Admissions

New Family Information

Welcome New Families!

We are so very happy to welcome you to the Holy Comforter School community for the 2024-2025 school year! We hope you find the information below helpful as your family prepares for the start of school in August. We know joining a new school community can be an exciting and sometimes overwhelming experience. If you have any questions, please know members of our Administrative Team are available to help you. We wish you a happy and safe summer and we are eager to welcome you on the first day of school!

Back to School Information

Are you ready for the first day of school? Check this page to get more information about each of the following items! Before August 13th, you should make sure that you have:
  • Filled out required forms
  • Purchased uniforms (PK4 through 8th Grade!)
  • Completed summer assignments, if required
  • Purchased School Supplies
We’ll be here through the summer, so feel free to reach out if we can help you in any way. Summer hours are Monday - Thursday, 9am - 4pm. We will be closed on July 4th in observance of the holiday.

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  • Meghan Wilson

    Meghan joined Holy Comforter in 2012 as the Director of Special Events and Annual Fund working alongside the Director of Advancement and served as the liaison to the Parent Association. In 2018, she moved into the role of Registrar working alongside the Admissions office and the leadership team for the past 6 years. This summer she is thrilled to start her new role as Director of Admissions working with potential families as they explore Holy Comforter as a school home for their family. 
     
    In 2006, she earned a B.A. from Lagrange College in psychology and returned to Tallahassee to start her career. She is married to Justin Wilson and they are the proud parents of two girls who are students at HCES. In addition to working at Holy Comfoter, Meghan is a native Tallahasseean and is also a HCES alumnus! She attended elementary school on the Miccosukee Road campus and recalls some of her fondest childhood memories from her time spent at Holy Comforter. The Kindergarten Circus, 1st grade Nativity chapel, singing The Lord Has a Will and many other traditions that she fondly remembers are still practiced today. Meghan feels fortunate to not only have these memories, but to be able to enjoy them as an adult and share them with her two girls. “Holy Comforter has always held a big piece of my heart. As a student, it never felt like school but rather an extension of my home and family with academics intertwined.”

    Meghan enjoys working with families and students sharing what makes HCES such a special school community. When not at work, she loves spending time with her family at the beach or playing in their backyard. If she can find a few extra minutes, she enjoys painting, arranging flowers and a good book.

    Little known facts:
    1. Meghan and her family visit Key West for an annual trip of scuba diving and lobstering.
    2. During the summers while in college, Meghan lived and worked at a dude ranch in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
    Email Meghan
  • Irene Engelbrecht

    After twelve years at Florida State University, eight in the Office of the Registrar, Irene Engelbrecht is excited about her first year as Registrar at Holy Comforter Episcopal School. Irene brings a refreshing perspective as a recent new parent to the school. “Holy Comforter has quickly become a home for my family. I look forward to introducing families to everything that makes this such a special place.” Irene earned a B.S. from the University of Florida  in Sport Management, and will earn her Master’s in Sport Management from Florida State University December 2024.  

    A resident of Tallahassee since 2009, Irene can be found attending sporting events or traveling in her spare time. It is a bonus if she can combine a sporting event with travel. She also enjoys spending time with her family and finding new places to eat. 

    Little known facts:
    1. Irene made a cameo on the TV show UnWrapped. While serving turkey legs in Frontierland for her Disney college program internship, she got to meet Marc Summers during a filming of all Magic Kingdom food favorites.
    2. In high school, Irene performed in the Macy’s Day Parade as part of her high school band’s dance team.
    • Irene Engelbrecht and Meghan Wilson

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  • Key Dates

    The full calendar won’t be finalized until July, but here are a few dates that have already been published:

    August
    8 - Teachers Report
    14 - First Day of School for Students

    September
    2 - Labor Day Holiday

    October
    18 - End 1st 9 weeks
    21 - Teacher Workday / No Students

    November
    1 - Conference Day / No Students
    11 - Veterans Day Holiday
    26 - Grandpeople’s Day, Early Dismissal
    27-29 - Thanksgiving Holidays

    December
    20 - End 2nd 9-weeks, Early Dismissal
    23-31 - Christmas Holidays

    January 2025
    1-3 - New Year’s Holidays
    6 - Teacher Workday / No Students
    7 - Students Return
    20 - MLK Holiday

    February
    17 - Presidents Day Holiday

    March
    7 - End 3rd 9-weeks, Early Dismissal 
    10-14 - Spring Break

    April
    18-21 - Easter Holidays

    May
    7 -  Conference Day / No Students
    23 - Last Day of School for Students
    26 - Memorial Day Holiday
    27-28 - Teacher Workdays / No Students
  • Middle School Sports

    Over 90% of our middle school students participate on 20 teams across 15 after-school sports, each year. Our facilities are carefully designed to provide a first-class experience for our competitive middle school athletes and lower school aspiring Crusaders. Many of our student-athletes participate in multiple sports each year. In doing so, our Crusader athletes learn valuable leadership skills that will last a lifetime. We offer 14 competitive team sports and several recreational club sports across three seasons. Sign-ups will be held in the Middle School prior to each season.
     
