News & Events
2019
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The Essence of Sports: Part 1
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My Story
My story begins long before I was born. It begins with my grandfather, who dedicated 35 years of his life to bringing Christ to young athletes in his community on Hilton Head Island through a ministry called "Week of Champions." My story also begins with my great grandfather serving his small town in Ohio by ministering in hospitals, churches, and funeral homes. My story begins with the leaders of Calvary, whose vision it was to minister to our community through developing a Christ-centered school. They have taught me respect, perseverance, and humility. All of these people have set the tone for my own story. -
What Calvary Means to Me
From early mornings spent tediously working on the yearbook, to lunch breaks serving on Honor Council, to after-school golf practices, and finally, late nights studying for AP exams, my Calvary uniform represented many different aspects of the identity I found within Calvary. It wasn’t just the outfit I wore to sit in a classroom or the clothes I was required to play golf in. The purple and gold became a marker that I belonged to Calvary Day School. -
What Calvary Means To Me
My parents and I walked into Mrs. Karen Jones’ Pre-Kindergarten class. Cubbies for our bookbags lined the sides of the room, and the walls painted pictures of a fairytale with castles and knights and princesses. As my parents turned to say goodbye to me, my four-year-old self broke into tears, begging my parents not to leave me behind. Despite transitioning from the Calvary daycare, where this same routine of my parents dropping me off before work and picking me up in the afternoon was normal, I was afraid of what the “big school” would be like. -
Ford Tough
I became a parent on July 23rd, 2015. It was the day my life most drastically changed. My purpose was no longer about my own well being or desires but more about the well being and growth of my son. -
Why FIRST LEGO League?
I know what many of you are thinking, because it’s probably the same thing that I was thinking when we decided to start FIRST LEGO League for our middle school: “This will be cool, but it may only appeal to a few students.” Prior to some research on FIRST LEGO league, I honestly assumed it would just be building some structures with LEGO kits and some basic programming. However, I couldn’t have been more wrong. It is so much more and truly teaches countless life lessons and provides many long-term benefits for those who choose to participate. -
Leading By Example
“Who are you texting?” I casually asked my son one morning as he slumped on the couch during his Christmas break from UGA.“Mr. Locke. We still talk all the time,” came the sleepy reply.“About a History class you’re taking?” I questioned inquisitively.“No, just about life, school, friends. Nothing big,” answered my son with thumbs whirling on his phone. -
Next Level Cavaliers
Last Thursday, we began a new tradition for our rising 9th and 6th graders. The Student Ambassadors hosted a field day for these students. Each Student Ambassador was assigned a specific job, including team leader, serving snacks, and walking students through Calvary trivia. Throughout the event, I was so blessed to watch the Ambassadors cheer on the 5th and 8th graders on their team, encourage each student to participate and be involved in each event, and lead small group discussions in order to foster relationships. -
Roll Tide! Roll Tide! Roll Tide!... Hard Words for this Georgia Girl!
Recently I had the opportunity to visit the University of Alabama. I knew UA was a large school, but I truly had no idea what to expect. The streets of Tuscaloosa, known as Ttown to the students, were lined with majestic, mansions, one after the other. The beautiful three story white mansion on the left was breathtaking. I thought to myself, this must be the president's mansion. It was. We ate breakfast there the following morning. This was not what I had expected, not at all. -
The busiest time of year!
Spring is the busiest time of year in schools. Students are studying for exams, collaborating on final projects, hunting for Easter eggs, and participating in playoff sports. Spring is also packed with school performances and concerts. Teachers spend countless hours practicing songs and dance steps to ensure our students are ready for performance day. -
Introducing Jr. Cavs!
