October 16, 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 back! We hope that everyone had an enjoyable and restful Fall Break! It's been great having the kids back in school this week and the buzz around campus is as fevered as ever! Check out all the details in this week's edition of Headlines!

 

OCTOBER EVENTS AT ESK

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

                        School Photo Retake Day

                        MS Movie Night - 7 p.m.

10/20               Science Night at ESK - 5:30-7:30 p.m.

10/24               PA Wine Tasting - 7 p.m.

10/26               Admissions Open House - 2-4 p.m.

10/30               Halloween Concert - 2 p.m.

10/31               All Hallows' Eve Chapel & Costume Parade - 8 a.m.

 

A Capella Visitors

The Episcopal School of Knoxville had the pleasure of hosting VOLume and reVOLution, contemporary a cappella groups from the University of Tennessee, for a pair of performances in Googe Hall on Tuesday afternoon. The two groups performed a number of selections for the students as well as shared about how they chose to participate in each group and the impact that music has made on their lives. The Saintly Singers, ESK's own a cappella group, also had the chance to perform for their fellow students and the members of VOLume and reVOLution. Please visit the ESK Facebook page for video of the performances!

 

Runners to Compete at State Meet This Saturday

ESK will be well represented this Saturday at both the Tennessee State Elementary Cross Country Championship Meet and the Tennessee State Middle School Championship Meet at Victor Ashe Park. Fifth Grader Avery Jolley will represent the girls, while classmates Ben Pensky and Davis Pearson will round out ESK's Elementary School representatives. Avery will race at 10:30 a.m., followed by Ben and Davis at 10:50 a.m. Eighth Graders Riley Schumaker and Hutch Peter both qualified for the State meet with times in the top 20 last week. The Middle School race will begin at 1:45 p.m.

 

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

Please join the Parent Association for a Wine Tasting of wines from around the world on Friday, October 24th at 7:00 p.m. at the home of Joe and Ruth Fielden. Taste and learn about 12 different wines from California, Oregon, France and Italy. All wines will be under $20 but highly rated. Heavy hors d'oeuvres provided by Echo Bistro & Wine Bar. New Headmaster, Dr. Jack Talmadge and wife, Beth, will be in attendance.

 

Tickets: $75.00/individual or $125/couple.  

                                  RSVP to Katherine Fielden -- kikifielden@gmail.com

 

School Picture Orders

School picture proofs were sent last week. Completed order forms are due back TOMORROW (Friday, October 17), with photo retakes scheduled for that same day from 8:30-11:00 a.m. in the Lower School Addition multipurpose room. Please make sure that if you were absent on the first day, you get your picture taken at that time.

 

Holy Eucharist

Holy Eucharist will be celebrated TOMORROW (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.

 

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 or call the school at 865-777-9032.

 

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.

All School News

 

Order your Original Works now!It is that time of the year again!

What is Original Works? With this program, you may order many products with your child's artwork displayed. Items include mouse pads, key chains, sketchbooks, mugs, pillow cases to name just a few. This week your child (in grades K-5) will be coming home with a packet which should contain everything you need to order.

 

You may use the artwork in the packet or create your own. Just be sure to use 81/2 x 11" card stock paper. No three dimensional or metallic materials, and no copyrighted images. Checks should written to ESK. Please return your order by Tuesday, Nov. 4. All profit goes directly to our art program, so help support the arts!

 

Eighth Grade Farewell Ads

Information regarding the purchase of Eighth Grade Farewell ads for the yearbook was sent home to all families in the July mailing. Please remember the final deadline is Friday, October 31. For additional info or with questions, please contact Director of Communications Melissa Callahan via email at callahan@esknoxville.org.

 

Swimming Underway

ESK 5th through 8th graders will be swimming with Catholic Youth Swimming this year. The first practice is this Sunday from 4-6 p.m. at the Allen Jones Center on the UT campus. Parents are required to attend this first practice. Questions? Contact Swim Coordinator Abby Pensky at pensky@esknoxville.org. Please note that all three forms (ESK health form, state concussion form and the CYS swim questionnaire) are due BEFORE swimmers can participate in practice.  

 

Uniform Return Time

Participants in Fall sports, please remember to return your uniforms at the end of your season!

 

Monogrammed Hats available through Spirit Store

The Spirit Store is happy to offer a personalized, monogrammed baseball hat for men and women. The hats come in dark purple, lilac or white with your monogram in script or block on the front and ESK SAINTS on the back. You may order by emailing Mary Walker (walker@esknoxville.org) with your hat color, thread color (dark purple, lilac or white), monogram font style (Block or Script) and your initials (in the order you want them on the hat.) Hats are $17 each and will be charged to your account. Orders are due Friday, October 24.  
Lower School News

Classification of Animals
Junior Kindergarten students in Ms. Riley's class are currently studying the classification of animals. The focus has been on the top two groups - vertebrates and invertebrates. To familiarize the students with bones, Ms. Riley brought in a visitor from the Middle School Science classroom, a life-size skeleton replica of a human body. The students are fond of the skeleton and even named him "Skelly". The students can identify the backbone, skull and fingers.

Pumpkin Patch Field Trip
Both Kindergarten classes went on a field trip last week to the pumpkin patch at the Oakes Farm in Corryton, Tenn. Thanks to all of the parents who helped out on the trip.  A great time was had by all!

