Saint George's School (Spokane, Washington)

Saint George's School
Address
2929 West Waikiki Road
Spokane, Washington 99208
United States
Information
School type Private school
Established 1955
Headmaster Jamie Tender
Grades K-12
Enrollment 371 (as of 2012-13)[1]
Student to teacher ratio 9
Campus type Rural
Color(s) Red, white, and black             
Mascot Dragon
Information (509) 466–1636
Website http://www.sgs.org

Saint George's School is one of only a few independent K-12 college preparatory schools in the Spokane, Washington region. The campus is located on 120 acres (0.49 km2) along the Little Spokane River. Saint George's School has a well balanced tradition of academic, artistic and athletic excellence. The school is consistently ranked in the top 100 for high schools in the United States.

History

Saint George's School was established in 1955 as St. George's Episcopal School on the former summer estate of Louis Davenport called Flowerfield. At that time there were 45 students in grades seven through nine. Initially, students were required to share space with the livestock in the stable while construction of the original school building was underway. By 1957, association with the episcopal church was severed and the school name was officially changed to Saint George's School. In June 1959, Saint George's held its first commencement exercises as nine seniors crossed graduation bridge to the music of the Angus Scott pipe band, a tradition that is honored to this day.

Today

Today, the Saint George's School campus consists of the Davenport House (the estate's original home), the Upper School, the Middle School, the Lower School, the Errol Schmidt Athletic Center (ESAC), Metters Gym, The Little Gym, the Lower School Art House, the Caretaker's Cottage, the maintenance cottage, and the maintenance building. Additionally, there are libraries in both the Lower School and the Upper School.

Saint George's is currently composed of 371 students in grades K-12. The student-to-teacher ratio is 8:1, 30% of students receive financial aid, and 15% of students are students of color.[1] Saint George's mission statement––inspiring scholars, athletes, and artists to serve and lead others––reflects the four traits which are emphasized throughout the school: honesty, respect, generosity of spirit, and best efforts.[1]

As a college preparatory school, every SGS graduating senior is accepted into and attends a four-year college or university. Its full-time college counselors work with students and parents beginning in eighth grade to ensure the "best fit" in the colleges selected by seniors. Every Saint George's senior takes the SAT or ACT college entrance examinations, and they consistently earn the highest mean scores of any school in the Spokane area. In 2010 and 2011, 75% of Saint George's students in grades 10-12 took at least one Advanced Placement (AP) course. Those students scored a 3, 4, or 5 on 82% of their exams, potentially earning college credit.[1]

In 2007, Bill and Melinda Gates were the featured speakers of Saint George's graduation.[2]

in 2016, Jamie Tender was appointed Head of School. He had previously been the Head of Middle School and Assistant Head for Advancement. He succeeded Joseph Kennedy (2011-2016).

In 2014, the school transitioned to the International Baccalaureate Program. In 2018, the school won the WIAA Scholastic Cup, recognizing its excellence in academics, arts, and athletics ([3]).

Notable events

2001

Eric Malm becomes a presidential scholar[4]

2007

Bill Gates' Commencement Speech

In 2007, Bill and Melinda Gates were the featured speakers of St. George's graduation. Gates was notably quoted as saying:

"Remember, the final measure of your life won't be how well you live, but how well others live, because of you."[2]

Activities

Saint George's consistently performs well at the statewide competition and the Knowledge Bowl, as well as recent success in debate competitions. Their chess team and robotics team have both won numerous awards. Dances, plays, and concerts are well-attended and involve the majority of the student body.

A multitude of traditions are celebrated at Saint George's, including a Dragon Dance on the lawn at the beginning of the year and the seniors walking across the graduation bridge to receive their diplomas. Great use is made of the campus' forest and the adjacent river, and students often organize hikes, rock climbing, and canoeing trips.

Athletics

Saint George's no-cut, championship athletic program allows all students to participate in competitive athletic pursuits. Teams compete in the Panorama League of Washington's WIAA Class 2B. Their mascot is the Dragon, and their colors are red and white.

Saint George's high school teams have won a total of 19 state championships, including:

  • Girls basketball: 3
  • Boys cross country: 1
  • Girls track and field: 1
  • Boys tennis: 2
  • Boys soccer: 2
  • Boys basketball: 1
  • Boys golf: 1
  • Girls golf: 1

In 2008, Saint George's won the Wells Fargo Scholastic Cup, a statewide honor for schools that recognizes outstanding performance in both academics and athletics. The school teams' performances at state competitions throughout 2007-08 and their high grade point averages earned Saint George's the Scholastic Cup for 2B schools.[5]

Demographics

Saint George's School is a racially and ethnically diverse educational environment. A diverse mix of Caucasian, Asian, Latino, and African-American students attend the school. 25% of Saint George's attendees are people of color. 30% of the students receive financial aid.[1]

Notable alumni

  • David Shannon (1978), author and illustrator of many notable children's books including No, David!

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Saint George's Academics". Saint George's School. Retrieved 2008-11-15.
  2. 1 2 Howell, Parker (2007-06-09). "Gates tells seniors to fight inequity: Bill and Melinda Gates speak at St. George's graduation". Spokesman Review. Retrieved 2008-11-15.
  3. ↑ http://wiaa.com/news.aspx?ID=603&Mon=6&Yr=2018
  4. ↑ ">"Presidential Scholars". Presidential Scholars Foundation. Archived from the original on 2011-07-22. Retrieved 2009-04-07.
  5. ↑ http://www.sgs.org/news-and-photos/detail.aspx?pageaction=ViewSinglePublic&LinkID=645&ModuleID=160&NEWSPID=28

Coordinates: 47°46′04″N 117°28′17″W / 47.76778°N 117.47139°W / 47.76778; -117.47139

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