The Calvary Athletic Department is excited to introduce a new program we are rolling out this summer, the Jr. Cavs. This program provides an amazing opportunity for younger athletes, in grades Kindergarten through 8th grade, enrolled at Calvary or athletes representing other schools from the Savannah community. -
No Excuses
Excuses. We see and hear them everywhere. Whether you are a parent, coach, or teacher, we all hate to hear them because it usually means something was not done. I can’t do it because...I am afraid. What will people think? I might not be good at it. Everyone else was doing it. I am tired. It won’t matter much anyway. I’ll do it later. We have all heard these excuses and many more. It only took three chapters into the Bible for Adam to make the excuse that it was Eve’s fault that he ate the fruit. Moses asked God to send someone else to lead the people from Egypt because he didn’t think he spoke well and didn’t think anyone would listen to him. Everyone has made an excuse not to do something at one time or the other. -
Why Sports Physicals are Important and Needed for Your Student-Athlete
Important things to keep in mind for your young athletes:If your kids are healthy, do they really need a sports physical? Actually, yes. According to a PeaceHealth doctor who has worked with Olympic-level athletes, a regular check-up can give you and your young athlete peace of mind…not just for a season, but for life.“About 90 percent of the time, we don’t find anything that would be of concern during a physical,” said Kevin deWeber, MD, a family and sports medicine physician in Vancouver, Washington. However, those few check-ups that do reveal problems are potentially life-saving and that alone makes them more than worth doing.“Sports physicals are needed to make sure athletes compete safely—for their own health—and for the health of others,” said Dr. deWeber. Heart murmurs or hidden heart disorders are sometimes found during physicals. A few more-common conditions that physicians see that might limit a student’s physical activity include asthma, allergies, and high blood pressure. -
Creating Memories with Vidigami at Calvary Day School
This year we have partnered with the school photo specialists at Vidigami as the primary sharing platform for all school photos. From official photos taken by our Media and Public Relations departments to the candid shots taken in the classrooms and around the campus, Vidigami gives parents, students, and staff an interactive view into the students’ school experiences. A fully featured cloud-based software, it allows users to upload photos from any device, organize them by album, tag them with keywords, and create slideshows for our website, as well as OnCampus classroom and team bulletin boards. Vidigami is just one more way that we are adding value to your Calvary experience. -
The Calvary Family
After reading Director of Development Gordon Hunter’s blog post entitled--“What is a Cavalier?”--I couldn’t help but reflect on the meaning of Calvary to me personally. I started my Calvary journey in 1981 as a classmate in Mrs. Smith’s 5th grade class. I pulled out the yearbook just now and can’t believe how many of my fellow 5th graders from 1981-1982 are still an active part of the Calvary family. Just to name a few: Michelle (Meyers) Smeltzer, Admissions Assistant, current Calvary parent, parent of CDS grad; Kim (Burgstiner) Zellner, Lower School Librarian and current CDS parent; Stacey (Black) Peacock, current Calvary parent and parent of a CDS grad; Michael Johnson, current Calvary parent; Spencer Thomas, current parent and parent of CDS grad; and Andrea (Mason) Turner, current parent and Director of the Calvary Afterschool Program. They have been a part of the Calvary family their entire lives, but, why? -
The Importance of Learning Agility
Education in the 21st century is exciting and scary all at the same time. Change is happening faster than ever, and we do not know exactly what education will look like 10 years from now. Some of the burning questions are: -
God's Notebook
Over the past few seasons I have given each of my basketball players a booklet entitled “Calvary Basketball Notebook of Champions” for the upcoming season. I got this idea from Coach Don Meyer, former coach at Lipscomb University and Northern State. This notebook outlines what we will be doing over the summer, suggestions and information on becoming a better basketball player (as well as a better person), motivational quotes, and other information to inspire our players. It contains some of the best information that I have come across over my years of coaching. I have spent many hours on this notebook, trying to get it to fit our needs and get our players to improve. -
Senior Internship Week - A Real Career Eye Opener for Calvary Seniors
Calvary High School offers a senior internship program (previously called minimester) implemented more than three decades ago which provides practical learning experiences for seniors. This program gives these seniors a first-hand view of the functions, purposes, and objectives of various professions. The student work at a non-paying status. This opportunity allows seniors to select a career of interest that they are able to observe first hand, which can in turn assist them in selecting their major and career path through their college years. Several students shared their recent experiences with us: -
We Have Conquered Italy!
What a blessed opportunity we had to travel to the beautiful country of Italy. Over Spring Break, 32 Cavaliers traveled together to experience God’s handiwork and man’s creativity. We used Christian travel company Joshua Expeditions, so our entire trip was spiritually integrated. -
Reading is Fundamental
Think back to the last time you read a good book. Was it a book that made you laugh out loud, brought tears to your eyes, transported you somewhere that you had never been, taught you something new, exercised your brain, or just fed your curiosity? -
5 Tips for Finishing the Year Strong
Whether you are in 6th grade, 8th grade, or even in high school, finishing the school year well can often be a difficult task. Many students struggle to finish the year with the same effort and enthusiasm that they started out with. Understand that this is normal, and they are not the only child that has a hard time pushing to the end. Quite often, many feel like they “just can’t take much more” or are “limping to the finish.” With that in mind, here are 5 helpful tips that you can use to try and help your children make the end of the year a success rather than barely making it by: -
Our Scores Tell a Bright Story
Every five years a new and very specific academic story is told about Calvary Day School. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) AdvancED team spends three days on campus evaluating our students and staff in all areas of academic life. In the years leading up to this visit, our teachers and administrators invest thousands of work hours, produce tens of thousands of pages of documentation, create a detailed website portal with all of this information, and craft a very detailed long-range plan for continued excellence. -
The meaning of FAMILY
Family can be understood by several definitions. At Calvary, family is used very often in context to describe the culture of this place. Often at open houses I will talk about family to those touring and looking at our school. I will begin stating that Calvary is very similar to your family--no one is perfect and no school is perfect--but what's important is the community that makes up that family and the impact it has on you. -
Spiritual Emphasis Week
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Women in Saudi Arabia Continuing to Fight for Their Rights
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The steps of a good man...
