First Presbyterian Day School

First Presbyterian Day School is a private college-preparatory christian school located in Macon, Georgia, United States. It was founded in 1970 as an offshoot of First Presbyterian Church, also located in Macon. It was founded, along with many other private schools in the southeastern United States, during the period of federally-mandated school desegregation.

Commonly known as "FPD" or "FPDS," it offers curriculum from K-4 through the 12th grade to approximately 1000 students. New fine arts and athletics facilities were completed in 2000 and a new high school building in 2006. School colors are red and black and the school mascot is the Viking.

FPD is a member of the Georgia Independent School Association, the College Board, and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. FPD is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

Awards and recognition

During the 2003-04 school year, the First Presbyterian Day School elementary school was recognized with the Blue Ribbon School Award of Excellence by the United States Department of Education [Abdullah, Khalil. [http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=MT&s_site=macon&p_multi=MT&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0FE336FDDC6DDD19&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM "FIRST PRESBYTERIAN DAY NAMED ONE OF THE NATION'S BEST"] , "The Macon Telegraph", September 27, 2003. Accessed November 8, 2007.] [ [http://www.ed.gov/programs/nclbbrs/list-2003.pdf U.S. Department of Education Blue Ribbon Schools Program: Schools Recognized 2003 through 2006 (PDF)] , United States Department of Education. Accessed May 11, 2006.] , the highest award an American school can receive. [ [http://www.journalinquirer.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=17475750&BRD=985&PAG=461&dept_id=161556&rfi=6 CIBA cited as one of the best by Education Department] , "Journal Inquirer", November 16, 2006. "The Blue Ribbon award is given only to schools that reach the top 10 percent of their state's testing scores over several years or show significant gains in student achievement. It is considered the highest honor a school can achieve."] [Viers Mill School Wins Blue Ribbon; School Scored High on Statewide Test; "The Washington Post". September 29, 2005 "For their accomplishments, all three schools this month earned the status of Blue Ribbon School, the highest honor the U.S. Education Department can bestow upon a school."]

Athletics

The school's athletic teams compete in the AAA division of the Georgia Independent School Association. The FPD athletic program has won 28 State Championships and 127 Region Championships since it was founded in 1970.

Notable alumni

* [http://www.matregallery.com/artList.asp?ArtistID=1 Steve Penley] , artist
*Robert McDuffie, violinist
*John Rocker, former major league baseball relief pitcher. [ [http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=AT&p_theme=at&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EADA4B8C9804B13&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM "Call this school Rockerville: BATTLE OF THE DECADE: BRAVES VS. YANKEES ] , "The Atlanta Journal-Constitution", October 26, 1999. Accessed November 8, 2007. "In Jim Turner's worn leather wallet is a ticket stub from John Rocker's first game in a Braves uniform, from spring training on March 1, 1998. "I carry it around just to remind me that dreams can happen," says Turner, Rocker's old high school baseball coach at First Presbyterian Day School."]

References

External links

* [http://www.fpds.org/ First Presbyterian Day School]