. The Episcopal schools are all so "inclusive" that they are no substitute for regular Sunday attendance anyway.

And by the way, it is incorrect that only an ORDAINED person can give the Eucharist. I have given the Eucharist as a Visiting Lay Eucharistic Minister.

[Anonymous]

False, you were handed the Eucharist after it had been consubstantiated by a priest. These consecrated hosts and the blessed wine are kept separate from the non-consecrated hosts and wine. LEMs are allowed to take the consecrated host and wine to homes for visits but they are definitely not allowed to perform the transsubstantiation or consubstantiation themselves because they are not priests.

[Anonymous]

My kids go to another Episcopal school (not WES) and we have had a few chaplains who were ordained transitional deacons when they came. If they had already completed seminary then it was typically only a few months until they were ordained priests. It seems like a very minor timing issue and not really something to get this riled up about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:False, you were handed the Eucharist after it had been consubstantiated by a priest. These consecrated hosts and the blessed wine are kept separate from the non-consecrated hosts and wine. LEMs are allowed to take the consecrated host and wine to homes for visits but they are definitely not allowed to perform the transsubstantiation or consubstantiation themselves because they are not priests.

Who cares! We are talking about a school, not a church. The chapel services at most of these schools are not meant to be a replacement for an actual church service. Too many of the students are not Episcopalian.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:False, you were handed the Eucharist after it had been consubstantiated by a priest. These consecrated hosts and the blessed wine are kept separate from the non-consecrated hosts and wine. LEMs are allowed to take the consecrated host and wine to homes for visits but they are definitely not allowed to perform the transsubstantiation or consubstantiation themselves because they are not priests.

Who cares! We are talking about a school, not a church. The chapel services at most of these schools are not meant to be a replacement for an actual church service. Too many of the students are not Episcopalian.

I care because it does matter to me, and it matters to A LOT of other people which is why just about every other Episcopal school in this diocese and in all of our other dioceses have a priest on staff. If the "Episcopal" portion of my children's education were not important to me, I would send them to a school such as Norwood that has a strong secular moral and ethical component to the curriculum. Since the previous board chair and the previous headmaster, both of whom are Episcopalians, left the school, there is a void of Episcopal leadership among the board and administration. Even the current interim regularly jokes about the school becoming a Methodist school. Given the lack of Episcopalians in the school leadership, I suppose it makes sense that they would not care about having a priest on staff.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kids go to another Episcopal school (not WES) and we have had a few chaplains who were ordained transitional deacons when they came. If they had already completed seminary then it was typically only a few months until they were ordained priests. It seems like a very minor timing issue and not really something to get this riled up about.

That is not the case in the situation with WES. The new chaplain is not in an ordination process, so he is neither a transitional deacon nor a priest, and he will not become one for many many years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I see. So WES doesn't have enough students or enough money to continue having two second-grade classes or to replace the admissions assistant, but there is enough money to hire head hunters? There is a seminary just across the Potomac river in Virginia, and there are more priests in the Episcopal Church than there are positions. I find it hard to believe that hiring someone who is not ordained was the best option. WES is not the only non-parish school in the diocese, yet all of them have ordained chaplins.

This is actually quite true. Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria is just across the river. Also, in my own Epis. church (local to WES), we have two priests looking for work because we are downsizing.