Head of School - Keeping in Touch

September 21, 2012

Greetings,

St. Edmund’s Academy's 65th Anniversary year is well underway completing the second full week of operation. The newly renovated Preschool and PreKindergarten classrooms are now alive with the enthusiastic voices and energy of the children for whom they were designed to enhance learning and teaching. We invite all to visit the major renovations that were completed not only in the classrooms but the locker rooms and PTA Store. This undertaking was made possible by an extremely generous contribution and did not incur any debt for St. Edmund’s Academy.

Now that the daily routine is established, I will comment on several items that highlight the flow of this year’s initiatives and opportunities. 
 

47 DAYS 47 WAYS Annual Fund

This year, in honor of the School’s founding in 1947, our Annual Fund is concentrated within a period of 47 days from September 14th through October 31st. The purpose of this well-designed initiative is to encourage a hustle and bustle of donation support throughout the SEA Community under the banner of 47 days…to watch us grow! AND 47 ways…to make your gift show! Please visit stedmunds.net through October 31st to see ways your gift supports St. Edmund’s Academy and the financial gap between tuition income and actual expenses. 
 

CHAPEL

Throughout my years at St. Edmund’s Academy, I have expressed often that my week begins with Chapel on Thursday morning. The traditional Episcopal foundation of the Chapel service and its various components has remained and will continue to remain the same. As our school community has increasingly become ecumenical in composition and with the important emphasis on integrating the Core Values and Core Virtues in the Chapel experience, the role of the Worship Leader/Speaker has been adjusted to provide meaningful support to both. This year Chapel will be lead by four distinguished members of the clergy who are very familiar with St. Edmund’s Academy and have served as Worship Leader/Speaker in the past. Other guest speakers and SEA students will participate in Chapel for special events, holidays, and celebrations. 
 

ACCREDITATION

St. Edmund’s Academy has completed its two year self-study in preparation for the official accreditation evaluation visit from a team of educators representing the Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools (PAIS) and the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (MSACS). I am deeply gratified with the intensive and exhaustive effort that was applied to the accrediting process by every member of the professional team, the Board of Trustees, those who participated in the parent survey, and numerous other task forces and committees. The most important result of this required endeavor though, is what we have learned about St. Edmund’s Academy and the commitment to further direct ways of ongoing improvement of the educational experience for our students. 
 

Now with our sports teams actively engaged in their fall schedules, our programs alive in their implementation, the wonderful partnership we are experiencing with all constituent groups, and most of all an abundance of energy that permeates St. Edmund’s Academy, I close with just one simple comment----ALL IS WELL!

Sincerely,

William L. Kindler, Ph.D., Head of School

*This is an abridged version of the most recent newsletter by Dr. William L. Kindler, Ph.D.,
Head of School. The full version of this Newsletter can be viewed in the private Parent Portal.