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Upper School
The Upper School at Parish Episcopal School has come a long way in a short time. From the opening of the Upper School in the fall of 2003 to the graduation of its second senior class in May of 2008, our growth and development is indeed impressive. This year the Upper School will enroll more than 350 students. As the school has grown, so have our offerings in academics. Our trimester schedule and extended teaching blocks enable students to take advantage of a wide variety of educational opportunities. We have a total of 14 Advanced Placement courses, and this year we added new honors level course offerings in Physics, World History and English II. Our newest facility upgrade is a fully equipped Digital Photo Lab. This is in addition to recently built or upgraded science labs, a teaching darkroom, weight-training facility, three language labs, and 18 classrooms equipped with SMART Boards.
As part of our continued expansion and Strategic Plan, this year we have added a full-time Assistant Chaplain for the Upper School. This new position includes leadership in daily chapel, weekly Eucharist, religion classes and our extensive community service program—all part of our identity as an Episcopal School. Additional programs added this year include our Latin program. This year we will offer levels one and two. In subsequent years we will offer additional levels through the AP level. We have also added a full-time Learning Specialist to assist the Upper School in meeting the learning needs of all students attending our school. Finally, we have increased our international focus. This past summer Parish sponsored it first study abroad program in Spain with 21 students attending. This school year, Parish will host its first foreign exchange student from Sofia, Bulgaria.
We have a full range of sports and have competed impressively in the Texas Association of Private and Parochial School League (TAPPS). We have recently completed an upgrade of our athletic facilities that includes seating for 1,500 fans and a new all-weather track. In our short history our teams have won TAPPS State Championships in golf, girls’ tennis, swimming and diving, and several artists and public speakers won awards at the State TAPPS Academic and Arts Festival.
We offer extensive opportunities in the visual and performing arts, both within the school day and in our after school programming. Three full drama productions, as well as student-directed One Act Plays are presented each year. Last year, 47 students attended the ISAS Art festival in Wichita, Kansas. This year we have added a full-time, on-site instrumental music director. If you can dream a club it can happen here, and opportunities range from Drum Corps to Social Action to Fishing Club—and lots in between.
Perhaps most impressive, however, is the fact that Parish has successfully maintained the culture of a small school in spite of its rapid growth. Parish works hard to make sure that every student is a recognized and valued member of our community. Our advisory program, Honor Code, daily chapels, and insistence on virtues such as civility and decency preserve the culture for which Parish is known throughout the Metroplex. As a result, students point to their relationships with faculty members and with other students at Parish as the feature they value most at this school.
Parish graduates are matriculating at colleges and universities throughout the United States, including some of the most selective. Our college counseling staff of two full-time college counselors and an assistant works hard to make sure students are guided and supported through the process of college selection and admission. Counselors work with Upper School students throughout the four years of high school in course selection, testing, and researching opportunities. We are confident that our students are placed at colleges and universities appropriate to their ability and interest.
I am pleased that you are exploring Parish Episcopal School’s Upper School and invite you to spend time exploring our website—I’m confident you will be impressed. I also encourage you to contact us should you want to experience Parish firsthand or should you have specific questions about the opportunities available at the Upper School.
Sincerely,
Mark D. Miner
Head of the Upper School
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