SVCS House System
Building Community and Connection Through the House System
The SVCS House System was established to support the school’s mission in grades 7–12 by creating small, close-knit communities within the Upper School. Within these Houses, students have opportunities for fellowship, leadership, service, healthy competition, and mentoring from faculty and older students. This structure ensures that students get to know one another and form meaningful relationships across grade levels as part of everyday Upper School life. Each year, rising seventh graders and new SVCS students are inducted into Houses, where they remain members throughout their Upper School experience.
Empowering Students Through House Leadership
The House System provides the foundation for formal student leadership in the Upper School. Each House has a House Captain who leads the House and collaborates with House Governors (adult volunteers), leaders from other Houses, faculty, and administrators to oversee Upper School activities. Teams of additional student leaders from the Houses work together to organize and execute inter-House events—such as socials, service projects, and competitions—while also guiding intra-House mentorship and fostering a sense of community.
Learning, Leading, and Competing Together
The House System encourages students to bring their desires, ideas, and talents into the life of the school, allowing them to shape the identity of the Upper School and leave their mark on it. Houses provide real responsibilities, meaningful participation, and the possibility of absolute failure, helping students learn to work together through shared goals, healthy competition, problem-solving, initiating new ideas, and participating in meaningful traditions.
Much of the system’s energy comes from friendly competition. Houses earn Character Points for Initiative, Community, and Hard Work, as well as points from House competitions. Each quarter, the House with the most points enjoys a “House Trip,” and at the end of the year, one House is awarded the “House Cup.”
