History

1959
Christ Church Episcopal School is formed by the Rector and Vestry of Christ Church in the summer of 1959, succeeding the K-12 Episcopal Day School founded ten years earlier and operated by St. James Episcopal Church. School opens in the fall of 1959 in three frame houses then located on East Washington Street. One building housed the second, third, and fourth grades; in another were fifth, sixth, and first grades. The middle building was used for kindergarten and administration. The Rev. Dr. Claude E. Guthrie served as the school's first Headmaster.

1960
Seventh and eighth grades are added.

1961
Ninth grade is added.

1962
The School Board is formed.

1965
Rufus Bethea becomes second Headmaster of CCES.

1969
Tenth Grade is added, straining the parish campus facilities.

1970
With the addition of eleventh Grade, tenth and eleventh-graders attend "Christ High at the Y," held in a curtained-off wing of the YMCA on Cleveland Street.

1971
With construction delayed on the new Cavalier Campus, Upper and Middle School classes are held at Textile Hall for two months in the fall of 1971.

1972
CCES graduates its first senior class and receives its official accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).

1973
Ground-breaking ceremonies are held for the art wing, auditorium, and the McCall Field House, named in honor of Arthur C. McCall, the moving force behind the creation of CCES in 1959.

1974
Canon Allen F. Bray becomes third Headmaster of CCES. He forms a separate division for middle school students in grades seven, eight and nine.

1981
Benjamin M. Crabtree becomes fourth Headmaster of CCES.
Marguerite Ramage Wyche founds the Alumni Association. 

1987
Three new practice and playing fields are added to accommodate girls field hockey, softball, and soccer programs.

1988
James K. Rumrill becomes fifth Headmaster of CCES.

1995
The Middle School building on Wenwood Drive opens to fifth through eighth grades.

1997
Ellen Moceri becomes sixth Head of School at CCES.

1999
The International Baccalaureate Diploma program is authorized for grades 11 and 12. 

2000
Dr. Leland H. Cox, Jr. becomes seventh Headmaster of CCES.

In the fall of 2000, construction begins on a new, three-story Upper School on the Cavalier campus.

2001
The International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Program (PYP) receives authorization in grades P-5. 

2002
Upper School students move into their new building at the start of the January term. In the fall, Lower School students move to the Cavalier campus, to the completely renovated building formerly occupied by the Upper School. For the first time in its history, all CCES students in grades Primer through Twelve are united on a single campus.

2005
The Chapel of the Good Shepherd is dedicated in September, providing all students with a sacred space for weekly worship. Sited in the center of the Cavalier campus, the chapel stands as a powerful symbol of the school's Christian foundations and Episcopal tradition.

2006
A new Cavalier Training Center is built to support the entire athletics program. 

2008
Lee Cox is named President of CCES; Leonard Kupersmith becomes the eighth Headmaster of CCES.

2010
As Headmaster, Leonard Kupersmith assumes full responsibility for leading the school; the title of President is dropped at the conclusion of Lee Cox's tenure. 

2011
New athletic facilities are added, including the Robertson-Navarro Baseball Pavilion, six new tennis courts, new lighting for Carson Stadium, expanded bleachers, soccer and lacrosse practice fields, new batting cages and bullpen, and a new Cavalier blue track. 

2013
CCES dedicates the Achievement Center, located in the undercroft of the Chapel of the Good Shepherd.  The mission of the Achievement Center is to enhance the CCES experience for all students through enrichment, remediation, and support services across a wide range of disciplines and grade levels.

2016
The Hartness Performing Arts Center opens its doors. Designed to nurture students’ creative talents, this stunning and comprehensive space promotes the boundless possibilities of musical and dramatic creativity through education, collaboration, and performance.

2018
In September, CCES celebrated the blessing and dedication of the new Wetlands Laboratory, a project made possible by the generous support of the Daniel-Mickel Foundation.

2020
In March, CCES implements a full digital learning plan due to the spread of the Covid-19 virus. 

David Padilla becomes the ninth Head of School for CCES.

CCES hosted nationally acclaimed landscape artist Patrick Dougherty who spent three weeks on campus building several large-scale sculptures made entirely out of willow saplings. 

2021
CCES completed its first full school year on-campus during the Covid-19 pandemic.

2022
CCES marked a milestone by hosting its first 50th Reunion, celebrating the Class of 1972.

2023
In the spring, CCES rededicated its historic campus labyrinth, originally constructed in 2005, following a full restoration made possible by the Webb family in honor of Bob and Susan Brown and supported by the CCES community.

2024
In August, CCES dedicated its newly renovated Middle School Outdoor Recreation Area—originally built in 1995—thanks to the vision and generosity of Middle School families who revitalized the space for students to gather, play, and connect.

In October, CCES launched a $40 million capital campaign, Build for the Future, marking a transformative investment in the school’s next chapter.