    In addition to Middle School athletics, there are several opportunities each year for Lower School students to get invoIved and play on a team. New clinics and sessions will be announced periodically through our school-wide Wednesday Letter.

    If you have any questions, please email Jeremy Barlow at  jbarlow@hces.org.

    Fall
    Football
    Volleyball
    Cross Country
    Golf
    Cheer 
     
    Winter
    Boys Basketball
    Girls Basketball
    Girls Soccer
    Boys Soccer
    Cheer
     
    Spring
    Baseball
    Softball
    Track and Field
    Beach Volleyball
    Tennis
    Read More
  • Parent Volunteer Opportunities

    Our school includes an exceptional network of parents who are an integral part of our community. HCES parents support our students through the generosity of their time, energy, resources, and talents. They help strengthen student programs and cultivate a FUN school environment! If you would like to get involved email Emily Lockard at elockard@hces.org.
  • School Forms

    Remember to sign into the school website between now and August 1, 2024 and look for the yellow banner to check for Forms to Review. You’ll designate Emergency Contacts, complete the Demographic Questionnaire and express your wishes for Eucharist (students 2nd-8th grade). There will also be a Medical Consent Form, which contains general health information for our school nurse and school chef. These forms will need to be completed before the first day of school.
  • School Supplies

    Supply Lists are published on the Resource Board. To access, just login to myHCES, and click "Resources" at the top. You'll find a list for each grade level - rest mats, binders, backpacks, and more! Again this year, we are also providing an online option for parents who prefer not to visit the stores in person before the start of school. This is not a fundraiser for the school, just an option. If you love hitting the stores you can shop for all the items in person. If you order from this site, the kit will be delivered to your door and you’ll bring it to school on August 8th. Check back - we'll post the link here soon.
  • Summer Homework

    Summer Assignments are published on the Resource Board. To access, please login to myHCES, click "Resources" at the top, then click the "Parent Downloads" box. Beginning with rising kindergarten, you’ll find activities to do together to help children be ready for the start of school in August. We have printed copies of the booklets in the school office, if you’d prefer not to print at home. Feel free to give us a call and we’re glad to leave it by the door if you’d prefer to come by after-hours to pick one up.
  • Summer Well Child Doctor Visits

    If your child has a birthday/well-child visit over the summer, be sure to ask for an updated Immunization Record and an updated General Health Form to give to the school nurse. Rising Middle School Students will also want to ask for an FHSAA form for participation in afterschool sports or other athletic activities. You can drop these off at the school office during regular hours, email them to the Admissions Office,  or bring them when you’re on campus for any of the Back-to-School events.
  • Uniforms

    Uniforms are mandatory beginning in PK4 and can be ordered online via Lands End. There are a lot of options in our Standardized Dress policy. If you go to Lands End online, then look at the top for School -> then Shop by School -> then Find My School --- then type in Holy Comforter Episcopal School Tallahassee  FL, you'll see all the options available. Any item from the approved selections is fine to wear to school. There's no required style or color, as long as all pieces are from the approved list. All tops are required to have a logo printed or stitched on them. There are cold weather options like long sleeved tees, sweaters and fleece jackets. 

    We also encourage you to visit the Uniform Exchange on campus. It is organized by parent volunteers and open during regular school office hours. In the summer, that’s 9am - 4pm, Monday through Thursday. These are gently used uniforms and all pieces are $1 or an even exchange (one piece in, one piece out at no cost). Checking the Exchange on a regular basis will result in finding more pieces as families "refresh" their closets between now and the start of school in August.

Back to School Events

We have some fun, optional activities for new families before school begins. You’ll get more information and invitations later this summer.
  • Thursday, August 8 at 6pm | Parent Orientation (adults only) for PK4, Kindergarten and 6th Grade parents
  • Friday, August 9 from 10am - 12 noon | PK3 Meet & Greet - Kids and parents enjoy time to play in the room and meet the teachers
  • Saturday, August 10 at 9am | Party on the Playground - all new students PK3 - 3rd grade
  • Middle School Welcome Party | date & time tbd - look for an invitation
  • Monday, August 12 | Lower School class lists are posted on building doors and on the HCES website at 4:00 pm. You must be logged in to view class lists on the news feed. 
  • Tuesday, August 13 from 3 - 5 pm | Back-to-School Ice Cream Social and Student Visitation
  • Wednesday, August 14 from 7:30 - 8:30am | Welcome Back Coffee - located in the Courtyard   
  • New Parent Welcome Party adults only - childcare provided on campus, date and time to be determined
  • New Parent 101 located in Commons Donor Room, date and time to be determined

The Strayer Family

“If you are considering Holy Comforter, you probably already know about the strong academic reputation. But equally important is the focus on the individual student. We are confident that the joy of learning and the well-rounded education our children received at Holy Comforter will serve them throughout their academic life and beyond. Our family loves Holy Comforter Episcopal School and we will treasure our time at this wonderful school."

Meet the Team

Our team is here to help and welcome your family to our school community. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to any of the administrative team members below. We look forward to seeing you on campus soon!

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