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Upper School
The Parish Upper 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 first senior class in May of 2007, its growth and development is indeed impressive. This year the Upper School will enroll more than 320 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. This year we have added four new Advanced Placement courses, bringing our total to 14. Our computer department offers eight different courses, including AP Computer Science. New science labs, a teaching darkroom, weight-training facility, two language labs and 18 classrooms equipped with Smart Boards are but a few of the recent upgrades to keep our facility state-of-the-art.
We have a full range of sports and have competed impressively in the Texas Association of Private and Parochial School (TAPPS) League. 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. 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. We have added an additional counselor to our college counseling staff this year and work 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 web site—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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