Evansville Day School resides on a 40-acre campus, located at the corner of North Green River and Lynch Roads in Evansville, Indiana. The facility has evolved throughout the years, but continually provides a comforting, safe environment for preschoolers through high schoolers - all under one roof - creating a unique community. The sense of family across grade levels is apparent when watching our oldest students greet our youngest students during the annual t-shirt exchange, feeling a bond through competitions with fellow House members, and seeing students of all ages cheering on “their” Eagles at sporting events.

One of the most visible features of note on campus is our sculpture, created by John Matt in 1969, located in our main parking lot. Per the artist, the sculpture reflects how “the early years in school gives one the foundation, or the building blocks to bigger and better things in life as symbolized in the asymmetric forms. They fit together, not literally, but in different ways for each person.” When he created the sculpture, he chose white as innocence and openness, orange as the struggle and work involved in getting a good education, and red as the fullness of success with honor.

At the end of each school year, it is a tradition for graduating seniors to don caps, gowns, and college pennants for a picture at the sculpture, a reminder of the perseverance and dedication they carry with them as they move forward. While so much changes throughout 15 years of school, the sculpture is a constant, colorful reminder to trust the process and continue to work hard.

As you walk toward the front doors of the building, there is a hill to the left of the sidewalk. This landscaping may seem ordinary, or even out of place, but the memories made on “the hill” are priceless. On nice days, you’ll find classes rolling down the hill and running up again, or even using it for momentum to fly handmade kites in science class. It provides seating at the All School Picnic, a gathering place for friends, and a vantage point for outdoor parades. In winter, Primary School students bring their sleds to school, laughing with joy while sledding with friends. And each May, the senior class climbs to the top for a group photo jumping in the air. The hill is the quintessence of our school’s culture: where something seemingly ordinary becomes extraordinary when the campus is alive.

Upon entering the building, the Traylor Atrium greets you with a display of global flags, representing the 40+ nationalities of our students and staff over the years and the value we place on diversity and global mindedness. This multi-functional space also transforms throughout the year, serving as a space for voices joining during choir practice, students giving their first public presentations, robots battling in technology class, parents gathering before pickup, and performers shining brightly during our spring musical.

Once a library, the Sieboldt Innovation Lab (iLab) was transformed into a hub of creativity in 2015. This redesigned space allows young students to develop computer skills, then begin the foundation for coding, transition into building robots, and even create their own imaginative products through Design Thinking with the aid of power tools, a 3D printer, and laser cutter. On any given day, you’ll see students stretching the bounds of their creativity and building resilience through hands-on learning.

Many parts of our campus serve all our students from JPK through Grade 12, but perhaps none as much as our music room. Located off of the heart of the school, the music produced by the students - of all ages - is bold and powerful. Walking through the Traylor Atrium or Heekin Gymnasium, it is easy to enjoy the music of the choir or band, both of which share several school-wide performances throughout the school year.

In our preschool, there is a saying: “There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing.” During all seasons of the year, you will find our preschoolers outside in their rubber boots, yellow rain pants, and other outdoor attire. Their learning comes through play and exploration by cooking up recipes in the mud kitchen, planting and harvesting food in the preschool garden, pumping water down the water table, digging in the sandbox, and playing on the structure that can be anything they can imagine - from a house to a ship and everything in between!

Primary School recess happens three times each day, and we give students space to run, play, and explore. Throughout the day, you’ll find young students pushing each other on the swings, shooting hoops, or climbing on the outdoor play structure. Near the wooded trails are two Friendship Benches, established and assembled by the class of 2029, where students can go to find a friend when they are upset or need someone to talk to.

Our 40 acre campus includes a wooded area, with trails for wandering and learning about nature. The trails are used in a variety of ways - from preschoolers creating imaginative scenes, to science classes pulling on boots to explore the creek, to P.E. students jogging the terrain. The most notable use of the trails is for Gnome Night, an annual fall tradition celebrating the convergence of art and nature. Primary School families enjoy a progressive play in the woods, performed by Upper School students, in search of the illusive Ted the Gnome, then enjoy an outdoor display of Primary School artwork at the end of the trail.

Whether it is outside on the soccer fields and tennis courts or indoors in the Heekin Gymnasium, there is always something going on athletically at Day School. Our athletic facilities are multi-functional, serving their usual purpose for Upper School athletics, but also providing a space for younger students to have recess or P.E. class. During assemblies, the entire school convenes in the gym for events such as the annual tug of war between faculty and the senior class, a school-wide Thanksgiving Feast, holiday music performances, and end-of-year promotional assemblies.

Outdoor education has always been an important part of Day School’s culture, but the Covid-19 pandemic gave us new enthusiasm to embrace our outdoor spaces. On warm sunny days, it’s not unusual to see students gathered for storytime, working on assignments, eating lunch, and even discussing literature or global issues under the shade of our outdoor classroom structures. The learning spaces provide an alternative to the traditional indoor classrooms, and spark new thinking about how to teach.

The Upper School Commons is a hub for Upper School students, acting as a space for student-led meetings, bonding over lunch and breaks, hosting guest speakers, and even dancing the night away at winter Homecoming. In colder months, you can often find students studying by the fireplace amidst the proudly-displayed banners from each of Day School’s college acceptances.

When Upper School students need a breath of fresh air, it is easy to walk outside to the outdoor deck attached to The Commons. The space features seating with tables and benches - along with a view of the beautiful wooded area behind it. It is not unusual to see students gather to eat lunch outside, or even have a teacher lead class on the deck, giving students a chance to step away from a traditional classroom.