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IT ’ S TH E R E AL WOR LD Hammond offers students Pre-kindergarten through 12th grade an academic experience thoughtfully developed to build character, nurture talent and inspire untethered achievement far beyond the undergraduate years. Tapping into each student’s personal best, we set a course for success and leadership in the changed global community of the 21st century.
WE BE LIEVE IN F IVE IMPE R ATIVES THAT ARE THE BASIS FOR TODAY’S HAMMOND EXPE RIE NC E:
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rigorous academic standards that prepare and push
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challenges that build the mind, body and spirit
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a culture of high expectation
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meaningful connection to the larger global community
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an environment that enhances, r ather than impedes, possibility
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FROM THE HEADMASTER These are interesting times. We live in a global culture, one in which the advantage of a great education has never been more significant. At the same time, the challenges facing our schools have never been more overwhelming. Not here. At Hammond, our focus is on preparing every student to succeed — and lead — in a dynamic, connected, competitive world. We do that by surrounding each individual with exceptional facilities, renowned faculty, broad opportunities in athletics and the arts, and a supportive “Hammond family” atmosphere. It’s a special place, Hammond School. We’d be honored to have you join us. CHRIS ANGEL
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rigorous academic standards that prepare and push Our academic standards are high at Hammond, it’s true. So you might be surprised to discover the most important tenant of our school philosophy is inspiring and nurturing a genuine love of learning in every student. Can this be accomplished in a rigorous academic environment? Unequivocally, yes. Our Lower School seeks to foster active rather than passive learning. Imaginations soar amid a challenging academic setting that encourages children to question, not simply accept. Each Middle School year is designed to meet the rapidly changing developmental needs of that specific time in a student’s life; 8th grade is vastly
different from 5th grade, and our curriculum — as well as our instruction philosophy — is reflective of that reality. While focused on rigorous college prep, Hammond’s Upper School strives to create in students a strong desire to become involved world citizens who have a sense of honor, discipline and compassion.
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THE LOWE R SC HOOL Long-term academic success can only be built on a solid foundation. The Lower School develops student confidence through an exploration of academic fundamentals. Small classes and an attentive faculty encourage active participation in a challenging and rewarding environment. We introduce Spanish language and technological literacy in Pre-kindergarten, while mastering critical skills in Math, Science, Language Arts and Social Studies. Music, Art and Physical Education encourage new talents. This well-rounded approach to early education emphasizes independent thought and ambition. We are cultivating a lifetime love of learning.
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Hammond’s focus on character development complements the school’s academic rigor. Empathy, awareness, acceptance, and citizenship are concepts embraced by even our youngest Skyhawks. In Tuesday Talks, students reflect upon the importance of kindness, courtesy, honesty, and determination. Fridays we gather at the Kiva to sing our favorite songs, share our best stories, and commemorate birthdays (and half birthdays, too!). Students learn to see each other as valued contributors to a larger community.
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MIDDLE SC HOOL
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THE MIDDLE SC HOOL Build a bridge from “in between” to “out in front.” The Middle School student longs for independence amid the defined boundaries of a structured environment. During this time of personal discovery and increasing academic rigor, Hammond provides a safe place for these young people to accept new challenges, embrace new perspectives, and come into their own without getting lost in the crowd.
exploration of Math, Science, English, History, and Foreign Language. It is solid preparation for the challenge of a seventh and eighth grade curriculum emphasizing writing and logical, precise reasoning. We are instilling valuable study habits, encouraging self-expression, and leading our students toward Upper School success.
Our Middle School curriculum complements this rapid intellectual and emotional development by providing a thoughtfully measured transition between the discipline of early learning and the rigorous pace of more advanced study. Fifth and sixth graders move comfortably from an academic experience closely mirroring the Lower School to a focused, subject-based
Four years of determined preparation culminate with the traditional eighth grade Step Up. It is a celebration of significant growth and academic achievement. Faculty members highlight each student’s personal strengths, as the class president rings the chapel bell. Every toll is a profound assertion: “We are here. We are ready.”
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THE UPPE R SC HOOL Expect success. Led by highly credentialed instructors, the college preparatory curriculum of the Upper School guides students to be courageous learners who seize opportunity with confidence. We place great value on writing as a critical skill across core offerings in English, Math, History, Science, and World Language. Our school-wide dedication to experiential learning continues as students explore the Nantahala River or immerse themselves in Latin American culture with travel to Costa Rica. Small class size and an emphasis on active learning continue to be a valuable part of the Hammond experience. As areas of academic strength are refined, Hammond offers students several opportunities to narrow the focus of their coursework through specialization in
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every area of study. Accepting the challenge of Honors and Advanced Placement not only prepares our graduates for success in college, but also helps them stand out as competitive applicants for admission to today’s most elite universities. We emphasize college admissions as early as ninth grade with the goal of preparing students for the rigorous expectations of Junior and Senior years. One hundred percent of our graduates attend college. Whether close to home or across the country, the application process begins in the Office of College Counseling, a personalized service to assist all Upper School students and their parents. We take pride in knowing our students have found the perfect fit to inspire their continued academic achievement.
