Skylyner Magazine 2022

HEAD OF SCHOOL Rachel S. Deems

EDITOR Lee Healy

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Elodie Bouwmeester ’31

Emily Ledford ’22 Hayley Pickens

Lenora Sansbury

Vicky Strange

DESIGN

Phyllis Kido-Sadagursky

Lyons Graphics

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Jaime Wall, President

Alice Dawson, Vice President

Susan Bridges, Treasurer, Sustaining

Laura Stille, Secretary

Ned Page, Past President, Sustaining

Elaine Freeman, Trustee Emerita

Marjorie Boafo Appiah*

Vic Bailey III, Sustaining

Anna Blanton**

Bear Boyd

Sheila Cash, Ex Officio

Justin Converse ’92

Rachel Deems, Ex Officio

Rick Dent, Jr. ’65, Sustaining

Alex Evins ’76, Sustaining

Barney Gosnell

William Gray ’00, Alumni Council Dr. Sharda Jackson-Smith David Johnson

Mimi Killoren, Ex Officio Stacy McBride

Dr. Chuck Morrow, Jr. ’85*

Raj Patel** Elizabeth Rabb

Lenora Sansbury, Parents’ Community Representative** Michel Stone

Mark VanGeison*

Charlotte Verreault, Sustaining Billy Webster, Sustaining Jared Wilson

*Concluding term, 2021–22 **New term, 2022–23

CONTACT US 864-582-7539

Admissions admissions@sdsgriffin.org Alumni alumni@sdsgriffin.org

Make a Gift mimi.killoren@sdsgriffin.org

Magazine communications@sdsgriffin.org

OUR MISSION

To provide a superior educational experience, in a community of trust, that prepares students for a life well lived.

4

FARM TO (GRIFFINS) TABLE

Under new leadership from the Griffins Table and owners Joel and Lenora Sansbury, food service in the dining commons is increasingly focused on fresh, farm to table ingredients, many harvested straight from the Griffins Garden.

On the cover: Theatre students take the stage in All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten. Photo by Wendy McCarty Photography.

LEGACY OF LEADERSHIP

Spartanburg Day School’s seventh head of school, Rachel Deems, will complete her 11th and final year at SDS in 2022–23.

18

STANDING ON THE THRESHOLD

With 16.45 newly acquired acres added, school leaders take a look at long-term campus planning to carry SDS into the future.

Jonathan Williams and Paige Phillips assumed new leadership roles at SDS as Head of Lower School and Interim Head of Upper School, respectively.

Departments

A FITTING FAREWELL AND A NEW BEGINNING

A new theatre building and performance space is in the works and will be constructed on the SDS campus in the near future. The facility will be named for longtime theatre teacher Valerie Barnet.

… that a decade goes by quickly when you are doing what you love to do with people who share a common vision. Embracing my 11th and final year with our Day School community will be a time to complete strategic priorities that will position our school for future years, and it will also be a time to reflect and to share my gratitude for the work of so many who have made the Day School what it is today.

I still remember the moment I knew I wanted to be a Griffin. Sitting in the Cannon Conference Room with Upper School students who were a part of the 2011 head of school search process, I listened to them describe their Day School experience—their faculty, their experiences as artists, musicians, athletes, scientists, learners, leaders, and most of all their joy—their unabashed joy and deep connection to this place. They shared their hopes for the school and asked some pretty tough interview questions. Wherever I was in my thinking about the Day School head search up until that point, I left that room thinking it would be the opportunity of a lifetime to learn with these students and to contribute to their experience and to all the students who would follow after them. They were my number one reason for saying “yes” to the Day School.

All these years later, it is still the students who are at the center of why I am a Griffin. Supporting their experiences, creating a place where they will prepare for the future and where connections are made with an exceptional faculty is a personal and professional calling. I look forward to every Griffin moment in the year ahead and to celebrating our success with each of you.

Rachel S. Deems Head of School

I would tell you…

Griffin Days

COMMUNITY

PARENTS’

• MAR. 19

AUCTION

Parents’ Community’s first post-pandemic auction certainly lived up to its name. The “Party Like it’s 2019” event was a grand success with fantastic live music, delicious food, amazing auction items and good company.

6TH GRADE BALL • MAR. 16

The sixth grade ball is one of the most memorable nights for Middle School students. Throughout the year, students participate in ballroom dancing lessons, then put on their best dancing shoes to showcase their new moves in front of friends and family.

100TH DAY • FEB. 3

Lower School students celebrate 100 days of learning by dressing in their centenarian attire and participating in activities throughout the day.

STUDIES

SPECIAL

WEEK • FEB. 28–MAR. 4

Upper School students took a break from the classroom during Special Studies Week for experiential learning, including photography in Nashville, racing cars at BMW, cooking new foods and participating in community service.

FIELD DAY • MAY 19

Field Day is always the best summer sendoff! Between sack racing, tugof-war, sponge pass and relay races, students showed they are always ready for a little friendly competition.

APR. 14

Green-thumbed Parents’ Community volunteers had hundreds of heirloom tomato plants, peppers, herbs and vegetables for sale, just in time for shoppers to plant a summer vegetable garden.

4TH GRADE TED TALKS • MAY 13

At SDS, public speaking is a tool students learn very early on. In fourth grade, students pick a topic they are passionate about, research it and present the topic in a persuasive speech in front of their families and teachers.

Students

character and the essence of the Griffin community.

THE LOVE?”

“WHERE’S

DODGEBALL GAME • FEB. 14

Middle School students (and teachers!) celebrate Valentine’s Day by participating in a friendly, but fierce, dodgeball tournament.

GRADUATION • MAY 27

Surrounded by family, friends and faculty, 44 students gathered in the Stone Gym for one last time and graduated as the Class of 2022.

SPIRIT OF THE GRIFFIN ASSEMBLY • APR. 28

from kindergarten to seniors gathered in the gym to celebrate the Spirit of the Griffin Assembly, held annually to recognize individuals who embody excellence,

PARENTS’ COMMUNITY PLANT SALE •

The eighth grade goes tech-free! Students spend the school day without devices then they come together after school to enjoy inflatables, dinner and games!

FLAG THE LAWN • NOV. 11

4S TURKEY TROT • NOV. 18

These 4s turkeys trotted around the school to celebrate Thanksgiving and continue this beloved tradition at SDS.

Sponsored by the Interact Club, SDS students purchased flags and placed them in front of Presnell to honor veterans on Veterans Day. All proceeds were donated to the Upstate Warrior Solution.

• SEPT. 30

The kindergarten classes, and the school’s newest readers, proudly marched around campus to cheers and applause from students and teachers alike.

• MAY 25

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Lower Schoolers came together to showcase their many talents. From dancers to singers, hoverboarding to martial arts, these Griffins have serious confidence and talent!

• OCT. 29

Halloween at the Day School is like no other! Following the parade, Upper School students decorated vehicles and made impressive creations for the Lower and Middle Schoolers to “trunk or treat” for some sweet treats!

MIDDLE

SCHOOL TRIPS • MAR. 22–25

Middle School trips are an opportunity for team building and camaraderie. Pictured, seventh graders visited Colonial Williamsburg where they learned about blacksmithing, played colonial games, visited the capitol building, and more.

SENIOR DAY • APR. 28

All students and faculty gathered to celebrate the Class of 2022 as they paraded through the school in their caps and gowns. After, the seniors signed a banner declaring their college choices.

LOWER SCHOOL TALENT SHOW • APR.

HALLOWEEN CELEBRATION

PROM

A night to remember! Sophomores, juniors and seniors gathered at the Country Club of Spartanburg to show off their dazzling prom looks and dance the night away!

WE ARE READERS PARADE

Cultivating a Passion for the Earth

By Lenora Sansbury

The growing “farm to table” movement promotes meals made with locally grown and locally sourced foods and products. This was our vision when Joel and I opened the Farmers Table back in 2012 when the Spartanburg market was lacking a solely locally sourced restaurant. As our business has grown and evolved over the last decade into a food truck and now a school food service, that farm to table passion has remained true to our hearts.

In 2018 we joined Spartanburg Day School as parents. From the first moment we walked the halls of SDS we felt an overwhelming sense of community and student engagement. We were welcomed with open arms by teachers and fellow parents, and our children thrived here both emotionally and academically under great leadership and curriculum. We quickly began to feel part of a family and saw ourselves expanding our roots here.

We joined into a partnership with SDS to take over food service in the dining commons just

prior to the onset of the pandemic. School food service was not a new concept for us; however no one was prepared for how COVID-19 would impact this industry. With constant support from school leadership, we were able to adapt and maintain a consistent level of service to students and faculty. Our first year was a sea of 400+ boxed lunches per day. Orders were taken in advance, and a full system of delivery was established.

During our second year, food service returned to a more normal atmosphere with students eating in the dining commons for lunch. However, the challenges of the food industry had just begun. Food shortages, inability to maintain staffing and cost increases for food and paper products became a huge challenge. In the last two years, the cost of maintaining quality food has risen exponentially.

Due to these changes and aligning ourselves with our original passion, we established the Griffins Garden in the current SDS garden

space. We have expanded upon the foundation that was already in place by adding a greenhouse and additional raised beds. Since the summer of 2021 we have been planting and harvesting a wide variety of fruits and vegetables from the garden to serve in the dining commons. We use 100 percent organic gardening practices when cultivating the crops.

Student involvement in the garden has crossed all divisions, from preschoolers picking strawberries to Lower and Middle School students planting vegetables and Upper School students weeding and preparing beds for planting. We love to see the students planting and picking the food that they will be eating for lunch. Learning where your food comes from is such an important lesson to teach.

Post-pandemic we were also able to create handson kitchen learning workshops available to students both during Camp Griffin and as part of the Extended Day program. Students get real experience measuring ingredients and

Garden Vegetable Bruschetta Recipe by: Lenora Sansbury

Preparation

Ingredients

Garden Pesto

3 cups packed basil leaves

1 cup parsley 1 cup cilantro 2 cloves garlic

1 shallot 1 cup parmesan cheese (or a vegan cheese substitute)

3/4 cup nuts (pine nuts, walnuts, almonds or pecans—optional)

3/4–1 cup olive oil Salt & pepper to taste

Bruschetta

preparing recipes. They build their confidence in the kitchen and in themselves. Lessons even include using items harvested from the garden.

As we look to the future of our partnership, we want to continue expansion of the Griffins Garden—adding a growing orchard, garden irrigation, additional raised beds, fruit vines and a community learning space. We will continue to offer farm to table learning experiences that spark creativity and growth.

Throughout these last few years SDS has become our home. It is truly a pleasure to come to work every day and stand alongside the SDS staff creating a place of belonging for our students. Joel has found his calling in coaching both cross country and track. The players speak volumes about the impact he has had on their lives but truly the impact is how they have changed him. Our family is thankful for the opportunity to be a part of something so special. We hope to continue our growth here for many years to come.

Above left: Joel Sansbury and Middle School helpers harvest radishes for the Griffins Table salad bar.

Right: Lenora Sansbury serves up fresh food (and smiles!) to hungry students.

Garden Pesto

1. Coarsely chop the parsley and cilantro.

2. Mince garlic.

3. Chop shallot.

4. Place all ingredients (except the oil) in food processor and blend until smooth.

5. Slowly add in the oil through the top of the food processor until pesto reaches your desired consistency.

6. Season with salt & pepper to taste.

Bruschetta

1. Cut bell peppers in half. Cut squash and zucchini into long strips lengthwise. Place on a sheet tray.

2. Drizzle vegetables with oil and season with salt & pepper.

3. Roast for 15 minutes at 350 degrees until just tender.

2 jalapeños 2 bell peppers 5 tomatoes 2 yellow squashes 2 zucchinis 1 cucumber 1 small red onion 1/4 cup fresh lemon or lime juice 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 1 large sprig fresh rosemary Handful of fresh dill Salt & pepper Oil of your choice Baguette bread or glutenfree loaf Goat cheese (optional)

4. While the vegetables roast, dice the jalapeños, tomatoes, cucumber and red onion into bite-size pieces and set aside.

5. Finely chop the rosemary and dill.

6. In a small bowl whisk together the citrus juice, red wine vinegar, rosemary, dill and salt and pepper.

7. Slice the baguette bread into handheld pieces. Drizzle with oil and salt & pepper. Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees or until crisp with a crunch.

