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.
Mission Statement
St. Patrick’s Episcopal Day School strives to create a diverse and inclusive learning community of students, faculty and staff, and parents who recognize the infinite value of every individual as a child of God.
We are committed to developing character, advancing human understanding, and promoting academic excellence to shape engaged citizens who live with integrity, empathy, and purpose.
St. Patrick’s is a school that each day will . . .
Following the pattern of our weekly Chapels, there are five essential elements we practice as we seek to live out our mission.
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Gather
as a beloved community in an inclusive and nurturing environment
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.
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Listen
to each other’s stories as 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.
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Think
and engage in a curriculum that incorporates religious formation and an awareness of diverse beliefs and perspectives
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 are an integral parts of life at St. Patrick’s. Students in Grade 5 attend an annual celebration 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.
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Pray
as we reflect on what is important to us and worship together in weekly Chapel
Weekly Chapels are led by our Day School Chaplain and Music Department with opportunities for students to exercise agency and leadership and nurture their voices. 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, and 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.
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Do
justice, love mercy, and walk humbly, as we are committed to social justice and the dignity of all God’s children
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.
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
St. Patrick's Episcopal Church
Our relationship with St. Patrick's Episcopal Church is a central, distinguishing feature of our parish day school within the Episcopal Diocese of Washington. Our core values stem from this association, born more than sixty years ago.
Questions about Our Episcopal Identity?
Please contact Day School Chaplain, The Rev. Edward Thornley, if you have questions about St. Patrick’s Episcopal identity.