Welcome Back Flames!

A Grand Welcome with Open Arms

Our enthusiastic faculty and staff have been learning together the last two weeks during our Fall Conference 2026, spanning from August 13-14 and 17-18, where we gathered to align our goals with the school’s core values. Teachers dove into workshops on innovative teaching methods like differentiation with Christy McKee and strategies for engaging students where they are as learners while holding our high academic standards. Sound like a difficult task? That’s because it is and EMS teachers are up to the task.

“We are also truly committed to being lifelong learners,” shared Debra King, our Board president, capturing the essence of our team’s dedication and what it takes to live out our mission and vision.

Feeding Both Mind and Spirit

Picture this: a week filled with shared meals, 4 part harmony, sharing origin stories, mixed with learning new systems and information, and most importantly –  lots of laughter. Our principals crafted learning experiences to empower our faculty and staff to better serve the EMS community – all learners welcome, all families served and we each are given the autonomy and encouragement to do this in our own unique way. Head of School, Paul Leaman, poetically put it, “We embody the love of Jesus to our students… Like beautiful homegrown flowers, each is unique, bringing different beauty and structure to the whole – even with the occasional browned leaf, the bouquet remains fragrant and lovely.”

Paul’s Flowers

Living Our Vision and Mission

At Eastern Mennonite School, our vision and mission aren’t just phrases on paper—they’re the heartbeat of our community. We strive to embody the love of Jesus as a learning community where every student belongs, thrives, and engages in God’s work in the world. In partnership with home and church, we invite students to faith in Jesus Christ, academic excellence, personal integrity, and compassionate service.

Cultivating a Culture of Belonging is Everyone’s Work

At Eastern Mennonite School, belonging represents a collaborative and aspirational effort shaped first by the equity group and then edited by the EMS governing and alumni boards, strategic leadership team, and faculty and staff. Adopted in June 2024, this statement complements our mission and vision by articulating who we strive to be and how we seek to live as followers of the way of Jesus. It reflects our desire to be a community rooted in Christ’s love, committed to practicing this calling together. In the Winter 2026 TODAY magazine, centered on the theme of belonging, offers snapshots of the many ways we endeavor to live out this vision each day.

At Eastern Mennonite School our commitment to faith compels us to create spaces that are inclusive, that treat all members of our community with respect, and that value each individual’s voice, conscience, identities, lived experiences, and perspectives. We celebrate differences, welcome open and meaningful dialogue, and cultivate critical thinking. Together, we dedicate our actions to working towards peace, equity, and justice in the world around us. See this commitment in action:

We are so grateful for our dining hall staff, LD&B, Parkview Federal Credit Union, and Everence Financial Services for providing delicious meals to fuel our learning.

As we open our doors for another school year, please pray for and with us – we’re thrilled to witness how our students will blossom in a setting that cherishes their well-being and academic success.

Here’s to a year at Eastern Mennonite School – Go Flames!