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Willy Wonka
Roald Dahl’s timeless story of the world-famous candy man and his quest to find an heir comes to life in this stage adaptation of Charlie and The Chocolate Factory, which features the songs from the classic family film Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory.
Come join us next week as we visit a world of pure imagination!
Purchase Tickets -
Crystal Clear Champion: J’Nyla English
High school are some of the toughest years, but with the right attitude and humble personality, 2018 Homecoming Queen, J’Nyla English, has shown that it makes all the difference. When she came to Calvary from Bible Baptist her freshman year, she was eager for a new start because of some difficult experiences in the past. -
The Reality of Alzheimer’s
Who Are You Again? An Editorial Feature on the Personal Effects of Alzheimer’s DiseaseWhat is your name again? Who are you? How do I know you? Three simple questions that are heard daily in the life of someone affected by Alzheimer’s. These are questions that are not easy to hear, but remind loved ones that forgetfulness is a reality of the disease. Alzheimer’s is a disease that progresses over time by destroying your memory which is caused by brain cells losing their quality and dying, resulting in memory loss and loss of certain functions. -
Out with the Old, In with the New: Book Club Brings Changes
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Visiting Colleges and Experiencing the Immense Opportunities
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Finding the Why?
After seventeen years of being a high school soccer coach along with four years of coaching collegiately and four years of playing soccer in college--each new season begins with a Why? Why do we coach? Why do we play? -
Performing for the glory of God
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16 -
Personal Finance Class Heads to New York
Mr. Wes Worthington shares about the upcoming trip to New York. -
Calvary’s Beacon Staff Receives National Awards
The Beacon staff’s 2018 book, Shift, was awarded Quill & Scroll’s Blue and Gold Staff Excellence Overall Award, which is given to only one yearbook staff in the country. Along with this, the staff was awarded the Blue and Gold Staff Excellence in Comprehensive Writing and the Blue and Gold Staff Excellence in Comprehensive Visuals. -
Following the path that God has for our Calvary Students….
As the decision of where to attend college starts weighing on your child’s mind, as well as your mind too, the best way to learn the ins and outs of a particular school is to visit. Why would one ever consider making the decision of attending a college for the next four or five years of their life without stepping foot on the campus? One might ask, “How do I set up a college visit?” One may sign up for a campus tour on the colleges website. Most schools offer tours every business day of the week, and tours typically run twice a day. Many schools also have Preview Days. -
What is your family looking for?