8. Once roasted vegetables are cool enough to touch, cut into bite-size pieces same as the raw vegetables.

9. Add both raw and roasted vegetables to a large bowl. Cover with juice mixture and toss to coat.

10. To assemble bruschetta, take a toasted baguette slice and spread the garden pesto on it. Top with a spoonful of vegetables.

11. If desired, sprinkle the top with goat cheese. Enjoy!

MEET OUR NEW DIVISION HEADS

Jonathan Williams, Head of Lower School

Jonathan Williams is an experienced and passionate educator with nearly a decade of classroom and school leadership experience. Prior to joining SDS in August, Williams served as assistant head of school for academics and school culture at Bishop Walker School for Boys in Washington, D.C. Williams previously served as a fourth and fifth grade teacher in the D.C. area and abroad in Doha, Qatar.

Williams earned a bachelor’s degree from Morehouse College and will complete a master’s of education in independent school leadership from the notable Klingenstein Center Teachers College at Columbia University this December.

“It is an honor and privilege to be joining the Spartanburg Day School community,” Williams said. “From my very first phone call, I knew there was something special about this community. That became obvious once I met the caring and thoughtful parents, wonderful faculty, and, of course, the amazing students that grace the halls of the Lower School. I look forward to learning and growing with the entire SDS community, and I’m excited for the opportunity to lead the Lower School.”

Head of School Rachel Deems noted that during the search process, Williams was described as a tireless worker, an advocate for faculty, and a connector of people.

“Jonathan Williams brings an energy and passion for the education of young children that will be a wonderful complement to the mission of our school and to the teaching philoso phy for which our Lower School is known and respected,” Deems said. “I look forward to his leadership in the Lower School and to his contributions to our leadership team.”

Williams is an active member of the community, serving and volunteering for a variety of organizations including 100 Black Men of Greater Washington, D.C., Meals on Wheels, and Toys for Tots. He and his wife, Seshmi, are proud parents to two young daughters, Taylor, 4, and Brooke, 2.

Q&A with Mr. Williams

By Elodie Bouwmeester ’31

What is your favorite color and why is it your favorite?

Purple. Growing up, my family always did and said things to me that were meant to build my sense of self, identity and confidence. One of the things they would repeatedly tell me was that I was a king and a descendant of royalty. When I found out that purple was the color of royalty and that kings and queens wore it, it became my favorite color.

If you could be an animal, what animal would you be and why?

I would be an elephant because they are large and majestic animals, however despite their size, they are very gentle, caring and loving creatures. They are also known to have great memories, something that I could benefit from having.

What do you like to do with your family in your free time?

In our free time we love to vacation, preferably somewhere next to a beach with clear water. If we’re not vacationing, we like to enjoy the company of friends and family. We eat together, play games and make jokes. Anything to have a good time! We also love a movie night!

What is your favorite day of the week and why?

Fun Fri-yay! is my favorite day of the week because it’s the start of the weekend and weekends are for rest, relaxation and rejuvenation!

What do you love about being a Head of Lower School?

I love being the Head of Lower School because I get to work and collaborate with an amazing community of people. I get to listen to people’s hopes and dreams and create structures that help build our school community into a space that is warm, inviting and enjoyable for all!

Paige Phillips, Interim Head of Upper School

Paige Phillips brings 28 years of experience in education to her new role as interim head of Upper School, including 12 years in both leadership and teaching roles at the Day School. Before her appointment, she served as Upper School dean of students since 2017.

After receiving a bachelor’s degree in elementary education, Phillips went on to earn a master’s degree in secondary administration and supervision from Converse University. Merits include three Teacher of the Year awards over the course of her career, most recently in 2019 when she was named SDS’s Larrabee Endowed Chair.

“I am honored to have the opportunity to lead the Upper School,” Phillips said. “The Day School has played an essential role in my professional journey, and I remain deeply committed to this community. I believe everyone should have the opportunity to grow and learn in an environment where each person shares a genuine sense of belonging and invests in academic rigor.”

“We are fortunate to have someone who is known and trusted and who will bring ajn immediate understanding of the mission of the Day School to her work as a division head and as a leadership team member,” said Head of School Rachel Deems. “Paige is respected by her colleagues, students, and their families. She is a relationship builder and excellent communicator. An internal succession during a time of transition is a notable strength of our school and an indication of the progression of Paige’s own educational journey and her commitment to the Day School.”

Phillips calls SDS a “second home” to her family, including wife Ashli (head coach of SDS’s state championship swim teams) and their children Wren, sixth grade, and Sam, who will graduate with the SDS Class of 2023.

“The sense of belonging we feel is my hope for every student and family who steps onto our campus,” she said.

Q&A with Mrs. Phillips

By Emily Ledford ’23

What is your favorite part of your job?

My favorite part of my job has always been interaction with students. Students keep things interesting all the time, and I love that each day brings something new. Being able to have a first-row seat to all the incredible things our students accomplish—big and small—is really special.

What are you most excited about for next year and your new job?

I am most excited about working with the Upper School faculty and staff to expand upon our existing foundation. Student-centered learning is very important. As we continue to transition back to a pre-Covid, more traditional school experience, I am looking forward to having the opportunity to collaborate with faculty and staff to focus on programming that bolsters learning outcomes, drives student achievement, offers experiences that promote social-emotional efficacy, and nurtures a continued positive culture.

How would you describe yourself in three words?

Gosh, that’s a tough question to answer. Creative. Determined. Passionate—or stubborn—not sure which is the more accurate answer. :)

What would your perfect day look like?

I’d love to spend a day with my Grandmothers. Both have passed away. I’d be thrilled to take them to lunch and have a long porch talk afterward. I would love the opportunity to ask them all the questions I didn’t ask as a younger woman. They had VERY different personalities, but each was kind, smart and strong, and I have such fond memories of the time we spent together over the years. They taught me to work hard, and love unconditionally. I miss them both terribly and have great respect for each.

What is your favorite tradition at the Day School and why? Halloween celebration. Because it’s a schoolwide event, it speaks to our mission and allows the whole community to unwind and enjoy a morning of togetherness and fun. In the Upper School, there is always lots of excitement and teamwork leading up to the parade and trunk-or-treating. I also really enjoy seeing the cross-divisional interaction where our younger students pair up with their Middle School buddies and stop by the decked-out Upper School trunks to pick up treats. It’s a feel-good day!

What is something not many people know about you?

I am a pretty open book, but I really enjoy baking when I can find the time, and I have recently acquired a fondness for fly-fishing. That would be another answer to the “perfect day” question. Fly-fishing with my family in Montana would be a pretty incredible day, too!

Legacy of Leadership

By Lee Healy

RACHEL DEEMS, SPARTANBURG DAY SCHOOL’S SEVENTH HEAD OF SCHOOL AND FIRST EVER FEMALE HEAD, ANNOUNCED IN NOVEMBER THAT AFTER MORE THAN A DECADE OF LEADERSHIP THE 2022–23 YEAR WOULD BE HER LAST.

Over a decade of leadership, Rachel Deems has overseen groundbreaking enrollment growth, raised millions of dollars in benefit to Spartanburg Day School, led the community through an unprecedented global pandemic and made countless pivotal decisions, all for one common purpose: the students.

JULY 2012

Rachel Deems begins as SDS’s seventh (and first female) head of school.

AUGUST 2012

3s program added to preschool offerings

AUGUST 2016

SDS launches a complete rebrand with new messaging and visuals.

OCTOBER 2016

East Campus enhancements complete, including the opening of the Bob Allsbrook Tennis Complex.

AUGUST 2018

2s program added to preschool offerings

SUMMER 2019

The Mildred Harrison Dent Fine Arts Center undergoes significant upgrades to the gallery and classroom spaces.

FEBRUARY

2020

Vision 2022 Endowment campaign launched, resulting in more than $17 million in donations to the endowment over the course of two years.

MARCH 2020

SDS closes campus and shifts to distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.

AUGUST 2020

With recordbreaking enrollment, the SDS campus reopens with new health and safety measures in place.

MARCH 2021

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Steering Committee formed

Deems still recalls a meeting with student leaders during the 2011 Head of School selection process. It was their passion and deep connection to their academic home that ultimately drove her decision to accept the position as SDS’s first female head of school and its seventh overall. Now, as she enters her 11th and final year at the helm, Deems will lead a transition plan that, above all, places the school in a position of strength to continue supporting the growth of young learners.

“This decision comes at a time when the Day School is in a strong position for a transition,” Deems said. “Enrollment is at its highest in almost 20 years, the endowment has surpassed strategic goals and the faculty are among the most talented, creative and committed professionals with whom I have had the pleasure of working alongside. Our next head of school will be able to capitalize on these strengths as we partner together toward a successful transition in leadership.”

NOVEMBER 2021

Deems

departure after decade of leadership.

APRIL 2022

Head of School Rachel Deems is all smiles with kindergarten students on the playground.

announces

Valerie M. Barnet Theatre project announced.

Deems’s career in education spans 43 years, including more than 23 years in independent schools. Prior to joining SDS in July 2012, she served as head of school at The Westfield School in Georgia and as director of development at Stratford Academy, also in Georgia. The list of accomplishments during her 11 years as a Griffin is impressive.

“While we have accomplished much during this past decade, none of it compares to the daily work of our faculty who have provided an exceptional preschool–12th grade education and experience for their students,” Deems said. “They, and all who work alongside them, are committed to the mission of SDS and to the fulfillment of that mission in every student.”

OF NOTE

“The SAIS board selected Rachel to receive the Distinguished Service Award this year. Rachel is both kind and thoughtful, while also very strategic and aware of the challenges facing our schools. I know that her colleagues around the region and the country find her unfailingly supportive and a source of both good advice and empathy.”

Future Forward

SECURING THE FUTURE

Overseeing the growth of the school’s endowment from $4 million to approximately $38 million.

INCREASING ENROLLMENT

With strategic and steady growth, enrollment is at its highest in more than 20 years and retention percentages top national averages. In 2022–23, SDS welcomed more than 530 students, including 90+ new students, topping the school’s three-year average.

“The Day School will forever be grateful for the transformative leadership that Rachel provided over the last 11 years. As a result of her dedication and hard work, our school is in a very strong and enviable position, especially with regard to our enrollment and endowment. Her calm yet steady leadership, together with her poise and grace, saw us through the many challenges that an independent school faced over the last years. Thank you, Rachel, for the impact you have made on the lives of our students and future generation of Griffins; you will be missed.”

CHARLOTTE VERREAULT, BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEMBER, FORMER PARENT

Debra Wilson, SAIS (Southern Association of Independent Schools) President

*

An Unwavering Commitment to Service

Board of Trustees President Jaime Wall thanked Deems for her years of service.

“We are grateful to have a leader who champions academics, athletics and the arts, successfully attracts and retains a high-quality faculty, and embodies and promotes SDS’s mission and values in all her endeavors. On behalf of the entire Spartanburg Day School community, I extend my heartfelt appreciation to Rachel for her exceptional service,” Wall said. “As a result of Rachel’s efforts, SDS has a phenomenally strong

foundation and the organizational capabilities to ensure her successor is in a superb position to capitalize on our tremendous momentum.”

Reflecting on her time at SDS, Deems gave high praise to the commitment and quality of the faculty and to all within the Griffin community who share a desire for continued improvement and are committed to a strategic vision for the future. It will be the people—teachers, students, parents, alumni and supporters—she says she will miss most following her departure in June.

She will fondly remember cherished Griffin traditions—Halloween, homecoming, the Spirit of the Griffin assembly—and the simplicities of the day, like a beautiful sunrise over the soccer field or greeting students at morning carpool.

“Being a Griffin is a treasure—a treasure to secure for our current students and for future generations,” Deems said. “I will always cherish my years as a Griffin, and I look forward to personally sharing my profound gratitude to our community in the months ahead.”

Championing Athletics and the Arts

ATHLETICS

Overseeing the growth of and success in athletics with teams winning 32 state championships. Navigating four years of national and international media while supporting a high-profile Division 1 recruit and the No. 1 NBA draft choice.

THE ARTS

Renovating the Mildred H. Dent Fine Arts Center and increasing endowed funds to support fine arts and fine arts scholarships. Announcing plans for a new theatre and performance space on the SDS campus.

“Rachel has brought energy, grace and her unique positive style to ole SDS, and it shows. All good. She is such a hard worker and her developmental skills are unmatched. Her tenure at Spartanburg Day has not been without challenges, but she has risen to the task and our school is better off as a result… Bravo.”

