Arlington Country Day School
Encyclopedia
Arlington Country Day School (ACDS) is a private school
in Jacksonville, Florida
. A non-sectarian coeducational school, it offers a K-12 education and enrolls over 400 students a year. It is particularly notable for its successful boys' basketball
program.
, coeducational elementary school
, serving students from kindergarten
through the eighth grade
in 1954. It was located on a small suburban campus in Jacksonville's Arlington neighborhood. It received full accreditation from the Florida Council of Independent Schools in 1968.
In 1990, Fred H. Lichtward became an owner and headmaster of the school, and pushed to expand it into a full K-12
school. In 1991 a full middle school
was added. In 1995 it began the establishment of a high school
, offering two academic programs. The school added another grade each year as students moved up, and it graduated its first high school class in 1999. In 2003 it received its first full high school accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
, the National Independent Private Schools Association, and the Association of Independent Schools of Florida. In 1995 the school also added its boys' basketball
program.
Through the 2000s the school experienced accreditation issues and was fined by the Florida High School Athletic Association
(FHSAA) for recruitment violations, including a $1,000 fine in 2000 and record $33,000 fine in 2002. In 2010 the school announced it would withdraw from the FHSAA.
. Again in 2007, the team defeated Port St. Lucie, 72-43, to three-peat. In March, 2008, a four-peat was accomplished with ACDS again winning the state Class 2A title, beating Weston Sagemont, 54-53. The Apaches are only the fifth team in FHSAA history to have won at least four consecutive state titles. The boys basketball team has appeared on national television and often travel around the country to play. Jason Bennett
, a 7'3" center, agreed in December 2006 to play for Kansas State University
.
Arlington Country Day School finished eighth in the country in the USA Today
2005 boys basketball rankings, one of only eight schools to be ranked in the top 25 for the entire season. The 2006 team finished the season ranked 14th nationwide by USA Today
.
In 2000 and 2001, the ACDS baseball team won back-to-back Class 1A titles, winning their second title on May 15, 2001, by defeating Archbishop Carroll High School of Miami by a final score of 10-8 in a game played at Legends Field
in Tampa, Florida
. On May 18, 2006, the baseball team won their third state title in six years, with a 4-2 victory over Lakeland Santa Fe Catholic.
Private school
Private schools, also known as independent schools or nonstate schools, are not administered by local, state or national governments; thus, they retain the right to select their students and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students' tuition, rather than relying on mandatory...
in Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
. A non-sectarian coeducational school, it offers a K-12 education and enrolls over 400 students a year. It is particularly notable for its successful boys' basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
program.
History
Arlington Country Day School is opened its doors as a privatePrivate school
Private schools, also known as independent schools or nonstate schools, are not administered by local, state or national governments; thus, they retain the right to select their students and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students' tuition, rather than relying on mandatory...
, coeducational elementary school
Elementary school
An elementary school or primary school is an institution where children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as elementary or primary education. Elementary school is the preferred term in some countries, particularly those in North America, where the terms grade school and grammar...
, serving students from kindergarten
Kindergarten
A kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
through the eighth grade
Eighth grade
Eighth grade is a year of education in the United States, Canada, Australia and other nations. Students are usually 13 - 14 years old. The eighth grade is typically the final grade before high school, and the ninth grade of public and private education, following kindergarten and subsequent grades...
in 1954. It was located on a small suburban campus in Jacksonville's Arlington neighborhood. It received full accreditation from the Florida Council of Independent Schools in 1968.
In 1990, Fred H. Lichtward became an owner and headmaster of the school, and pushed to expand it into a full K-12
K-12
K–12 is a designation for the sum of primary and secondary education. It is used in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand where P–12 is also commonly used...
school. In 1991 a full middle school
Middle school
Middle School and Junior High School are levels of schooling between elementary and high schools. Most school systems use one term or the other, not both. The terms are not interchangeable...
was added. In 1995 it began the establishment of a high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
, offering two academic programs. The school added another grade each year as students moved up, and it graduated its first high school class in 1999. In 2003 it received its first full high school accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools is one of the six regional accreditation organizations recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation...
, the National Independent Private Schools Association, and the Association of Independent Schools of Florida. In 1995 the school also added its boys' basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
program.
Through the 2000s the school experienced accreditation issues and was fined by the Florida High School Athletic Association
Florida High School Athletic Association
The Florida High School Athletic Association is an organization whose purpose is to organize sports competition for high school It is a member of the National Federation of State High School Associations ....
(FHSAA) for recruitment violations, including a $1,000 fine in 2000 and record $33,000 fine in 2002. In 2010 the school announced it would withdraw from the FHSAA.
Athletics
ACDS has many sports programs. Its most notable is the boys' varsity basketball team, which has been called "one of the most celebrated programs in the country". The team won the Florida state Class 2A championship in 2005. ACDS repeated the championship in 2006, with a convincing 73-37 win over North Palm Beach Benjamin in a game played at the Lakeland CenterLakeland Center
The Lakeland Center is an 8,178-seat multi-purpose arena, in Lakeland, Florida. It opened in November 1974, as the Lakeland Civic Center, it gained its current name in June 1994....
. Again in 2007, the team defeated Port St. Lucie, 72-43, to three-peat. In March, 2008, a four-peat was accomplished with ACDS again winning the state Class 2A title, beating Weston Sagemont, 54-53. The Apaches are only the fifth team in FHSAA history to have won at least four consecutive state titles. The boys basketball team has appeared on national television and often travel around the country to play. Jason Bennett
Jason Bennett (basketball)
Jason Bennett is an American basketball player who plays for the Jacksonville Giants of the ABA.-College Years:A center, Bennett played in college with the Kansas State Wildcats under Bob Huggins. He holds the record for the most blocks in a game in Kansas State history...
, a 7'3" center, agreed in December 2006 to play for Kansas State University
Kansas State University
Kansas State University, commonly shortened to K-State, is an institution of higher learning located in Manhattan, Kansas, in the United States...
.
Arlington Country Day School finished eighth in the country in the USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
2005 boys basketball rankings, one of only eight schools to be ranked in the top 25 for the entire season. The 2006 team finished the season ranked 14th nationwide by USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
.
In 2000 and 2001, the ACDS baseball team won back-to-back Class 1A titles, winning their second title on May 15, 2001, by defeating Archbishop Carroll High School of Miami by a final score of 10-8 in a game played at Legends Field
Legends Field
George M. Steinbrenner Field , is a baseball stadium located in Tampa, Florida across Dale Mabry Highway from Raymond James Stadium, home of the National Football League's Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The ballpark was built in 1996 and holds almost 11,000 people with an addition in right field built in...
in Tampa, Florida
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
. On May 18, 2006, the baseball team won their third state title in six years, with a 4-2 victory over Lakeland Santa Fe Catholic.