Christopher Bassett ’18: After nearly forty years in the position, Reverend James Squire decided to retire at the end of the 2015-2016 school year. The announcement of his decision this past summer has left many in the EA community wondering who will take his place. Squire’s leadership of the spiritual aspect of life at EA has set the standard for the chaplains that will succeed him, and the school is now on a search for an individual who can not only provide support to the religious foundation of EA, but can also match the commitment and service that has been steadily produced throughout Squire’s term.
The position of Head Chaplain at Episcopal holds the duties of leading the chapel program, guiding the other chaplains, and heading the Religion Department. The goal of EA is to challenge and grow a student’s mind, body, and spirit. The Head Chaplain is responsible for the spiritual life at school, so filling the void that will be left behind once Squire leaves is critical.
Photo Courtesy of Paloma Zozaya ’18
The search begins with the hiring of a consultant who will help with the selection of possible candidates. When asked about the process, Squire said, “The consultant is the Reverend George Andrews, who is an Episcopal priest and also the former head of the St. Andrews school in Boca Raton, Florida.” Reverend Andrews will collect the materials on the submissions of various applicants, which will facilitate the selection for a group of representatives, which includes T.J Locke, Greville Haslam Head of School. This group will then interview the applicants to see and gauge if they are a good fit for the EA community.
By October 30th, the representatives hope to have narrowed down the applicants to the three that they deem most likely to replace Squire. Those three will speak in chapel to the EA community by the New Year so the teachers and students can get a feel for the school. These speeches will also allow people to know who is being considered for a leadership position in the school.
“I am really saddened that Reverend Squire will be leaving us next year. He has been a very stable rock where the school as a whole has balanced itself. But I am excited for opportunities that the new chaplain’s arrival will bring,” said Matt Freese ’17, who is a member of the Vestry. In fact, the Vestry is also very involved in the search process. The group will attend meetings and lunches with the final three candidates to represent the student body and to become more familiar with the chaplains’ different personalities.
Although he will not be able to serve on the Vestry next year with the new chaplain, Senior Warden Zach Viscusi ’16 believes that there will be a significant impact on the EA community both by the departure of Squire and the arrival of the new chaplain saying, “Depending on who becomes the new chaplain, if they are similar to Reverend Squire it could be an essentially flawless transition.” He concluded by conveying, “Reverend Squire has left behind a legacy for the new chaplain to continue, and depending on how the community views it, it could be either a positive or negative experience.”