This is the question that I ask each family that I have the opportunity to take on a tour of Calvary’s campus. Each family has that "one thing" that they are truly searching for in a school. -
2019-2020 School Year
Dear Calvary Family,It is humbling to realize all the blessings we have experienced this past year as a school family. Campus improvement projects like the new kitchen and remodeled cafeteria; our new coffee shop, CAFE 252; the expansion of the STEM program and facility to include students in grades Pre-K through 12; and of course, the completion of our much lauded Specialty Sports Complex. In addition to our student-athletes enjoying countless victories these past three seasons, our High School Yearbook program won first in the nation for best yearbook team, and our Middle School Lego League Team travels to super-regionals after their recent regional win. Our Lower School, as a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence, did not rest on their laurels when expanding their Fine Arts program with amazing performances featuring vocal, dramatic, and visual arts. This pursuit of excellence across the grade levels paid dividends with the top 25% of our students scoring the highest ever SAT scores, with an average of 1350. In the spirit of Luke 2:52, we will continue to give God our best: academically, athletically, spiritually, and personally. -
Impacting the Community
The Chick-fil-A Leader Academy members have been diligently working this year on their service and leadership skills. Each year, the students are tasked with creating, organizing, and executing a service project to impact the community. This year, members voted to partner with Hosana Helpers, a nonprofit organization that provides meals and Bible lessons every Sunday in Forsyth Park. In addition to Bible lessons, Hosana Helpers provides uniforms and school supplies for 100 children in need. -
Spiritual Emphasis Week Service Mission
Dear Parents:Spiritual Emphasis Week is a special time here at Calvary Day School. This is where our Upper School students will attend a week-long series of chapels that enables them to draw closer in their relationship with Jesus Christ. Throughout the week of January 28 - February 1, our students will hear and see how we BELONG to different groups, paths, and communities within our daily lives. Faith, Academics, and Excellence are at the heart of Calvary, but above all, we want to teach our children to be the “hands and feet of Christ” in our school, community, and world.During Spiritual Emphasis Week, we are excited to partner with a local 501 c-3 nonprofit called P.A.C.K. (People of Action Caring For Kids). Among other projects, P.A.C.K. currently packs and distributes more than 6,000 bags of weekend food to kids in local schools and community programs each month. In our area, 1 in 4 children suffer from food insecurity. Calvary would like to host a packing event of our own on Thursday, January 31st. Our goal is to pack 2,500 snack bags during the week. If each student bought $8.00 worth of food items, this would allow Calvary to reach our goal. Students will be involved in every step of the process (gathering food, packing bags, making cards, and praying a special blessing over the bags).Please join us in this special project by sending in the food items listed below by January 31st for our packing event. If possible, please allow your students to help with the shopping:- Single serve juice boxes - 6th, 7th, and 8th grade
- Fruit Snacks - 9th grade
- Single serve packs of Crackers/Cookies - 10th grade
- Granola Bars - 11th grade
- Pop-Tarts - 12th grade
Thank you for all you do to raise compassionate children. We love partnering with you! You can find out more about P.A.C.K. at packsavannah.com. Please keep Spiritual Emphasis Week in your prayers.Sincerely,Sherry GriffinSEW Coordinator -
Safe Travels
Calvary Day's Lower School has logged over 14,000 miles already this year between our morning/afternoon bus service to four locations and our field trips for Pre-K through 5th grade. Safety and awareness are imperative in order to offer these services. -
Eternal AND Global Impact
Spiritual Emphasis Week (SEW) is a remarkably special week set aside each year for our Middle School and High School students to be challenged spiritually toward personal growth. I am energized every year by great student stories letting me know how their lives were changed. One particular student’s life that was changed during SEW is Senior Marmda Sun. Marmda came to Calvary as a foreign exchange student from China four years ago. Marmda is an amazingly talented artist from a small island off the coast of China. Two years ago during SEW, Marmda rededicated his life to Christ. His eternity and his outlook on life changed dramatically! -
Inaugural E-Sports Season Comes to a Close
E-sports is a collaborative sport for students where students compete in both strategic and team-based video games. These games emphasize communication between players and logical thought to overcome different situations in real time against other schools. This year Calvary fielded a team of eight players in the game League of Legends. League of Legends (LoL) consists of two five-player teams battling in a large arena. Each player selects a champion and is assigned a specific role on the map, and through communication and collaboration work together to overcome their opponents. -
Super Regional Lego League
Calvary’s FIRST Lego League Robotics team, the Legoliers, recently competed at the Central Georgia Regionals in Byron, Ga. The Legoliers, composed of eight CDS middle school students, have been meeting twice a week since September working on this year’s FIRST challenge theme, Into Orbit. The team, while focusing on the development of the core values and gracious professionalism of FIRST, excelled in the Robot Design, Programming, and Research/Project areas of judging. Their high scores from the judging presentations and their success on their Robot Missions has earned them a place in the Super-Regional Qualifier later this month at the Museum of Aviation at Robins Air Force Base. Congratulations Legoliers, and Best of Luck at Super-Regionals! -
What is a Cavalier?
Cavalier is a noun defined in four ways according to Merriam-Webster:1 : a gentleman trained in arms and horsemanship2 : a mounted soldier : KNIGHT3 capitalized : an adherent of Charles I of England4 : a lady's escort or dancing partner -
The Fearless Champion
“There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear.” 1 John 4:18
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2019
Calvary Day School
4625 Waters Avenue, Savannah, GA 31404
admissions@calvarydayschool.com
Lower School: (912) 351-2299
Upper School: (912) 644-5080
info@calvarydayschool.comUpper School: (912) 644-5080
admissions@calvarydayschool.com
Calvary Day School offers a Christ-centered educational experience for grades Pre-K – 12 through the development of the total student- spiritually, academically, socially, and physically. We provide the best, most affordable private education in Savannah, Georgia.