Welcome to the Ridge

Welcome to the Ridge! McCallie has more than a century of experience "Inspiring Boys and Building Men" in the Southeast and far beyond. Our unique combination of an all-boys student body, boarding and day schools, and a nationally-renowned college preparatory environment offers a truly unique educational experience for more than 10,000 boys for more than 100 years. What truly distinguishes McCallie will not be found in the descriptions of its curriculum or its extracurricular program. McCallie's spirit is found in the character of its community, in the interactions between students and teachers, in the values which daily define how we live, in our emphasis on ethical leadership, and in the way that we appreciate and celebrate boys. Find out more information about our school by taking our Virtual Campus Tour, requesting additional information from our Admission staff, or learning more about the application process for boarding students (9-12) or day students (6-12).

 

Mission Statement

McCallie School is dedicated to preparing young men to make a positive difference in their world. By fostering their intellectual, spiritual, physical, and emotional development, the school seeks to inspire and motivate them to:

•   strive for excellence;
•   seek truth;
•   live honorably;
•   act responsibly; &
•   help others.

 

Academics: Overview

Lifelong learners are built. They learn to cherish curiosity and endure through setbacks and failures. They have encouraging adult mentors who push them to strive but support them when they struggle. They have peers who push themselves not for the sake of competition, but for the goal of improvement. At McCallie, you will have knowledgeable and inspiring teachers, ambitious but principled brothers, and a 24-7 community that demands your best efforts and seeks to work with you to make you a better learner, a better person, a future leader. Your school experience will aim to prepare you for a world unlike anything we can imagine. Click into the curriculum guide for insight into the academic goals and philosophies of each department and detailed information about each class offered. The Upper and Middle School Blue Books offer comprehensive overviews of diploma requirements, school policies, extracurricular offerings, and other key information for your McCallie experience.

 

Philosophy of Athletic Program

McCallie School appreciates the importance of fostering the physical development of its students. Toward that end, the School offers a wide array of athletic activities. While our athletic programs strive to provide students with realistic opportunities to compete successfully, McCallie believes that winning games and championships is the fortunate outgrowth of achieving higher priorities. Those priorities include the following:

• Skill development
• Sportsmanship
• Teamwork
• Effort
• Resilience
• Goal setting

Our coaches are teachers, and our teachers are coaches. Our students learn from the same mentors on the fields as they do in the classrooms. In the classroom or on the field, the goals are related. Through this special teacher-coach relationship model, students learn important values while representing McCallie with honor. Most importantly, our coaches want to prepare our students to be leaders and champions in life.

 

Life on the Ridge

LESSONS ARE NOT LIMITED to classroom time, nor are they merely extended onto athletic fields. Learning encompasses all aspects of a day, a week, a year -- it merely requires an open mind and an engaged spirit. McCallie is not a place merely for classes and competition. McCallie is a community of young men learning they can make a difference, making important choices and experiencing life. Links in the menu on the right will take you to information on McCallie's varied and expansive afternoon and weekend activities programs, its coordinate program with Girls Preparatory School, an explanation of the school's emphasis on spiritual life, pages on college guidance, the library, the learning center, the writing center, and summer opportunities. Fine arts -- music, art, drama -- comprises a critical element in the journey to becoming a McCallie Man. Academically, students are required to take five semesters' worth of fine arts classes and can choose from more than 20 classes and subjects. But the school's commitment to the arts hardly begins and ends in the classroom setting. The music department is home to a smattering of diverse musical groups, including a guitar ensemble, a wind ensemble, and numerous choirs. Every year, some 300 of the Upper School boys -- often more than half the student body -- participate in some aspect of Candlelight, McCallie's annual Christmastime musical event for more than 20 years.

 

Clubs & Organizations

Student Organizations at McCallie are divided into three general areas:

• Afternoon Activities
• Clubs
• Organizations

 

AFTERNOON ACTIVITIES The Argonaut Blue Crew Cheerleaders Debate Team Drama Department Ecology and Recycling Mock Trial (Student Law Firm) Model United Nations The Outdoor Program The Pennant Science Olympiad and Science Bowl Senior Projects Service The Tornado

 

CLUBS African-American Alliance Amnesty International Art Club Essential Liberties Club International Club Key Club Language Clubs (Spanish, French, German, Chinese, Classics) Music Club Photography Club Young Democrats and Young Republicans

 

ORGANIZATIONS Campaigners Campus Entertainment Committee Chapel Committee Cum Laude Fellowship of Christian Athletes Habitat for Humanity *Keo-Kio McCallie Athletic Council McCallie’s Big Brothers McCallie Investment Society McCallie Music: (The Chamber Singers, The Honors Orchestra, The Candlelight Chorus, The Guitar Quartet, The Vestry Singers, The Jazz Band, The Pep Band, Handbells) *Missionary Committee National Honor Society *S.P.I.R.I.T.U.A.L.S. Student Council *Student Senate *TEPS Young Life

 

Co-Ed Program

The purpose of the Coordinate Program between McCallie and Girls Preparatory School (GPS) is to offer both communities varied opportunities to interact with one another. McCallie and GPS partner in a Coordinate Program that maintains the strengths of each school's single-gender educational program, upholding each school's unique traditions. At the same time McCallie and GPS provide students activities where the "all-boys" and the "all-girls" schools can interact. The Coordinate Program strives to maintain the connections that exist between the schools and improve offerings for our students to enrich their educational and growth experiences. To that end, the goal of the program is to provide a safe and natural setting for the students to meet the opposite sex, and to do so with age-appropriate activities. The Coordinate Program offers activities and events designed to appeal to the wide variety of student interests. The major components of the Coordinate Program include: Social-Participative-Interactive Fine Arts Academic-Learning Student Leadership Community Service Sports Outdoor Programs The all-boys and all-girls schools enjoy a calendar of events that provide times for students to meet in well-chaperoned, wholesome recreation.  These activities for 6th through 12th grades include: Social Dances/ Concerts / Football Games /Caravans /Field Days /Prom /Pizza Parties /Tailgates /Pep Rallies/Bonfires /Sign Painting/Talent Shows /Roller Skating /Bowling /Drive-In Movie Nights /College Nights /Lake Parties /Band Parties/Six Flags Trips /Homecoming /Socials Student Leadership Young Life/Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) Sports Cheerleading/Swimming/Golf/Crew/Track/Tennis Community Service Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure/ Habitat for Humanity Academic Mock Trial/ Debate Team /Model UN Outdoor Programs Kayaking/ Backpacking/ Climbing Team/ Caving Fine Arts Drama/ Singing/ Musicals/ Honors Orchestra/ Plays/ Pep Bands/ Instrumentals/ Chorus/ CandleLight/ Musical Performances/ Student Recitals For a complete listing of Coordinate Program events and activities, please visit the main Calendar page under News & Calendar. There is a strong bond between McCallie and GPS. The friendships formed are often life-long and are an important part of preparing our students for future relationships. The Coordinate Program does "coordinate" which by definition means to: bring together, to match up, to synchronize. It does this with both students at McCallie (all-boys) and GPS (all-girls). The Coordinate Program is at the heart the connection between the two schools. The McCallie-GPS Coordinate Program: to share, learn, grow, make memories, enrich your experiences, interact, and form long-lasting friendships.