Dear Trinity Families,
Trinity Episcopal School is a most distinguished school, dually accredited by two prestigious accrediting bodies: SAES (Southwestern Association of Episcopal Schools) and ISAS (Independent Schools Association of the Southwest). Trinity hosted its last SAES accreditation visit in 2014, in which the school received many commendations as well as recommendations. Most of these recommended targets have been met or surpassed, and our increased enrollment numbers and record-breaking Annual Fund revenue reflect these achievements. In acknowledgment of the school’s increasing growth, I have seized on an opportunity to meet the one outstanding recommendation by the SAES accrediting team: to separate the Office of Advancement into two offices, managing admission and development independently. I am excited to introduce Rachel Brown as the new Director of Admission, and Shannan Pfiefer as the new Director of Development. Please learn more about these two phenomenal team players by reading their bios:
Rachel Brown is a proud ambassador of Trinity Episcopal School, with a strong passion for providing a nurturing and enriching educational experience for all children. She brings twenty-three years of experience as an employee of Trinity Episcopal School to her new role as the Director of Admission. During the past school year, Rachel worked closely with the Advancement office, the BOT Health, Safety, and Facilities Committee, and BOT Communications Committee, to ensure students' safety and well-being returning to campus during the pandemic. Over her tenure at Trinity Episcopal School, Mrs. Brown has played a role at each of our three campuses in various capacities, including creating a robust summer program, developing a sustainable garden at the Beginning School, and assisting with the traditional family programs loved by families and students alike. Rachel is the proud Godmother of TES Alpha Omega student Matthew Leyva. The valuable specialized leadership skills she has gained during her professional career in education are unparalleled assets that she will bring to her new role at Trinity Episcopal School!
Shannan Pfeifer is thrilled and deeply honored to take on the position of Trinity’s Director of Development. She has spent the last two years working under Chloe Knauer in the Advancement & Admission Office, learning the ropes and strengthening her love of Trinity Episcopal School. She is also a parent of a TES first grader (Heidi) and a PK4 student (Townes). Mrs. Pfeifer is a proud graduate of Baylor University and has spent her career in non-profit management and marketing. She has previously served as the Director of Development for a United Way agency in San Antonio, served on the board of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, and specializes in events, graphic design, and communications. Mrs. Pfeifer moved to Galveston almost four years ago and loves everything about the close-knit community and island life. Outside of school, she is a member of Trinity Episcopal Church, leads the membership & development committee on the board of Galveston Historical Foundation, and serves on the board of the Silk Stocking Historic District. Mrs. Pfeifer is happily married to Theron, a graduate of Texas A&M Galveston, who works in the local maritime industry. She is passionate about art & design, gardening, historic preservation, live music, travel, and reading. Mrs. Pfeifer looks forward to an exciting new chapter at Trinity - Go Chargers!
I often remark how teachers make up the heartbeat of our school. Great teachers need great support, and the new roles within our administrative team will strengthen our commitment to nurture and educate your children in the Episcopal tradition. There are other important faculty and staffing changes for the 2021-22 school year, which I will share with you in my annual back-to-school newsletter in August. Until then, join me in congratulating Mrs. Brown and Mrs. Pfeifer!
Only 9 more days left!
Warmly,
Mark Ravelli
Head of School