The Annual School Auction has been moved to Friday, September 12 and Saturday, September 13, 2025. Going forward, the future auction weekend dates will be the second Saturday of September. 

If you have any items you wish to donate, please contact the school office.

EMS will be open Tuesday/Wednesday 9:00AM - 3:00PM as the standard EMS office hours starting on May 27-28 and running through and including August 5-6 (Two days per week).

Summer Is Here!

Summer has arrived, and our entire school community—from the leadership team to the staff to the students—is energized by the promise of long sunny days, evenings filled with ice cream and pickleball, and time spent fishing, working, relaxing, traveling, or simply sitting poolside. While few of us live on farms anymore, we remain grateful for the American tradition of a summer break—a time to reset, reflect, and recharge in anticipation of a new school year.

We also recognize that summer may not feel restful for everyone. Some in our community are walking difficult paths—facing health challenges or other personal trials—and we want you to know that our thoughts and prayers are with you. You are not forgotten.

As we close the year, we give thanks to God for His faithfulness. It has been a remarkable year at Ephrata Mennonite School, highlighted by a successful re-accreditation process, continued academic excellence, and new accomplishments in extracurricular activities such as athletics, Bible quizzing, and mini-terms. We’ve also been blessed to build connections with other Anabaptist schools, including Mt. Academy in New York (Bruderhof) and Free Christian School Neuwied in Germany (Russian Mennonite). Next week, Mr. Oberholtzer and our Pastoral Advisor, Andy Rutt, will travel to Germany to explore further collaboration with Free Christian School.

Of course, in a community of around 450 students and staff, there are always challenges—unexpected twists and turns. Yet we’ve seen that it’s often in those moments of struggle that the deepest growth occurs. As the Apostle Paul wrote, we give thanks in all things, knowing that the testing of our faith brings forth perseverance and reward.

Looking ahead, we are thankful for the ongoing renewal of our school community. Each year we bid farewell to a class of seniors, knowing they will never again walk these halls as students. And each year, we joyfully welcome a new class of kindergartners. We’re again grateful for a full incoming kindergarten class this fall. The trust our patrons place in us is humbling. Similarly, while we say goodbye to staff members each year, God has again been faithful in providing the teachers we need to fulfill our mission.

This year, we’ve also had the privilege of celebrating the 500th anniversary of the Anabaptist movement. It has been a meaningful time of reflection and learning. We embraced our theme—#LearningToServe—seeking to model the example of Jesus Christ, who came not to be served, but to serve.

Let’s carry that spirit of service into our summer. May we all grow more faithfully into the image of Christ our King.

Have a wonderful summer, and we look forward to seeing you next year!

Mr. Joshua Good

Administrator

Ephrata Mennonite School Earns Full Accreditation with High Praise

For the past 18 months, the EMS Long-Range Planning Committee has been diligently working through our seven-year reaccreditation process with the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (MSA-CESS). This esteemed independent organization conducts rigorous evaluations to ensure schools provide high-quality education, maintain sound financial management, foster effective leadership, and uphold principled governance. Recognized nationally for its accreditation work across public and private schools, MSA-CESS holds institutions to the highest standards.

This week marked the culmination of our accreditation efforts with a four-day visit from an external team of experts led by Dr. Robert Griffiths. Their comprehensive evaluation of Ephrata Mennonite School included in-depth discussions with parents, teachers, school leaders, board members, students, and community members. They visited classrooms, reviewed safety protocols, assessed our curriculum and budget, and examined teacher effectiveness and learning support programs.

We are thrilled to announce that the visiting team affirmed our school’s achievements. They specifically praised the excellence of our teaching staff, the joy and enthusiasm of our students, the engagement of our parents, the quality of our athletic programs, the strength of our learning support services, and the health of our governance and leadership. Additionally, they provided valuable formal recommendations for future growth, including the potential development of a full science lab and the creation of an alumni tracking system to follow graduates’ progress.

Most significantly, Ephrata Mennonite School was awarded full and unconditional accreditation—without stipulations or conditions. As we look ahead to the next seven years, we remain committed to excellence in all areas, striving to model lifelong learning for the glory of God. We take great joy in offering a high-quality educational experience from a conservative Anabaptist perspective and invite our community to join us in thanking the Lord for His many blessings.

Let us celebrate together the full accreditation of Ephrata Mennonite School!