Ball Camp Elementary School

Our family has had a wonderful experience at Ball Camp Elementary so far. We have two boys, grades Kindergarten and 3rd, and can say that our time at Ball Camp Elementary has been great. The community is small, with a close and family-oriented feel to it... similar to what my husband and I experienced as children. We love being a part of the Ball Camp family and look forward to more great years ahead.
—Submitted by a parent

We love Ball Camp! We moved into this school zone before we had children with plans of moving by the time we had school age children. Boy, am I glad we didn't! With all the over-crowding in the schools around us, this school is a hidden treasure and the teachers and administration are top-notch. Parental involvement is appreciated and encouraged and they put the students first in everything they do.
—Submitted by a parent

Ball Camp is Knox County's best kept secret. Our TN report card scores are just as high as some of the larger and more popular public schools, but the great thing about BC is it is SMALL. My third grader has 17 kids in her class, 4th grader has 21 in his class. What other wrote is true, the principal is top notch and knows every child, every parent. She even knows my dog! This is like going back in time, in a good way. Very community oriented school and we LOVE it!
—Submitted by a parent

We just love Ball Camp Elementary. The fifth grade teachers are awesome, especially Mrs. Sullivan!
—Submitted by a parent

Have had a lot of issues with the leadership at this school. We have asked that our child be transfered to another school. Knox County and Ball Camp will not allow the student to transfer since it is "Outside the normal transfer period". If you send your child, do not expect anything special. I have had several kids go throught his school, nieces, nephews older child, but have never had a problem with the school until now. Now we must move to get away from the school.
—Submitted by a parent

We have loved Ball Camp for the last 3 years. Our children perform at higher than grade level, and we found that their teachers look for opportunities to continue to develop and push them to acheive more. The office staff is caring and the principal is in it to win it. One day last year in the midst of a huge downpour it was the principal who was standing in the rain helping to direct traffic. We feel like Ball Camp is family and couldn't be prouder of this hidden treasure in Knoxville.
—Submitted by a parent

Ball Camp is one of the best kept secrets in Knoxville. The school is small and has a very friendly feel to it. Because of it's size, all of the teachers know the names of almost all of the children. Educationally my child has done very well. She has always scored high on her TCAPS. I know this is because of the wonderful teachers at Ball Camp.
—Submitted by a parent

Principle is trying hard not to let any child behind anywere. My child received after school reading classes. Reading improved and she is now reading is at grade level and is improving.
—Submitted by a parent

It is the smallest school and one of the oldest in the knox county school district and in the age when we want everything to be bigger, and newer, this school reminds those of us with kids that go there that it isn't the size of the school or how new it looks that makes a school great.
—Submitted by a parent

My daughter started 3rd grade there at Ball Camp. When I registered Alexa the office staff treated us like we belonged there and was very helpful. When classes started it was a little rocky in the begging. The teacher and assistant principal was more then happy to hear our issues and find away to resolve them. The rest of the year was just wonderful. Alexa is now looking forward to the new year and her new teacher.
—Submitted by a parent

I absolutley love Ball Camp It is the best school everyone is so friendly.You never walk in the door that someone doesn't smile at you.Both of my girls have loved it.
—Submitted by a parent

I am actually not a parent or a student. I am a Former Student. I loved Ball Camp so much, but i only went there in Kindergarden and 1st grade. I had Mrs. Frazier and Mrs. Dean. I am now in 7th grade. I then moved and went to Cedar Bluff. I HATE IT!!!!!!! (they didn't even have a cafateria till they built the new Elementry. I just want to say that i loved it and would love to be back but i'm to old. Say hi to Mrs.Tatem. I started out with her as a teacher and transferred to mrs.frazier's class in kindergarden.(hope she still remembers me.) sincerely, Elena C.

My son attended Ball Camp and we loved the friendly, small-town atmosphere. We feel that he got a good start on his education. While it is an older building, it was always clean and well maintained. The office staff was always helpful. The only bad experience we ever had was with his 2nd grade teacher the last 6 weeks of school. She was a bully and treated me like a 5 year old when I tried to work with her to solve a problem. Again, though, this was a one-person problem and if we had this to do over, would have involved the principal (we tried to handle it on our own).
—Submitted by a parent

I am very grateful that my children have had the opportunity to attend Ball Camp Elementary School. We actually moved back in to the Ball Camp school district in order for our kids to return to this excellent school. The staff are very involved with the kids, and the overall atmosphere of the school is that of a small community or support. It is so easy to get lost in the larger schools and for children to be treated as a number instead of an individual. I would recommend Ball Camp Elementary to anyone and I am glad that my children still have several more years in this unique and above-average learning environment.
—Submitted by Lynne, a parent

I have 2 children in Ball Camp. The school itself is in great condition and is highly maintained. They are upgrading the outdoor equipment this summer to get ready for the fall. The teachers are very caring and we have had success twice in kindergarten and once in first grade. The office staff is very nice and approachable. The principal is usually outside every morning to great the children as they are dropped off for school. The principal is also almost there on a daily basis and is always happy to talk with the parents. The education seems to be just fine but I feel that my children should have more homework for all the different subjects they are learning. The only thing that needs to be implemented is more parent volunteer opportunites in the classroom.
—Submitted by a parent

'We are sorry for those who had a terrible time at Ball Camp. Both of our children had wonderful experiences there. We found the teachers and staff to be very dedicated and very knowledgeable. Our children were well-educated and well-treated by all of the teachers. There are many opportunities for children to learn and grow in academics and the arts. We always felt welcomed at the school. The playground is not large, but it is adequate. When something breaks on the playground or in the school, the Schools' Maintenance Dept. must fix the broken item(s). As far as the misspelled words in the school yearbook, please note that no teachers were involved with the making of the yearbook. It was a PTA project which has reflected poorly upon the school and the teachers. Otherwise, the PTA is great. And Ball Camp is a wonderful school! From Happy Parents'
—Submitted by a parent

Ball Camp Primary School was a terrible experience for our daughter. The playground was in horrible shape and no efforts were made to repair broken equipment. Beyond this, the quality of education was dismal. Every day, my daughter brought home papers from the school with misspelled words on them. There is little effort to administer to the needs of advanced students. We found the senior staff to be condescending at best - uninterested at worst. Parental involvement at first was encouraged, but later in the year it was discouraged, The most telling example of this school's poor quality for us was the school yearbook. In the front of the book, the school principal's picture was shown with the title 'Principle' underneath. Unbelievable.
—Submitted by a parent

My daughter has attended Ball Camp for three years. Our family has found the staff to be very dedicated and attentive. The overall atmosphere is very positive. There is a strong opportunity for parental involvement. Many people say that it feels like 'turning back time' when coming into the school, which is meant as a compliment. The building is one of the oldest used in Knox County, but it is maintained extremely well. I believe that Ball Camp rivals several of the private school choices that are available. -Laura
—Submitted by a parent

I think this school is wonderful. The office staff is always friendly. The teachers are super. The school is very parent friendly. The school is decorated always with a summer atmosphere. The principals have always been attentive and stick to the rules. My children have enjoyed this school very much. It is a diverse school from what I have seen. The diversity would really depend upon the neighbors that supply the children that are zoned for this school. I think this is one of the best schools in Knox County.
—Submitted by Nancy, a parent