Beaches Campus

Meet the Teacher Morning

Beaches Campus families are welcomed back to campus for an orientation time with teachers, an opportunity to learn about school life, and enjoy catching up with friends.
 

Back to School Night - Parent Open House

This parent-only event gives parents the opportunity to meet their students' teachers and attend an informative meeting in the church.

 

Blessing of the Pets

This school-wide event on the front lawn of St. Paul's by-the-Sea Episcopal Church allows families to bring pets and stuffed animals from home to be blessed by vestry of the church.
 

Grandparents' and Special Friends' Day

Our school welcomes grandparents and special friends to spend a half-day with our students. A reception, special chapel service, and classroom visit are included in this annual tradition.

 

Costume Parade

Students and teachers dress up in tasteful costumes and parade around the front lawn of St. Paul's by-the-Sea Episcopal Church while parents and friends cheer them on. This annual tradition takes place on or close to Halloween.
 

Boo Bash

This school-wide event in late October is open to families and has a carnival-like atmosphere with booths for crafts, fun inflatables and food options.
 

Episcopal School Service at St. Johns Cathedral

Fifth students join other Episcopal school students around Northeast Florida for a special Episcopal School Service at St. Johns Cathedral in downtown Jacksonville. Students participate in various ways during the service and ESJ Upper School students contribute choral and drama selections during the service.
 

Thanksgiving Chapel

Students in various grade levels present musical selections based on a Thanksgiving theme during this special All-School Chapel.
 

Lessons and Carols Service

Fifth grade students take attendees on a journey back in time during this all-school musical and dramatic presentation of the Nativity Story. This special service is always a beloved tradition that gets our families ready for the Christmas season.
 

Pajama Day/Christmas Carol Sing-a-long

Students and faculty dress up in pajamas for this special Christmas tradition. Families and students gather in Stormes Hall for hot chocolate, a Christmas-themed book reading from the Head of Lower School, and a Christmas carol sing-a-long with faculty leading students in singing.
 

Fly Up Day Open House

Students and parents gather on a special night to spend time in the classroom with teachers during an Open House in January. 
 

Spring Musical

Students in grades 3 - 5 present musical selections they have practiced with their Music teacher during a special evening presentation open to families and friends.
 

Graduation Ceremony

This all-school ceremony is a celebration to honor our fifth grade graduates. Students receive their diploma and move on to the next chapter of their educational lives.

St. Mark's Campus

Parents’ Night Out

This casual evening is held at the beginning of each school year on the St. Mark's Campus. Parents have the opportunity to mingle, enjoy adult beverages, and get involved for the coming school year.

Bible Presentation

This important celebratory milestone for third grade students during chapel celebrates their readiness not only for reading but provides them a directional compass to God.

Book Fair

The beloved Scholastic Book Fair provides parents and students to purchase books and supplies while giving back to ESJ, St. Mark's Campus. Hosted by the Parents' Association, parents volunteer before and during the event to make this possible. 

A Vision for Art Presented by Northern Trust

avisionforart.com

This 5 day event, hosted on the St. Mark's Campus, is an art exhibition featuring the work of more than 40 select artists and spanning all price points and styles. The Opening Night Celebration is a ticketed event featuring an elegant, tented dinner, cocktails, meet and greet with the artists, and a firsthand opportunity to view and purchase artwork. Shopping days are free and open to the public.

Fall Festival

This school-wide event is open to families and has a carnival-like atmosphere with booths for games, fun inflatables, food trucks, face painting, a dunk tank, and shopping hours for the book fair.

Costume Parade

Students in ELP 1 - kindergarten dress up in costumes and parade around campus while parents and students cheer them on. This annual tradition takes place on or close to Halloween.

Family Open House Night

Parents and students are invited to join us for a fun, interactive evening experiencing a day-in-the-life of an Episcopal School of Jacksonville student. This semi-annual open house event is fun for the whole family!

Kindergarten Thanksgiving Program

A long-standing tradition, St. Mark’s Campus kindergarten students annually present "The First Thanksgiving" on stage in the Lori Schiavone Commons. Students dress as turkeys, pilgrims, and Indians and recite songs and lines of poems while showing off their feathers and strutting around the stage during the crowd favorite, "Strut Mr. Turkey." 

Veterans’ Day Chapel

This annual chapel service is held on Veterans Day to celebrate our service men and women together, as a community, and to give thanks for all who have served or are currently serving. Features of the service include patriotic hymns, a guest military speaker, the presentation of the colors by the NAS Jacksonville Color Guard, and a “Hero Wall” honoring students’ friends and family members who are currently serving or have served. 

Christmas Musical 

The annual Christmas musical features first, second and third grade students in a lively, festive performance on stage in the Lori Schiavone Commons.

Lessons & Carols 

Fourth and fifth fifth grade students present the songs of the season during a special, festive service in St. Mark’s Episcopal Church featuring singing, handbells, guitars, recorders, and more.

Christmas Program 

A longtime St. Mark's tradition, Pre-Kindergarten 4 students take the stage to present their Christmas nativity program for family and friends. Students dress as angels and shepherds, Mary and Joseph, barn animals, wisemen, and the inkeepers as they delight the audience with their Christmas spirit. 

W.W. Gay Ortega River Run

For over 40 years, the St. Mark’s Campus has been home to the Ortega River Run. Hosted by First Place Sports as a Grand Prix sanctioned event, this is a great event for the whole family! The morning features a 1-mile fun run, 5-mile race through the tree-lined streets of Ortega, and a street fair with over 40 vendors. Proceeds benefit the financial aid and scholarship program at the school. 

Spring Musical

The spotlight shines on our fourth and fifth grade students as they perform their annual spring musical. Fifth graders lead the show and showcase their talents with solo singing performances, speaking parts, and choreography. Recent performances have included The Jungle Book, Willy Wonka Kids, and Seussical the Musical.