BILLY BLACKFORD ’75

FORMER BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEMBER, FORMER PARENT

Professional basketball player Zion Williamson ’18 and Rachel Deems on the evening of Williamson’s commitment to Duke University in January 2018.

A Caring Role Model

Fond reflections from a former Griffin, Nina Srivastava ’15

I first met Mrs. Deems in 2011 when I was a freshman in high school on the student search committee for our new head of school, and I remember being so excited when I learned that there was a woman in the mix. As SDS’s first female head, she was the first woman in leadership that I saw close-up in my own life, and her appointment was an inspiration to me that I, too, could one day hold a role like hers! Mrs. Deems will be remembered at SDS for her fundraising successes and her broad engagement with the Spartanburg community, but I will always remember her as someone who cared first and foremost about the students. In her first year here, she gamely agreed to a bet with (former Head of Upper School) Mr. MacMullan when their alma maters (Alabama and Notre Dame, respectively) met in the College Football Championship. (Luckily for her, Alabama won, and she didn’t have to sing the Notre Dame fight song in front of the entire Upper School). When my brother’s bus broke down on the way back from a Lower School field trip, Mrs. Deems was outside late at night making sure all the kids transferred safely to a new bus. More than ten years after I met her, Mrs. Deems is still as invested in my success today as she was in 2012—eagerly asking for career and life updates every time I see her—just as she has invested in SDS’s success beyond her time here. We’ve been lucky to have her.

From top to bottom: Rachel Deems with longtime Assistant to the Head of School Vicky Strange; Deems and the Griffin faculty during professional development; Ken and Rachel Deems as Prince Charming and Cinderella during her first Halloween celebration at SDS.

“From the very first day Rachel Deems entered the doors of Spartanburg Day School, I was witness to a master at work to ensure the success not only of students and faculty, but every member of the Day School family. She engaged in community activities and won the admiration of many. She built friendships because she knows exactly how to be a sincere friend. She used her time and effort to help others grow and prosper. She gave of herself quietly and unselfishly, but with deep determination to keep us all safe and secure. Thank you for giving the best of yourself to the Day School family and to the Spartanburg community. I salute you with great admiration and appreciation.”

VICKY STRANGE, RETIRED ASSISTANT TO THE HEAD OF SCHOOL

Athletics

Lucky #7

The Road to a Record-Breaking Year for Griffin Athletics

By Hayley Pickens, Fourth Grade Teacher

The number seven is often considered lucky. But ask anyone associated with Spartanburg Day School athletics, and they will tell you there is much more than luck behind the seven state championship trophies their teams brought home in the 2021–22 year.

A wall in Crowley Concourse displays 2021–22 state champion ship plaques for girls and boys tennis, girls and boys swim, boys cross country, boys basketball and boys golf. Plaques on display throughout the concourse date back to the early 2000s. However, 2021–22 proved to be a year for the record books with the most state championships in one year in Griffin history.

“These championship games were so fun and exciting to watch. Many were won by the skin of their teeth, but these athletes stepped up and showed extreme grit and determination to bring home their trophy,” said Athletic Director Joy Couch.

When asked what the formula for success this year was, Couch replied, “A strong senior class with the support of a strong underclassman group, our coaches’ commitment, and I truly believe success breeds success.”

Since Couch began her tenure as director of athletics at SDS in 2018, she has built a relationship with the admissions office as interest in athletic programs has risen. Couch works closely with admissions to find that “perfect Day School fit,” meaning a student who is driven in the classroom as well as on a field, track or court.

“This is a perfect place for those students: ones who are looking for many ways to be a part of a school community,” says Couch.

Coaches built teams from a variety of grades and ability levels, and, with developmental programs now in place starting in third grade, Couch said she sees future

Griffin star athletes rising from Middle and even Lower grades.

Boys and Girls Tennis Coach Bob Allsbrook won his third state championship in a row for the boys team and second for the girls.

“We definitely work these athletes hard, because we believe in them and know they can handle it,” he said.

Tennis player Kelly Killoren ’22 said, “Coach Bob always pushed us to be our best and I will always remember his encouraging words that led us to a trophy.”

Allsbrook went on to say that many of his players continue to play in the off-season, which helps keep their game fresh and improving. Coaches set clear and high expectations of these athletes from the beginning and hold them accountable.

“SDS swimmers know they need to be giving their best effort every day as well as being a good teammate,” says Boys and Girls Swim Coach Ashli Gaines on the expectations she sets for her teams. “They appreciate these clear expectations and being held accountable.”

Coaches put in countless hours, not only at practices and games, but off the court or field as they strategize different ways to position the best players or athletes.

“The week before the state swim meet, my dining room table was covered with papers,” says Gaines. “We had to be very strategic with the boys team and everything had to play out perfectly. The kids really stepped up and pulled it off.”

Philosopher William Durant coined the phrase “success breeds success,” and that certainly rings true for Griffin Athletics.

“I think teams really fed off of each other, saw each other’s success, and it became contagious as this year’s athletic season progressed,” Couch said, noting that four out of the seven teams to win championships were played in the fall, one in the winter, and two in the spring.

“Once you win,” Gaines said, “you get hungry to stay on top and it shows you that you can.”

School Athletics: Griffin Athletics is continuing to build on its championship programs, and in 2021–22, that meant launching developmental after-school programs for Lower School students. Programs were offered for basketball, soccer, volleyball and tennis to allow our rising Griffin athletes the opportunity to learn and grow as competitors and teammates.

Raegan Cash will play soccer for Converse University.

Kaif Surka will play soccer for Converse University. Jed Howie will play baseball at the University of South Carolina Union.

Lower

Collegiate Athletes: Following successful careers as Griffins, three senior athletes committed to playing at the collegiate level.

Girls Golf: Spartanburg Day School’s inaugural girls golf team, led by Coach Amanda Jennings, teed off in the fall of 2021. Congratulations on an exciting first season!

Homecoming: Griffins past and present turned out to cheer on our Homecoming basketball teams against Greenwood Christian.

Standing on the Threshold

A Master Plan for the Future of Spartanburg Day School

Spartanburg Day School is planning for the future. With the announcement of a new theatre, a land purchase, and several grade levels—including all of preschool—at capacity with no room to grow, the school has enlisted an architectural firm to develop a comprehensive master plan to address future needs.

“We’re standing on the threshold of the next era for the Day School,” said Head of School Rachel Deems. “Thoughtful design and purposeful use of our resources will support the education and experience of our students for decades to come.”

In June, a donor made a gift to SDS that enabled the purchase of 16.45 acres. The wooded land borders the west side of campus—currently a buffer between the school and neighboring businesses along Skylyn Drive— and stretches from the road to the back border of the school’s property.

“Donors who have seen the vision of the future and who have given so generously to acquire the land and build the new theatre help us set the stage for the Day School of the future,” Deems said.

The master planning process began in the summer of 2022 and is expected to be completed by the end of the calendar year. McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture is leading the project.

“Master planning is a key ingredient to developing a sustainable organization,” said William Gray, Principal and Spartanburg Office Director for McMillan Pazdan Smith. “As institutions grow and evolve, master planning tends to create a framework within which the campus can align its physical resources with its overall mission and strategic plan.”

Gray, a 2000 graduate of SDS, explained that the multiphase master planning process will consist of information gathering, visioning, needs assessment and cost analysis before the final plan is presented.

“There will be multiple opportunities for engagement,” Gray said, “and we are looking forward to learning more from the SDS family.”

The wooded land borders the west side of campus—currently a buffer between the school and neighboring businesses along Skylyn Drive.

“

Thoughtful design and purposeful use of our resources will support the education and experience of our students for decades to come.”

R ACHEL DEEMS, HEAD OF SCHOOL

Above: Retiring theatre teacher Valerie Barnet.

Opposite page: Conceptual rendering of the new Valerie M. Barnet Theatre.

“I’m positively overwhelmed and filled with joy for the future of the theatre program at the Spartanburg Day School.”

VALERIE M. BARNET

A Fitting Farewell, and a New Beginning

Announcing the Valerie M. Barnet Theatre

The spring play’s final performance culminated with an exciting surprise announcement for a brand-new black box theatre to be built on the SDS campus, creating a dedicated performance space for all students to explore drama, music, public speaking and more. The building will be named in honor of longtime SDS theatre teacher Valerie M. Barnet.

The announcement coincided with Barnet’s final production at SDS before retirement after 17 years and 30-plus plays and performances as a theatre teacher. Family, friends, students and former students, and other members of the Spartanburg Day School community were in attendance for the reveal and a reception following the show.

“I’m positively overwhelmed and filled with joy for the future of the theatre program at the Spartanburg Day School,” Barnet said. “This long-awaited performance space will give students the valuable opportunity to

explore the art form of theatre. In addition, they will have hands-on experience with a multitude of backstage skills. I cannot wait to see the productions in the beautiful new space, and I am beyond excited for this venture.”

The project gained momentum following a lead gift from the Barnet family honoring Valerie’s birthday. The family was joined by other generous contributors eager to celebrate her commitment to the Day School and to a new space for performance and learning.

“It’s exciting to celebrate Valerie’s special birthday and honor her long tenure of teaching drama by seeing her family and friends underwrite a much-needed theatre facility that will benefit the students of the Day School for generations to come,” said Bill Barnet, Valerie’s husband.

As of the close of the fiscal year in June, fundraising efforts

currently totaled $2.23 million in gifts and in-kind donations and are ongoing as school leaders work to finalize the theatre’s location on campus and its design. McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture has been retained for the project and provided a conceptual rendering for Thursday’s event. Also announced were plans to name a lobby and gallery space within the theatre for retired SDS Fine Arts Center Coordinator Nancy Corbin.

“We are so excited to announce this much-needed, artistic and functional addition to our campus—one that will support programs for current and future Griffins across all three divisions,” said Head of School Rachel Deems. “There could not be a more fitting tribute to Valerie, who for years has guided our students to express themselves, gain confidence and develop a love for the performing arts. We look forward to celebrating many great performances in

Left: The cast of All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten—Valerie Barnet’s final production at SDS.

Far left center (l–r): Bill Barnet, Valerie Barnet, Nancy Corbin and Mike Corbin on the evening the theatre project was announced in April 2022.

Far left below: Chloe Hujik ’26

Arts

Kabuki Dancers, Feb. 10: In celebration of Black History month, the Kabuki dancers paid SDS a lively visit. Kindergarten through 12th grades learned about the history of hip-hop. Dancers pulled students (and faculty!) to the dance floor during grade-level demonstrations and workshops.

9: Works

a beautiful splash of color to the Dent Gallery in the fall. Rausch’s “Color Shape Contour” was displayed in the Mildred H. Dent Fine Arts Center as the first exhibit of the year, and beautifully represented how viewers see an object.

Spring Band Concert, April 13: The band’s spring concert was music to our ears! The concert and jazz bands and drumline, along with the Upper School chorus, never fail to impress.

the new theatre in honor of Valerie’s influence at the Day School. I am grateful for her family and all the donors who are making it possible.”

Sam Mitchell, coordinator of the Mildred Harrison Dent Fine Arts Center, said a dedicated theatre facility is a long-wished-for need.

“To say I am excited about the theatre is an understatement,” Mitchell said. “Concepts and plans for a theatre have bubbled up over the 16 years that I have been at SDS. To see it come to life will include the passion, hard work and artistic vision of many whom I’ve worked with and many more who came before me. Turning on the stage lights will be a shining example and a testament to the perseverance and a collective love of many for the performing arts.”

Permanent Collection: Since the 1980s, Spartanburg Day School’s permanent art collection has served as an always-growing, alwaysevolving testament to the talent and rich creativity of the visual arts program. The collection grows every year as new pieces are added and displayed throughout the school.