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challenges that build the mind, body and spirit There’s much more to a Hammond education than academic accomplishment. Our students are encouraged to engage in activities on campus and off that develop character, leadership, confidence and skill. Nearly 90 percent of our students balance schoolwork and sports, representing our school by competing in an athletic role during the course of the year. We place an equal emphasis on the arts, with curricular and extra curricular opportunities in Drama, Choral Music, Instrumental Music, Visual Arts, Theatre Arts, Technical Theatre, Dance and Fine Art.
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WE ROLL UP OUR SLE EVES AN D DIG IN . Sometimes our students learn best when books are closed and iPads are turned off. Exploring a new culture invites us to taste its food, wear its clothing, and recreate its art. We explore old growth hardwood forests with premier naturalist and faculty member, Tom Mancke; spend a week in fifth grade learning to use the primitive tools of our ancestors; and travel to Colonial Williamsburg where we walk in the footsteps of Patrick Henry and Thomas Jefferson.
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CHAMPIONS PLAY HERE We recognize the power of athletic competition to build character, encourage teamwork and intensify the connection to the larger school community. That’s why we provide more than 50 opportunities for students to participate in team sports, and why nine out of ten students choose to do so. With such a diverse range of options in the gym, on the field, or in the pool, your student is sure to find an opportunity to let his or her Skyhawk spirit soar. This combination of athletic talent and academic preparation has opened doors for many Hammond alums to take their love of the game to college. We are proud to see our graduates continuing their athletic pursuits at Columbia, Pepperdine, the University of South Carolina, West Point, and Clemson — just to name a few. HA MMON D SP ORTS Baseball
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Golf
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Sporting Clay
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Swimming
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Wrestling
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To be a Skyhawk is to be a part of a winning tradition – on and off the field.
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Throughout the school year, Hammond plays host to several performance events including choral concerts and theatrical productions.
A school-wide performance of The Lion King captivates parents and students alike in our Bank of America Theatre.
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WE SHARE OUR TALENT WITH THE WORLD Participation in the fine arts encourages students to uncover new talent and sharpen creative skills. Lower School students engage in developmentally appropriate experiences designed to cultivate an early appreciation for visual arts and music. Our Middle and Upper School students fine-tune their abilities with opportunities to participate in choral and instrumental music, dance, theatre, and advanced study in the visual arts. Throughout the school year, Hammond plays host to several performance events including choral performances, school plays, and theatrical productions. Our students perform far beyond the campus, as well. The Upper School Drama Department and the Select Ensemble, Hammond’s premier auditioned choral group, have shared their talents with audiences nationally and internationally. The Drama Department performed Les Misérables at the International Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, and the Select Ensemble shared their vocal talent in Auschwitz and at the papal Mass and evening Mass on New Year’s Day for Pope Benedict XVI in Rome.
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a culture of high expectation The encouragement to reach for your personal best. It’s what you’ll find at Hammond, an environment in which the greatest motivation comes from within. Our students, faculty, administration and families provide a closeknit, supportive network for encouraging excellence, growth, fortitude and courage. With a strong moral and ethical foundation, this recognition of individual potential leads to strength of character and personal conviction so valued in the world today. It’s also the basis for the Hammond Honor Code, the centering force for life at Hammond.
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YOUR STUDENT’S SUCCESS IS OUR FIRST PRIORITY When asked by college admissions to name an influential person in their lives, it is not unusual for Hammond students to choose a favorite faculty member. We see each student as a personal investment. We get to know them, encourage their academic achievement, and support extracurricular interests. In times of challenge, both academic and personal, we are here to listen and provide guidance.
WHY WE WE AR A UN IFOR M Uniforms emphasize Hammond’s value of individual character and talent.
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As mentors, we have the power to shape our students’ character. Even our youngest students are encouraged to lead by example with courtesy, honesty, and accountability, while Middle and Upper School students hold fast to the academic honor code: “A Hammond student does not lie or cheat and disapproves of those who do.” We take pride in seeing these principles shape decisions, preferences, and personal identity.
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meaningful connection to the larger global community We see global study and multicultural exploration as vital to the development of tomorrow’s leaders. That’s why we integrate both into every class at Hammond. Central to this commitment is our renowned Country of Study program, a focused initiative that infuses the culture and diversity of the selected country into every aspect of life at Hammond, from language and art to music and academics. Country of Study, along with other international exploration throughout the school year, brings to our campus the rich colors, textures, customs, foods, music and diversity of today’s global community.
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BILINGUAL IS ONLY THE BEGINNING We want our students to feel at home with cultures that differ from their own. That means not only seeing the big picture, but understanding your part in it. Spanish language study begins as part of our Pre-kindergarten program and continues across every grade level. As ninth graders, students have the option to begin French. Our yearly Country of Study program gives every student at Hammond the opportunity to fully immerse themselves across curriculum in cultures as diverse as Tanzania, Thailand, Norway, and Turkey — all without ever leaving home.
