Southside Christian School

What Southside Christian School does

Southside Christian School (SCS) is a private, nonprofit Christian school serving approximately 1,400 students from Pre-K 2 through 12th grade on a 40-acre campus at 2211 Woodruff Road in Simpsonville, South Carolina. Founded in 1967 with 43 students, the school operates four academic divisions — Early Education, Elementary, Middle, and High School — unified by a biblically integrated college-preparatory curriculum. SCS is governed by a self-perpetuating Board of Directors under a Policy Governance model, with Dr. Sam Barfell serving as Head of School since June 2015. The school holds ACSI Exemplary Accreditation (2019, 2024; fewer than 20 Christian schools worldwide), Cognia, and CESA accreditations, and is an approved SEVIS school for F-1 international students.

The school's product portfolio spans 14+ programs including the International Student Program (drawing from 20+ countries, fourth worldwide with ACSI endorsement), Student Success Services (Orton-Gillingham, NILD, Wilson Reading for learning differences), 52 honors/AP/dual-enrollment courses, 34+ SCHSL athletic teams, an award-winning fine arts program, J-Term experiential learning, and Camp Invention summer programming. The primary operating platform is the mySCS parent/student portal powered by Blackbaud/MySchoolApp. Notable on-campus technology includes the Perch camera-based strength-training system and professional-grade biology lab equipment (PCR, gel electrophoresis).

Revenue is generated primarily through tiered annual tuition ($4,119 part-time Pre-K to $21,706 for grades 9-12; international students $18,000–$48,000), supplemented by athletic sponsorships, summer program fees (Camp Invention at $330/week, Summer English Academy ~$3,000), donations via the Fund for SCS and capital campaigns (e.g., "Rooted and Rising"), and Sabre Kids Time child care. The school distributed more than $2.1 million in tuition assistance for the 2025-2026 year, impacting roughly 375 students. Distribution is direct-to-family via a seven-step admissions process, open houses, private campus tours, a student shadowing program (grades 3-12), and a $250 referral credit program that fuels community-led growth.

Name

Southside Christian School

Legal name

Southside Christian School

Website

https://southsidechristian.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1967

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private K-12 Christian Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Faith-Based (Religious) K–12 Schools (EDAJABAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Preschool Programs within Private K–12 Schools (EDACABAM), Community Service & Service-Learning Programs (School-Run) (EDAJAJAI), Faith-Based Before/After Care Programs (Early Years) (EDACAHAE)

Keywords

• Private Christian education
• K-12 college preparatory
• Biblical worldview curriculum
• International student program
• Competitive athletics

Headquarters

HQ city

Simpsonville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Tuition Revenue: The primary revenue stream comes from tuition payments for students in Pre-K 2 through 12th grade. Tuition rates vary by grade level, with prices ranging from $4,119 annually for part-time Pre-K programs up to $21,706 for high school students. Additional fees apply for various programs and activities.
2. Athletic Sponsorship: The school generates revenue through athletic sponsorships, offering Gold, Silver, and Bronze sponsorship packages, as well as field-level signs, bleacher signage, digital signage, concession stand sponsorship, and event tent opportunities.
3. International Student Program: International students pay comprehensive tuition including homestay, meals, transportation, medical/dental insurance, activities, and academic support. Homestay families receive $975/month stipend. Tuition ranges from $18,000 to $48,000 depending on grade level.
4. Camp Invention Program: Summer enrichment program for children entering grades 1-6, with weekly pricing of $330 per camper and $225-$230 for Leaders-in-Training positions.
5. Donations and Fundraising: The Fund for SCS accepts donations to support programs and facilities beyond the operational budget. Capital campaigns such as the Rooted and Rising campaign support strategic priorities and facility improvements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Southside Christian School is a private Pre-K 2 through 12th grade Christian school offering a biblically integrated, college-preparatory education on a 40-acre campus in Simpsonville, South Carolina. Core offerings span Early Education, Elementary, Middle, and High School divisions, plus the International Student Program with homestay, Student Success Services for learning differences, Fine Arts, Athletics, J-Term experiential learning, and Camp Invention summer enrichment.