In 2022, the following pieces were added:

1) Melia Foster, 12th grade

2) Ryan Bopp, 11th grade

3) Jenesis Lee, 6th grade

4) Millie Pouge, 1st grade

5) Sarah Halstead, 8th grade

Color Shape Contour exhibit reception, Sept.

by artist Katherine Rausch added

Annual

ENDOWMENTS

General Endowment Fund $2,413,337 Larrabee Endowment Fund 825,971

Mildred Harrison Dent Endowment for the Arts 741,945

Trowbridge Endowment Fund 148,781 Talbot Halbach-Merz Endowment 77,519

Mildred H. Dent Endowed Faculty Chair 1,212,869

Vicky Strange Faculty Fund 74,194

Merrie and Gary Clark Faculty Training Endowment Fund 819,199

Roger Milliken Visiting Fellows Endowment Fund 64,424 Harkness Table Endowed Speaker Series 31,270

Griffin Legacy I 2,145,888

Griffin Legacy II 6,637,868

Vision 2020 9,926,695 Dorrance Garden Fund 29,851

Dick Barnes Band 28,603 Dent Fine Arts Building Maintenance 44,807

Total Endowment $25,223,221

ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIPS

Spartanburg Day School Scholarship Fund $1,434,392

Alumni Memorial Endowed Scholarship Fund 28,147

Mike R. Johnson Scholarship Fund 231,015

Roger Milliken Scholarship Fund 128,787

Ben Stone Scholarship Fund 100,771

Elaine Freeman Scholarship Fund 182,632

Jo Woodyard Scholarship Fund 11,153

Christopher A. Dorrance Scholarship Fund 40,828

Gantt Scholarship Fund 4,691

Mildred H. Dent Endowed Scholarship 1,191,773

Bristow Endowed Scholarship 130,262

Alli Hoy Scholarship Fund 93,649

Matt Mosley Scholarship Fund 38,971 Bradley Scholarship Fund 439,530

Ann Dobbs Scholarship Fund 16,639

Total Endowed Scholarships $4,073,240

GIFTS

2021 Annual Fund $576,439

2021–22 Library Books 2,990

2022 Annual Fund 30,180

2022 Gala Donation 2,455

2022 Gala Fund-A-Need 6,500

Alli Hoy Memorial 5,000

Ann Dobbs Memorial Fund 4,850

Alumni Memorial Scholarship 600

Bee Project 1,500

Ben Stone Scholarship Fund 1,000

Black Box Theatre 742,500

Bradley Endowed Scholarship 500,000

Brannon Memorial Fund 1,900

Bristow Endowed Scholarship 2,000

Chris Dorrance Educational Scholarship 25,000

Clark Endowment 150

Dick Barnes Endowment 30,000

Deborah Black Fund 111

Delta Yearbook 200

Dent Maintenance Endowment 50,000

Dorrance Garden Endowment 1,250

Elaine T. Freeman Scholarship 55,000

Facility Improvement Fund 8,243

Jay Wakefield Memorial Fund 4,835

Krauss Baschab Family Foundation 1,000

Library Fund 350

Lower School General Fund 1,800

Mabel Hospital Endowed Scholarship 4,392

Parents’ Community Fund 4,765

Restricted Fund 2,709,152

Restricted Scholarships 1,000

Seth M. Milliken Foundation 250,000

Vicky Strange Endowment 100

Vision 2022 Endowment 1,372,435

Vision 2020 Endowment 125,000

2021–22 Total Gifts $6,522,697

2021 Annual Fund Donors

TRUSTEE’S CIRCLE

($50,000+)

The Trustee’s Circle was established to honor friends whose lifetime contributions to the Annual Fund surpass $50,000.

The Alfred Moore Foundation

Arcadia Foundation

Arkwright Foundation

Atchison Transportation Service

Mr. & Mrs. Andrew Babb Mr. & Mrs. Vic Bailey III Betty & James K. Stone Foundation

Mr. & Mrs. William Blackford Mrs. Margaret Bridges Mr. & Mrs. Chris Cannon Mrs. Margi & Mr. MacFarlane † Cates

Compass Group USA, Inc.

Mr. & Mrs. Justin A. Converse

Mr. & Mrs. Paul J. Coté

Mr. & Mrs. Chris Crowley

Mr. & Mrs. Brendan Church Mrs. Phyllis DeLapp

Mr. & Mrs. Frederick Dent, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Chris Dorrance

Mr. T. Alexander Evins

Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund Mrs. Elizabeth Floyd † Mrs. David A. Fort †

Leigh Fibers, Inc.

Mr. & Mrs. David Johnson

Mr. & Mrs. Stewart Johnson, Sr. Mr. & Mrs. Tom Killoren, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Paul Lehner

Mr. & Mrs. John S. McBride, Jr.

Milliken & Company

Mr. Roger Milliken †

Mr. Kenny Moore & Ms. Susan A. Bridges

Morgan Corp

Mr. J. Patrick & Mrs. Jeanie †

O’Shaughnessy Old South Trading Co.

Mr. Dick Pennell †

Romill Foundation

Dr. & Mrs. Anthony A. Sanchez

Spartanburg County Foundation

Spartanburg Day School Parents’ Community

Mr. & Mrs. Warwick Spencer

Mr. & Mrs. Eliot Stone

Mr. George Stone †

The Rose & Walter Montgomery Foundation

Mr. & Mrs. Benjamin Rutledge Wall II

Ms. Lindsay Webster

Mr. William M. Webster IV

HEADMASTER’S CIRCLE ($10,000+)

The Headmaster’s Circle highlights individuals whose annual contributions are $10,000 or above.

The Alfred Moore Foundation

Mr. & Mrs. Andrew Babb

Betty & James K. Stone Foundation

Mr. & Mrs. Chris Cannon

Mr. & Mrs. Brendan Church

Mr. & Mrs. Justin A. Converse Mr. & Mrs. Chris Dorrance

Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund

Mr. & Mrs. David Johnson

Mr. & Mrs. George Dean Johnson, Jr.

Mr. & Mrs. George Dean Johnson III

Mr. & Mrs. Stewart Johnson, Jr.

Mr. & Mrs. Benjy Miller

Mr. J. Patrick & Mrs. Jeanie † O’Shaughnessy

Spartanburg County Foundation

Spartanburg Day School Parents’

Community

Mr. & Mrs. Eliot Stone

Mr. & Mrs. Benjamin Rutledge WalI Il

SKYLYN CIRCLE ($5,000+)

Ayco Charitable Foundation

Mr. & Mrs. Chris Crowley

Mr. Christopher M. Crowley, Jr.

Ms. Kathleen Crowley

Dr. & Mrs. Ty Dawson

Mrs. Phyllis DeLapp

Mrs. Elsa C. Hepner

Mr. & Mrs. Tom Killoren, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Ryan Langley Mr. & Mrs. John S. McBride, Jr. Schwab Charitable Fund Mr. William M. Webster IV Mr. & Mrs. Michael Williams Mr. & Mrs. Geoffrey Wilson Mr. Liren Zheng & Mrs. Jinyu Wang

VISIONARYCIRCLE($2,500+)

Arkwright Foundation Mr. & Mrs. Victor Barr Mr. & Mrs. William Blackford Mr. & Mrs. Steven Blanton Mr. & Mrs. Pascal S. Boyd III Ms. Kathleen M. Cates Mrs. Margi Cates Mr. & Mrs. Martin Cornelson Mr. Dan Cothran Mrs. Rachel S. Deems & Mr. Ken Deems Mr. & Mrs. Frederick Dent, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Magruder H. Dent Mr. T. Alexander Evins Mr. Michael Fluegge & Mrs. Leah Kent

Mr. & Mrs. Charles D. Fogarty Mr. & Mrs. Barney Gosnell Ms. Elisabeth Hayes Mr. & Mrs. Stephen J. Hedges Dr. Rose Montgomery Johnston Mr. & Mrs. Robert Lyon Milliken & Company Mr. & Mrs. John Montgomery Mr. & Mrs. Walter Montgomery, Jr. Mr. Corry † & Mrs. Amy Oakes Dr. & Mrs. Michael Orseck Mr. Dick Pennell † Mr. & Mrs. Rick Pennell, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Chris Raffo Mr. & Mrs. Rob Rain Roebuck Wholesale Nursery/ Landscaping

The Rose Montgomery Johnston Family Foundation Mr. & Mrs. Joel Sansbury Mr. & Mrs. John W. Simon, Sr.

South Carolina Christian Foundation

Mr. & Mrs. Warwick Spencer Mr. & Mrs. Brand Stille SwaimBrown PA Dr. & Mrs. Christopher Thomas Mr. & Mrs. Mark VanGeison Mr. & Mrs. John F. Verreault III

1957 SOCIETY ($1,957+)

Mr. & Mrs. Albert Aiken, Jr. Dr. Kofi Appiah & Dr. Marjorie Boafo Appiah Mr. & Mrs. Gregory J. Atkins Mr. & Mrs. Vic Bailey III Mr. & Mrs. Stanley Baker Mr. Brad Barron & Dr. Sarah Hunt-Barron Mrs. Georgia Ray Blanton Dr. & Mrs. Brian Brown Mr. Doug & Dr. Julie Cecil Mr. & Mrs. Paul J. Coté Mr. & Mrs. Christopher Couchell Mrs. Alice Eberhardt Ms. Elaine Freeman Mr. & Mrs. Roger Habisreutinger Mr. & Mrs. Bill Hamilton Ms. Mary Lib Hamilton Dr. & Mrs. Robert S. Harley Dr. & Mrs. Ronald Januchowski Ms. Ann B. Johnson Drs. William & Elizabeth Joyce JP Morgan Charitable Giving Mr. & Mrs. Jeff A. Kemp Mrs. Pauline Ketchum

Mr. & Mrs. Todd Kleman

Mr. Bhargava Kondaveeti & Dr. Rianna Kondaveeti

Mr. & Mrs. Avinash Lawrence

Mr. & Mrs. Mark Mezger

Mr. & Mrs. Kyle Milner

Mr. & Mrs. Will Montgomery Mr. Kenny Moore & Ms. Susan A. Bridges Dr. Charles E. Morrow, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Rajarshi Patel

Mrs. Justine M. Russell

Mr. & Mrs. James Switzer Mr. Tim Teel & Dr. Nickole Teel Mr. & Mrs. John B. White, Jr.

GOLD ($1,500+)

Bailey Foundation

Mr. & Mrs. Walker Barnes Bella Vision, LLC

Mr. & Mrs. Daniel H. Bradley Mrs. Anne Brady Carlson & Mr. Jeff Carlson

Mr. & Mrs. Terry Cash

Mr. & Mrs. Edward Collie

Mr. & Mrs. Leighton Cubbage

Mr. & Mrs. Christopher Falatok Mr. & Mrs. Dean J. Garritson Dr. & Mrs. Paul Gibas

Mr. & Mrs. John Gramling

Mr. & Mrs. Benjamin Graves Ms. Laura Beeson Henthorn

Mr. & Mrs. Stewart Johnson, Sr. Mr. Tripp Johnson & Dr. April Johnson

Dr. Matthew Johnston & Dr. Kimberly Rostan

Mr. Robby Kocisko

Mr. & Mrs. Paul Lehner

Dr. & Mrs. Caleb Loring IV Mr. & Mrs. David Lyon

Mr. & Mrs. Scott Montgomery

Mr. & Mrs. William Mueller

Drs. Jeffrey & Alison Smith Mr. Shaun Tang & Dr. Tanya Tang Thompson Dove Law Mr. & Mrs. James Fletcher Thompson

Mr. & Mrs. Donald Wildman Mr. Shawn M. Wilson & Dr. Janet Wilson

SILVER ($1,000+)

Bank of America

Betty James & Walter S. Montgomery Trust

The Honorable & Mrs. Roger Couch

Mrs. Jean Crossley

Mr. Brandt Goodwin & Ms. Amy Goulding

Mrs. Tammy Greer

Mr. William Greer

Drs. Boone & Chandra Hopkins Mrs. Gwen Langley

Mr. Stefan P. Leonhardt

Why We Give

WE ARE TRULY GRATEFUL to be a part of the Spartanburg Day School community. When I think about all of the amazing opportunities Spartanburg Day School provided for our Lyndsey ’15, I know with certainty that she received the perfect education for her. Not only did she learn the academic skills that prepared her for colleges here and abroad, but she developed many lifelong hobbies in the arts and sciences. More important, she remains friends with many of her fellow classmates, traveling near and far to visit and make more memories.

Although it wasn’t in God’s plan for our autistic son, Ben, to attend school with Lyndsey, he received such support from faculty and friends, we felt like he was a part of the Spartanburg Day School community. When our son Will ’30 was born, we knew he would eventually become a student, but we weren’t so convinced about joining in 3K. That uncertainty disappeared on the first day, as he proclaimed (very loudly) that he “loved his school.” Some of the same faculty that were so important in Lyndsey’s life are now educating Will fifteen years later. Although the Spartanburg Day School strives and excels to be one step ahead in technology, curriculum and experiences, the standards and traditions of students being and becoming great citizens remain.