Underwater Sea Lab
As part of their study of the ocean and reefs, First Graders in Mrs. Ottaviano's class created the pieces of their underwater sea lab this week. Each student created a scientist and a job, several choosing scuba diver or veterinarian. Mrs. O's class will even have one emergency fireman. The students then created the different rooms for the lab, including a kitchen, dining hall, sleeping rooms and their computer room. Students will soon begin creating the animals for their underwater world as a part of each one teaching their fellow students about a different sea creature.

Touch Centers
Second Grader Rhian San Gil
On Friday, ESK Second Graders had the opportunity to conduct a few science experiments in a touch lab to test out the sense of touch. The first experience was to determine if your skin can tell you the temperature. Your skin only knows if the temperature has changed.  If you have one hand in cold water, one hand in hot water, and then place both hands in lukewarm water, the cold hand will tell you the water is warm while the hot hand will tell you the water is cool.  The second experiment was to determine if all parts of your body can tell if you are being gently pricked with one or two points.  The skin varies in its ability to tell the difference, with fingers being more sensitive than heels. The students also conducted two experiments to determine if texture and shape can be matched using only the sense of touch. They also explored fingerprints and animal senses.

Edible Skin Cells
Second Grader Karim Arabi El Eter
As part of their study of touch, Second Graders in Mrs. Thurman's class made edible skin cells out of ice cream sandwiches and candy last week. The layers of the ice cream sandwich itself represented the epidermis, the dermis and the hypodermis. The students then added hair (Twizzlers), sweat glands (Rolos) and different receptors, including hot and cold, pain and tickle. Those were represented by mini M&Ms. Once the students completed their models; they were able to eat their own "skin".


Johnny Appleseed
In reading and writing during October, Third Grade students in Mrs. Parham's and Mrs. Jenkins' classes will study tall tales. Students will read and analyze different tall tales, talk about where they came from, and write their own. On Thursday, October 30, students will perform Reader's Theater featuring tall tales from John Henry to Sally Ann Thunder Ann Whirlwind. Last week, as part of their study of Johnny Appleseed, students in Mrs. Parham's class enjoyed homemade applesauce while reading the stories.

What's In A Name
Fourth Grader Paolo Spica
Students in Mrs. Hoover's Fourth Grade class took their turns this week presenting their Name Reports. Students were required to take their first, last or middle name and find a celebrity or famous person from history who shares that name with them. The students then gave oral presentations on the life of the person and whether they would like to switch places with that person.

Fifth Grade Raises the Flag
Fifth Grader Alisa Elmore
In addition to their duties on Safety Patrol, Fifth Grade students also have another important responsibility: raising and lowering the American flag outside the Lower School each morning and afternoon. Last week, ESK security guard, Rick Silvis, instructed students in both Fifth Grade classes on how to raise, lower, and fold the American and Tennessee flags. The students have also studied the history of the flag and the laws related to the flag.
Middle School News

Sixth Grade Field Trip
ESK Sixth Graders were away from school Tuesday on a field trip to McClung Museum and the WDVX radio station. In the morning, the students visited the McClung's permanent Egyptian exhibit to enhance their current study of Ancient Egypt. The group then took their lunches into the radio station to enjoy the live performances during their Blue Plate Special. Students had a special behind-the scenes-tour of the control room before finishing the day with a walking tour of some of the little-known features of downtown Knoxville and a quick stop at Mast General Store.

Water Cycle
Seventh Grader Trevor Tirro
This week, Seventh Grade students in Mrs. Teffeteller's and Mrs. Slatery's classes learned about the Water Cycle. Students acted like a water droplet and traveled through the water cycle's stages of groundwater, streams, clouds, ocean, animals, plants, and glaciers. Students discovered that the water cycle is not always a perfect circle where each stage is visited. Some students were stuck in ocean for most of the activity. After the activity, students created stories for their water drop's journey through the water cycle.

Wellness Project
ESK Sixth, Seventh and Eighth Graders are learning about cardiovascular exercise as part of their twice-weekly Wellness/Study Skills class with Mrs. Brophy and Mr. Tannhauser. This week, students learned how to find a number called VO2 max, which is a measure of that fitness. VO2 max is the maximum rate of oxygen consumption as measured during incremental exercise, most typically on a motorized treadmill. In order to calculate this number, several students completed a step test.

Touching Spirit Bear
Sixth Grader Phil Spates
Sixth Grade literature students recently completed a novel study of Touching Spirit Bear.  Students explored real life connections to the novel and theme of personal identity including some groups that watched Spirit Bear, the movie, and discussed the environmental impact of logging. Simon Jackson's role as an environmental advocate for spirit bears has served as a valuable reminder that one motivated teen can create change and inspire others. Students have researched animals and sketched individual totem poles. Each student is now creating a totem pole telling his or her story. The students will now carve the totem out of balsa foam and will then add paint.

Super Heroes
Seventh Grade students in Ms. McIntosh's literature class have been studying the Nigerian folk tale "Oni and The Great Bird", which features a super hero motif. Students were then given the assignment to come up with a super hero of their own and draw a cartoon that featured that super hero, as well as use five vocabulary words from the unit in content during the story. Ms. McIntosh was very impressed with the work the students produced.
Athletic 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 cross country and tennis begin to wrap up their seasons.
PA News

 

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.  

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Please let us know if you or anyone in your family has trouble receiving Headlines! We will send it to anyone who wants to receive it.  
Best wishes,

Melissa Callahan
Communications Director
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Episcopal School of Knoxville
950 Episcopal School Way
Knoxville, TN 37932
865.777.9032