OES Spotlight

Jeremy Innis, who came to OES this fall as the interim Upper School chaplain, is delighted to be back to living in the Pacific Northwest. He spent part of his childhood here and attended Lewis & Clark College, where he studied music. For the past 12 years, he taught at a private school in Salt Lake City. “I missed the green of the Pacific Northwest,” he said. “When the chance came to move here for my wife’s job, we jumped at it. And we’re very happy here. We love the beauty of this place.”

Innis brings several years of experience as the interfaith chaplain at Rowland Hall in Salt Lake City. He has a master’s degree in comparative theology from Harvard Divinity School. “My interest has always been in a comparative approach to understanding and practicing religion,” he said. 

Though Rowland Hall is an interfaith school, it has Episcopal roots. “I held the relationship with our diocese there, and we would go to the Cathedral of St. Mark’s in downtown Salt Lake City for our Lessons and Carols service and graduation. So I learned a lot about Episcopal liturgy. I’m very excited to be at a school where that is integral to the culture,” Innis shared.

He got to know OES last December when he was a substitute band and choir teacher. He has always been close to music. “I was a band student in high school, then I discovered and fell in love with vocal and choral music in college. When I was at Harvard, I sang in the chapel choir. That was an important part of my life there. At Rowland Hall, my role was always half chaplain and half teaching music.”

Innis will be teaching religion classes as part of his role at OES, including a new world religions course that will be one of two courses required before graduation. “The goal of that course is to give students a foundational understanding of religion from a comparative standpoint and familiarity with some of the vocabulary, practices, and beliefs so that when they take their additional religion or philosophy course, they bring that background to the study,” he said.

When asked what he’s most looking forward to as Upper School chaplain, Innis says, “I am most excited about helping students share what they want to share with our community. I think the learning that happens when students share their identities, religious practices and beliefs, family traditions, and just their wisdom—that’s when the magic happens at chapel.” 

He said he is glad to be stepping into a program where that practice of sharing is already established. “I love that chapel is a place for everyone to be, and to reflect, and to participate, and to celebrate.”

In his free time, Innis enjoys walks in nature, playing the piano, and playing board games with his family, which includes two college-age daughters and a 12-year-old son. “This summer we had the opportunity to travel to France, and we visited a medieval town called Carcassonne. The town is 2,500 years old and has two stone rings around it and 52 guard towers, all incredibly preserved. They created a board game based on the town, where you get to build castles, that we have played for years. We picked up a French copy when we were there!”

Before school gets completely underway, Innis is joining the ninth graders on their fall trip to Camp Westwind. “I’m looking forward to seeing the Oregon coast again. My family vacations in Manzanita almost every year. We feel like it’s a place that’s part of our story.”

Innis said he will be leading a nature poetry workshop on the trip. “I’m looking forward to hearing what the students have to say about the coast. It’s definitely an inspiring place to be!”