Episcopal Identity

Why is faith so important at St. Andrew’s Episcopal School? 

Being an Episcopal school is at the core of who we are as a school. Our faith is not just found in our chapel or religion classes, but can be seen in the hallways, in school activities, and in the community. Our faith shapes and forms us. Our faith inspires us when we are challenged, comforts us when life is difficult, and confirms our worth. The most important lesson we want students to learn from our faith life here is that God created and loves them, no matter what!

How does the diversity of our students’ faith backgrounds play a role at St. Andrew’s?

Although all students attend our chapel and religion classes, we cultivate understanding, connections, and respect for children and families who have different beliefs. We can all learn from one another about our different traditions. It is through understanding each other better that we’ll build a more peaceful world. St. Andrew’s is not here to proselytize children. Part of our faith commitment is to love and support each child, regardless of their religious affiliation. Everyday our teachers and staff encourage, support, and challenge our students to be the people that God created them to be.

Faith Formation:

Our students engage in hands-on, experiential explorations of faith through the ecumenical Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) curriculum. The goal of CGS is to involve children and adults of all faith backgrounds in a common religious experience in which the religious values of childhood – particularly contemplation and enjoyment of God — are predominant. Free to self-select classroom materials developed according to Montessori’s pedagogy, the youngest children (primer through kindergarten) discover that they are each wrapped individually in the protective and unshakeable love of the Creator. First through third graders explore sacred history, biblical canon, and sacraments to deepen an understanding of their call to live in community with one another and God. Fourth through seventh grade students begin to explore their own unique calls to work in God’s Kingdom through multi-week units allowing students to engage in critical exegesis of foundational texts from Hebrew scriptures as well as engage in deeper studies of the sacraments. Eighth graders live out the admonition from the book of James to express our faith in our actions, not just our words, and explore servant leadership in the community. All students explore scripture, biblical geography, sacred history, and liturgy in an environment welcoming to all faiths and respectful of individual family traditions.

We live out our faith formally at times, and in other times, more organically. Our student body gathers for special events and services which provide hallmark experiences for our entire community. We gather at the St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church. If interested, please see their website at www.standrewsamarillo.org.

Our service learning program at St. Andrew’s School develops well educated, responsible and compassionate individuals who make a difference in their communities, whether those communities are their school, their city or their world.  By serving others our students develop a sense of social consciousness and empathy at an early age. We want our students to be able to recognize a need when they see one and to have the confidence, problem solving skills and compassion to help meet that need. 

Our seventh grade students participate in a culminating service trip to the Heifer Ranch in Perryville, Arkansas. While at the ranch students learn about the mission of Heifer International to end hunger and poverty while caring for the earth through their Global Village experience. Students leave this experience with a better understanding of how they can help people in their own community and around the world with hunger and poverty. This experience leads students to their eighth grade year where they are required to complete a certain number of service hours outside of school.

We are confident that our students will be leaders in their worlds – understanding that service to others makes the world a better place for all of us.