Two New Buildings Dedicated at ESK

by Mary Walker, Episcopal School of Knoxville
Thursday, May 17, 2001, at 2:00pm, the permanent buildings on new campus of The Episcopal School of Knoxville (ESK) were dedicated by Bishop VonRosenberg.

He first dedicated St. Bartholomew's Chapel, the intimate, open-air structure where ESK children hold chapel every morning under the direction of Lower School Principal and Lay Chaplain Kae Bridges. St. Bartholomew (one of the original twelve Disciples of Christ) is the school's patron saint. The Episcopal School of Knoxville first opened its doors to children on August 24, 1998 on the feast day of St. Bartholomew.

The Bishop dedicated the Chapel to the glory of God and in honor of the work of the Rev. David W. Leech, founding trustee. Leech has been a headmaster at St. Mary's in Memphis, headmaster of an Episcopal school in Portland, Oregon, and founding headmaster of an Episcopal school in Huntsville, Alabama. It is through the efforts of Leech and others that The Episcopal School of Knoxville has been one of the fastest and strongest Episcopal school start-ups in the country.

The Bishop next dedicated The Bishop Center, the school's largest permanent building which houses a full-size gymnasium, dining room, kitchen, and administrative offices. The Bishop Center, named for school supporters Archer and Sandie Bishop, Jr., was dedicated to the glory of God and in honor of the life of Lucille Thompson.

The Episcopal School of Knoxville is located at the corner of Lovell Road and Gilbert Drive just north of the I-40/Lovell Road interchange. Over one hundred students of all denominations attend ESK in grades K-6. ESK is planning to add a seventh grade in the fall of 2001, and an eighth grade the following year.