October 2, 2014

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.

Welcome to the month of October here at ESK! There are a lot of great things on the calendar this month, including field trips, the Blessing of the Animals, the Boarding School Fair, sports teams heading to their postseason tournaments and Fall Break (Oct. 10-13).

 

Check out all the happenings in Lower and Middle School in this week's edition of Headlines!

 

OCTOBER EVENTS AT ESK

10/2-10/4         KISL Volleyball Tournaments (JV, Varsity A, Varsity B)

10/3                 7th/8th Grade to Jonesborough Storytelling Festival

10/6                 Author Visit - Steve Sheinkin - 10:40-11:45 a.m.

10/7                 PA Meeting - 2-3 p.m.

                        Boarding and High School Fair - 3-5:30 p.m.

10/8                 Blessing of the Lower School Addition - 8 a.m.

                        Swimming Meeting - Googe Hall - 6 p.m.

10/10-13          Fall Break

10/10               Faculty Professional Day

10/17               Holy Eucharist - 8 a.m./10:20 a.m.

                        School Photo Retake Day

                        MS Movie Night - 7 p.m. 

Blessing of the Animals

It was a great morning at ESK as several hundred pets were on campus this morning to take part in the annual Blessing of the Animals event in honor of St. Francis. Students, faculty and family in attendance participated in a short service while Chaplain Josh Hill, along with guest clergy persons Caroline Vogel, Michelle Warner-Bolt, Pat Grace, John Tirro and Chris Hackett blessed each pet. Thanks for a great turnout! Be sure to check out the ESK Facebook page to see coverage of the event!

 

Lower School Addition Blessing

All parents and ESK supporters are invited to join Junior Kindergarten through Fifth Grade students in the Lower School for the Blessing of the Lower School Addition on Wednesday, October 8, at 8 a.m. The Rt. Rev. George D. Young, III will be on campus for the blessing. Following the 8 a.m. service, Middle School students and faculty will have Holy Eucharist with Bishop Young at 8:45 a.m.

 

Pansie Evans Named "Educator of the Week"

ESK Lower School gym teacher Pansie Evans has been recognized by WBIR as the Tennessee Lottery "Educator of the Week." As part of their effort to recognize outstanding educators throughout the state, Pansie will be in the running to win the title of statewide "Educator of the Month" in November. Just go to www.SeeHowitAddsUp.com, click on the "Educator of the Month" icon and then click the photo of your teacher to place your vote.

 

Science Night at ESK

Families - Mark your calendars for Monday, October 20 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. for Science Night at The Episcopal School of Knoxville. This event is part of National Nuclear Science Week and is FREE for children and parents of the Lower School. Four hands-on activities will be provided as well as a demonstration of using a Cloud Chamber. Topics for the evening include nuclear security, electrical circuits, electromagnetism and half-life. For more information, call ESK at 865-777-9032.

 

Flag Football Tournament

ESK hosted the KISL flag football championships last Saturday. It was a beautiful day and a marvelous time. Sacred Heart parents brought tailgating materials and stayed for the duration. Security Guard Rick Silvas was the announcer, and ESK held passing contests (for pizza!) at halftime of the games. ESK did not fair as well as hoped in the tourney, falling early to a much-improved Apostolic team coached by former UT Basketball player Steve Hamer. Sacred Heart prevailed against Apostolic in the championship game to win the tournament.

 

Fall Break

Just a reminder to all parents -- there is no school for students Friday, Oct. 10 and Monday, Oct. 13. Please have a fun and safe fall break!

 

Grandparents Day

Grandparents' Day last Friday was a huge success! About 425 grandparents and special friends attended the wonderful event. Guests enjoyed tea and cookies from the ESK kitchen, a special Chapel service, an outstanding musical program and classroom visits. We appreciate our grandparents and special friends, and we thank you for attending.

 

Hunger Hike

In Knox County 57,000 people live in poverty -- more than 25% of them are children. Thousands of other families live near the poverty line and struggle for the basic necessities of life. 1 out of 5 children are at risk of going to bed hungry tonight. The number of families who come to food pantries in Knoxville has more than doubled in the last two years.

