For four decades students have been taught, molded and nurtured in the classrooms at Escambia Academy.

As the private school celebrates its 40th anniversary of educating students, faculty and staff are preparing for a glorious celebration. Events are planned for the weekend of Oct. 15, 2010.

Betty Warren, headmaster at the school, said with special events planned near homecoming this year, the celebration should bring a number of alumni back to the school

“This should be an exciting celebration and I’m excited about it,” Warren said. “I’m certainly glad the school has been here for 40 years and this event should bring many alumni to the school.”

Over the span of the 40 years since the first classes were held on the campus in Canoe, many changes have taken place, Warren said.

“I am glad to be able to be here to meet the alumni and for them to see how the school has prospered and changed over the years,” Warren said. “We have so much to offer at Escambia Academy and I’m excited that our alumni will be able to see that.”

Chris Kirk, an EA graduate and currently serving as chairman of the board for the school, said plans for a special celebration are currently being made.

“Everything is still in the planning stages,” Kirk said. “A lot of classmates are working to make contact with others to make plans for the week of homecoming.”

Kirk said although no final plans are in place, several ideas for events are being thrown into the mix.

“There has been some talk of some activities on the Saturday following homecoming,” Kirk said. “There have been things like picnics and other gatherings mentioned. We hope to hear more about plans and getting things settled in the coming weeks.”

Kirk said an alumni reunion page has been established on Facebook in order for classmates to make contact with each other.

“Former students can certainly contact the school,” Kirk said. “There is a page on Facebook that has been established to help classmates connect and make plans. Anyone can make comments there or use it to get in touch with others about the event.”

The Facebook contact page can be found listed as Escambia Academy Alumni Reunion.

On the page, information concerning some plans included the possibility of a golf tournament, a family picnic and an alumni dance.

One suggestion from the page asked that all former homecoming queens for Escambia Academy interested in participating in a homecoming game during festivities on Oct. 15 make contact with organizers of the event.

For additional information concerning Escambia Academy, visit the school’s Web site at www.escambiaacademy.org <http://www.escambiaacademy.org>. For details on plans being made for the homecoming celebration, visit the Escambia Academy Alumni Reunion page at www.facebook.com.