For Parents

SAS offers a variety of weekend activities throughout the year, including: games, tournaments, dances, movies, and cooking on campus and trips to shopping, concerts, museums, sporting events, and restaurants in Nashville, Chattanooga, and Atlanta. The Mountain offers opportunities for caving, canoeing, and camping trips. It is common for day students to participate in weekend activities with boarders, especially off-the-Mountain trips, but boarders always have first priority when there are limited spots available.

There is a strong bond between day and boarding students. Often, boarders spend an evening or a weekend off-campus with day friends and their families, and day students frequently get together with boarders in the houses on campus. 

Boarders may spend the weekend off campus once permission is granted from their parents. “Closed Weekends" – where boarders are required to stay on campus, occur only once or twice each semester.

No. Our dress code requires students to be neat and clean during the academic day and stipulates some items which are not allowed for reasons of modesty, practicality, or good taste. Because we stress active involvement in class -- students are often out in the woods, sitting in groups on the floor, wading in ponds, etc. -- students need to wear clothes that are suitable for such activities. There are school events which require “formal dress" (dresses, ties, etc.) such as formal chapels and ceremonies.

St. Andrew's-Sewanee has helped many students make the successful transition from homeschooling or unschooling to high school and on to college. Homeschoolers enjoy our small community, family-like residence halls, and personal attention. Unschoolers appreciate our emphasis on personal responsibility and the freedom to explore individual interests. A few years at SAS may be just the right option for your children as they seek to build a portfolio for college admission that includes objective measures of their learning and abilities and provides skills for moving into a more independent period in their lives.

Van runs to town are scheduled throughout the week with stops at our local stores and fast-food venues. Trips to larger stores are scheduled for the weekends.

With some restrictions, domestic senior and junior boarders may keep a car on campus. Students who have drivers permission from their parents or guardian must also receive permission from the Teacher-in-Charge (TIC) or Administrator-on-Call (AOC) to leave campus. Passengers must have rider's permission (provided by their parent or guardian) on file. International students may not keep cars on campus or in the area.

Generally students may not keep pets in the houses. With special permission from the House Head, a fish or small caged pet is allowed. However, there are many opportunities to bond with the animals that belong to our campus families.