Spotlight
The Honor Council at Trinity Episcopal School
By Fr. Burl Salmon
E
very Monday morning at Trinity Episcopal School we say the following words:
As a member of the Trinity Episcopal School community, I pledge to:
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Be responsible for my actions
Always do my best as an individual and as part of a team
Respect the uniqueness and gifts of others
Practice kindness and consideration
Celebrate the joyful, beautiful and enduring
I will not lie, cheat or steal
I will follow this Honor Code, and I will help others do the same as ambassadors of God’s
grace and everlasting love.
Everybody says it. Students, faculty, staff,
and parents, as the whole school gathers
for Greet the Week, our weekly assembly in
which we pledge allegiance, sing, hear a
scripture passage, and pray. The Honor Code
has been a part of Trinity’s culture since the
school’s early days and was written by the
school’s first class of sixth graders using
language that could be understood by all
members of the community, from kindergartners through eighth graders. The words
form the backbone of our community; they
bind us together in a common purpose and
a common ethos of respect and responsibility. The words hang in every classroom, and
middle schoolers must write the pledge on
every piece of work they hand in that re-
Page 16 Winter 2014
flects individual effort. It often comes up in
conversations for visitors on campus, and students are quick to recite the code when they
interview candidates for teaching