St. Joseph School holding fundraiser for building addition

GETTING THE MESSAGE OUT  St. Joseph School kindergartners display a banner earlier this school year promoting the school’s 50th year. St. Joseph has announced plans to build an addition to the North Knoxville school. Courtesy of St. Joseph School

GETTING THE MESSAGE OUT St. Joseph School kindergartners display a banner earlier this school year promoting the school’s 50th year. St. Joseph has announced plans to build an addition to the North Knoxville school. Courtesy of St. Joseph School

St. Joseph School in North Knoxville has announced plans for a new wing that will serve as a library and technology center and is raising money to fund the addition.

Sister Mary Elizabeth Ann McCullough, RSM, principal of St. Joseph, said the school hopes to break ground on the expansion at the end of the 2013-14 school year.

“With the rate that technology is changing, the importance in this day and age for students to be technologically literate and the wealth of resources available for teaching the content areas through technology, we knew we needed to upgrade that area of our school in order to better prepare our students,” Sister Mary Elizabeth Ann said.

To promote the project and raise money, too, St. Joseph faculty and staff will take part in a parish walk. On Feb. 8, the faculty and staff will work together to complete an almost 23-mile relay, matching the distance between each of the parishes that have families at St. Joseph.

Sister Mary Elizabeth Ann is asking school supporters to consider sponsoring the teachers on their parish walk. Pledges and donations also can be made directly to the school at 865-689-3424 or 1810 Howard Drive, Knoxville, TN 37918.

“Over 50 percent of our students receive some form of tuition assistance. We are trying to raise money from within our school but our families, though very generous, do not have the means to support a project like this without outside help,” Sister Mary Elizabeth Ann said. “Under the leadership of Father Chris Michelson, we have been trying to raise the funds necessary to give the students of St. Joseph School the best educational resources possible. We have a generous donor who has pledged a $100,000 matching gift. It would be a great loss if we did not meet this single donation.”

St. Joseph is a regional school, this year drawing students from six different parishes—Holy Ghost, Immaculate Conception, St. Albert the Great, Blessed John XXIII, All Saints and Sacred Heart. The distance to all parishes from St. Joseph is nearly 23 miles.

“I asked the faculty and staff if they would be willing to join me in a walk to raise money to help meet this matching gift. Everyone was willing to participate in whatever capacity they are able. I knew we had an exceptional staff, and this event seems to capture their dedication and their love for their students,” Sister Mary Elizabeth Ann said.

On the relay, mileage will be divided and walked on the grounds of each of the six parishes or around their blocks. Prayers for the students, their families, and the priests and parishioners will be offered as the walkers arrive at each parish.