St. George's Independent School
| St. George's Independent School | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | |
 | |
United States | |
| Information | |
| Type | Private, college-preparatory day |
| Motto | Veritas Liberabit Vos (The truth will set you free) |
| Religious affiliation(s) | Episcopal Church |
| Established | 1959 |
| Head of school | Luke Pruett |
| Faculty | 81.0 (on an FTE basis)[1] |
| Grades | PK–12[1] |
| Gender | Co-educational |
| Enrollment | 1,041 (851 non-prekindergarten)[1] (2021–2022) |
| Student to teacher ratio | 10.5[1] |
| Campuses | Collierville, Germantown, and Memphis |
| Color(s) | Garnet , and Gold |
| Mascot | The Gryphon |
| Newspaper | The Lodge |
| Website | www |
St. George's Independent School (SGIS) is a co-educational private school in Memphis, Tennessee affiliated with the Episcopal Church. Founded in 1959, it educates students from pre-kindergarten (PK) until grade 12 and has three campuses in the Memphis metropolitan area.
History
In 1959, St. George's Episcopal Church started a day school in Germantown with 19 students and two teachers in its rectory.[2] In 1979, the parish, including the school, moved to new facilities along Poplar Avenue. The school expanded during the 1990s and began raising funds for the acquisition and construction of the Collierville campus for Middle and Upper School (grades 6-12) and a second elementary school in Memphis for grades PK-5.
Since it was a parish school, it meant that the school and parish church shared funds and property; in the case of St. George's, there were concerns that the lines were blurred, and the school and church decided to legally separate. The Poplar Avenue site was sold to the school and the parish church moved to another location.[3] In 2004, the school name was changed to "St. George's Independent School" to reflect this change of status.[4]
The school administration and board wished to maintain the Episcopal identity despite not having any legal ties with a parish or the diocese. The diocese allowed St. George's continue to use the Common Book of Prayer and the school continued to have an unofficial affiliation. In 2016, St. George's officially reaffirmed its status as an Episcopal school.[4]
Organizational structure and campuses
St. George's has four divisions: Early Childhood (grades PK-1), Elementary (grades 2-5), Middle School (grades 6-8), and Upper School (grades 9-12).[5] It also runs "Little Georgies" Infant and Early Learning program for children aged 6 weeks to 2 years at the Germantown campus.[6]
Since the early 2000s, when the Memphis campus opened, St. George's Lower School has been split across the Germantown and Memphis campuses. In February 2025, the St. George's Board of Trustees announced the two Lower School campuses will unite on one campus in Germantown, starting with the 2025-2026 school year.[citation needed] The Middle and Upper Schools are located at the Collierville campus.
Athletics
St. George's competes in the Division II-A (71 Teams 6th-12th grade), West Region A of the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association (TSSAA).[7]
References
- ^ a b c d "ST GEORGE'S INDEPENDENT SCHOOL". Private School Universe Survey. National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved March 4, 2025.
- ^ "A Storied History". St. George's Independent School website.
- ^ "Physical Symbol, Spiritual Reality — A Guide to St. George's Episcopal Church" (PDF). St. George's Episcopal Church, Germantown, TN.
- ^ a b "Chapel — It is an event that is central to campus life at St. George's, but how much do you really know about it?". Gryphon Lodge. November 10, 2017.
- ^ "St. George's Independent School profile". Memphis Association of Independent Schools.
- ^ "Little Georgies". St. George's Independent School website.
- ^ "School Directory — St. George's Independent School". Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association.