Episcopal School of Dallas

The Episcopal School of Dallas is a coeducational academic community founded in 1974 by Stephen B. Swann and a group of Episcopalian local leaders. The school began as an offshoot from St. Mark's School of Texas when a few members of the board wanted it to become a solely Episcopal school. The first ESD class was held in 1974 and included eight 7th graders. Today, approximately 1,150 students attend ESD, aged Beginner (age 3) through 12th grade, with 435 students in the Upper School (9th – 12th grade). David L. Baad is the Head of School.{{Cite web|url=https://www.esdallas.org/uploaded/_ESD_Website_Files/Program/College_Guidance/2018-2019_ESD_Profile.pdf|title=School Profile 2018-2019}}

The campus contains four major buildings, with a total of 308,000 sq ft (28,600 m²) in facilities.{{Cite web|url=http://www.cjmartins.com/2012/05/|title=High School Resources and Information|website=www.cjmartins.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.enr.com/articles/50148-k-12-education-best-project-episcopal-school-of-dallas?v=preview|title=K-12 Education Best Project: Episcopal School of Dallas|website=www.enr.com}} The campus encompasses over {{convert|39|acre|m2}}. The school's first building, the gymnasium, was built in the late 1970s. Until the main building was in 1981, classes were held in the gym. In 1986, the school had another major expansion, which added a library, publication suite, and fine arts facilities, along with additional classrooms and offices.

The Cook Math and Science Building was completed in 1994 to allow the construction of additional science labs, computer labs, and math classrooms. Daily chapel was moved from the gym to the All Saints Chapel following its completion in 2002. In 2005, another project, the Susan M. Frank Center for Arts and Humanities Building opened, allowing for the construction of additional humanities classrooms, as well as expanded music facilities. In addition, the school also offers a Proscenium and a black box theater, a ceramics studio, a sculpture studio, a student art gallery and a digital imaging suite and darkroom. Additional improvements include a 55,000 sq ft (5,100 m²) humanities building added to the Merrell Road campus, a new stadium and new turf field, and improved locker room facilities. The new stadium also features improved accommodations for fans. The school also acquired an outdoor education center in northern Collin County, spanning spans 165 acres (0.67 km²).

In 2010, the school opened its Stephen B. Swann Athletic and Wellness Center. The building houses Dining Commons, physical education facilities, and additional office space. The building, covering over 100,00 sq.ft., also includes two gymnasiums, indoor track, conditioning and workout facilities, a dance studio, a wrestling room, and sports medicine facilities. The building was later modified to expand locker rooms and add a team room and athletic offices. The new dining facilities can seat 480 students, and overlook the school's quarry and Louise Crespi Benners Courtyard. The kitchen also houses a laboratory for instruction from nutritional experts and professional chefs, based on guidelines from the Center for Human Nutrition at The University of Texas Southwest Medical Center. There's also a greenhouse and chicken coop outside by the quarry.

With the opening of a new lower-school facility in 2020, ESD became a unified community once more. Planning for the new building began in 2015 and the structure was completed in 2020.{{Cite web|url=https://www.overlandpartners.com/projects/episcopal-school-of-dallas-lower-school/|title=THE EPISCOPAL SCHOOL OF DALLAS – NEW LOWER SCHOOL}} The multi-story facility contains over 60,000 sq ft of space. In September 2020, the structure won the "Best Project in K-12 Education by Engineering News-Record" award, beating out other structures in Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas.{{Cite web|url=https://parkcities.bubblelife.com/community/episcopal_school_of_dallas_1/library/35669253/key/356794183/ESD_Lower_School_Building_Wins_Regional_Engineering_Award|title=ESD Lower School Building Wins Regional Engineering Award}}

ESD has an enrollment of slightly more than 1,100 students and more than 200 faculty and staff members. They have a student-faculty ratio of 7:1. The student population contains a plurality of Episcopalian (30%) and majority Caucasian students (82%).{{cite web |url=http://www.esdallas.org/page.cfm?p=3061 |title=The Episcopal School of Dallas: Fast Facts |website=www.esdallas.org |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150914222949/http://www.esdallas.org/page.cfm?p=3061 |archive-date=2015-09-14}} The school also provides tuition assistance to students through grants.{{Cite web|url=https://www.esdallas.org/admission/tuition|title=Tuition - The Episcopal School of Dallas|website=www.esdallas.org}} There are 43 AP courses offered and 73 different zip codes represented in the student body.