When Benjy and I were asked to chair the Annual Fund, we immediately said “Yes!” We both wanted to tell our story and encourage other parents, grandparents, friends and alumni to give back to this incredible school. Spartanburg Day School is an amazing place that provides an outstanding educational experience that lasts a lifetime. We thank you for the opportunity to share why we are grateful for and believe in our school.

Mr. & Mrs. David R. Meeks Dr. Weston F. Milliken Dr. & Mrs. Daniel Norris Mr. & Mrs. Ned Page Mr. Henry Peabody III & Dr. Donna Peabody Mr. & Mrs. Norman Pulliam, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Jeff Rigsby Mr. & Mrs. Tim Shannon Mr. & Mrs. Edward Shisko Mr. Chuck Stokes Mr. Jay † & Mrs. Jenny Wakefield Mr. & Mrs. Michael West

BRONZE ($500+)

Mr. Winthrop Allen & Dr. Heather Allen Mr. & Mrs. Scott Anderson Mr. & Mrs. Vic Bailey IV Dr. & Mrs. James Bearden III Mr. & Mrs. Brandon Beattie Mr. & Mrs. Jay W. Beeson, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Pascal Boyd Mr. & Mrs. Timothy H. Brannon Mr. & Mrs. Benjamin F. Brown Mr. & Mrs. Ashley Bullington Drs. John & Jessica Burrell Mr. Todd Cash Mr. Sergio Catlla & Dr. Anne Catlla

Drs. Ki & Rachel Chung Dr. & Mrs. Gary Clark Dr. & Mrs. Jeff Cleland Mr. Charles Clementson & Dr. Blair Clementson

Mr. & Mrs. Gary Coats Mr. & Mrs. Robert Collie Ms. Mary G. Crowley Drs. E. Levon & Kirsten Eastin Mr. & Mrs. John Fairey Dr. & Mrs. Dan Gerscovich Mr. Tasso Ghionis & Dr. Elena Ghionis

Mr. William Gray Mr. & Mrs. Clifford Halstead Mrs. Laura Harmon

Mr. Jamin Hujik & Dr. Stephanie S. Hujik Mr. & Mrs. Brandon Klein Mr. & Mrs. John Kopchinski

LPL Financial

Ms. Lucy Lynch

Drs. Navid & Jennifer Madani Drs. Bradley & Carolyn Martsberger

Mr. & Mrs. Carl Mason

Mr. & Mrs. Jesse Myers Mr. & Mrs. Melbourne Myers

Mr. & Mrs. Douglas B. Nash Ms. Donna Nemer Mr. & Mrs. Mark Nowell Mr. Cary L. Page III

Mr. Bradford Phillips

Mr. & Mrs. Fredrick G. Phillips, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Gary Pope

Mr. & Mrs. James Robinson

Mr. & Mrs. Marshall C. Rogers, Jr. Mr. Daniel Sanabria & Mrs. Gabriela Ramirez Mr. Marcus Sarstrand & Dr. Amy Baruch

Mr. Chris Schwendimann

Mr. & Mrs. Simeon Skinner

Ms. Sarah L. Spencer

Mr. & Mrs. Chris Stone III Ms. Muffy Stuart Mrs. Mary Anna Thomas

Dr. & Mrs. Jensen Turner

United Way of the Piedmont, Inc. Mrs. Shelia Vincent

Mr. & Mrs. Nick Wildrick

Mr. & Mrs. Jared Wilson Mr. Berkeley W. Young

GRIFFIN ($250+)

Mr. & Mrs. J. P. Baehr Ms. Laurie G. Ballenger

Mr. Warren Bareiss & Ms. Lizah Ismail

Ms. Avery Beeson

Dr. & Mrs. Baker Boles

Mr. & Mrs. Nils Bouwmeester

Mr. & Mrs. John Brannon Mrs. Stacey Brewer

Mr. & Mrs. Michael Brown Mr. & Mrs. Niles H. Brown Mr. Danilo Burgos & Dr. Alysa Handelsman

Mrs. Leslie Calicutt & Mr. Russ Calicutt

Mr. & Mrs. Tony Cash

Mr. & Mrs. William S. Cochran

Mrs. Meredith Laughridge Cross Mr. William Dawes & Ms. Esther-Irene Egan Ms. Susan Willis Dunlap

Mr. & Mrs. Ronald Edwards

Mr. Ron & Mrs. Susan Evans

Dr. & Mrs. Mark Ferguson

Mr. & Mrs. Jeffery Flannery Dr. Nicholas F. Fleming

Mr. Aaron T. Frost

Mr. & Mrs. Jimmy Garrity

GE Foundation

Mr. & Mrs. Tommy Genoble

Ms. Rebekah L. Gladson

Dr. & Mrs. Frederick Goulding

Mr. Charles B. Habisreutinger

Mr. & Mrs. James K. Hamilton

Ms. Carla Hammett

Mr. & Mrs. Charles B. Hanna

Mr. Lukas Hauser

& Dr. Julie Sexeny

Mr. & Mrs. Andy Haynes

The Millers, left to right: Benjy, Lyndsay ’15, Will ’30, Kirsten and Ben

Ms. Leah Hedge

Mr. & Mrs. Jean-Claude Ho

Mrs. Sunny Huckaby

Mr. & Mrs. James Jennings

Mr. Andrew E. N. Jones

Mr. & Mrs. Michael Judice

Mr. & Mrs. Chris Kennedy

Mr. & Mrs. Subrahmanyam Kondaveeti

Mr. Edward Krauter & Ms. Amy Richards

Mr. & Mrs. Barry Ledford

Mr. & Mrs. Chandler Lehman

Mr. & Mrs. Manning Lynch

Mrs. Ebony Mack-Orr & Mrs. Simone Mack-Orr

Mr. & Mrs. Ben Maxwell

Dr. & Mrs. Drew Monitto

Mr. & Mrs. Taylor Moody

Mr. Michael Murphy

Mr. & Mrs. Andrews Myers

Mr. & Mrs. Ron Nance

Drs. William & Susan Owens

Mr. & Mrs. Frank C. Page

Mr. & Mrs. Boone Peeler

Mr. & Mrs. Nicholas Phillips

Mr. & Mrs. Kevin Pogue

Mr. & Mrs. Richard Reutter

Dr. & Mrs. Alex Richardson

Mr. Sylvester Smith & Dr. Sharda Jackson-Smith

Mr. & Mrs. James Spearman

Ms. Emily Stauber

Ms. Margaret Sullivan

Mr. Mark Suter

Drs. Scott & Rachel Tanner

Ms. Elizabeth Teter & Mr. John Lane

Mr. & Mrs. Brian Tolbert

Mrs. Lori Tolbert

Drs. Aaron & Kimberly Toler

Ms. Susan Pennell Towson

Mr. Ricardo Villa & Ms. Liliana Montoya

Dr. Alicia Ingerson Watson

Dr. & Mrs. Kevin Weatherill

Mr. & Mrs. Frank Weihrauch

Mrs. Lee Anne Williams Mrs. Mary Willis Mrs. Heather Winters

Mr. Brian Zuercher & Ms. Megan Michalowski

FRIEND (OTHER)

Mr. & Mrs. Bob Allsbrook

Mrs. Aixa O. F. Anderson

Mr. & Mrs. Ron Ary

Drs. Nasir & Sairah Awan

Mr. & Mrs. Justin Bailey

Mr. & Mrs. Michael Ball

Ms. Kim Ballenger

Mr. Dick Barnes

Ms. Jean Barr

Mr. & Mrs. Greg Baur

Mr. & Mrs. Bill Beedon

Mrs. Kristy Belcher Benevity Community Impact Fund

Mr. & Mrs. John Birney, Jr. Blackbaud Giving Fund

Mr. & Mrs. Price Blackford Mr. David Bloxham

Dr. & Mrs. Michael Bozard

Mr. & Mrs. John Burtnett

Mr. & Mrs. Nick Buxton

Mrs. Roberta Camp

Mrs. Katie Cantrell

Mr. & Mrs. Lawrence Caudle

Mrs. Rachel Chalmers

Mrs. Sally Pennell Chambers

Mr. & Mrs. Steven Chapman Mrs. Sarah Slater Chesser

Ms. Kelly Cino Mr. & Mrs. Bryant Clayton

Mr. & Mrs. Eric Cobb Ms. Trish Cobourn Ms. Emily Cart Cochran

Mrs. Celia Wise Cooksey Mr. & Mrs. Bradley Cooper Mr. & Mrs. Michael Corbin

Ms. Ginger Reynolds Davis Dr. & Mrs. Kirk Davis

Dr. & Mrs. William Davis Mr. Paul Dent

Ms. Kathleen Waldenfels Dorman

Mr. Michael Duckett & Dr. Kim Duckett

Mrs. Joy Dunfee

Ms. Anne Elliott Mr. & Mrs. Marcus Elliott

Ms. Meg Wilson Ellis Mr. Radu Enuica & Dr. Dorotea Gabel Mr. Will Ericson

Mr. Darryl L. Evans

Mr. & Mrs. Gordon Farley

Ms. Emmy Farrell

Mr. Randall Fernanders Dr. & Mrs. Tim Fisher

Ms. Frances Henderson Ford

Mr. & Mrs. Rob Foy

Ms. Danielle Frías

Ms. Melinda Byrd Frierson

Mr. Matt Garner & Ms. Andrea Ulloa

Mr. & Mrs. Nicholas Gilman

Ms. Katie Glass

Mr. & Mrs. Cardinal Greenidge

Mrs. Anne Louise Greer

Mr. & Mrs. Cameron H. Greer

Mr. Dalton S. Greer

Mr. & Mrs. Brian Grigg

Mrs. Carol Hamilton

Mrs. Martha Harris

Mr. & Mrs. Charles Harvey Mr. & Mrs. Kyle Hastings Mr. Frederick B. Hayes, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Daniel Healy Ms. Lori Hetrick Mr. & Mrs. TJ Hines Mr. J. Spencer Hopkins Mrs. Kathy Hopkins Mr. Luke Hummel Mr. & Mrs. Mitch Hutchins Mr. & Mrs. Max T. Hyde

IBM Matching Grants Program Dr. Tyler Jack Ms. Rosie Jeffery Mr. & Mrs. Loy Jeffords Mr. & Mrs. Clayton Jones Mr. Jeremy Jones & Dr. Katherine Jones Mr. & Mrs. Ryan Kramer Dr. Celena E. Kusch Dr. David Kusher & Dr. Michelle Carney Mrs. Trisha Lemon Mr. Chris Link Mr. & Mrs. Demetrios Liollio Mr. & Mrs. Jason Lonon Mr. & Mrs. Alessandro Luz Mr. & Mrs. Jason Lynch Mr. & Mrs. Grant S. MacMillan Mr. & Mrs. William Massey Mrs. Landya Boyer McCafferty Mrs. Martha McDaniel Mr. & Mrs. Duane McFarland Mr. & Mrs. Michael McGrath Mr. & Mrs. Austin F. Meeks Drs. Gordan & Jacqueline Mickley Mr. & Mrs. Dennis Mitchell Mrs. Danielle Moore Ms. Lori Murphy Ms. Catherine Nazarene Mr. & Mrs. Gregory Nibert Mr. Edgar Norris, Jr. Mr. Greg Norris & Dr. Lisa Norris Mrs. Debbie Nowlin Ms. Ashley K. Oakes Ms. Elizabeth I. Oakes Ms. Lauren Oakes Mr. & Mrs. Remsen Parrish Mr. & Mrs. Ronnie Peeler Mrs. Paige Phillips & Mrs. Ashli Gaines-Phillips Mr. & Mrs. William Phillips Mrs. Hayley F. Pickens Ms. Kellie Pifer

Mr. & Mrs. Richard Pinkley Mr. & Mrs. Marc Rabb Ms. Catherine Rainey Dr. & Mrs. Jay Ratliff Dr. & Mrs. Tod R. Reel Mrs. Sara Edwards Rhinehart Mr. & Mrs. Richard Rhodes

Ms. Carole Richard

Mr. Bishop Richardson

Mr. & Mrs. Rob Richardson

Ms. Zelle Richardson

Mr. & Mrs. Matthew Risch

Mr. David Roark & Dr. Kate Roark Mr. Gary Robinette Mr. Trey Roehl

Mr. & Mrs. Andrew Roush Mrs. Beth Ryan Drs. Timothy & Catherine Schmitz

SEL

Mrs. Rogers O. Settle Mrs. Bobbie Jean Shepard Mrs. Cathy Smith Mr. & Mrs. Richard Smith

