National Association of Episcopal Schools

02/23/2026

NAES GIVES THANKS FOR THE LIFE AND FAITHFUL WITNESS OF THE VENERABLE FAYE SOMERS

The National Association of Episcopal Schools gives thanks for the life of the Venerable Faye Somers, who passed away at the age of seventy-two on February 19. With gratitude for her faithful witness, NAES remembers a chaplain, archdeacon, and Episcopal educator whose vocation and ministry shaped generations of students.

Faye joined the NAES Governing Board in 2016, bringing with her over forty years of classroom experience. Faye was then serving as Lower School Chaplain at Saint Andrew’s School in Boca Raton, FL—a position she held until 2022 when she retired from school ministry. Over the course of her tenure at St. Andrew’s, Faye taught multiple subjects in elementary education, designing core Virtues and Theology courses. In 1999 she was a finalist for the Dwyer Teacher of the Year award, and in 2001 she was the recipient of the Deaver Award for Excellence in Teaching. In 2014 she was a recipient of the Patten Family Excellence in Teaching Award.

Faye began her ministry as a lay-person at St. Andrew’s in 2007. She was ordained to the diaconate in 2011 in the Diocese of Southeast Florida and was later appointed Archdeacon by Bishop Peter Eaton in 2018. She served for many years as Deacon to the Chapel of Saint Andrew, also in Boca Raton.

NAES remembers Faye as living a life characterized by a deep and abiding love of God, a commitment to service, and a joyful dedication to forming young hearts and minds in faith. After her retirement, she began fundraising for Fahasoavana, a school in Madagascar. And, perhaps most especially, she was a devoted mother of three and grandmother of four. May she rest in peace and rise in glory.

Almighty God, we remember before you today your faithful servant Faye; and we pray that, having opened to her the gates of larger life, you will receive her more and more into your joyful service, that, with all who have faithfully served you in the past, she may share in the eternal victory of Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Photo: The Chapel of Saint Andrew

https://www.episcopalschools.org/news/faye-somers/

12/03/2025

📣 BIENNIAL CONFERENCE 2026 UPDATE

NAES Biennial Conference 2026 will be held November 18–20 under the theme “Be Still, and Know that I am God.” Please note the new location: Los Angeles at the JW Marriott L.A. LIVE.

We’re excited to welcome Lisa Miller, Ph.D.—bestselling author and leading researcher on spirituality and mental health—as our keynote speaker.

Workshop proposals are now accepted! Submit yours at https://www.biennialconference.org by January 16, 2026.

Read more about these updates: https://www.episcopalschools.org/news/biennial-2026-update/

10/17/2025

🎥 Now Streaming: MAESA Episcopal Schools Celebration Service 2025

Watch the live recording of this year’s Mid-Atlantic Episcopal Schools Association Celebration Service, held October 15. Episcopal schools across the region came together around the theme from John 10:10 — “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”

Watch here:

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

10/06/2025

This week is Episcopal Schools Celebration! Our 2025 theme is John 10:10 — “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”

Let us pray for the ministry of all Episcopal schools nationwide:

God of knowledge and wisdom, we pray to you for all the schools across this country, which are part of the Episcopal Church. We remember them in their variety, in their differences, and in what they share. Give us open doors, open minds, and open hearts that we might accept, learn, and love everything and everyone whom you have given us. Help us to share our lives and what we have, and to learn from all those who are in school with us. We pray in the name of Jesus who opened his arms to all, young and old. Amen.

Resources here: www.episcopalschools.org/esc

08/29/2025

08/11/2025

Exciting news from NAES and Virginia Theological Seminary's Faith-filled Families initiative!

🚀 NAES & FfF are launching the Wisdom Circle—a new cohort for Episcopal early childhood leaders to explore creative ways that churches & schools can partner in nurturing faith in children ages 0-6. Apply by Sept 1: www.episcopalschools.org/wisdom-circle

https://episcopalnewsservice.org/pressreleases/naes-and-virginia-theological-seminary-launch-wisdom-circle-to-support-early-faith-formation/

The National Association of Episcopal Schools (NAES), in collaboration with Virginia Theological Seminary’s (VTS) Faith-filled Families initiative (FfF), is pleased to announce the launch of a new …

07/09/2025

Episcopal Relief & Development is helping local diocesan partners in Texas provide support to those impacted by the catastrophic July 4-5 Texas Hill Country flooding, which killed over 80 people, with many more still missing.

07/01/2025

NAES ANNOUNCES THREE NEW GOVERNING BOARD MEMBERS

The National Association of Episcopal Schools (NAES) is pleased to welcome Bill Bennington, Spencer Taintor, and the Rt. Rev. Ruth Woodliff-Stanley to the NAES Governing Board. “Mr. Bennington, Dr. Taintor, and Bishop Woodliff-Stanley bring a wide range of gifts to NAES,” said the Rev. David A. Madison, D.Min., Executive Director. “Their experience and commitment to Episcopal education will be a blessing to our work.” Each will now begin a three-year term, running from 2025 until 2028.

READ MORE HERE:
https://www.episcopalschools.org/news/july2025-governing-board-members/

05/28/2025

Apply now for the NAES Mentoring Program for New Chaplains! The NAES Mentoring Program for New Chaplains provides a unique opportunity for first- and second-year Episcopal school chaplains to work one-on-one with an experienced mentor as well as participate in in-person and online learning and conversation.

Deadline to Apply: August 15, 2025

“An effective school chaplain can make an extraordinary difference in life of an Episcopal school. As pastor, priest, prophet, and teacher, the chaplain can serve as a binding, spiritual force,...

04/08/2025

This year, fifth graders at Grace Episcopal Day School in Kensington, MD started writing letters to U.S. Army Reserve soldiers stationed in Kuwait. At first, it was just a class project. But pretty quickly, real friendships started to form—over video games, favorite books, even shared senses of humor.

Read the full story from Episcopal News Service:

[Episcopal News Service] Throughout the 2024-2025 school year, fifth-grade students at Grace Episcopal Day School in Kensington, Maryland, communicated with U.S. Army Reserve soldiers through an ed…

03/11/2025

This year’s NAES theme, “Let your light shine” (Matthew 5:16), is embodied in Students Caring for Students, an outreach initiative offering support to students at Saint Mark’s School (Altadena) and St. Matthew’s Parish School (Pacific Palisades) through artwork and heartfelt messages of hope, love, and friendship. Over 1,080 inspirational messages from 20 schools across Florida, Louisiana, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and even Queensland, Australia, have been shared with Saint Mark’s and St. Matthew’s students.

VIEW MORE:
https://www.episcopalschools.org/school_story/naes-outreach-la-wildfires/