Spartanburg Day School

Spartanburg Day School
Location
Spartanburg, South Carolina
Information
Type	Private school
Established	September 12, 1957
Headmaster	Rachel Deems
Faculty	85
Grades	3K–12
Enrollment	450
Color(s)	Red, White, and Blue
Athletics conference	South Carolina Independent School Association (SCISA)
Mascot	The Ignoble Emory
Information	phone: (864) 582-7539 fax: (864) 582-7530
Student Body President	Jeffrey Butcher
Student Body Vice President	Matthew Poliakoff
Website	http://www.spartanburgdayschool.org

Spartanburg Day School is a private 3K–12 school, located in unincorporated Spartanburg County, South Carolina, in the Greenville-Spartanburg area. It consists of a lower school for 3K-4th graders, a middle school for 5th–8th graders, and an upper school for 9th–12th graders. A pre-school program was added in 1967 for five-year-olds, a readiness program in 1974 for four-year-olds, and a 3K program in 2013 for three-year-olds. The school is located directly across the street from Mary Black Memorial Hospital. It calls the grades 9–12 "upper school" and grades k4-4th grade "lower school", both common names for private day schools.

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, however, did not move to the current campus until 1993.

When the families of foreign expatriates began moving to the Greenvillep-Spartanburg area in the 20th Century most of the children attended Spartanburg Country Day School.

Athletics

Each student from grades 7-12 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. The school does not deny students from participating in its athletic programs due to inexperience or ability. SDS has enjoyed much athletic success in recent years, including back-to-back baseball state championships in 2001 and 2002 as well as state championship teams in men's and women's tennis.

Events

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

Fall Festival

The activities at the Fall Festival are aimed towards lower school students, however 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, students are able to "engage in a non-traditional learning activity". Examples of special studies activities include trips to Puerto Rico, Italy, 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.

Clubs

Spartanburg Day School provides various clubs that students can join. Some are more educational in nature, while others do not require anything but the student's interest.

Upper School:

• The Griffin (school's literary magazine)
• Chess Club
• Sci-Fi Club
• The Delta (the yearbook)
• Youth in Government
• Spanish Club
• ASTRA (girls service club)
• Interact (boys service club)
• The Talon (student newspaper)
• Tailgate Club
• Enviro Club
• Drama
• French Club

Middle School:

• Robotics Club (This was in the 2005-2006 school year.)
• Need-to-Read Book Club (Since expanded to include other schools)
• Chinese Club
• Chess Club

Bands

Spartanburg Day School currently has five bands, all directed by James Barnes. He also teaches ballroom dance and jazz history to sixth and seventh grades, while also remaining busy with teaching 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 bands do require an audition, but not all. The bands have done consistently well at all State Festivals. None of the bands ever made grades above an Excellent. However, on March 3, 2007, the Middle School Jazz Band made a Superior at the State Jazz festival. This was the first time the school had ever made 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 room that only seniors can enter, called The Senior Sanctuary. Seniors are also the only students who may leave the campus, and seniors are not required to attend their study halls. Collectively, these are called Senior Privileges. Senior Privileges can be revoked at any time, by any faculty member. Typically, however, seniors lose privileges for breaking dress code or being tardy.

100% of seniors in the past 10 years have been accepted into a four-year college or university.

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.

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!

External links

• Spartanburg Day School website
• Satellite view from Google Maps