In 2012, the school was found guilty of fraud and negligent behavior for mishandling a 2009 statutory rape. A 34-year-old teacher sexually assaulted a 16-year-old student, using a school-owned vehicle, and a school credit card to rent a hotel room. The teacher pleaded guilty in criminal court.{{Cite web|url=http://www.dallasnews.com/news/crime/headlines/20111010-former-teacher-at-episcopal-school-of-dallas-wont-do-time-for-sex-with-student.ece|title=Former teacher at Episcopal School of Dallas won't do time for sex with student}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.wfaa.com/videos/news/local/education/2014/08/14/13785872/|title=ESD found negligent in teacher-student relationship case | wfaa.com Dallas - Fort Worth}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.dallasnews.com/news/community-news/dallas/headlines/20120316-episcopal-school-of-dallas-family-reach-settlement-in-lawsuit.ece|title=Episcopal School of Dallas, family reach settlement in lawsuit}} Administrators forced the victim to withdraw upon hearing about their relations.{{Cite web|url=http://www.dallasnews.com/news/community-news/dallas/headlines/20110901-forensic-psychologist-testified-that-episcopal-school-acted-in-girls-best-interest-.ece|title=Forensic psychologist testified that Episcopal School acted in girl's best interest by forcing her to go}} The student's parents pressed civil charges against ESD and were awarded $9 million for punitive and compensatory damages from the withdrawal.{{cite news |last1=Paul |first1=O'Donnell |title=ESD promotes administrator who testified in trial |url=https://www.dallasnews.com/news/2012/01/03/esd-promotes-administrator-who-testified-in-trial/ |access-date=25 September 2024 |work=Dallas News |agency=Dallas Morning News |date=3 January 2012 |language=en}}{{cite web |last1=St. Amant |first1=Claire |title=The ESD Sex Scandal |url=http://www.dmagazine.com/publications/d-magazine/2011/october/episcopal-school-of-dallas-sex-scandal/ |website=D Magazine |access-date=25 September 2024 |date=21 September 2011}}

In 2013, the son of new Headmistress Meredyth Moredock Cole was caught throwing an underage drinking party at her house. According to D Magazine, ESD is "not a zero-tolerance school". The children involved received detention or were required to do community service.{{Cite web |last=Pishko |first=Jessica |date=2018-12-11 |title=Fast Times at ESD |url=https://www.dmagazine.com/publications/d-magazine/2018/december/fast-times-at-esd/ |access-date=2024-12-14 |website=D Magazine |language=en-US}}

{{alumni|date=September 2017}}

• Barrett Brown - Journalist, essayist, involved with Anonymous{{cite web|url=http://www.dmagazine.com/publications/d-magazine/2011/april/how-barrett-brown-helped-overthrow-the-government-of-tunisia?single=1|title=Barrett Brown Is Anonymous|work=dmagazine.com|access-date=17 January 2015}}
• Gray Malin - Photographer
• Drew Moor - Professional soccer player for the Colorado Rapids
• Phil Pressey - Professional basketball player for the Boston Celtics

{{Reflist}}

• {{commons category-inline}}
• {{official website|http://www.esdallas.org/ }}

{{Dallas High Schools}}

{{Religion in DFW}}

{{Southwest Preparatory Conference}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Episcopal School Of Dallas}}

Category:Educational institutions established in 1974

Category:1974 establishments in Texas

Category:Private K–12 schools in Dallas

Category:Independent Schools Association of the Southwest

Category:Episcopal schools in the United States