Upper School News - The Episcopal School of Dallas | Best Private Schools in Dallas

Current parents are invited to join the Eagles Real Estate Club for their October Networking Breakfast on Thursday, October 22, 2026, from 7:30-9:00 a.m. in the North Dining Room in the Daryl Johnston Family Dining Commons at ESD. 

Keynote Speaker

The club is pleased to feature Haynes Strader P’39,’41, Chief Development Officer at Skybox Datacenters, as its keynote speaker. He will present on data center development. 

Established in 2021, the Eagles Real Estate Club hosts quarterly meetings to connect ESD alumni and parents working in the real estate industry. Hosted by Emma Cabrales ’18, Trey Scardino ’16, Stephen Swann ’93 P’24,’27,’29, and Libby Laughlin Wood ’15, the goal of the club is to bring together the ESD community for networking and future business opportunities.

RSVP HERE

Our community is invited to support ESD’s National Honor Society (NHS) annual Blood Drive on October 27, 2026, from 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. in conjunction with Carter BloodCare. Only 3% of the population gives blood. If that number is boosted by 1%, it could eliminate blood supply shortages. ESD students aged 16 or older will receive information about sign-ups, donations, and permission on Schoology. Current parents and ESD faculty/staff can sign up to attend and donate.

SIGN-UP HERE

Join Dr. Lindsey Cullins, Director of Academic Innovation and Faculty Growth, to learn how our Beginner–Grade 12 framework connects disciplinary learning, interdisciplinary and applied experiences, and intentional reflection to create a more coherent student journey. 

Dr. Cullins will discuss our progress across ESDistinction’s four strategic priorities, including the D.I.S.T.I.N.C.T. skills, interdisciplinary networks, expanded learning opportunities throughout greater Dallas, and purpose and impact portfolios.

Additional insight will be provided on how faculty are strengthening curricular and pedagogical alignment across divisions, what we are learning through implementation, and where the work is headed next.

This webinar reiterates the content shared at the September 30, 2026, Community Meeting. 

Wednesday, October 28, 2026
12:00-1:00 p.m. CST
 

Join Webinar Here on October 28 at Noon

Grade-level Dates:

• There are currently no grade-level dates for Ninth Grade at this time!

Heather Cernoch | Dean's Letters:

• August 4, 2026
• September 1, 2026
• September 29, 2026

For any questions, please reach out to your grade-level representatives: Courtney Stovall and Jennifer West

Grade-level Dates:

• October 21, 2026: Fall Grade-Level Parent Party hosted by ESDPA at 6:30 p.m. at the home of Jessica and Lawrence Hawkins (address in MyESD Parent Portal)

Natalie Webb | Dean's Letters:

• August 5, 2026
• September 1, 2026
• September 29, 2026

For any questions, please reach out to your grade-level representatives: Stephanie Fine and Tami Meng

Grade-level Dates:

• October 21, 2026: Fall Grade-Level Parent Party hosted by ESDPA at 6:30 p.m. at the home of Leslie and Baron Concors (address in MyESD Parent Portal)

Tim Woodward | Dean's Letters:

• August 10, 2026
• September 1, 2026
• September 29, 2026

For any questions, please reach out to your grade-level representatives: Amelia Boisseau
and Courtney Maddox

Grade-level Dates:

• Class of 2027 Senior Calendar

Marcela Garcini | Dean's Letters:

• June 16, 2026
• July 16, 2026
• August 19, 2026
• September 1, 2026
• September 29, 2026

For any questions, please reach out to your grade-level representatives: Meg Berg and Diane Nealon 

Please pick up your annual parent badge and vehicle sticker according to your youngest student's division. (Please disregard if you have already picked up your 2026-27 badge and sticker.)

• Lower School: Pick up with Carmen Nixon at the LS front desk
• Middle/Upper School: Pick up with Sandra Woolever at reception in the School House

FYI for Parents: Invitations will be mailed in October to Upper School (Grades 9 and 12) grandparents for the upcoming Upper School Grandparents Day on November 19, 2026.

Check out this week's Athletics events and follow @esdathletics on Instagram for the latest updates.

FIRST DAY OF MIDDLE and upper SCHOOL

Senior Breakfast

Opening Convocation

HOMECOMING PEP RALLY

COMMUNITY PICNIC

Strong parent involvement makes a strong school community! Here is a look at parent participation across every grade level. Thank you to everyone who has gotten involved so far!

ESD utilizes Clarity as our secure, streamlined tuition assistance application portal. Designed to offer a quick, user-friendly experience, the application can typically be completed in as little as 30 minutes.

• Current Family Application Deadline: December 1, 2026

Helpful Resources and Support:

• Family Information Webinar: Clarity offers live webinars walking families through the application process step-by-step, followed by a Q&A session. 
  • Tuesday, October 27, 2026 (9 p.m.)
  • Wednesday, October 28, 2026 (5 p.m.)
  • Tuesday, December 8, 2026 (7:30 p.m.)
• In-App Help: While completing your application, click the "Help" button in the bottom-left corner of your screen for instant assistance.
• Direct Support (English & Spanish): Contact the Clarity support team directly at support@clarityapp.com or 206-210-3752.

If you have any questions regarding ESD’s tuition assistance process, please reach out to Shelle Montgomery, Director of Data Processing Systems and Tuition Assistance, at montgomerys@esdallas.org.

Hello Upper School Parents,

I’m excited to be your Division Representative for the 2026–27 school year! Throughout the year, you can look forward to important dates and event details in each edition of News You Can Use.

If you have any questions or need assistance, feel free to reach out to me or your grade reps at any time. 

Go Eagles! 

Caitlin Hyatt
Upper School ESDPA Division Coordinator

This month, our focus is on the virtue of peacemaking. Being at peace often translates into turning on the cruise control and letting life continue on a predictable path. When life gets hectic, we often long for peace, but what if feeling unsettled or restless is a nudge to rethink our plans, priorities or even our purpose? What if the peace we are seeking requires us to ask hard questions, reevaluate our commitments, and rethink our goals? What if peacemaking requires us to embrace a season of change that feels far removed from the peace we crave but creates new opportunities for us to live into our purpose?

• For younger children: Think about a time when you tried a new sport, game, or activity. Did you feel nervous or unsure? Did it take some time to understand the rules or feel comfortable? How did you feel once you got used to this new activity?
• For older children, teenagers, and adults: Think about a time when you felt the nudge to try something new but hesitated to step out of your comfort zone. What caused that nudge and why did it catch your attention? Did you decide to follow that nudge? Why or why not? What nudges are you feeling right now to explore a new interest or activity?