Holy Spirit Episcopal School

Two of my children go to HSES. We love it! Check it out! The staff and Head of School are accommodating and I always feel heard as a parent. When a problem arose in our family they joined us in finding a solution. They bent over backwards to help my child. There are families of all faiths so please don't let the "church school" bother you. Take a tour, ask hard questions. They have answers. I am hopefully putting my third child there as well. Best experience I have had with an educational institution thus far. Well done! I shout your praises to all I know!
—Submitted by a parent

Holy Spirit Episcopal School is a caring and nurturing place that is grounded in strong academics. The administration is experienced, knowledgeable and approachable. Founded 50 years ago, HSES has a clear mission, vision and a coherent strategy to implement. Along with strong moral and Christian values, the school has a solid traditional curriculum coupled with new and innovative teaching strategies and ideas. The teachers are kind and caring, but also challenge my child just enough where progress is steady and continual. The well rounded HSES student is offered art, theater, science lab, technology, music, foreign languages and sports. Middle schoolers even have the opportunity to study in Costa Rica! The moment you walk through the doors, you will experience kindness and welcoming from parents, teachers, staff and students. Our child comes home speaking of good friends and everything she has learned -- all with a big smile on her face: what else can we ask for?
—Submitted by a parent

All three of my children have attended HSES. My two oldest were very well prepared academically and received a wonderful loving and nurturing environment. My youngest is doing very well also. The school under great leadership and has very high academics. The middle school does a wonderful job of building great character and self esteem in young people. It's a privilege to attend school there.
—Submitted by a parent

I have two kids at Holy Spirit now (K and 1st) and we have been very pleased with the school! The Kindergarten is fantastic and my daughter's interest and learning growth have just exploded. I wish my 1st grader had been in this school for Kindergarten, as I believe my younger one is more prepared for 1st grade than my older one was coming in from a different school. I am also impressed that all teachers participated in the curriculum development for the school so they all have a strong understanding of how their classroom instruction relates to both the class behind and grade ahead, and collectively came up with a vision of what a Holy Spirit 8th grade graduate looks like and then aligned instruction with that vision. I also am impressed with the focus on school growth and development and the connected link between teachers, administrators and parents. The class sizes are great, and I generally have a feeling that the teachers truly care about my kids' growth, learning, character, and mental/physical well-being. I couldn't ask for much more from a school.
—Submitted by a parent

It is almost time for the new year to begin and I am excited. I have a child in lower school and middle school-great things are happening with a new Head of School in place! My children are happy and have been receiving a great education! The middle school is preparing my child well for high school due to great teachers and leadership provided by the Head of Middle School! Our family is ready for school to begin.
—Submitted by a parent

Strength of character, integrity, love and compassion for others are just a few of the values my children developed through their years at Holy Spirit Episcopal School. They were taught that these are life long lessons that will serve them and others well for the rest of their lives. Along with strong moral and Christian values, they excelled academically with instruction from teachers that care about the lives and growth of their students; several of which my children will remember well into their adult years. It is important to me for my children to be in a school that fosters the whole child, which I know to be true at Holy Spirit. They have been well educated academically, athletically, and spiritually; well prepared for their next level of education. While Holy Spirit has undergone leadership changes, it continues to focus on being the very best school for its students.

Unfortunately, Holy Spirit is not the school it use to be. There has been a new Head of School every year since 2008, much of that time there has been no head of school. Many of the fine teachers have departed. The school is divided into three sections, preschool, lower school and middle school. Each division has a head. 2010-2011 the lower school had no head and the current new middle school head demonstrated a lack of experience and the skills to adequately run the middle school and meet student needs. Academically your child will receive a descent education, but if your child attends the middle school be prepared to deal with self-esteme issues due to the current practices of the Head of Middle School and some of the teachers that happen to be some of her best friends.
—Submitted by a parent

I love this school. The class sizes are small enough that my children get individual attention, yet big enough that they have plenty of social activiity. The sports are great in Middle School and my children have flourished at this school.
—Submitted by a parent

While we have no children young enough to be at the school, I wish that we had lived here when our children were of elementary school age. As a church parishioner, I've had the chance to see very young to older elementary children at school plays,musical programs, and sports activities. What I see are happy children, lovingly nurtured by teachers and adminstrators, where academics are important and much enrichment is available.

School is great. If you want reasonable size classes with learning potential, great sports programs, and a home for K-8, this is it. Not 64 kids per grade. The teachers and administration throughout the school are likely to know every child's name. Real emphasis on learning. As an example, with school out, my kindergartener is running through the 1st and 2nd grade activity books with little effort.
—Submitted by a parent

We love this school. The kindergarten teachers are so good. My child is reading and writing... in kindergarten! Our Spring Branch peers are not there yet. Hope the rest of the teachers will be as high level as we progress through this school. You also can't beat the small classrooms in these tender years of learning.
—Submitted by a parent

We have been at Holy Spirit for five years now and are continuously amazed at our childrens love of learning. Both of our children are happy and nutured without being stifled in this learning environment. Although, both our children and ourselves have made lifelong friends, we feel that the sense of community could be improved.
—Submitted by a parent

In our experience the ability of the teachers at this school is uneven. Some of the teachers are absolutely great, however, some of the others are not acceptable. One of my children recently transferred from this school and is finding they are behind academically. My other child is still attending this school since her teachers are wonderful. Do your homework in the evaluation process.
—Submitted by a parent