Mr. & Mrs. Roy Smith, Jr. Mrs. Jillian Sorrenti Ms. Rose M. Spencer Mrs. Tyler Spencer

Drs. Joseph & Natalie Spivey Dr. & Mrs. Erik Steiniger Ms. Kaylyn Stevenson

Ms. Anna H. Stone Mr. Robert Strait

Mr. & Mrs. Will Strait Mr. David Stramecky & Ms. Barbara Christensen

Mr. & Mrs. Dudley Strange Mr. Charles Stroble Dr. Aqil E. Surka Mrs. Christy Taylor Mr. Efrem Tekie & Mrs. Elizabeth Flores Mrs. Sarah Terrell Mr. & Mrs. Peter Terry Ms. Joan Tobey Ms. Debra Toomey

Mrs. Virginia Toomey Ms. Lee Vasbinder Ms. Stacey Vinesett

Mr. John A. Wallace, Jr. Mrs. Sara Walsh

Ms. Monica Weathers

Ms. Ella Webster

Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Webster

Mr. & Mrs. Tom Webster

Ms. Ann Marie Wesneski

Mr. & Mrs. Adam Whitehill Dr. Bev Whitmire

Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Whitmire Mr. Reid Wildman

Mr. Timothy Wilkin & Dr. Emilie Setlakee

Mr. & Mrs. Woodrow Willard Mr. & Mrs. Rand Wilson Mr. Kevin Wynn

PARENT PARTICIPATION BY GRADE

CLASS OF 2022

Dr. Kofi Appiah & Dr. Marjorie Boafo Appiah

Mr. & Mrs. Pascal S. Boyd III

Mr. Todd Cash

Mr. & Mrs. Eric Cobb Ms. Trish Cobourn Mr. Michael Duckett & Dr. Kim Duckett

Mr. & Mrs. Dean J. Garritson Mr. & Mrs. Benjamin Graves Dr. & Mrs. Ronald Januchowski Mr. Jeremy Jones & Dr. Katherine Jones

Mr. & Mrs. Clayton Jones

Mr. & Mrs. Tom Killoren, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. John Kopchinski

Dr. David Kusher & Dr. Michelle Carney

Mr. & Mrs. Jason Lonon Drs. Navid & Jennifer Madani Mr. & Mrs. Dennis Mitchell

Mr. & Mrs. Andrews Myers Mrs. Sara Edwards Rhinehart

Mr. & Mrs. Roy Smith, Jr.

Mr. & Mrs. Brand Stille Ms. Margaret Sullivan Dr. Aqil E. Surka

Mr. & Mrs. Mark VanGeison Mr. & Mrs. Frank Weihrauch Mr. & Mrs. Nick Wildrick Mr. & Mrs. Geoffrey Wilson

CLASS OF 2023

Mr. & Mrs. Gregory J. Atkins Drs. Nasir & Sairah Awan Mr. Warren Bareiss & Ms. Lizah Ismail

Mr. & Mrs. Justin A. Converse Mr. Dan Cothran Mr. Radu Enuica & Dr. Dorotea Gabel

Mr. & Mrs. Jimmy Garrity

Mr. & Mrs. Tommy Genoble

Mr. & Mrs. Nicholas Gilman Mr. & Mrs. Barney Gosnell

Mr. & Mrs. Stephen J. Hedges Ms. Lori Hetrick

Mr. & Mrs. David Johnson Mr. Tripp Johnson & Dr. April Johnson

Mr. & Mrs. Barry Ledford

Drs. Navid & Jennifer Madani Mr. & Mrs. Michael McGrath Dr. & Mrs. Drew Monitto

Ms. Donna Nemer Dr. & Mrs. Daniel Norris Mr. J. Patrick O’Shaughnessy

Mrs. Paige Phillips

& Mrs. Ashli Gaines-Phillips

Mr. & Mrs. Richard Pinkley

Mr. & Mrs. Chris Raffo

Mr. & Mrs. Marshall C. Rogers, Jr. Mr. Chris Schwendimann

Mr. & Mrs. Brand Stille

Mr. David Stramecky & Ms. Barbara Christensen

Dr. & Mrs. Christopher Thomas Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Webster Mr. & Mrs. Geoffrey Wilson

CLASS OF 2024

Mr. & Mrs. John Birney, Jr.

Mr. & Mrs. Ashley Bullington

Mr. Michael Duckett & Dr. Kim Duckett

Mr. & Mrs. John Gramling

Mr. & Mrs. Benjamin Graves

Dr. & Mrs. Robert S. Harley

Mrs. Laura Harmon

Mr. & Mrs. Max T. Hyde

Mr. Tripp Johnson & Dr. April Johnson

Drs. William & Elizabeth Joyce

Mr. & Mrs. Demetrios Liollio

Mr. & Mrs. Carl Mason

Mr. & Mrs. Melbourne Myers

Drs. William & Susan Owens

Mr. & Mrs. Boone Peeler

Mr. & Mrs. Norman Pulliam, Jr.

Mr. & Mrs. John W. Simon, Sr. Mr. & Mrs. Eliot Stone

Mrs. Shelia Vincent

CLASS OF 2025

Mr. & Mrs. Pascal S. Boyd III

Mr. & Mrs. Gary Coats

Mr. & Mrs. Christopher Couchell

Mr. & Mrs. Ronald Edwards

Dr. & Mrs. Mark Ferguson Mrs. Tammy Greer

Mr. & Mrs. Charles B. Hanna

Mr. Robby Kocisko

Mr. & Mrs. Avinash Lawrence

Mr. & Mrs. Barry Ledford

Dr. & Mrs. Caleb Loring IV

Mr. & Mrs. Scott Montgomery

Mr. & Mrs. Brian Tolbert

Mrs. Shelia Vincent

CLASS OF 2026

Drs. Nasir & Sairah Awan

Mr. & Mrs. Victor Barr

Mr. & Mrs. Ashley Bullington

Drs. Ki & Rachel Chung

Dr. & Mrs. Jeff Cleland

Mr. & Mrs. William S. Cochran

Dr. & Mrs. Mark Ferguson

Mr. & Mrs. Dean J. Garritson

Mr. & Mrs. Nicholas Gilman

Mr. Tasso Ghionis & Dr. Elena Ghionis

Mr. & Mrs. Clifford Halstead Mr. Jamin Hujik & Dr. Stephanie S. Hujik

Mr. & Mrs. Max T. Hyde

Mr. & Mrs. David Johnson

Mr. & Mrs. Stewart Johnson, Jr.

Mr. & Mrs. Kyle Milner

Mr. & Mrs. Andrews Myers Mr. David Roark & Dr. Kate Roark

Mr. & Mrs. Marshall C. Rogers, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Michael West Mr. & Mrs. Geoffrey Wilson

CLASS OF 2027

Dr. & Mrs. Tim Fisher Mr. Lukas Hauser & Dr. Julie Sexeny

Mr. & Mrs. Stewart Johnson, Jr. Dr. & Mrs. Caleb Loring IV Mr. & Mrs. Taylor Moody Mr. & Mrs. Melbourne Myers Mr. & Mrs. Boone Peeler Drs. Timothy & Catherine Schmitz

Dr. & Mrs. Erik Steiniger

Mr. & Mrs. Brian Tolbert Mrs. Shelia Vincent Ms. Monica Weathers

CLASS OF 2028

Mr. & Mrs. Pascal S. Boyd III Dr. & Mrs. Michael Bozard Mr. & Mrs. John Brannon Mr. & Mrs. Benjamin F. Brown Mr. & Mrs. Eric Cobb Mr. & Mrs. Christopher Couchell Dr. & Mrs. Ty Dawson Mr. Radu Enuica & Dr. Dorotea Gabel Mr. & Mrs. Jeffery Flannery Mr. Michael Fluegge & Mrs. Leah Kent

Mr. & Mrs. Charles D. Fogarty Mr. & Mrs. Barney Gosnell

Mr. & Mrs. Max T. Hyde Mr. & Mrs. Jeff A. Kemp

Mr. & Mrs. Ryan Langley Mr. & Mrs. Jason Lynch Mr. & Mrs. Ben Maxwell

Mr. & Mrs. Michael McGrath Mr. & Mrs. Mark Mezger

Mr. & Mrs. John Montgomery Dr. & Mrs. Michael Orseck Mr. & Mrs. Marc Rabb Dr. & Mrs. Jay Ratliff

Mr. & Mrs. Brian Tolbert Mr. & Mrs. Benjamin Rutledge Wall II

CLASS OF 2029

Mr. & Mrs. Justin Bailey Dr. & Mrs. Brian Brown Dr. & Mrs. Jeff Cleland Ms. Danielle Frías Mr. Matt Garner & Ms. Andrea Ulloa Mr. & Mrs. James Jennings Mr. & Mrs. David Johnson Dr. Matthew Johnston & Dr. Kimberly Rostan Mr. Edward Krauter & Ms. Amy Richards Mr. & Mrs. Alessandro Luz Drs. Bradley & Carolyn Martsberger

Mr. & Mrs. Kyle Milner Mr. & Mrs. John Montgomery Mr. & Mrs. Taylor Moody Mr. & Mrs. William Mueller Mrs. Paige Phillips & Mrs. Ashli Gaines-Phillips

Mr. Daniel Sanabria & Mrs. Gabriela Ramirez Mr. Marcus Sarstrand & Dr. Amy Baruch Mr. & Mrs. Simeon Skinner Drs. Jeffrey & Alison Smith Drs. Joseph & Natalie Spivey Mr. Tim Teel & Dr. Nickole Teel Mr. & Mrs. Jared Wilson

CLASS OF 2030

Dr. & Mrs. Mark Ferguson Dr. & Mrs. Tim Fisher Mr. Brandt Goodwin & Ms. Amy Goulding Mr. & Mrs. TJ Hines Dr. Celena E. Kusch Mr. & Mrs. Ryan Langley Dr. & Mrs. Caleb Loring IV Mr. & Mrs. Grant S. MacMillan Mr. & Mrs. Ben Maxwell Mr. & Mrs. Benjy Miller

Mr. & Mrs. James Robinson Mr. Daniel Sanabria & Mrs. Gabriela Ramirez Mr. Marcus Sarstrand & Dr. Amy Baruch Mr. & Mrs. Will Strait Mr. & Mrs. Benjamin Rutledge Wall II Mr. & Mrs. Michael Williams Mr. & Mrs. Geoffrey Wilson

CLASS OF 2031

Mr. & Mrs. Brandon Beattie Mr. & Mrs. Nils Bouwmeester Drs. Ki & Rachel Chung Mr. & Mrs. John Fairey Mr. & Mrs. Rob Foy Mr. & Mrs. Nicholas Gilman

Ms. Rebekah L. Gladson

Mr. & Mrs. Clifford Halstead Ms. Carla Hammett

Mr. J. Spencer Hopkins Mr. Jamin Hujik & Dr. Stephanie S. Hujik Ms. Ann B. Johnson

Mr. & Mrs. Stewart Johnson, Jr. Dr. Matthew Johnston & Dr. Kimberly Rostan Mr. & Mrs. Chandler Lehman Mr. & Mrs. Demetrios Liollio Mr. & Mrs. John Montgomery Mr. & Mrs. Will Montgomery Mr. & Mrs. William Mueller Mr. & Mrs. Nicholas Phillips Drs. Jeffrey & Alison Smith Mr. Ricardo Villa & Ms. Liliana Montoya Mr. & Mrs. Michael Williams

CLASS OF 2032

Mr. & Mrs. Walker Barnes Mr. & Mrs. Greg Baur Mr. Sergio Catlla & Dr. Anne Catlla Mr. & Mrs. Jeffery Flannery Mr. & Mrs. Rob Foy Ms. Danielle Frías Mr. & Mrs. Daniel Healy Drs. Boone & Chandra Hopkins Mr. & Mrs. Max T. Hyde Mr. & Mrs. Jason Lynch Mr. & Mrs. Austin F. Meeks Mr. & Mrs. Will Montgomery Mr. & Mrs. William Mueller Mr. Greg Norris & Dr. Lisa Norris Mr. & Mrs. Kevin Pogue Mr. & Mrs. Rob Rain Mr. Sylvester Smith & Dr. Sharda Jackson-Smith Drs. Joseph & Natalie Spivey Mr. Tim Teel & Dr. Nickole Teel Mr. Efrem Tekie & Mrs. Elizabeth Flores

