History
ST. PHILIP'S EPISCOPAL SCHOOL HISTORY
St. Philip's Episcopal School was established by action of the Church Vestry in 1954. The Rev. John Worrell, then the rector of St. Philip's Church, was the first Headmaster. The school originally had one small section of kindergarten children who attended class in the parish hall. Music classes were held in a small building in the playground.
Since then, the school has grown in size, in both its enrollment and physical plant. During the summer of 1980, the current brick structure was constructed for additional classroom space. The James R. Dougherty, Jr. Foundation made a generous grant toward the construction of the 1st grade classroom building in 1983. In the summer of 1992, the Board of Directors of the State Bank and Trust gave St. Philip's a building for 6th grade.
During the spring of 1993, a challenge gift of $300,000 from the most generous of school friends, Mrs. Jody Hughes, began a campaign that raised capital funds for a new school wing, as well as an addition to the existing parish hall. Construction was completed in the spring of 1994 on the building, which houses first through fourth grades, and Computers and Science.
A modular building was added in 2016 to accommodate our special classes in Music, Spanish, Art, and Physical Education.
In the spring of 2020, St. Philip's Church and School purchased the Welder Home across the street on Adams to house the Church and School Offices. The property is nearly one acre and features three outbuildings, one of which serves as a middle school classroom.
St. Philip's has three preschool classes, three pre-kinder classes, two kinder classes, and one each of first through fourth-grade classes. Our middle school is comprised of 5th-grade through 8th-grade classes.
St. Philip’s Episcopal School is fortunate to have several generous supporters. The Joe Barnhart Foundation, The Dougherty Foundation, The James R. Dougherty Jr. Foundation, Inc., and The Speck & Polly New Foundation provide funds that help support our school.