About

About Indian Springs School

Welcome to Indian Springs School, where some of the brightest students from across Birmingham, throughout the country, and around the world learn by living, exploring, and partnering with accomplished faculty as part of a supportive community. Indian Springs was founded in 1952 with roots in the progressive educational philosophies of John Dewey, who inspired our motto of Learning through Living.

Our boarding and day program for grades 8-12 serves approximately 325 students on a 350-acre campus where nature is our inspiration and our laboratory. Students and faculty work together in a model of shared governance, and students discover their passions by participating in academic activities, athletics, performing arts, special interest clubs, and community service. Indian Springs faculty are dedicated to mentoring young people, and nearly all have advanced degrees. Our state-of-the-art classrooms and innovative independent study options enhance excellent teaching that opens doors to new ideas and possibilities.

One of our best-known alums, the author and educator John Green ’95, said that Indian Springs is where “all at once, I became a learner because I found myself in a community of learners.” Indian Springs exists far beyond our campus. It is a passionate community of alumni, parents, and friends that spans the globe and generations. We invite you to imagine how you might be transformed by, and contribute to, our incredible community of learners.

Our Mission

Guided by our motto, Learning through Living, Indian Springs School fosters a love of learning and creativity, a sense of integrity and moral courage, and an ethic of participatory citizenship with respect for individuality and independent thought. 

Our Core Values

List of 6 items.

  • Inclusion

    We believe that in order for students to meet their full potential, they must be able to trust that their community accepts them for who they are. We strive always to be a community of inclusion that embraces and promotes diversity of background, belief, and thought.

  • Infinite Respect

    We believe that strong communities are built on mutual respect and an appreciation for all, regardless of differences. As a supportive community of students, faculty, alumni, parents, and friends, we seek to foster and demonstrate limitless respect for one another, our campus, ourselves, and our world.

  • Innovative Thinking

    At Indian Springs School, we believe strongly that innovative thinking and creative problem-solving are critical to meeting the challenges of an increasingly global and competitive world. We value the fact that each of our students brings to the school community a unique set of interests, beliefs, abilities, and passions, and we strive through our thoughtful and flexible academic program, varied extracurricular opportunities, and meaningful faculty-student interactions to enable our students to grow as individuals and as independent thinkers.

  • Integrity

    We value personal integrity and seek to develop in our students a sense of moral courage to make honorable choices, both in and out of the classroom. Because the right choice is not always the easy choice, we strive regularly to highlight instructive examples of integrity in thought, word, and deed.

  • Intellectual Curiosity

    We believe that our students have the capacity to solve some of the most challenging problems that our world faces. Before they can find meaningful answers, they must learn to ask meaningful questions. We seek to foster in our students a lifelong love of learning and an appreciation for how much more we have yet to explore.

  • Involvement

    Since the school’s inception in 1952, participatory citizenship has been a cornerstone of our educational philosophy. We believe that each of our students has a personal responsibility to continually shape and improve the school community. Involvement comes in many forms: taking part in student government and other activities, engaging in meaningful discussions in and out of class, collaborating actively with peers on group assignments, and engaging in community-minded efforts that better our campus and our world.

Facts & Figures

List of 7 items.

  • Enrollment

    • Grades: 8-12
    • Total Number of Students: 327
    • Day Students: 232
    • Boarding Students: 95
    • States Represented: 11
    • Countries Represented: 16

  • Academics

    • Average Class Size: 16 
    • Student-Teacher Ratio: 8:1 
    • Enrolled in College: 100%

    Average SAT Scores, Classes of 2021-2024    :
    • Overall: 1368
    • Evidence-Based Reading and Writing: 683
    • Math: 689

    Average ACT Scores, Classes of 2021-2024:
    • Overall: 30
    • English: 31
    • Math: 28
    • Reading: 31
    • Science: 29

    AP Information, 2024:
    • Students Taking Tests: 
    • Tests Taken: 
    • Scores of 4 or 5:  
    • Scores of 3 or Better: 
    • AP Scholars: 40
    • AP Scholars with Honor: 9
    • AP Scholars with Distinction: 35

    National Merit Distinctions, Class of 2024: 
    • National Merit Scholars: 1
    • National Merit Scholars (College-Sponsored): 1
    • National Merit Finalists: 4
    • National Merit Semifinalists: 5
    • National Merit Commended Students: 1

  • Accreditation

    • AdvancED
    • NCA CASI
    • NWAC
    • SACS CASI

  • Faculty

    • Number of Faculty: 40
    • Faculty Living on Campus: 26
    • Advanced Degrees: 35
    • Terminal Degrees: 12

  • Campus

    • Size: 350 acres
    • Lake: 12 acres
    • Distance to:
      • Downtown Birmingham: 16 miles
      • Birmingham Airport: 21 miles
      • Atlanta, Georgia: 155 miles
      • Mobile, Alabama: 257 miles

  • Memberships

  • Tuition

    2024-2025 school year
    • Day Tuition: $29,500
    • Alabama Boarding: $54,500
    • Domestic Boarding; $61,100
    • International Boarding: $68,300
    • Financial Aid Grants Awarded: $2.5 million
190 Woodward Drive, Indian Springs, Alabama 35124
Phone: 205.988.3350
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.

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