KCS to offer ‘Innovative Schools’ at elementary and middle levels
Building on the success of its two special high schools, Knox County Schools is launching the first major initiative from its 2030 Strategic Plan: Innovative Schools at the middle and elementary levels.
Jon Rysewyk
Superintendent Dr. Jon Rysewyk said the district has already seen success with innovative high schools like L&N STEM Academy and Career Magnet Academy. The first new school to operate with innovative programming will be the K-8 school being built in the Mechanicsville, Lonsdale and Beaumont area, he said. Community meetings will begin this fall to help shape the design and programming at that school.
The KCS high school model has no school zones. Children are selected through a lottery among applicants with allocations based on high school enrollments, ensuring that all sections of Knox County are included. Transportation is provided to and from base high schools with the new schools having later start and end times. Siblings of existing students are admitted without going through the lottery.
Rysewyk’s initiative will kick off with the distribution of a survey to identify what programming options are of most interest to families, including language immersion, arts-integrated learning, outdoor classrooms, debate-focused instruction, and varied uses of technology.
The survey is available now through Friday, September 19, 2025, on the KCS website at knoxschools.org/InnovativeSchools in English and Spanish. Current and future families are encouraged to take the survey.
“We intend to be the first choice for families and the best choice for students – not just in Knox County, but across the region,” Rysewyk said. “Initiatives like the one we’re launching today will be instrumental in making that goal a reality.”
Abbey Harris of Knox County Schools provided information and quotes for this report.
Presenting a School Bucks check to Alcoa High School are: Austin Earhart, Food City store manager; Rayah Wilson, Food City HR coordinator; and Chad Deal, school principal.
Food City kicks off School Bucks challenge
Food City has once again pledged $800,000 in contributions for the upcoming school year. With Food City’s School Bucks Challenge, it’s easy to earn reward points. Just select your favorite school online, then for every $1 you spend, using your Food City ValuCard, that school will receive one point.
This year’s campaign is underway and will run through May 5, 2026. Link your Food City ValuCard to your preferred school here.
Food City President/CEO Steven Smith said Food City has awarded over $23,700,000 to schools since the program’s inception. Lisa Johnson at 1-800-232-0174 is School Bucks coordinator.
Laura Mullins, educational assistant, receives a 110% award from Sara Hurst from Adam Wilson Realty. The company presents the award monthly to teachers or staff voted for recognition by the school. Mullins works at Copper Ridge Elementary School.
Knox County Schools Earns Top State Growth Rating
While KCS is building out a framework for Innovative School models, it is also celebrating the success of traditional school models. For the first time in nearly a decade, Knox County Schools earned the highest possible status – Level 5 – across all tested subjects (literacy, math, science and social studies) and a Level 5 composite score on the Tennessee Value-Added Assessment System (TVAAS), which measures student growth year over year.
Nearly 80 percent of KCS schools earned TVAAS composites of Level 3, 4 or 5, with almost half (43%) earning the top two ratings. See below for specific school ratings.
“These results prove students are not only growing, but growing even more than expected,” said Dr. Keith Wilson, KCS assistant superintendent of academics. “This is the first time since 2012-13 that the district has reached this milestone and it reflects the incredible work of our students, teachers and staff.”
Level 3
Ball Camp Elementary
Belle Morris Elementary
Bonny Kate Elementary
Carter Elementary
Chilhowee Intermediate
Corryton Elementary
Dogwood Elementary
Fountain City Elementary
Gibbs High School
Green Magnet Academy
Gresham Middle
Halls Elementary
Holston Middle
Inskip Elementary
Karns High
Knox County Virtual School
K.A.E.C.
Maynard Elementary
Mooreland Heights Elementary
Northwest Middle School
Pond Gap Elementary
Powell Elementary
Ridgedale School
Ritta Elementary
South Doyle High
South Knox Elementary
Vine Middle Magnet
West Haven Elementary
West View Elementary
Level 4
Career Magnet Academy
Carter High
Karns Elementary
Lonsdale Elementary
Mount Olive Elementary
Pleasant Ridge Elementary
Sequoyah Elementary
Level 5
A.L. Lotts Elementary
Adrian Burnett Elementary
Amherst Elementary
Austin-East Magnet High
Bearden High
Beaumont Magnet Academy
Blue Grass Elementary
Brickey-McCloud Elementary
Cedar Bluff Elementary
Central High
Christenberry Elementary
East Knox Elementary
Farragut High
Farragut Intermediate
Farragut Middle
Gap Creek Elementary
Gibbs Elementary
Halls High
Hardin Valley Academy
Hardin Valley Elementary
Hardin Valley Middle
Karns Middle
L&N STEM Academy
Northshore Elementary
Powell High
Powell Middle
Shannondale Elementary
West High
West Valley Middle
Whittle Springs Middle
Notes & Quotes
Tennessee Promise: While the deadline to apply is November 3, 2025, the Tennessee Higher Education Commission is urging high school seniors to apply for the last dollar scholarship right now. Students may use the Tennessee Promise scholarship at any of Tennessee’s 13 community colleges, 24 colleges of applied technology and other eligible four-year public and private institutions offering associate degree programs. The award covers tuition and mandatory fees not already paid by the Pell Grant, HOPE Scholarship or Tennessee Student Assistance Award. Apply at CollegeforTN.org/.
Spring Hill Elementary PTO is seeing vendors for the third annual SHE Holiday Craft Fair, planned for Saturday, November 15, 2025, from 2-4 p.m. at the school gym. School office: 865-594-1365.
“Establishing lasting peace is the work of education; all politics can do is keep us out of war.” – Maria Montessori M.D.