CLASS OF 2033

Mr. Winthrop Allen & Dr. Heather Allen Mr. & Mrs. J. P. Baehr Mr. & Mrs. Steven Blanton Dr. & Mrs. Brian Brown Mr. & Mrs. Niles H. Brown Dr. & Mrs. Ty Dawson Mr. & Mrs. Christopher Falatok Mr. & Mrs. Gordon Farley Ms. Leah Hedge Mr. J. Spencer Hopkins Ms. Ann B. Johnson Mr. & Mrs. Chris Kennedy Mr. Bhargava Kondaveeti & Dr. Rianna Kondaveeti

Mr. & Mrs. Alessandro Luz Drs. Bradley & Carolyn Martsberger

Mr. & Mrs. Kevin Pogue

Mr. & Mrs. Gary Pope

Mr. & Mrs. Matthew Risch Mr. & Mrs. James Robinson

Mr. & Mrs. Joel Sansbury

Mr. & Mrs. James Spearman Mr. Shaun Tang & Dr. Tanya Tang

CLASS OF 2034

Mr. Winthrop Allen & Dr. Heather Allen

Mr. & Mrs. Greg Baur Drs. John & Jessica Burrell

Mr. & Mrs. Bryant Clayton

Mr. & Mrs. Edward Collie Dr. & Mrs. Dan Gerscovich

Mr. & Mrs. TJ Hines

Mr. & Mrs. Jean-Claude Ho Drs. Boone & Chandra Hopkins

Mr. & Mrs. Will Montgomery

Mr. & Mrs. Melbourne Myers Mr. Henry Peabody III & Dr. Donna Peabody Mr. & Mrs. Rob Rain Dr. & Mrs. Jensen Turner

CLASS OF 2035

Mr. & Mrs. Greg Baur

Dr. & Mrs. Brian Brown Mr. Danilo Burgos & Dr. Alysa Handelsman Mr. & Mrs. Lawrence Caudle

Mr. & Mrs. Brendan Church Mr. Charles Clementson & Dr. Blair Clementson Mr. & Mrs. Marcus Elliott

Mr. & Mrs. John Fairey

Mr. & Mrs. Christopher Falatok Mr. & Mrs. Daniel Healy

Ms. Leah Hedge

Mr. Bhargava Kondaveeti & Dr. Rianna Kondaveeti Mr. & Mrs. Ryan Langley

Mr. & Mrs. Duane McFarland

Mr. & Mrs. Rajarshi Patel

Mr. Henry Peabody III & Dr. Donna Peabody

Mr. & Mrs. Richard Rhodes Mr. Daniel Sanabria & Mrs. Gabriela Ramirez

Mr. & Mrs. Joel Sansbury

Mr. & Mrs. Edward Shisko

Drs. Scott & Rachel Tanner

Mr. Efrem Tekie & Mrs. Elizabeth Flores Dr. & Mrs. Kevin Weatherill

CLASS OF 2036

Mr. & Mrs. Steven Blanton

Dr. & Mrs. Baker Boles

Mr. William Dawes & Ms. Esther-Irene Egan

Mr. & Mrs. Kyle Hastings

Mr. & Mrs. Michael Judice

Mr. & Mrs. Brandon Klein

Mr. & Mrs. Mark Nowell

Mr. & Mrs. James Spearman Mr. Shaun Tang & Dr. Tanya Tang Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Whitmire

Mr. Shawn M. Wilson & Dr. Janet Wilson

Mr. Brian Zuercher & Ms. Megan Michalowski

CLASS OF 2037

Mr. & Mrs. Brendan Church

Mr. & Mrs. Marcus Elliott

Dr. & Mrs. Dan Gerscovich

Dr. & Mrs. Paul Gibas

Mr. & Mrs. Charles Harvey Mr. & Mrs. George Dean Johnson III

Mr. & Mrs. Ryan Kramer

Mr. & Mrs. Rajarshi Patel Mr. & Mrs. Gary Pope

Mr. & Mrs. Richard Reutter

Mr. & Mrs. Edward Shisko Dr. & Mrs. Jensen Turner

Mr. Timothy Wilkin & Dr. Emilie Setlakee

MEMORIAL DONORS

Mr. Alan L. Barnet

In Memory of Mr. Drew Brannon

Mr. & Mrs. Jay W. Beeson, Jr.

In Memory of Mr. Drew Brannon

Mr. & Mrs. Chris Cannon

In Memory of Mrs. Roberta Ratterree

Mr. Sergio Catlla & Dr. Anne Catlla

In Memory of Ms. Laura M. Kelly Mr. & Mrs. Randall Chambers In Memory of Mr. Ben Stone

Dr. & Mrs. Gary Clark

In Memory of Mr. Gerald Smith Mr. & Mrs. Martin Cornelson

In Memory of Mr. MacFarlane Cates

Mr. Dan Cothran

In Memory of James Kenneth Cothran, Sr. Mrs. Meredith Laughridge Cross In Memory of Mr. & Mrs. Nicholas Dansik

Ms. Kathleen Waldenfels Dorman In Memory Mrs. Phyllis R. Waldenfels

Ms. Nicole T. Engler

In Memory of Mr. Drew Brannon Mr. T. Alexander Evins

In Memory of Mr. McFarlane Cates

Dr. & Mrs. Frederick Goulding In Memory of Ms. Millie Gillespie

Mr. William Greer

In Memory of Mr. Frederick Dent, Sr. Mr. Paul O. Habisreutinger

In Memory of Mr. Drew Brannon

Mrs. Laura Harmon

In Memory of Mr. L. Craig Harmon ’82 Mrs. Isabel P. Herman & Mr. Michael Herman

In Memory of Mr. Drew Brannon Ms. Mabel Hospital

’30: 63.0% ’31: 64.7% ’32: 76.0% ’33: 68.8% ’34: 50.0% ’35: 79.3% ’36: 46.2% ’37: 72.2%

Total 2021 Annual Fund Parent Participation: 51.4%

The Captain Pennell Society

Join the Leaders of Our Past with a Gift to Our Future

Your planned gift to the Captain Pennell Society* will help fuel another era of educational opportunities and student achievements in our community.

The vehicles to make planned gifts are numerous and can allow you to realize immediate or deferred tax advantages. You do not need to be of a certain age or extremely wealthy to make a big difference. You just need a plan.

If you wish to explore how you may join the leaders of our past by establishing your own legacy, please contact Mimi Killoren in the development office at mimi.killoren@sdsgriffin. org or 864-582-7539 ext. 2015.

*The Captain Pennell Society honors the memory of Captain J. Roy Pennell, who, in 1961, donated the land on which the school is built. The society recognizes those who have included the Spartanburg Day School in their estate planning.

We note with special remembrance the death of Trustee Emeritus—and son of Captain Roy Pennell—Mr. Richard “Dick” Hamer Pennell (1926–2022) for his long and faithful service to Spartanburg Day School.

Want to give?

Visit our website: spartanburgdayschool.org/support or contact our development office: 864-582-7539, ext. 2015, or mimi.killoren@sdsgriffin.org

Mr. & Mrs. George Dean Johnson, Jr.

In Memory of Mrs. Jeanie O’Shaughnessy

Mr. & Mrs. Stewart Johnson, Sr.

In Memory of Mr. Jamie Conn Mrs. Betsy Trout Kneisley

In Memory of Mr. Drew Brannon Dr. Shelly M. Lamb

In Memory of Mr. Drew Brannon Ms. Lori Murphy

In Memory of Mr. John & Mrs. Mayann Murphy

Mr. Patrick O’Shaughnessy

In Memory of Mrs. Jeanie O’Shaughnessy

Mr. & Mrs. Will Strait

Mr. & Mrs. Charles B. Hanna

In Honor of Arabella S. Hanna (2025)

Mr. & Mrs. TJ Hines

In Honor of Reid (2030), Elliott (2034) & JB (2034) Hines

Mr. & Mrs. George Dean Johnson, Jr.

In Honor of Mrs. Sonia LeCroy Mr. & Mrs. George Dean Johnson III

In Honor of Mrs. Jaime Wall Mrs. Gwen Langley

In Honor of Mr. & Mrs. Ryan Langley

Mr. & Mrs. William Massey

Is your name missing?

The development office has made every effort to ensure that the information contained in these pages is accurate and complete.

Please note that this report acknowledges the Annual Fund Drive during the calendar year of 2021 (January–December).

Should you discover an error or omission, please accept our apologies and contact the development office: 864-582-7539, ext. 2015, or mimi.killoren@sdsgriffin.org.

In Memory of Dr. Matt Mosley Mr. & Mrs. Dudley Strange

In Memory of Mrs. Deborah Black

Mrs. Lee Anne Williams

In Memory of Mr. James Smith Mr. Berkeley W. Young

In Memory of Mr. Norden Wayne Davis ’81

HONORARY DONORS

Anonymous In Honor of Mrs. Mary Willis & Ms. Mary Anne Wise Mr. & Mrs. Scott Anderson

In Honor of Mrs. Meg Elliott, Ave Elliott (2035) & Eloise Elliott (2035)

Mr. & Mrs. Ron Ary In Honor of Matt Barr (2026) Mr. & Mrs. Michael Ball

In Honor of Dr. Susan Owens Mr. & Mrs. Michael Ball

In Honor of Mrs. Vicky Strange Mr. Todd Cash

In Honor of Raegan Cash Dr. & Mrs. Gary Clark

In Honor of Mr. Frederick B. Dent, Jr.

Mr. & Mrs. Paul J. Coté

In Honor of Mr. & Mrs. Chris Dorrance

Mr. Paul Dent

In Honor of Mr. Frederick B. Dent, Jr.

Ms. Susan Willis Dunlap

In Honor of Mrs. Mary Willis

Ms. Meg Wilson Ellis

In Honor of Charles S. Wilson (2029)

Ms. Carla Hammett

In Honor of Loie Hammett (2031)

In Honor of Mr. & Mrs. Chris Dorrance

Mrs. Martha McDaniel

In Honor of Mason Phillips (2031)

Mr. & Mrs. Duane McFarland

In Honor of Miya McFarland (2035)

Mr. & Mrs. Dennis Mitchell

In Honor of Mrs. Bobbie Jean Shepard

Mrs. Ashley Moody

In Honor of Lily (2027), Olivia (2029) & Caroline (2029) Moody

Mr. & Mrs. Jesse Myers

In Honor of Thomas (2022) & William (2026) Myers

Mr. & Mrs. Ron Nance

In Honor of Jackson A. Kennedy (2036) Mrs. Debbie Nowlin

In Honor of all children at SDS Drs. William & Susan Owens

In Honor of Ms. Lillian Owens ’21 & William Owens ’19

The Rose Montgomery Johnston

Family Foundation

In Honor of Mr. Sam Spencer ’17 Mr. & Mrs. Richard Smith

In Honor of Zachary Rawlinson (2023)

Ms. Rose M. Spencer

In Honor of Mr. & Mrs. Warwick Spencer

Ms. Emily Stauber

In Honor of Ms. Kim Ballenger Mr. & Mrs. Donald Wildman

In Honor of Mr. & Mrs. Chris Dorrance

Mrs. Mary Willis

In Honor of Ms. Susan Willis Dunlap Mr. Shawn M. Wilson & Dr. Janet Wilson

In Honor of Bennett Wilson (2036)

Leigh Anne and Ryan Langley, 2021 Annual Fund Chairs

Thank you for your leadership and service.

2021 ANNUAL FUND VOLUNTEERS

Leigh Anne and Ryan Langley, Chairs

Kirsten and Benjy Miller, Co-Chairs Alice Dawson, Development Chair

Marjorie Boafo Appiah

Catherine Baehr

Davis Barnes Tricia Barr Steven Blanton Sims Bouwmeester Bear Boyd

Gretchen Brown

Mya Church Mary Ann Cleland Erin Couchell

Meghan Falatok

Kerry Ferguson

Missy Gerscovich

Elaine Gosnell

Laura Gramling

Angela Halstead

Carla Hammett

Leah Kent Kelly Kennedy

Mary Stewart Loring

Laura Montgomery

Laura Myers

Kajal Patel

Karen Phillips

Shannon Rogers

Michel Stone

Nickole Teel

Sally Thomas Jaime Wall

Frazier Wilson

Shawn Wilson

STAFF

Rachel Deems, Head of School

Mimi Killoren, Director of Giving Sally Spencer, Alumni Relations Manager Valerie Massey, Development Assistant

Alumni

Keep in touch!