 

The Fish Hospitality Pantry is hosting its annual Hunger Hike on Sunday, Oct. 5, at 2 p.m. at Lakeshore Park on Northshore Drive. It is a wonderful opportunity to raise money for Fish and enjoy a Sunday stroll around Lakeshore with ESK friends. The walkers solicit sponsors, and all proceeds benefit the ministry of the Fish Hospitality Pantry. Five dollars feeds a family of four for three days! Middle School students can get service hours for raising money and walking. Please encourage your child to participate!

All School News

 

3rd Annual Parents' Association Wine Tasting ~ Roaring 20's

Come as a flapper or come as you are. Dress as a gangster or a silent screen star. It's going to be fun, no matter the dress. Just bring yourself and we'll do the rest. The event is Friday, October 24, at 7 p.m. at the home of ESK Grandparents, Joe and Ruth Fielden. Tickets: $75.00/individual or $125/couple. RSVP to Katherine Fielden, kikifielden@gmail.com

 

Heavy hors d'oeuvres from Echo Bistro & Wine Bar and a wine tasting of wines from California, France and Italy, from under $20 and highly rated. Just arrive ready to taste, enjoy, and learn about wine. There will be a Silent Auction and a chance to purchase any of the wines you taste that evening.

 

Kindergarten Entrance

With the opening of our new addition on Monday, October 6, the doors nearest the Kindergarten classrooms will now be open in the morning. Fifth Grade Safety Patrol will be ready at the doors directing all kindergarten students to their classrooms. The doors will open at 7:40 am and lock at 8:00 am. During the rest of the day, students and parents can gain entrance to the buildings by signing in at the Lower School Office. 

 

Holy Eucharist

Holy Eucharist will be celebrated Friday, October 17, at 8 a.m. and 10:20 a.m., in honor of St. Luke. Please remember that this will be a formal uniform day.

 

Boarding and High School Fair

ESK will host its 11th Annual Boarding and High School Fair on Tuesday, Oct. 7, with about 40 schools expected.

 

Students and parents can become acquainted with the range of options available to them for their high school years. The Boarding and High School Fair will be in the Kline Gymnasium from 3-5:30 p.m.

 

For a full list of schools (local and nationwide), please visit esknoxville.org. All visitors are welcome to come. For more information, contact the school at 865-777-9032 or email Director of Special Events Alice Smith at smith@esknoxville.org.

 

Saints League Basketball Starting Up

Several parents met with Saints League coordinator Cam Basden to learn about the 3rd-5th grade coed, intramural Basketball League. Required forms (ESK Health Form and Concussion Form) are due October 15. Teams will play six games on Saturday mornings November through January. More information will be sent out via email in the next couple of weeks to parents on the Saints League email list. (Contact walker@esknoxville to be added.)

 

Swimming Parent Meeting

On Wednesday, October 8, at 6 p.m., representatives from Catholic Youth Swimming will be in Googe Hall to explain the program and gather information from parents and swimmers. All swim parents are asked to attend.

 

Admissions Open House

ESK will host an Admissions Open House on Sunday, October 26, from 2-4 p.m. If you have questions (or for more information), please contact Admissions Director Susan Denton via email at denton@esknoxville.org.
Lower School News

Layers of the Earth
JK student Elana shows off the layers of the earth.
As part of their ongoing geology study, ESK Junior Kindergarten students spent time this week learning about the different layers of the Earth. Students then made models of the earth, creating each one of the layers (inner core, outer core, mantle and crust) out of different colors of play-dough. The students also added a layer to represent the land and the water. The play-dough used by the students was made by the kids themselves.

Pet Food Collection
Kindergarten student Porter counts bags of pet food.
The ESK Kindergarten students have been working hard this week collecting, sorting and graphing the amount of cat and dog food that is being donated for their service project. Each morning this week, students first divide the food into two categories: dog food and cat food, before counting the amount. Once the collection is finished, students will use this data to examine their results.

