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The Upper School at Savannah Country Day School endeavors to create an environment where each student can find an area to shine.  While all students will benefit from our rigorous college preparatory curriculum, we don’t limit our pursuit of excellence to the classroom.

Jonathan Day, Head of UPPER School

The cornerstone of our Upper School experience is balance, and we strongly encourage students to find interests beyond the classroom to augment their academic experience. The typical Country Day upper school student is not only engaged in the classroom, but is also eager to make an impact on the playing fields, on the stage, in the art studio, or in the larger community.

While we are preparing students to be successful in college and in life, we are also preparing them to be the sorts of citizens who will carry our region and nation forward.  Country Day students will be the leaders of the next generation, and by encouraging critical thinking, creative problem solving, and independence of thought, the Upper School helps to form these leaders. 

Curriculum, Advanced Classes, and Electives

The Upper School offers its students a wide array of co-curricular activities.  Virtually every teacher sponsors some club, activity, or sport. 

College Counseling

Working with students for all four years of Upper School, our College Counseling Office helps find the best fit for every student. 

Advisory & Class Deans

All Upper School students have faculty advisors assigned in the ninth grade. The groups stay together for four years, which allows students and faculty to create the kinds of bonds that can only be forged over time. 

Leadership, Clubs & Organizations

Students are encouraged to explore their talents and interests beyond their classroom experiences. 

Institute for Atlantic Studies

The Institute for Atlantic Studies seeks to empower students to take ownership of their learning, focusing on a sense of place and collaborative community & civic engagement.

Social & Emotional Wellness

The Upper School Counseling program is tailored to address the unique needs of the Upper School student as he or she develops independence, a stronger sense of self and identity, and personal values and goals in preparation for life both in Upper School and after graduation

Service Learning

At SCDS, students live by the motto "Service through Knowledge and Character," and that’s why community service is an essential component in the education of each Savannah Country Day student. Service learning helps students see the larger world of which they are a part and reinforces what is learned in the classroom.

Global Online Academy

GOA offers SCDS students the opportunity to learn alongside peers from around the world. GOA courses further enrich the Country Day experience by allowing students explore their passions with classes that are outside of the traditional course catalogue.

National Honor Society Inductions
National Honor Society Inductions

Congratulations to this year’s class of inductees in the National Honor Society, an organization that recognizes 11th and 12th students who have demonstrated accomplishments in the four pillars of scholarship, service, leadership, and character.

Class of 2026: Thomas Claiborne, Max Clements, Sarah Catherine Gilpin, Jillian Goldberg, Maeve Hecht, Eunjae Lee, William Sparks

Class of 2027: Oba Banjoko, Claudia Barrow, McKay Beck, Katherine Berg, Margaret Brennan, Frances Brock, Madison Bueno, Ansley Cheshire, Siri Desai, Reed Dulany, Alice Edwards, Tennyson Fitzgerald, Isabella Georgescu, Kensie Glass, Max Hamilton, Katherine Harlander, Layne Helmly, Caroline Hill, Kate Hunter, Juliette Jouffrault, Victoria King, Miles King, Jones Lane, Jack Lerch, Britt McCormick, Madison McCray, Tripp Milling, Andrew Montgomery, Amelia Moret, Charles Morris, Liam Murphy, Cindy Murray, Molly Osterloh, Seonghyun Park, Arthur Pereira Batista, Benjamin Perkins, Vada Peters, Ander Renelt, Chris Rizik, Bingham Salandi, Grace Smith, Finn Smith, Wesley Spencer, Harper Sywassink, Chase Turner, Edward Wallace, Virginia Grey White, Catherine Anne Whitfield, Chris Wynn, Ben Yoo, Elin Yoon
 

Student Attend Model UN Conference at Auburn University
Student Attend Model UN Conference at Auburn University

A group of Upper School students attended the fourth annual Auburn Model United Nations Invitational, where they represented different nations in committees simulating the UN General Assembly, a UN committee, and a crisis committee. Students discussed pressing global issues, including children’s digital privacy and the ongoing opioid crisis. Several students received awards for their outstanding performances: Sofía Padro Wiggins (UNGA Plenary – Argentina, Distinguished Delegation), Gaul Polansky (WHO – Japan, Distinguished Delegation), Carter Herman (NATO Crisis – Luxembourg, Honorable Delegation), and Theo McGuirk (NATO Crisis – Estonia, Most Diplomatic). Students also had the opportunity to hear from and ask questions of keynote speaker Douglas Coutts, a retired UN Resident Coordinator and senior advisor with extensive experience in international humanitarian initiatives. The experience challenged students to collaborate, negotiate, and develop resolutions in a realistic UN-style setting.

Stomp Rocket Launch
Stomp Rocket Launch

Honors Physics students took their study of projectile motion to new heights by designing and building air-powered stomp rockets using recycled plastic bottles, PVC pipe, and other common materials. They tested different launch angles and measured velocity and height to hit a 20-meter target. The hands-on project challenged students to apply physics principles in a creative and practical way, combining engineering, math, and problem-solving.

Quiz Bowl Team Success at East Georgia History Bowl
Quiz Bowl Team Success at East Georgia History Bowl

The Quiz Bowl team traveled to Commerce for the East Georgia History Bowl regional competition, where the Varsity team earned a spot in the National History Bowl this April. Representing SCDS were Suri Desai, Maggie Macfayden, Kharis Ott, Ben Perkins, Nate Pope, Roen Reames, Finn Taylor, Keating Taylor, and Grant Umbel. The students showcased strong collaboration and quick thinking throughout the event. We’re proud of their hard work and look forward to cheering them on at nationals!

Campus-Wide Kindness Day
Campus-Wide Kindness Day

Students across all divisions celebrated Global Kindness Day on November 14th, with activities focused on recognizing and spreading compassion throughout our community. Lower School classes held circle discussions and received Kindness Coins to encourage noticing acts of kindness. Middle School held a student-led assembly on the meaning and origins of Kindness Day, generating new ideas for how to recognize and acknowledge kindness. In the Upper School, students across different clubs hosted stations across campus for writing affirmations, sharing Kindness Coins, and creating notes of appreciation for our community.

Country Day students are prepared for whatever their path leads, learn more about our College Counseling program. 

COLLEGE COUNSELING