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

Don't miss two exciting pop-ups, Bead Rules and Popkle, at The Eagles Nest campus store on August 17, 2026, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., plus free samples from Juice Babe and WaterOuai! Stop by the store during back-to-school week for fun gift giveaways and more!

• Monday, August 17, 2026: 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
• Tuesday, August 18, 2026: 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
• Wednesday, August 19, 2026: 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
• Thursday, August 20, 2026: 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
• Friday, August 21, 2026: 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Regular operating hours resume on Wednesday, August 19, 2026.

Parents will sign up for a 15-minute conference during this timeframe

SIGN-UPS AVAILABLE IN MYESD PARENT PORTAL

The fall sports team stores are open through the Eagles Nest! The order deadline for all custom apparel and spirit items (team hoodies, yard signs, locker signs, etc.) is Sunday, August 23, 2026. Questions? Please contact April Cook at cooka@esdallas.org.

PURCHASE FALL SPORTS ITEMS FROM THE EAGLES NEST

You won't want to miss the Dads’ Partnership All-Family BBQ taking place before the first home Varsity Football game. Be sure to RSVP and join us as we reconnect after the summer break and welcome new ESD families to our community.

• Friday, August 28, 2026
• 6:00 p.m.
   

RSVP TO ALL FAMILY BBQ HERE

Calling all Upper School students! The Technotica Back-to-School Dance is Saturday, August 29, 2026, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. in the Study Commons. Tickets are $25 and available to purchase in-person at the Eagles Nest campus store. Tickets will also be available to purchase for $30 at the door. 

• Saturday, August 29, 2026
• 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.

Join us for an engaging presentation, Growing Strong Minds: Brain-Based Parenting in the Age of Addiction, by Drew Dutton, CEO of Phoenix House Texas. This year's ESDPA Speaker Series will be held on September 14, 2026, from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. We would love to see you there!

• Monday, September 14, 2026
• 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.
   

RSVP TO SPEAKER SERIES HERE

Grade-level Dates:

• August 17, 2026: Upper School Yearbook Photos in the Aux Gym (2:05 – 3:15 p.m.)
• August 18, 2026: Ninth- and Eleventh-Grade Intake Conferences for both new and returning students and parents (8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.); parents will sign up for a 15-minute conference during this timeframe (sign-ups available in the MyESD parent portal)
  • All ninth-grade students must bring their laptops
• August 29, 2026: Technotica Back-to-School Dance (7:00 – 9:00 p.m.)
• September 15, 2026: Registration and first deposit due for the upcoming Spain/Morocco Trip (June 14-23, 2027); reach out to Marcela Garcini or Francisco Amparan for more details

Heather Cernoch | Dean's Letters:

• August 4, 2026

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

Grade-level Dates:

• August 17, 2026: Tenth- and Eleventh-Grade (All New and Returning) Student Orientation at the Upper School (1:15 p.m.)
  • Upper School Yearbook Photos in the Aux Gym (2:05 – 3:15 p.m.)
• August 27, 2026: ESDPA Talons and Talk parent coffee for tenth-grade parents at the home of Kara and Jeff Axley (address in MyESD parent portal) (9:00 – 10:00 a.m.)
• August 29, 2026: Technotica Back-to-School Dance (7:00 – 9:00 p.m.)
• September 15, 2026: Registration and first deposit due for the upcoming Spain/Morocco Trip (June 14-23, 2027); reach out to Marcela Garcini or Francisco Amparan for more details

Natalie Webb | Dean's Letters:

• August 5, 2026

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

Grade-level Dates:

• August 17, 2026: Tenth- and Eleventh-Grade (All New and Returning) Student Orientation at the Upper School (1:15 p.m.)
  • Upper School Yearbook Photos in the Aux Gym (2:05 – 3:15 p.m.)
  • Eleventh-Grade ESDPA Student Social in Junior Lounge (2:45 – 3:15 p.m.)
• August 18, 2026: Ninth- and Eleventh-Grade Intake Conferences for both new and returning students and parents (8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.); parents will sign up for a 15-minute conference during this timeframe (sign-ups available in the MyESD parent portal)
• August 21, 2026: ESDPA Talons and Talk parent coffee for eleventh-grade parents at the home of Lane and Brian Olson (address in MyESD parent portal) (9:00-10:00 a.m.)
• August 29, 2026: Technotica Back-to-School Dance (7:00 – 9:00 p.m.)
• September 15, 2026: Registration and first deposit due for the upcoming Spain/Morocco Trip (June 14-23, 2027); reach out to Marcela Garcini or Francisco Amparan for more details

Tim Woodward | Dean's Letters:

• August 10, 2026

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

Grade-level Dates:

• August 25, 2026: Senior Kickoff Meeting | ESDPA Talons and Talk parent event for twelfth-grade parents (6:00 p.m.); College Guidance Event for twelfth-grade parents and students (6:30 – 7:30 p.m.)
• August 29, 2026: Technotica Back-to-School Dance (7:00 – 9:00 p.m.)
• Class of 2027 Senior Calendar

Marcela Garcini | Dean's Letters:

• June 16, 2026
• July 16, 2026

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

Parents, don’t forget to follow your student’s ‘Class Of’ Instagram account! Instructions and guidelines are available using the button below:

DETAILS Here

A friendly reminder that ESD operates in the middle of a residential neighborhood, and it is important to drive, park, and walk with this in mind. Please:

• Put phones down while in the carpool line or driving near campus.
• Do not U-turn on Merrell or Midway Roads.
• Do not cut through neighborhood streets.
• Only queue for carpool on Midway and Merrell Roads; please do not queue on side streets (e.g., Gooding Drive, etc.).
• Do not block neighborhood streets while in the carpool line.
• Always follow the direction of the DPD and security officers.

As a reminder, all parents should wear their parent badges while on campus.

Hello Upper School Parents,

I’m excited to be your Division Representative for the 2026–2027 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

Welcome back to the nest, ESD Eagles! This section of NYCU is designed to spark conversations about igniting lives of purpose and having a positive impact on the world around us. Each week, we will offer food for thought on a topic related to purpose, impact, or reflection, and then several questions for families to discuss. If you want to know more about ESD’s efforts to ignite lives of purpose, please reach out to Claire Reddig, the Director of Eastin Family Purpose and Impact: reddigc@esdallas.org

Consider starting the school year with reflective practices suggested by Dr. Thomas Armstrong. Ask family members to share their hopes, fears, and goals for the upcoming school year. By participating in the reflection, parents can model that transitions naturally include a mix of emotions. Another way to encourage reflection is to pull up a photo of the school and ask family members to write down or share words and phrases that this photo sparks. For more ideas from Dr. Armstrong, refer to this article. 

• For younger children: What makes your heart jump for joy when you think about coming to school? What feels a little bit tricky when you think about school? What do you want to explore or build this year? How can you help all of your classmates feel welcome?
• For older children, teenagers, and adults: How would you describe your version of a successful first day of school? What concerns make you pause when you think about going back to school? What are your academic, athletic, spiritual, and social goals this year? How do you want to show up for your friends, classmates, and teachers?