The Murphy-Cates Academy

We are changing the world one child at a time at the Murphy-Cates Academy. There is no more defeat in education at the Murphy-Cates Academy, a full-time private school that provides a home-like atmosphere for students. At the MC Academy, miracles happen and students find a love of learning in an intimate, private school setting. Our limited enrollment and four-to-one teacher/student ratio guarantees your child will have individual attention and be able to progress at his or her own pace and individual ability level. No more struggling to keep up with the class or wasting time while the class tries to catch up! Each student finds success within and does not have to compete against others in pursuit of academic excellence.

At Murphy-Cates Academy, each child is individually challenged to strive for learning excellence and discovers the courage to dive into knowledge. MC Academy students experience a whole new level of academic excellence and for the first time dare to dream of where their abilities can take them. Academically-gifted students are challenged to reach for new heights and developmentally delayed students overcome perceived boundaries to become life-long learners. Attention Deficit Disorder/Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADD/ADHD) students learn how to focus and maximize their true academic potential, often for the first time ever! Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) students benefit from the individualized, custom learning plans that the teachers design for them. The “Lively Learning” class environment brings interest and engagement to all students rather than creating boredom with learning.

Home-school parents can take advantage of the Murphy-Cates Academy’s part-time, flexible schedule and special classes designed for home-schooled students. The seasoned instructors at the Murphy-Cates Academy team up with home-school parents to provide in-depth instruction in middle grades and high school academic subjects that include language arts, Spanish, grammar, life science, biology, chemistry, math, and physics. Individualized instruction emulates the home-school environment and teaching methods are specialized and conformed to the student. Specialized classes in English as a Second Language and ACT test prep classes are available to students of the Murphy-Cates Academy.

While the Murphy-Cates Academy is conveniently located in Harriman, just off Interstate 40 near Knoxville, Tennessee, many families travel great distances just to take advantage of the unique educational experiences available at the Murphy-Cates Academy here in East Tennessee. There have even been families who have moved to the Knoxville/Oak Ridge area in order to enroll their students at the Murphy-Cates Academy.

Because of the close proximity to the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, many families in the area around Knoxville are keenly focused on the importance of education and technological advancement. Educational advantages are not necessarily available through more traditional public schools but are demanded by high-achieving, technologically astute parents in the area. Murphy-Cates Academy provides the advanced learning environment for high academic achievement and cognitive advancement that such parents seek.

Full-time and part-time enrollment for average or above average students is available but limited due to our need to limit student-teacher ratios.