Episcopal Identity

As a school rooted in the Episcopal tradition, St. Patrick’s believes in the infinite value of every individual as a child of God. We welcome children and families from a variety of faith traditions and believe that our religious diversity enriches our common life and deepens our understanding of the world. Consistent with the principles and ideals of an Episcopal school as defined by the National Association of Episcopal Schools, our Episcopal identity is expressed in our community life, commitment to social justice, school worship, and religious formation and study.

Above all, Episcopal schools exist not merely to educate, but to demonstrate and proclaim the unique worth and beauty of all human beings as creations of a loving, empowering God.National Association of Episcopal Schools

We Find the Strongest Expression of Our Identity in Community

St. Patrick’s is a rich community of individuals—students and faculty and staff alike—reflecting diverse religious practices, cultural histories, ethnicities, gender identities, sexual expressions, and economic backgrounds. Our commitment to such diversity is a hallmark of our mission. We find strength as a community in our diversity as we support one another in our physical, intellectual, and emotional growth.

We Are Committed to Social Justice

Central to our Episcopal identity is a commitment to respecting the dignity of every human being, both within and outside our community. St. Patrick’s is committed to the ideals of diversity, equity, and inclusion in all aspects of our program and community—in our curriculum, student body, and faculty and staff.  Regular opportunities for service learning in partnership with organizations throughout Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia raise the awareness of our local and global contexts and develop empathy and an open heart. By sharing our blessings of resources, time, and talent with others, we follow the principle of loving one’s neighbor found both in the life of Jesus and in the many religious traditions. As an Episcopal parish day school, we consider the moral and spiritual development of the young people in our care a distinguishing feature of life at St. Patrick’s.

We Gather Weekly for Chapel

Weekly chapels are led by our chaplain and Music Department with opportunities for students to exercise agency, leadership, and nurture their voices through the spiritual growth of students. Each week, students in Nursery School, Kindergarten to Grade 2, Grades 3 to 5, and Middle School gather together for chapel. Family members and caregivers are always welcome and often attend chapel, especially at the younger age levels. Our worship life is rooted in the Episcopal tradition and welcomes, affirms, and celebrates all faiths through the reading of scripture, music, and prayer. We bless birthdays, honor solemn events in our larger world such as Veterans Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Washington D.C.’s Emancipation Day, and share stories of faith and prayer, honoring each of us as a beloved child of God. Through homilies, readings, prayers, student presentations, and music, chapel aims to cultivate the spiritual development and growth of every member of the community, nurturing a commitment to social justice, equity, and a belief in a loving God.

Our Curriculum Incorporates Religious Formation

Religious and spiritual formation of children is a part of the curriculum at every grade level. Our exploration of spirituality provides space for every individual—Episcopalians and non-Episcopalians, Christians and non-Christians, people of no faith tradition—to explore and honor their own beliefs and religions faithfully in their own lives. Through an exploration of sacred texts, beliefs, practices, and contemporary issues students gain interfaith understanding, explore values and ethics, learn about Episcopal identity, and have opportunities to live out their faith in the world. Community service and service learning is an integral part of life at St. Patrick’s. Students in Grade 5 attend an annual chapel each fall at the Washington National Cathedral with students from area Episcopal Schools. The rich religious diversity in the Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia area offers natural opportunities for Middle School students to visit sacred sites as part of their class experience.