Sewanee Elementary School

Welcome to Sewanee Elementary School, a community school that embraces parental and community involvement. Our wonderfully creative and enthusiastic staff believes in preparing every child not only academically for the next step in their education but also socially, emotionally, and physically. To this end, Sewanee believes in teaching across the curriculum and teaching outside the four walls.

At SES the arts are an integral part in the education of the whole child. Throughout the school year, every grade is involved in a musical skit in which they not only are learning acting and music, but also, history, culture and public speaking. Each year our students participate in several county wide art competitions as well. With support from our PTO, the Nashville Opera annually visits. Our very involved PTO even organizes what has become a very successful book swap at the end of each school year.

We strive to find opportunities for students to take an active role in the life of the school. Each year during American Education Week our students dress as their favorite book character/author to encourage and share the love and joy of reading. Throughout the year students participate in Wax Museums and we have an annual staff that is student oriented. Our weekly assemblies offer a time to sing together, recognize students and to welcome special guests.

At SES science does not begin and end in a textbook. Our Science Fair is unique to this area. The kindergartners and the first graders complete a joint project while the students in grades two through five put together individual projects and must be prepared to defend them when interviewed by the judges. We have a nature trail that ties in nicely with our studies of the environment. SES participates in National Geographic’s Geography Bee and we have a fifth grade math team that participates in math competitions.

A great example of intertwining the arts, the traditional curriculum and teaching outside the four walls is Friday School. Now in its thirty-second year, Friday School welcomes volunteers from Cowan to Monteagle to come together to share their talents and areas of expertise with the students. Spread out over four Friday afternoons, the students have the opportunity to take classes such as ecology, Spanish, gardening, nature hiking, arts & crafts, and tennis. The students would rather have Friday School than a snow day!

In an effort to keep the students mentally and physically fit, SES offers an intramural program many mornings before the school day begins. Also, the students and parents are encouraged to participate in the internationally recognized Walk to School Day. We are proud of our outstanding athletes who compete in the nationally recognized Pepsi Punt, Pass and Kick competition or on our basketball team. We are pleased by our students’ victories but, more importantly, we are proud that both the boys’ and girls’ teams play with heart, desire and good sportsmanship

Volunteers are an important resource in all that we accomplish. On any given day throughout the school year, an extraordinary group of parents, retirees, college students and community volunteers can be found working with students, reading in small groups, assisting students with their math, or helping our students to appreciate the environment that surrounds our school.

At SES we are proud to be a school with a family atmosphere, where everyone pulls together for a common good, the education of our children.