Immanuel Community School

08/25/2026

Three weeks in, and the classrooms already sound like home.

New pencils. New friendships. A few first-day nerves that turned into laughter somewhere around lunch on day two.

We keep saying it to each other in the hallway: this is the part we prayed for. Not a building full of students — a small community of kids in South Knoxville learning, together, to love what's true and good and beautiful.

Here's a look at our first few weeks.

To the families who said yes to Immanuel this year: thank you. And if you've been quietly wondering what a school like this is like from the inside, this is a good place to start → https://immanuelschoolknox.com/whyics

We're always glad to answer questions. Message us anytime.

08/13/2026

Last Friday, our ICS families gathered by the river for our Back to School Picnic — and it was everything we hoped it would be.

There was a potluck table that stretched the length of the pavilion. Kids ran the length of the barn floor and lined up to push each other on the rope swing until the sun dropped behind the trees. Families wandered the field and sent their kids home with fistfuls of flowers.

But the part we keep thinking about is the parents standing around talking long after the plates were cleared. New families meeting returning families. Grandparents introducing themselves. Teachers greeting students they'll spend the next nine months with.

That's the heart of Immanuel Community School. We're a small, Christ-centered school in South Knoxville where children are known by name — and where families belong to each other, not just to an institution.

Thank you to every family who brought a dish, packed up the kids, and drove out to be part of it. We are grateful for what God is already doing this year.

💛 Wondering if ICS could be the right fit for your family? Many parents assume private Christian education is out of reach — it may be more possible than you think. Learn more at immanuelschoolknox.com/whyics, or message us and we'll answer your questions personally.

Know a South Knoxville family looking for a school like this? Please share this post with them.

08/06/2026

Our first day of the 2026–27 school year is in the books.

It started outside — balloons tied to the railing, a Back to School banner on the brick, parents kneeling on the pavement to get the picture. Some kids sprinted up those steps. Some held on a little tighter. Every one of them got met at the door by name.

We opened the morning all together, students on the rug, teachers around the edges, clapping and welcoming everybody. Then it was down the hall in a line, into classrooms, and straight into the first day rituals: name tags, all-about-me pages, a bucket of crayons in the middle of the table, and the serious business of picking the right shade of blue.

Our older students settled into their tables with markers and got right to it. Our youngest ones colored honeycombs and hearts and looked up every few seconds to see if their teacher was watching. She was.

To everyone who walked through our doors this morning — the returning families, the brand new ones, the little brothers and sisters who came along for the drop-off — thank you. This is our favorite day of the year.

Here's to the 2026–27 school year at Immanuel Community School. 🤍

08/04/2026

07/29/2026

🔔 One week from today, our halls get loud again.

We pulled some footage from earlier this year, and it's a good reminder of what a normal day actually looks like around here.

A kid leaning into a book. A hand up before the teacher finishes the question. Two students working something out together at a table.

Young children learn by saying it, singing it, and repeating it until it's theirs. It looks a little chaotic from the doorway. It's exactly how it's supposed to sound.

Our teachers are licensed and trained, and in a school this size they know every child by name — usually their siblings too, and usually their parents.

First day is August 5. If your family has been thinking about a different kind of school this year, this is the week to reach out. We can talk through what's open, what up to 90% in tuition assistance could look like for you, and whether we're the right fit.

Message us here or visit immanuelschoolknox.com/opendoors. We'd love to hear from you.

07/25/2026

Meet Mrs. Suzanne McNeil, joining ICS this fall as our Kindergarten teacher!

Suzanne brings more than 25 years in education to our hallways, including nine years as an elementary classroom teacher in Knox County Schools and years of homeschool co-op teaching across grades 1 through 8. She is a Knoxville educator through and through.

What drew her to ICS? Our commitment to Christ-centered classical education and, in her words, the pursuit of truth, goodness, and beauty.

Our teachers shepherd students made in the image of God. That means knowing each child, challenging each child, and loving each child through the hard parts of learning. Suzanne has spent a career doing exactly that.

Welcome, Mrs. McNeil! We're so glad you're here.

07/24/2026

Welcome Lauren Perkins — Immanuel’s NEWEST 1st grade teacher!

Mrs. Perkins has spent years in kindergarten and first-grade classrooms, and she's especially strong at phonics — the steady, patient work of building readers from the ground up. For a child who's still finding their footing with reading or writing, that kind of teacher changes everything.

Lauren holds a degree in Elementary Education and years of experience in the early grades, and she leads the way we hope all our teachers do — knowing each child by name, meeting them right where they are, and pointing them to the One who made them. At ICS, teachers don't just teach subjects. They shepherd children made in the image of God.

We're enrolling now for the year that starts August 5. A few seats are still open — kindergarten (5), 1st grade (2), and 4th grade (2) — and with up to 90% in tuition assistance, a different kind of school may be closer within reach than you think, right here in South Knoxville.

Come meet the team and see if ICS is home for your family → immanuelschoolknox.com/opendoors

Have questions, or just want to talk it through? Send us a message — we'd love to hear from you.

07/22/2026

📌 Reminder: The Uniform Exchange is live! If your student has outgrown a uniform — or still needs one — check the Band App to see what's available and connect with other parents. Handled directly between families.

07/20/2026

What do crowns, gold coins, and chocolate have in common? The Chocolate Touch! 👑🍫

Friday's Summer Fun Book Club Party brought kids together to celebrate this classic story — a boy who learns the hard way that everything he touches turning to chocolate isn't as sweet as it sounds. We made jeweled crowns, hunted for chocolate gold coins, shared snacks, and made new friends along the way.

Preschool Story Time meets once a month, and we'd love to have your family join us. Stay tuned — next month's book announcement is coming soon! Follow our page so you don't miss it. 📚

07/15/2026

We're still cheesin' about last year. 🧀

Miss Adams' classroom was a place where our students were known, challenged, and genuinely loved — and we're grateful she's continuing with us into the 2026-27 school year.

That kind of continuity matters. A child who walks in on the first day and sees a familiar face is a child ready to learn.

We're excited for everything God has planned. Curious about ICS? Schedule a tour or message us with questions: immanuelschoolknox.com/whyics