The mission of The Episcopal School of Knoxville is to prepare students for higher education and a lifetime of learning within the context of a loving, inclusive and family-centered community. We enrich our students’ intellectual, physical, cultural and spiritual growth so that they may realize their potential as children of God and citizens of the world.
In addition to maintaining high academic standards and a student/teacher ratio of 9 to 1, The Episcopal School of Knoxville believes in educating the whole child through core academics of literature, language arts, math, science, and social studies but also instruction in religion, character education through Tribes, and community service. We take pride in a warm, family centered environment that provides our students with the emotional security necessary to achieve their full potential as students and as citizens.
The Episcopal School of Knoxville is committed to both the academic excellence and the personal growth of our students. Small classes combined with the talents of the finest teachers in this region, we nurture our students’ natural curiosity and enthusiasm. We believe that meaningful learning comes from collaboration, problem-solving and making connections, so our approach to learning is interdisciplinary.
ESK is unique in its emphasis on daily chapel, encouraging students, faculty, and staff alike to be centered spiritually, allowing all that we do throughout our busy days socially, academically, and athletically to be rooted in and to flow out of the peace and comfort of God’s love for us. In this way, we may achieve our mission statement’s goal of realizing our potential as children of God as we are reminded everyday to “Go in peace and do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Christ’s words set the tone for the way we interact with one another in our community, also reminding us that we should serve our neighbors at large, embracing our school’s mission to become “citizens of the world.” ESK’s inclusive faith and family centered environment provides the springboard for authentic servant learning and leadership. We are a relational community at the heart and soul of our school.
ESK also values place-based educational experiences. Projects like the hands-on raising, release, and tracking of Monarch butterflies in first grade to the raising and release of trout to local streams in eighth grade, demonstrate that ESK science classes focus on the abundant gifts of nature and foster close, caring relationships with our environment. Social Studies classes encourage responsible American and global citizenship through the study of history, geography, culture, current events, and civics.
Participation in an annual Model UN statewide conference reinforces 7th graders’ focus on world issues. Middle school class field trips ranging from visiting historical Williamsburg to the Civil Rights venues in Atlanta to the museums and monuments in Washington D.C., provide our students with place-based learning opportunities that transform academic studies from written or virtual form into actual experience. Knowledge in these areas also supports ESK’s goals in the area of service learning, as our students grow in their understanding of justice issues and socio-economic needs in our community, country, and world.
2017-18 marks twenty years of academic excellence at The Episcopal School of Knoxville. From the founders’ earliest efforts, it is apparent that careful planning, consensus building and community outreach have helped pave the way for the school’s success. The blessings of talented youth, willing volunteers, generous gifts, dedicated faculty and staff, community support and engaged parents all have made The Episcopal School of Knoxville an important member of the independent school community in East Tennessee.