Grandparents’ & Special Friend’s Morning

The St. Mark’s Campus welcomes grandparents and special friends of our students to spend the morning on our campus. A special chapel service, performances, and classroom visits are included in this annual tradition.

Easter Performance 

Pre-K 3 students share the Easter message with family and friends during their annual Easter Performance on stage in the Lori Schiavone Commons.

Mothers’ Chapel

In celebration of the Mother’s Day holiday, students in Pre-K 3 through fifth grade students enjoy a chapel service and breakfast treat with their moms and special friends during this special morning. 

Fathers’ Chapel

Students in Pre-K 3 through fifth grade enjoy having their dads, grandfathers, uncles, and special friends join them for this special event. The morning includes chapel, classroom visits, and "Donuts with Dad".

Bike Rodeo

A long-time tradition at St. Mark's, the Second Grade Bike Rodeo is held annually for students to learn bicycle safety, road rules, and proper riding technique. Once in third grade, students are allowed (and encouraged if it is possible) to ride their bikes to and from school.

Jacksonville Day

Third grade's social studies curriculum closely examines the history of our city. From early explorers to wars and from politics to modern-day economics, the students bring their studies to life during the annual Jacksonville Day performance. Each student proudly takes center stage, dressed as an historical figure to inform and entertain the audience with their knowledge. Following the performance, students become a living-history museum, presenting completed projects to peers and parents in attendance. 

Episcopal School Service at St. John’s Cathedral

Fifth grade students join other Episcopal school students around Northeast Florida for a special Episcopal School Service at St. Johns Cathedral in downtown Jacksonville. Students participate in various ways during the service and ESJ Upper School students contribute choral and drama selections during the service.

Munnerlyn Campus

Sixth Grade Driftwood Trip

Each year sixth graders travel to the natural setting of Cumberland Island, Georgia, to experience marine biology outside of the classroom. Students bond through catching and dissecting fish, swimming, hiking, and learning about the natural habitat.

Freshmen Orientation Adventure

Every fall the freshmen class participates in the Freshmen Orientation Adventure in Unicoi State Park, Helen, Georgia. Counselors encourage the development of new friendships in order to develop a sense of mutual trust, respect, and appreciation among the group. Freshmen participate in white water rafting, hiking, camping, learn about wildlife, and prepare their own meals.

Senior Retreat

Senior Retreat provides the senior class with an opportunity to build class unity through team activities, Chapel, and free time with friends playing games and sports. The retreat takes place at UNF, and has proven to be a unifying, morale-building, and emotionally-binding experience for seniors.

Homecoming

Hundreds of alumni and their families are welcomed back to campus for a special barbeque for Episcopal’s annual homecoming. Parents and students also enjoy special activities during the week leading up to the Homecoming football game.

Cathedral Day

Each year, all students attend a Chapel service at St. John's Cathedral.  It serves to acknowledge and celebrate the school's historic and continued connection with the Cathedral.

Christmas at Episcopal

Christmas at Episcopal includes donuts and hot chocolate, carols and candy canes and sometimes even a visit from Santa. The choral and instrumental music concert in St. John’s Cathedral ushers in the holiday season with a beautiful performance.

Grandparents’ Day

Episcopal welcomes more than 300 grandparents each year for a special performance in the Munnerlyn Center by Fine Arts students. Grandparents and their students then enjoy lunch together in the Buck Student Center.

Annual Bash

This annual event is a fundraiser for the school. The All Things Episcopal auction includes graduation seating and locker and parking spot choices. Parents and friends gather for a beautiful and fun evening in support of the school.

Signing Day

Each year Episcopal celebrates its student athletes who have committed to play their chosen sport at the collegiate level. In 2017, 21 students committed to 20 different colleges and universities in 12 different sports.

Celebrating Service Day

At the heart of an Episcopal education is a life of devotion to and care for others. During Celebrating Service Day, the entire campus focuses on special projects for Jacksonville-area non-profits. Students complete projects on and off campus that help the homeless, the troops and the humane society; they beautiful city parks and campus, and feed the hungry.

Seventh Grade Kennedy Space Center

Each spring, the seventh grade class travels to Kennedy Space Center to make connections to their Earth and Space Science curriculum, with physical experiences, simulators, and veteran astronauts.

Eighth Grade Islands of Adventure

This day trip is a celebration of the conclusion of Middle School for eighth grade students. Students enjoy a day full of fun with their classmates and teachers to celebrate the milestone of moving on to Upper School in the coming year.

Fine Arts Week

Fine Arts Week celebrates the importance and beauty that art, as one of the school’s Four Pillars, brings to student life. Performances, Fine Arts Chapel and the Fine Arts Award Luncheon are held during this special time.

Spring Spirit Week

This week is a week of fun, all school activities to build school spirit and strengthen individual classes.

Senior Athletic Banquet

An annual dinner hosted by Boosters, senior athletes and honored at this awards banquet.

Reunion Weekend

Reunion Weekend each year welcomes back hundreds of alumni for the all class party at the waterfront Walton Boathouse. Individual class parties follow the following evening for those celebrating ten year and up anniversaries. The Alumnus of the Year award is given this weekend as well.

Baccalaureate and Commencement

The end of the academic year is celebrated the third weekend in May with a Baccalaureate service held the Friday evening before graduation. The service is held at St. John’s Cathedral, whose members helped to found the school. Commencement is held the following morning on Saturday on the Acosta House porch on the Munnerlyn Campus. Faculty and staff greet graduates in the courtyard between Parks and Lastinger Halls following the ceremony, and the Alumni Association welcomes them at a reception on the Dale. D. Regan Plaza.