Episcopal School of Knoxville Announces $6.5 Million Campus Expansion

The Episcopal School of Knoxville will break ground next week on a $6.5 million expansion of its campus, allowing it to enhance academic and student support.

The project, which will be commemorated with a groundbreaking ceremony at 1 p.m. on March 1, will feature a new 25,000-square-foot middle school athletics and fine arts facility. The building will allow the school to reconfigure its middle school program to include fifth grade and expand its junior kindergarten enrollment.

“Through this development, we are going to be able to take ESK to the next level of what we’re able to offer,” ESK Head of School Dr. Jack Talmadge said. “It’s a fantastic opportunity to enrich our middle school program beginning with 5^th grade and raising the bar for our older students to make them even more ready for high school.”

As part of the expansion, ESK will be creating a 5^th-6^th grade program and a 7^th-8^th grade program. Fifth-grade students, who will share a wing with the 6^th grade, will be introduced to additional offerings including world language, performance music and critical thinking course components.

The new building will have two dedicated band and chorus rooms with separate ensemble rehearsal spaces, as well as two art rooms, including a 21^st Century art lab that will be designated a Makerspace complete with computers and a 3D printer.

A high school regulation size gymnasium will also be constructed, allowing the school to broaden its student athletic capabilities and attract local tournaments and community events.

The project is part of a master plan that began with the addition of The Brewington Family Lower School, which opened in October. The public phase of a capital campaign, which will go towards the new building, parking and additional sports playing fields, will be announced during the ceremony.

The project team for the new facility includes BarberMcMurry Architects and George W. Regan Company.