At Indian Springs School, we believe in individualizing the educational experience. This allows students to construct their own unique, rigorous curriculum and to learn to explore their passions.
Our graduates may attend the most prestigious colleges around the country and across the world, but our approach to academics means that they discover something even more valuable—how to grow as a scholar, an individual, and a citizen.
Set on 350 idyllic acres, Indian Springs School is a resource as much as a retreat. Our Fertile Minds Learning Garden and top-quality sports facilities help feed the body. Our sustainably designed facilities help feed the mind.
Emphasizing the quality of student life, our environment embodies the values of community, responsibility, and opportunity. Whether you are on campus for the day or make it your home for the year, this is a space for exploration, education, and engagement.
Louis “Doc” Armstrong, Springs’ founding director, suggested that our important work is “to bridge the gap between what is and what might be” in the ways we learn, think, act, and participate in the wider world. This work is undergirded and extended by the generosity of all who share our mission.
Every gift makes a difference. Regardless of your age or situation, we have a means of giving to the school that suits your circumstances. Our Advancement staff stands ready to help.
The books and supplies for courses can be found here. The ISBN and an Amazon link are provided. Note that some courses are such that the school purchases the course materials (often digital copies) on behalf of the student and then bills home. Many of the math classes will follow this system. Some teachers are still preparing their courses and will let you know of course texts at the start of classes in August.
You will also find the Summer Readings in the Book/Supply list. Navigate to the “English” tab in the spreadsheet and then find the appropriate English class for the student. Any summer readings for that particular grade level will be included alongside the associated English course and will carry the label “Summer Reading.” For reference, the English course titles are
8th Grade: English 8 9th Grade: English 9 10th Grade: Critical Reading & Analytical Writing 11th Grade: Either AP English Language and Composition or a mixture of semester courses 12th Grade: A mixture of semester courses
Some classes will have a summer assignment. These will be distributed and/or communicated through mySprings/school email. Be on the lookout in your email for messages from teachers regarding assignments.
If you have not done so yet, please navigate to mySprings/Blackbaud to review your schedule for the next academic year. To see your schedule, access Blackbaud and click the Progress tab near the top left of the page. You should then select the grade you are entering from the Select Grade menu. Note that there is a toggle for Term where you can select Fall Semester and/or Spring Semester.
We plan on returning to our rotating schedule of prior years. Please navigate here for a printable copy of the daily rotation. Note: The first class on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays will start at 8:20 a.m., while the first class on Wednesdays will start at 9:00 a.m. Classes will end at 3:40 p.m. If you need further insight on when your classes will meet, please navigate to Calendar under your login for mySprings/Blackbaud.
The first day of school is Monday, August 16. Our Fall mayor, Andy Schwebel, has convened a committee to organize our return to school. Please expect to be on campus for our normal operational hours starting on August 16; StudGov will communicate the details surrounding the activities for the return to school to students once approved by the faculty the week of August 9. The first day of classes will occur on Wednesday, August 18.
To help with long-term planning, here is a printable, one-page document highlighting planned school closures, holiday breaks, report cards, parent-teacher conferences, and other important dates. In addition, you can use the website calendar to keep up-to-date on all of the happenings around campus.
Returning students, your AP scores are available under your login on the CollegeBoard website. So that you may add it to your collective calendars, APs for the 2021-2022 academic year will be held during the first two weeks of May 2022. Please visit the CollegeBoard site here to see the proposed dates for the 2022 AP exams.
The PSAT and PreACT will continue to be administered on-campus. Students in the 10th and 11th grades will take the PSAT on October 13, and students in 10th grade will take the PreACT on January 26. We are still in discussions about offering an on-campus SAT administration, and more information will be provided once a determination is made.
Click here to view the bus schedule. Please note that times may be adjusted based on experience with traffic conditions once the school year starts. Any changes will be communicated with as much advance notice as possible.
Students must be at the stop ready to load before the time listed for the bus to be leaving. Buses cannot wait or stop and load between stops. If a student misses the bus at their stop, they must go to the next stop to try to get on or go directly to the school.
This year we will resume Indian Springs tradition by celebrating the completion of the first week of school with Lake Day and a dance. On Friday, August 20, classes will end early, and students and faculty will head to the lake for swimming and games from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. There will be a lifeguard on duty. If you have any concerns or do not wish your child to participate, swim, or canoe, please use the contact information below to reach out. Buses will run at the usual times. The Back to School Dance will be held in the gym from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. This is an informal event for Indian Springs students only. Students do not need tickets or reservations.
Locker assignments will be added to mySprings. 11th and 12th graders must indicate their locker preference by responding to the form sent by Sra. Wald. Any student using a locker should bring their own lock. 8th and 9th graders will also have access to a gym locker. They need to bring a lock.
Parents who attend Parent Orientation on August 15 will receive parking decals there. Parents who do not attend may pick up decals at another time after the start of the school year. We will distribute parking decals to students upon receipt of all necessary permissions and after a drivers' meeting.
All students who plan to participate in AHSAA athletics this school year must submit an updated sports physical and sign the necessary documents on the DragonFly website. Click here to watch a video walking you through the process.
Choir voice checks will be held during the first week of school. All students are welcome! Please stop by the choir rehearsal room in Town Hall to sign up for a time.
We are constantly assessing the risk that that surrounds our community when it comes to Covid. However, we also would like our students to be able to join their off-campus friends when possible. While we will make sure everyone stays informed on our current Covid policies throughout the year, there are some important steps when planning to sign out a boarding student that will be helpful when considering making plans.
For students to spend the night with an off-campus friend, we must have those plans three days before they plan to depart. This piece is the students’ responsibility, and yet, they can always use a parental reminder.
For overnight stays, we will need parent permission from both the parent of the boarding student and the parent of the host, so if you know that a plan is on the horizon, please send an email to reslife@indiansprings.org or call Director of Residential Life Hallie Barrett at 205.518.1215 to give permission.
If you are interested in hosting a student for the vacation, please reach out to the student you are interested in hosting as soon as possible. It is quite probable that overseas students may not be able to return home during the year. A school year without a home base is extremely challenging. We appreciate any consideration you give to hosting a friend over vacation.
We ask that all students who leave for the weekend return by 5:30 p.m. on Sunday. We hope to have weekly residential life meetings and dorm cleanup after Sunday dinner. We believe this return time will help students get into the proper mindset for beginning the school week.
Check-in before study hall will occur at 7:15 p.m. this year. Unless the student you are responsible for is taking a senior night/RA night out, they should return to campus on weekdays with time to be in the common area by 7:15 p.m. Monday-Friday.
Indian Springs School, an independent school recognized nationally as a leader in boarding and day education for grades 8-12, serves a talented and diverse student body and offers admission to qualified students regardless of race, gender, religion, national origin, ethnicity, or sexual orientation. Located in Indian Springs, Alabama, just south of Birmingham, the school does not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, religion, national origin, ethnicity, or sexual orientation in the administration of its educational policies, admission policies, scholarship and loan programs, or athletic and other school-administered programs.