Spartanburg Day School

Spartanburg Day School is an independent, college preparatory 2K-12 school, located in Spartanburg County, South Carolina, United States, in the Greenville-Spartanburg area. It consists of a lower school for 2K-4th graders, a middle school for 5th-8th graders, and an upper school for 9th-12th graders.

Spartanburg Day School
Location
1701 Skylyn Drive

Spartanburg
,
South Carolina
29307

United States
Information
TypePrivate, Independent School
Established1985
HeadmasterRachel S. Deems[1]
Faculty100
Grades2K–12
GenderCo-Educational
Enrollment450
Color(s)Red and Blue    
Athletics conferenceSouth Carolina Independent School Association (SCISA)
MascotGriffin
NicknameGriffins
AccreditationSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools
NewspaperThe Talon
Endowment$10 million
Informationphone: (864) 582-7539 fax: (864) 582-7530
Websitehttp://www.spartanburgdayschool.org

History

Spartanburg Day School was established on September 12, 1957 at the Drayton Mill Community Building, with 35 students in 1st–5th grades. As more upper-level grades were needed, a new location for SDS was established on Skylyn Drive, where the school is currently located. In October 1962, the new campus was officially opened. The lower school did not move to the current campus until 1993.

When the families of foreign expatriates began moving to the Greenville-Spartanburg area in the 20th century, most of the children attended Spartanburg Country Day School.[2]

Athletics

Each student from grades 7 to 12 is required to participate in one athletic team each academic year. SDS offers cross country, volleyball, soccer, physical education, tennis, basketball, swimming, cheerleading, baseball, lacrosse, golf, and track and field.[3] The school does not deny students from participating in its athletic programs due to inexperience or ability.[4] SDS has enjoyed much athletic success in recent years, including back-to-back baseball SCISA championships in 2001 and 2002, as well as SCISA championship teams in men's and women's tennis.

Events

Spartanburg Day School provides students with a number of after-school programs throughout the year.

Fall Festival

The activities at the Fall Festival are aimed towards lower school students, although all students are welcome to attend. Games and prizes motivate the students to come. Juniors are required to attend Fall Festival because it is a main fundraiser for the Junior-Senior prom.

Special studies

Beginning in 1996, one week out of every year in March, upper school students are able to "engage in a non-traditional learning activity". Examples of special studies activities include trips to Puerto Rico, Italy, and Toronto, and working with Habitat for Humanity. Activities located on campus include Independent Women, The Art of Movies, and Photoshop. Each student is required to either attend a special studies activity or come up with their own.

Bands

Spartanburg Day School currently has five bands, all directed by Dick Barnes. He also teaches ballroom dance to the 6th grade and teaches the 5th grade to play the recorder. The bands are the Middle School Concert Band, the Middle School Honor Band, the Middle School Jazz Band, the Upper School Band, the Upper School Jazz Band. Several of these require an audition, but not all.

The bands have done consistently well at all-state festivals. The High school Jazz band has earned Superiors at the past seven state festivals. Recently, The Highschool Jass band and Concert band have won the grand champion awards at both the Orlando festival event and the Virginia Festival event competing against Hundreds of other schools from across the nation. On March 3, 2007, the Middle School Jazz Band earned a Superior at the State Jazz festival. This was the first time the Middle School had ever earned a Superior at any state festival. The SDS Middle School Honors Band was awarded the Outstanding Performance Award in the spring of 2007 after receiving enough Superiors at the state Solo and Ensemble festival. In 2009, all 6th-grade students signed up for Beginning Band, even though the course was completely optional.

Seniors

Seniors at Spartanburg Day School have special privileges, which include a special area that only they can enter, called the Senior Lounge. Seniors are also the only students who may leave the campus, and they are not required to attend their study halls. Senior Privileges can be revoked at any time, by any faculty member.

School songs

Alma mater

We with zeal pursue our studies
Toward a happy mind fulfilled
Recognizing sound achievement
As the rock on which we build.

Finis Coronat Opus
The end crowns the work
Is our steadfast rule.
Finis Coronat Opus
The motto of the Spartanburg Day School.

For our goal we build a spirit
Great in power and clear in form
Bending not to moral whirlwind
Standing fast in every storm.

Finis Coronat Opus
The end crowns the work
Is our steadfast rule.
Finis Coronat Opus
The motto of the Spartanburg Day School.[5]

Fight song

SDS is marching on
We are proud and we are strong
Let us wave our colors red and blue
Let us cheer for students brave and true
We will fight and we will win
Never ever giving in
No matter where you go
You will always know
Our SDS team is marching on![5]

Notable alumni

References
  1. "Our Leaders: Welcome, from the Head of School". 2018. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  2. Kanter, Rosabeth Moss. World Class. Simon & Schuster, January 3, 1997. ISBN 0684825228, 9780684825229. p. 265.
  3. List of athletic programs
  4. Overview of SDS athletics
  5. http://www.spartanburgdayschool.org/about_sds/history.asp
  6. "The education of Zion Williamson". www.espn.com. Retrieved April 12, 2019.

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