Halloween Costume Parade

Friday was a wonderful morning at ESK as the students and staff celebrated Halloween with chapel and a costume parade on the lawn in front of Googe Hall. It is an annual tradition that makes for a great event. Thank you to all the parents who attended to be a part of our fun!

Rising Sixth Grade Night

Rising Sixth grade students and their parents are invited to join us next Thursday, Nov. 13 at 6:30 p.m. for Middle School Information night. The schedule for the evening is as follows:

6:30 p.m. Introductions and remarks from Red Waller

6:45 - 8 p.m. Follow abbreviated middle school schedule. Visit/hear from teachers in their classrooms and a parent/alumni forum.

Please RSVP to Susan Denton (denton@esknoxville.org).

The Scholastic Book Fair is Next Week

ESK will host the Scholastic Book Fair from Nov. 10-14 in both the Jane L. Pettway Library in Googe Hall and the Clayton Family Library in the Brewington Family Lower School. The fair will run from 7:45 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. each day. Information regarding students shopping during class time was sent home in an email this week.

Scholastic Book Fairs get our students excited about reading, as well as supplement our library budget. It is also a great deal for customers because there is NO TAX on book fair purchases. You might consider making some of your holiday gift purchases here, and we will be happy to get your books to you discreetly.

If you are unable to come to the fair, you may also shop at our online Book Fair. Online purchases are subject to sales tax; however, there is no shipping charge. Your purchases will be shipped directly to ESK, where we are happy to hold on to them until the holidays. Follow the link or get to it from the ESK homepage.

ESK Christmas Programs

The Middle School band will hold their Christmas concert on Thursday, Dec. 4, at 6 p.m. in Googe Hall. The String Band will be playing Christmas carols at Winterfest on Saturday, Dec. 6.

Please mark your calendars for Lower School Christmas program to be held on Tuesday, Dec. 9, at 6 p.m. at St. John's Cathedral downtown.  Our students in Grades 2-5 will present a beautiful evening of traditional Christmas carols in the sanctuary, with a cookie and punch reception to follow in the Great Hall.  Students should wear dressy holiday clothes- no jeans or sweatshirts please. 

First Grade will hold their program at ESK on Thursday, Dec. 11, at 8:45 a.m. in Googe Hall.  Children will present a variety of Christmas carols and secular holiday favorites for their families. Students may wear holiday clothes. 

The Junior Kindergarten and Kindergarten Christmas program will be Friday, Dec. 12, at 8:45 a.m. in Googe Hall. Children will present a variety of Christmas carols and secular holiday favorites for their families. Students may wear holiday clothes. 

Middle School Evening Prayer and Carol Service will be presented on Tuesday, Dec. 16, at 6 p.m. at Church of the Ascension on Northshore. Students in the 6th, 7th and 8th grade choruses will present an evening of Christmas music in the lovely setting at Church of the Ascension. The Chorus will be accompanied by piano, flute and violin. All are invited to attend this beautiful evening worship. A reception will follow. 

Please contact Dr. Sousa at sousa@esknoxville.org with any questions regarding our Christmas programs. Thank you!

Make-a-Wish Fundraiser
Mrs. Slatery and Mrs. Teffeteller's Middle School advisory classes will be selling Chick-fil-a chicken biscuits during morning carpool to students, parents, and teachers, beginning November 7 from 7:30 a.m. until 8 a.m. All proceeds from the weekly biscuit sales will go towards granting a wish for a Make-a-Wish child. Biscuits will be sold for $3 each or 2 for $5. Save some time on Friday mornings and avoid the long drive-thru lines, by enjoying a Chick-fil-a chicken biscuit from ESK's morning carpool.

Cicely Upham Joins ESK Family

A native of Asheville, N.C., Cicely Upham joined the ESK family this week as an associate in the Development Office. Cicely will assist Director of Development Ryan Sparks with several areas, including the annual fund. Cicely comes to ESK having worked as social media intern at Webb School of Knoxville, as well as serving as Mini Camp Director and Administrative Coordinator for Camp Webb. Please make Cicely feel welcome to the ESK family! Also, please note that the Business Office and Development Offices have switched location with Ryan Sparks and Alice Smith moving into the offices in the Bishop Center and Carmen DiSanto and Lindsay Mitchell relocating to the administrative wing in Googe Hall.

Veterans' Day Project

All ESK students are encouraged to wear red, white and blue on Tuesday, November 11, in honor of Veterans' Day. Donations will be collected by Mr. Jones' advisory in support of the Wounded Warrior Project. Join us as we celebrate the contributions of our nation's military members and their families.

Technology Forum

Wondering how your students use technology at school? Struggling with social media and your tweens? A Technology Forum for parents will be held on Monday, November 17th from 6-7pm in the Siler Great Hall. We will be discussing strategies for managing social media, setting appropriate use boundaries, talking to your kids about all things digital, and how we use Google Drive and Classroom in the FLEx 1:1 program at ESK. For more information email king@esknoxville.org.

PA News

Winterfest - Saturday, December 6  

Let's get your Jingle on at ESK's Winterfest -- December 6th -- 8:30-11:30 a.m.  

Be there with Bells on!

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.

Alumni News

Spamalot

Several ESK graduates had roles in Webb School of Knoxville's production of Spamalot over the weekend. Graduates included Mary McGarr, Christoph Ewing, Erin Wallace, Uma Sood, Ellis Whinery and Kate Schumaker. Winner of the 2005 Tony Award for Best Musical, SPAMALOT, a musical comedy, "lovingly ripped off from the motion picture Monty Python and The Holy Grail," is the irreverent parody of the tale of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table in their quest for the Holy Grail. Great work!