Aquarium Field Trip
Students in First Grade went on a field trip Tuesday to the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga, Tenn. They explored the aquarium as a way to close their study of the Monarch butterflies and open their unit on the Great Barrier Reef.
Beady Neurons
Second Grade students have begun their study of the five senses this week and as part of that, have been learning about the brain. Students in Mrs. Tyler's and Mrs. Thurman's classes created neurons out of beads. Each neuron has beads to represent the dendrites, cell body, axon and synaptic terminal. Students used ribbon to keep all their beads together.
Second Grader Greta shows off her neuron.
All About the Brain
ESK Second Graders were treated to a special guest Wednesday morning when Dr. James A. Killeffer, M.D., father of Second Grader James Ayres Killeffer, visited the students to share about the inner workings of the brain. Dr. Killeffer specializes in neurosurgery and gave the students a look inside the brain and some of the specific things that he deals with as a surgeon.

Aviation Field Trip
Students in Third Grade took a field trip last Thursday to the Tennessee Museum of Aviation in Sevierville, Tenn. They were able to see a large variety of airplanes firsthand and solidify their knowledge of flight. The most exciting part of the day was getting to see a plane take off down the runway! A special thanks to all the parents who joined the class for the day
Third Grader Charlie on last week's field trip.
Roller Coaster Book Reports
Fifth Grade students have been studying the roller coaster story line during reading. This storyline is made up of the exposition, rising action, climax, falling action and resolution. The up and down movement of the story resembles the path that a roller coaster makes. In culmination of this study, students chose a book and then created a poster of the cover of that book that included the five different parts of the story line.
Fifth Graders (l-r) Jake, Leah and Davis show off their reports.
Fifth Grade Plant Cells
Students in Mr. Spates' and Mrs. Stivers' Fifth Grade classes culminated a study on plant cells by creating their own replica cells. They used several different kinds of materials, including food and fabric. Students put their knowledge to the test while they were at Tremont a few weeks ago.
Fifth Graders (l-r) Carson, Jake and Echlesias with their plant cells.
KidZone Fun
This year in KidZone, students and staff are celebrating each month of the school year with a different theme. They kicked off the year with a Safari theme where the kids learned how to make elephant toothpaste, participated in jungle relays, made safari masks, and other fun activities. They concluded the month with a visit from the Knoxville Zoo Mobile, Louise Hargis. Ms. Hargis shared a head hog, a turtle, and tarantula. The children were also given the opportunity to touch alligator and python skin that was roughly 30 feet long.
Middle School News

Middle School Life Policy
Sixth, Seventh and Eighth grade students signed a pledge to live by the Tribes Agreements in Chapel last Thursday. This annual event sets the tone in Middle School by which all students and teachers live and relate to one another.

Middle School students sign the ESK Life Policy.

Volcano Lab
ESK Sixth Graders in Mrs. Slatery's science class wrapped up their earth structures unit with a fun volcano lab during class Tuesday. Students created their own "volcanoes" with a soda can, clay, baking soda and vinegar. After students formed their own volcanoes and labeled such things as the central vent and crater, students added the baking soda to the soda can. A vinegar mixture was then added to create a reaction and the "lava" flowing from the volcano. Check out the ESK Facebook page for video from the lab!

Sixth Grader Adam observes the reaction in his volcano.

Endangered Species Presentations
ESK Seventh Graders in Mrs. Teffeteller's and Mrs. Slatery's classes made presentations this week about endangered animals in Tennessee. In this project, students had to choose an animal species whose population is in danger of extinction and create a presentation along with a written report about their animal. Each student also had to create a poster that included a picture of their animal and a map of their original and present-day range. Students also needed to talk about what factors led to their species being endangered and what conservation efforts might be underway.

Seventh Grader Liz presents on the Indiana bat.

Seventh Grade Explores Ecosystems
Students in Mrs. Teffeteller's science class explored the effect of resources on population growth with the game "Oh, Deer!" The game allowed students to see how animals can find the resources they are looking for, causing population to increase and how, if resources are not found, causing the population to decrease.