Product overview

Southside Christian School is a private Christian school serving Pre-K 2 through 12th grade on a 40-acre campus in Simpsonville, South Carolina. The school operates as a unified educational institution offering multiple divisions — Early Education, Elementary School, Middle School, and High School — unified by a Christ-centered, biblically integrated college-preparatory curriculum. The school's product portfolio includes its core academic programs (which use the mySCS/Blackbaud portal for family and administrative functions), the International Student Program (ISP) with homestay placement, award-winning Fine Arts (theatre, band, strings, vocal, visual art), a 34+ team Athletics program, Student Success Services for learning differences, College and Academic Planning, and experiential programs such as J-Term and Camp Invention. Over 40 student clubs and a Spiritual Life program round out the co-curricular offerings. The school enrolls approximately 1,400 students and is accredited by ACSI (Exemplary), Cognia, and CESA.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• mySCS (Blackbaud/MySchoolApp Portal)
• Early Education Program (Pre-K 2–5)
• Elementary School Program (K–5)
• Middle School Program (6–8)
• High School Program (9–12)
• International Student Program (ISP)
• Fine Arts Program
• Athletics Program
• Student Success Services (SSS)
• College and Academic Planning
• J-Term Experiential Learning
• Camp Invention
• Clubs and Leadership Program
• Alumni Relations
• Southside Christian Summer English Academy
• Sabre Kids Time (Child Care)

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% college acceptance rate among graduating seniors who pursue higher education
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BRIDGEDcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with BRIDGED organization committed to fostering inclusion, awareness, and understanding. BRIDGED designed and led Disability Awareness Week programming across all school divisions, including Q&A panels with adults living with disabilities and age-appropriate activities.
• World ReliefminorOthersCommunity service partnership providing students opportunities to engage in service projects and missions
• Special OlympicsminorOthersPartnership providing students opportunities for athletic participation and community service
• Freedom International MinistryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister school relationship with SCS in the Dominican Republic; provides global missions opportunities for students
• American Red CrossminorOthersPartnership providing blood drives and emergency response volunteer opportunities for students
• Operation Christmas ChildminorOthersAnnual partnership for shoebox gift collection campaign benefiting children worldwide
• Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerACSI provides Exemplary Accreditation to SCS (awarded 2019 and 2024). SCS is one of fewer than 20 Christian schools worldwide to achieve this distinction. ACSI also endorsed the International Student Program in 2020, making SCS the fourth school to receive this accreditation.
• Council on Educational Standards and Accountability (CESA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCESA provides accreditation and member of council status to SCS
• Cognia (formerly AdvancED)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCognia provides school accreditation services to SCS
• Columbia International UniversityminorOthersDirector of International Student Program holds Master of Education degree from Columbia International University; university connection for graduate education pathways
• LS3PminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerArchitectural firm partnered with SCS to develop Campus Master Plan outlining future facility growth

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Bob Jones Academy: A private K-12 Christian school in Greenville, SC operating on the Bob Jones University campus. Closest geographic and philosophical peer to SCS, serving Christian families with college-prep academics and competing directly for the same Greenville-area enrollment pool.
• Shannon Forest Christian School: A Pre-K-12 Christian school in Greenville, SC offering college-preparatory education with athletics and fine arts. Direct competitor in the same Greenville/Simpsonville MSA with comparable tuition levels, Christian identity, and family-targeted enrollment model.
• Christ Church Episcopal School: A faith-based Pre-K-12 private school in Greenville, SC with rigorous college-prep academics and competitive athletics. Competes with SCS for the same Greenville-area private school families, differing primarily in Episcopal rather than evangelical Christian identity.
• First Presbyterian Day School: A faith-based Pre-K-12 day school in Greenville, SC affiliated with the Presbyterian tradition. Brian Smith, SCS's new High School Principal, was previously Head of School here — illustrating direct leadership and operational overlap with SCS's model.
• Westminster Christian Academy: A private Christian Pre-K-12 college-preparatory school in the Southeast (multiple campuses) emphasizing biblical worldview integration, competitive athletics, and fine arts. Closest faith-based peer in academic positioning, extracurricular scale, and tuition bracket to SCS.
• Providence Christian School: A faith-based K-12 college-preparatory school emphasizing biblical integration, athletics, and fine arts. Comparable to SCS in program scope (multiple divisions, competitive athletics, arts offerings) and Christian identity.
• Liberty Christian Academy: A private Christian K-12 college-preparatory school with athletics, arts, and biblical worldview integration. Comparable to SCS in faith-based positioning, tuition tier, and comprehensive programming across academic, athletic, and fine arts divisions.

Regional players

• Anderson Christian School: A Christian Pre-K-12 school in Anderson, SC offering college-prep academics, athletics, and biblical integration. Regional peer competing for Upstate South Carolina Christian families, overlapping with SCS's Greenville-area draw.
• Spartanburg Day School: An independent Pre-K-12 college-preparatory school in Spartanburg, SC with strong athletics and fine arts. Comparable in college-prep positioning and tuition scale to SCS, serving a neighboring Upstate South Carolina market.

Others

• Columbia International University: A Christian university in Columbia, SC where multiple SCS leaders (HS Principal, ISP Director, Early Education Principal) earned graduate degrees. Strategic ecosystem partner connected to SCS through faculty pipelines and graduate pathways.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/southsidesabres
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/southside-christian-school
• Instagraminstagram.com/scsabres

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Southside Christian School