This edition shares alumni news submitted through April 2022. Send your news for future editions to: alumni@sdsgriffin.org or facebook.com/SDSAlumni

’87

MARRIAGES : Teresa Sherbert to Scott Williams on September 26, 2021. Ashlie Lancaster to Paul Meding on December 20, 2021.

’98

MARRIAGES: Nick Belmont to Logen Hall on May 28, 2022.

’99

BIRTHS: To Bonnie Buchheit Salvatierra a son, Cade Harrison Salvatierra, on July 10, 2021.

’00

MARRIAGES: Meagan Moore to Robert Karnilowicz on May 1, 2022.

’01

BIRTHS: To Charlie Goodrich twins, Rosefin George Goodrich and Charles Edgar Goodrich, on October 21, 2021. To Molly Knight a daughter, Freya Knight, on March 20, 2022.

’03

BIRTHS: To Vic Bailey a daughter, Guy Stuart Bailey, on June 10, 2021. To Rogers Brandt Settle a son, Warren Powell Settle, on January 19, 2022. To Hunter Floyd Williams a son, Wyatt Russell Williams, on February 17, 2022.

’04

MARRIAGES: Ali Humar to Cody Albright on January 8, 2022.

BIRTHS: To Taylor Brandt a son, Sawyer Murphy Brandt, on December 22, 2021. To Meredith Spencer Frees a daughter, Eliza Ann Frees, on April 11, 2022.

’05

BIRTHS: To Leslie Bailey Calicutt a son, Olin Cleveland Calicutt, on August 12, 2021.

’06

BIRTHS: To Cathryn Hunt Judice twins, Benjamin Davis Judice and Luca Alexander Judice, on July 11, 2021. To Maria “Masha” Washburn a daughter, Maya Damaris Hughey, on May 10, 2022.

’07

MARRIAGES: Russell Teter to Emily LaFaice on September 18, 2021. Kathleen Sovenyhazy to Gildas Dubost on February 21, 2022.

BIRTHS: To Virginia Bland Hong a daughter, Mina Joy Hong, on July 15, 2021.

GRADUATE DEGREES: Kathleen Sovenyhazy was awarded a Physician Assistant Degree from Charleston in December 2021.

’08

BIRTHS: To Megan Sease Brown and Hunter Brown ’07 a daughter, Lida Suzanne Brown, on June 25, 2021. To Ellis Lehner a daughter, Wren Ellis Lehner, on August 10, 2021.

’09

MARRIAGES: Aaron Frost to Lauren Dallas Culledge on October 2, 2021. Jacob Parris to Patti Hyer on October 17, 2021. Alicia Bargar to Daniel Kapellmann on March 4, 2022.

BIRTHS: To Taylor Cox a daughter, Harper Elizabeth Cox, on November 1, 2021. To Jacob Parris a daughter, Sage Eliana Parris, on February 11, 2022. To Megan Sharpe Hunt a son, Brody Alan Hunt, on April 22, 2022. To Emily Taylor Ricard a daughter, Charlie Wren Ricard, on March 27, 2022.

’10

MARRIAGES: John Barnet to Meghan Carey on October 2, 2021.

BIRTHS: To Jamie England Oaks twins, Clayton James Oaks and Elizabeth Taylor Oaks, on October 9, 2021. To Ansley Gowan Warren a son, Tate Edward Warren, on January 10, 2022. To Annelise Weir Hageman a daughter, Anne Marie Hageman, on April 29, 2022. To Emma Duesterhaus Whitehill and Adam Whitehill a son, Charles Patrick “Chip” Whitehill, on May 11, 2022.

’11

MARRIAGES: Caroline Greene to Charlie Swell on July 31, 2021. Ben Hudson to Tiffany Bell on August 21, 2021.

BIRTHS: To Kaylea Bollinger Gransaull a son, Lucas Gransaull, on June 3, 2021. To Stephen Dixon a daughter, Isabel “Izzy” Mae Dixon, on January 8, 2022.

’12

MARRIAGES: Stevie Hazen to Mark Griffin on October 1, 2021.

’13

BIRTHS: To Megan Duesterhaus Mastin a son, Theodore Earl Mastin, on November 26, 2021.

’15

MARRIAGES: Sara Hutchins to Bleu Butcher on October 30, 2021. ’16

GRADUATE DEGREES : Alex Freedman was awarded a Master of Science in Quantitative and Computational Finance from Georgia Tech in December 2021.

LITTLEST GRIFFINS

Row 1: Olin Cleveland Calicutt, Brody Alan Hunt, Charles Patrick “Chip” Whitehill; Row 2: Guy Stuart Bailey, Tate Edward Warren, Eliza Ann Frees; Row 3: Mina Joy Hong; Row 4: Maya Damaris Hughey, Theodore Earl Mastin, Lucas Gransaull; Row 5: Rosefin George & Charles Edgar Goodrich, Sage Eliana Parris

Russell Teter ’07 and Betsy Teter at Russell‘s wedding (above) and Russell with bride Emily LaFaice (below).

Meagan Moore ’00 and Robert Karnilowicz wedding.

Sara Hutchins ’15 and Bleu Butcher wedding with Sara’s parents and sister, Bobbie Pattillo ’08.

Alicia Bargar ’09 and Daniel Kapellmann wedding. OUR

John Barnet ’10 and Meghan Carey wedding.

Aaron Frost ’09 with bride Lauren Dallas Culledge (right); Aaron and Lauren with Aaron’s brothers, Brett and Chad (far right).

Ali Humar Albright ’03 and Cody Albright wedding.

Nick Belmont ’98 and Logen Hall wedding with daughter Madeleine ’31.

Ben Hudson ’11 and Tiffany Bell wedding.

Kathleen Sovenhazy ’07 and Gildas Dubost wedding.

Ashlie Lancaster ’87 and Paul Meding wedding.

Alumni Highlights

COLLEGE CARE PACKAGES

Parents and the alumni office put together some fantastic care packages to send to Class of 2021 alums.

Seventeen seniors graduated as “lifers,” having spent every academic year since 4K as Griffins.

SHARKS!

What a thrill to have William Bucheit ’94 back on campus to share his passion for nature photography— specifically great white sharks—with eighth grade art students.

GRADUATION KEYNOTE

Alumni Council President William Gray ’00, principal and Spartanburg office director for McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture, offered words of inspiration and advice to the Class of 2022 as the graduation keynote speaker.

THANKSGRIFFIN

We’re thankful for all of the alumni who turned out for Thanksgriffin at the FR8yard in downtown Spartanburg!

At the annual alumni college panel, juniors and seniors learned helpful tips and tricks about the college application and admission process from recent graduates Maisie MacMullan ’18, Ann Dobson Ball ’19, Ellie Toler ’20 and Rachel Summers ’20.

CAGGIANO MEMORIAL ALUMNI AWARD

This year’s Caggiano Memorial Alumni Award was presented to Sally Spencer, who retired in May as the SDS alumni relations manager. This award is given to an alumnus or SDS supporter who has made a significant contribution to the life of the Day School.

ALUMNI COLLEGE PANEL

SPRING SOCIAL

Alumni joined current and former SDS faculty on Dorrance Plaza for the sixth annual Spring Social.

LIFERS

Congratulations Class of 2022

The Spartanburg Day School Class of 2022 is attending 32 different colleges and universities in 13 states plus Washington, D.C., England, Scotland and Germany.

Lara Mallen Leeds Arts University

Bryce Knight Wofford College

Jason He University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Thomas Myers Northeastern University

Riley Kopchinski Furman University

Carys Hrebenar The University of Edinburgh

Emily Grace Cobourn University of Virginia

Adom Appiah Duke University

Hill Mitchell University of Rhode Island

Morgan Kopchinski University of Georgia

Jed Howie University of South Carolina Union

Katie Popkin Lenoir-Rhyne University

Lauren Lever Appalachian State University

Molly Jones Oxford College of Emory University

Don Douglass Fork Union Military Academy

Leo Carter Spartanburg Methodist College

Karine Nguyen University of Richmond

Logan Kusher Rochester Institute of Technology

Grace Januchowski Oglethorpe University

Sarah Caroline Cobourn Sewanee: The University of the South

James Boyd Texas Christian University

Olivia Russell The Naropa University

Emma Lonon University of South Carolina Upstate

Gracie Keel Wofford College

Lilly Garritson Davidson College

Bryson Clayton University of South Carolina Upstate

Hunter Smith College of Charleston

Bijan Madani Warren Wilson College

Kelly Killoren Wake Forest University

Houston Graves University of South Carolina Columbia

Maggie Cobb Clemson University

Finn Reid Wake Forest University

Mark Li Indiana University Bloomington

Will Jones Wofford College

Melia Foster School of the Art Institute of Chicago

Raegan Cash Converse University

Leah Southard University of South Carolina Upstate

Chris Weihrauch Duale Hochschule Baden—Württemberg

Nicholas Wildrick University of Mississippi

Reid Stille University of South Carolina Columbia

Paige VanGeison University of Georgia

Kaif Surka Converse University

Lucas Wilson Clemson University

Zachary Wolter University of South Carolina Upstate

Did I choose the path or did the path choose me?

By Vicky Strange Retired Assistant to the Head of School

It has always been important to me to be a good listener. I’ve never thought too much about having the last word, although I am certain my sweet husband, Dudley, would disagree. Today, the last word is dedicated to my SDS family.

My thoughts and my heart take me back to a simpler time and to the Spartanburg Day School Drayton campus where I met some of the most dedicated men and women that I have ever known. It was a happy and safe place led by Head of Lower School Mary Willis, one of my dearest friends. At the age of 33 I started on a journey having no idea it would take me along a 41-year path. It was the beginning of events that would shape my life forever.

The building was more than brick and mortar. It protected the hard work and determination of the men and women who gave their time and devotion to establish a school that would not only change their lives and their children’s lives, but the lives of many more to come. It was a plan put into motion not only for them, but for someone like me. How could this be? It was the result of special people entrusting me to uphold the integrity and the vision that the founders of Spartanburg Day School set forth. I was given a responsibility that I never took lightly.

It would take too long to express my genuine feelings for all of you. It would be overwhelming. Spartanburg Day School is my second home. It is where I have grown up, matured… and where my hair turned gray. It is truly my “Golden Pond.”

God has been a big part of my life. It all started with my parents, who were strong, hardworking… church going. Looking out the front windows of the home where I grew up, the church stood tall on the hill. I grew up in Holston Creek, and to this day, I call it “God’s Country”. The values I learned then are always with me, and when I stumble, I am always reminded of them.

There are so many folks that I need to thank. My dear husband, Dudley, and our precious family, for their understanding, allowing me to complete a journey that meant so much to me.

Whenever I’m called “Miss Vicky,” I know it is someone from my early days at SDS, and it reminds me of how grateful I am to have

Last Word

had a small part of their Day School experience. How could I not mention the men that led Spartanburg Day School as Headmasters? The ones who were entrusted with the very lives of faculty, students and parents. They were truly dedi cated men. Having the opportunity to meet Harry Groblewski and Harold Donnelly was a stop on the path that I never expected. It was priceless! Mike Johnson was so important to SDS in so many capacities. Dr. Gary Clark, Dr. Charlie Skipper, Chris Dorrance (and I could never forget Dr. Wallace Taylor as Interim); all gave me the opportunity to continue my journey. I will be forever grateful to have served such dedicated men. Good men!

Then there is Rachel Deems, a pioneer who made her mark as being the first woman to lead Spartanburg Day School. I never felt quite worthy to serve her. The years passed quickly and I watched as she put her heart and soul into the very fabric of all SDS stands for. It was an honor to have worked with her.

To all the people who walked through the doors of Spartanburg Day School, I salute. I owe my sincere gratitude for the opportunity in 1980 to become a part of the SDS family, and remain with you until September 30, 2021. I will never forget you… faculty, students, parents, alumni, Board members, staff, Heads of School, Administrative Team, volunteers, dedicated Dining Commons staff, and last but not least… the hardworking maintenance crew (my best buddies).

I am reminded of the words of a song: You are the wind beneath my wings But I’ve got it all here in my heart, I would be nothing without you!

The Alice Dorrance Reflective Garden is a beautiful and peaceful place that I hope to visit often, not only to reflect on my years at SDS, but also remember the folks that made the campus possible. To Spartanburg Day School, and all that it is and continues to be, I say to you…

Come sit awhile with me! The b est is yet to be!

Vicky Strange, as pictured in the 1983 Delta Yearbook, when she served as secretary and receptionist of the Lower School.