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SERVICE AND STEWARDSHIP ARE A GIVEN Hammond believes one of the most important lessons in leadership occurs when our students recognize their power to affect positive change. Through community giving and environmental stewardship, students of every age learn to see the valuable contribution they can make as members of the global community. Every year the school adopts a service theme, such as hunger or children in need. Individual students, teams, classes, and extracurricular clubs work to raise awareness of the need (in our community and beyond), while sponsoring opportunities to give back. Stewardship of our beautiful planet is another focus of our student body. Our campus features a significant area of wetlands that provides a living laboratory for students to investigate one of our planet’s most delicate ecosystems. Throughout the year we also take advantage of our school’s proximity to Congaree National Park. These trips provide an excellent opportunity for students to further experience a pristine wetland environment and gain an appreciation for their role in preserving these habitats for future generations.
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Our campus features a significant area of natural wetlands that provides a living laboratory for students to investigate one of our planet’s most delicate ecosystems. Mr. Mancke leads a group of Lower School students through the wild South Carolina wetlands.
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an environment that enhances, rather than impedes, possibility Ask one of our graduates where he or she went to school and odds are good the response won’t be a college. It will be Hammond. That’s not so surprising, really, when you consider the impact an investment in a Hammond education will make. From Lower School, when a love of learning is formed; through the Middle School years, a time of intense self discovery; through the vast opportunities of Upper School for growth, exploration and leadership, the Hammond experience shapes the character of the adult the student becomes.
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EVERY LEARNER IS DIFFERENT Hammond maintains an unwavering commitment to each student’s success. We believe learning occurs on a continuum and sometimes requires personalization. The Developmental Enrichment Center (DEC) is a great resource for students, teachers and parents of our Lower School. Early intervention is a critical component to success in school. The DEC provides small group and individual assistance in all areas of literacy and math. Speech and language support is provided in a one-on-one setting. All students benefit from learning style inventories, strategies for focus, organization, study skills and test taking skills. Whether Middle and Upper School students want to refine study skills or address a specific educational challenge, the Academic Enrichment Center (AEC) is there to give them the support they need. AEC staff will coordinate with teachers and parents to tailor a personalized enrichment plan. Our primary goal is to coach students who can serve as effective selfadvocates in the classroom and beyond.
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HAVE CONFIDENCE — YOUR STUDENT IS PREPARED A Hammond graduate can expect big things. Accustomed to rigor and a high achiever environment, our students go on to the nation’s top colleges. And they succeed there. It’s a path that continues after graduation, through post-graduate studies and into the workplace. You will find our alumni around the globe, leading major corporations, serving nonprofit organizations, changing the world in ways large and small. You will find our alumni here at home, too, powering the Midlands of South Carolina through entrepreneurship, business, law, medicine, government, board service, and more. There’s a tie that binds Hammond graduates, a connection that lasts long after the final day of Senior year. It’s a link that melts time and crosses continents. It’s a brotherhood, of sorts, a mutual understanding that possibility exists, that excellence matters, that integrity and honor prevail. That’s what the Hammond experience is all about.
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There’s a tie that binds Hammond graduates, a connection that lasts long after the final day of Senior year. COLLEGES ACC E P TING R EC E NT HA MMON D GR ADUATES • Yale University • Harvard College • Dartmouth • West Point • Duke University • University of South Carolina Honors College • Clemson University Honors College • University of Georgia • University of Virginia • Washington & Lee • Northwestern University • University of North Carolina Honors College
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AT A GL ANC E
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OU R FAC ULT Y
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• Founded 1966
• 156 members, including staff
• 110 acres
• Independent, non-sectarian, co-educational
• Average teaching experience: 15 years
• Three school divisions
• 8 to 1 student/teacher ratio
• Two libraries
• 19 main buildings • Four labs, Tom Mancke’s Early Technology Center, South Campus wetlands • Four art studios, two music studios, 350-seat theatre • Two dining halls, the chapel, and lecture hall • Athletic fields and facilities for cross-country, track, lacrosse, football, baseball, soccer, softball, and wrestling
OUR STUDE NTS
OU R C U R R IC ULUM
• Enrollment: 910, Pre-kindergarten through 12th grade
Emphasizes strong character and personal achievement with the intent of preparing students for success as college students and global citizens
• 50 percent boys, 50 percent girls
• Two gymnasiums and a fitness center • Academic and Developmental Enrichment Centers • College Counseling Center
• 15 percent minority
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COLLEGE P R E PAR ATORY
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A rigorous curriculum recognized by the Cum Laude Society with 15 Advanced Placement offerings in each of the Upper School’s areas of study
More than $1.2 million in financial aid made available to qualifying families
• 100 percent college acceptance • Average SAT score: 1843 • 19 percent of Upper School graduates named Palmetto Fellows • $7.8 million in scholarships received by the class of 2013
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F IN E ARTS
• 90 percent student participation
Exposure at every grade with band, chorus, theatre, and in-depth visual arts study for Middle and Upper School divisions; Extended Day Enrichment Program
• 53 sports teams • 113 state championship teams
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VISIT HAMMOND Campus visits can be scheduled year round. Please contact our Admission Office at (803) 695-4018 to arrange your family’s tour.
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854 GA LWAY L A N E O C O LU M B I A , SO U T H C A R O LI N A 292 0 9 H A M MO N DSC H O O L .O R G