Paperboy Monologues
Seventh Grader Ethan presents his monologue.
Seventh Grade students in Mrs. O'Donnell's literature class spent time this week presenting perceptive monologues based on characters from the Newbery Honor winning book, Paperboy, by Vince Vawter. Students had to write a monologue from the point of view of their chosen character and what their character might say about the ending of the book. Students then questioned each other following the readings. Each student dressed as his or her character when giving their monologue.

Author Visit - Monday, October 6
ESK will welcome author Steve Sheinkin to campus Monday, October 6, for a presentation to Sixth through Eighth Grade students. Mr. Sheinkin, a Newbery Honor winning author, will speak from 10:40-11:45 a.m. in Googe Hall. One of his books, Bomb, earned the Newbery Honor. Eighth Grade students in Mr. Basden's and Mr. Jones' social studies classes have also read his work King George: What Was His Problem? Mr. Sheinkin is in Knoxville for a book signing and lecture at Hodges Library, Lindsay Young Auditorium, on the University of Tennessee campus, on Monday beginning at 6 p.m.
Athletics News

For all the latest on all ESK sports, be sure to check out this athletics update section of Headlines. Click here to read all the important info as fall sports enter the postseason and winter sports are just around the corner.
Tech News

 

Tennessee Code Academy Workshops

The Tennessee Code Academy is hosting a pair of upcoming workshops geared for students. There is a web design and python workshop at the Knoxville Entrepreneur Center on Monday, Oct. 13, and Tuesday, Oct. 14. For more details, visit this website. The mission of the Tennessee Code Academy is to provide a progressive, programming education platform that immerses students in an engaging, real-world environment in which they are challenged to create with code.

 

PA News

 

October PA Meeting

The October meeting of the PA will be on Tuesday, Oct. 7, from 2-3 p.m. in the Middle School Dining Hall. Please join us for an informative meeting!

 

PA Shutterfly Page

Please sign up to be a member of the ESK Parents' Association Shutterfly page. This is an easy way for parents to sign up and get involved with ESK! Please be on the lookout for some new events! Click here to sign up.


Vienna Coffee Fundraiser

The ESK Parents' Association launched its annual fundraiser last week. This year, the PA is joining with Vienna Coffee to create a simple stream of monthly revenue for the ESK PA and, at the same time, show support of a local coffeehouse!

 

Here's how it works:

Eighty percent of the parents at ESK drink at least 1-2 cups of coffee each day. Why not have those coffee drinking habits help support our school and our students! Instead of buying coffee from the local grocery or Starbucks, you can now buy the highest quality coffee from www.viennacoffeeco.com and $3.00 from every bag of coffee purchased will be given back to the school. If you, your spouse, or your company, are coffee drinkers, this is a great opportunity to buy coffee AND SUPPORT ESK.

 

Go to www.viennacoffeeco.com and support ESK PA today! Click here for video with step-by-step directions for ordering. If you have any questions, please contact PA President Katherine Fielden at kikifielden@gmail.com.

 

Library News

 

Book Discussion for Parents

Tuesday, November 4, 2014 * 2-3 p.m.  

Please join Miranda Clark and Nancy Laurence at the November Parent Association Meeting to discuss our Fall 2014 book selection, All Joy and No Fun (February, 2014) by Jennifer Senior. Click here for a full review.  

 

Come with your insights from the book or come to listen and decide if you would like to read the book. We are expecting Joy and Fun as we gather to share our stories. Click here All Joy And No Fun to purchase your copy via Amazon.

 

Alumni News

 

Alumni Recognized

ESK Alumni and current Catholic High School students Ethan Adkins and Jacob Wike and Webb School of Knoxville student Erin Wallace have been selected through competitive auditions to sing in the All-East Honor Choir, ranking them among the best choral students in East Tennessee. Congratulations!

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Episcopal School of Knoxville
950 Episcopal School Way
Knoxville, TN 37932
865.777.9032