Considering private schools for next year? Here are 10 reasons why Charlotte Country Day School should be at the top of your list

Note: this content was last updated September 29, 2021. 

Now more than ever, Charlotte parents are wrestling with the different education options available for their kids.

If you’re a parent considering private school, then you might already know that Charlotte has a pretty large private school community. It can be hard to weed through all the choices but there’s one that stands out among the rest – Charlotte Country Day School.

Founded in 1941, Charlotte Country Day School has built a reputation around providing students with a dynamic, comprehensive educational experience. 

The fast facts: They offer grades JK-12. They have a current enrollment of about 1,722 students. They’ve got a re-enrollment rate of 96% and they boast an 8:1 student/faculty ratio. The school has two campuses located in South Charlotte covering a combined 117 acres.

With admissions applications due by January 15, 2022, there’s still time to explore all that Country Day has to offer. Here’s why you should Country Day to the top of your list.

(1) Country Day has a commitment to individualizing every student’s learning experience to best fit their unique needs.

“I recently talked to a prospective family who had gotten the same feedback over and over from Country Day families they had talked to,” says Nancy Ehringhaus, Director of Admissions and Financial Aid. “The thread throughout is that Country Day does such a good job with individualization with their children. If they need enrichment or support, they get that here.”

The 8:1 student/faculty ratio plays into that individualization. Country Day teachers are able to give students the attention they need without getting overwhelmed by a giant classroom. In the Lower School classrooms, there are full-time teaching assistants, which means there are essentially two full-time teachers available to support students in whatever they need.

(2) They boast state-of-the-art facilities and resources, and they are continuing to add more.

Country Day has raised over $92 million, which has allowed the school to enhance their programs with new facilities, including an Aquatic Center and Performance Gym opening later this year.

One of those new facilities is the Hance Lower School Learning Center. The learning center includes a tech lab, maker’s space, and library. “The impact on program and community to have a state-of-the-art library space is huge,” says Bill Mulcahy, Head of Lower School.

The Purdy Math & Science Center is also new with cutting-edge labs for Upper School students and the Belk Upper School Learning Center offers unique features like a recording studio.

In addition to new learning spaces, the school also added a new cafeteria for Upper School and Lower School students. The next building to be finished will be the performance gym, which will include a pool for the swim team.

(3) From junior kindergarten to 12th grade, students are taught an innovative, immersive curriculum.

“We offer a very balanced, academically rich experience,” says Nancy. Country Day’s Lower School students get exposure to both French and Spanish along with art, music, daily physical education, library, and the core classes like math, science, and literature.

Lower School students also participate in computer science and learn how to code.

In Upper School, students can take classes like Entrepreneurship, New Journalism: Storytelling & Podcasting, Sculpture, Organic Chemistry, and something called Physical Computational Biochemistry, which sounds more intense than any college science class I ever took.

Learn more about the academic courses offered at Country Day here.

(4) Upper school students can take rigorous Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) courses to prepare for college.

One unique thing about Country Day is that they offer AP and IB classes, which juniors and seniors can participate in. These advanced classes are for students who think critically and are looking for a more rigorous academic experience. Sometimes these classes can even transfer into college credits.

Students who have participated in the IB program at Country Day have gone on to colleges like Yale University, Duke University, and UNC-Chapel Hill. Past IB graduates have also earned prestigious merit-based scholarships, including the Morehead-Cain (UNC-Chapel Hill) and Park (NC State) scholarships.

There are only a few thousand schools across the country that offer IB programs and Country Day is the oldest IB Diploma Program school in North Carolina.

(5) Their beautiful outdoor-focused campus lends itself to tactile, experiential learning at every grade level.

The first time I set foot on Country Day’s campus I was blown away. Most of my grade school life was spent inside in cold, air-conditioned rooms with fluorescent lighting. Country Day is the opposite vibe.

It’s open and green and the majority of the classrooms get plenty of natural light.

“Our campus lends itself to tactile experiential learning,” says Nancy. The Lower School even has an organic Community Garden, which helps provide hands-on lessons in horticulture and the environment. The newest addition is a greenhouse to help extend the growing season.

(6) Country Day has a deep commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Country Day believes that a culturally, ethnically, racially, and socioeconomically diverse community is essential to providing a rich learning environment for all children. They aim to be a community that not only values the principles of equity, inclusivity, and justice, but also a community that puts principles to practice on a daily basis.

“We pride ourselves on being very welcoming and inclusive,” says Nancy, who noted that developing a diverse student body is a top priority in admissions considerations.

Learn more about diversity and inclusion at Country Day here.

(7) All students participate in Country Day’s unique social-emotional curriculum, which helps them identify and manage things like anxiety.

With so much going on in the world right now, social and emotional wellness is more important than ever. Country Day has a whole curriculum around it.

“The work we’re doing in social-emotional learning is pretty unique even in independent schools,” says Nancy. “Right now, there seems to be so much unrest and discord and we’re trying to teach our children to be kind.”

The social-emotional curriculum starts in Lower School and goes all the way through Upper School. It includes lessons on mindfulness and self-compassion. They also teach calming down strategies, which include things like breathing or counting exercises, positive self-talk, or simply being able to identify the feeling they’re having.

Related story: Kids are dealing with anxiety – here’s how three Charlotte school counselors are helping them cope

(8) There is a 1:1 ratio for students and personal computing devices.

All students in grades 3–12 receive school-issued personal computing devices as an integral part of their Country Day experience, with iPads for students in grades 3–8, and Microsoft Surface Pro 3 tablets for grades 9–12.

In 2015, Country Day was approved as a Common Sense Digital Citizenship Certified School—the first area school to receive this distinction. The certification recognizes their efforts in teaching digital literacy and citizenship to young people and engaging the entire school community in this important discussion.

(9) They offer after school programming for working parents.

Country Day’s after school program serves students in grades JK-8. It’s a low-stress place for kids to transition from the school day and offers opportunities for enrichment through athletics, arts, language, STEM, and cooking.

“Extended day is so important,” says Bill. “There are a lot of dual working families in our community.”

Learn more about Country Day’s After School Program here.

(10) There’s a great community of parents so you can get involved, too.

Country Day parents are always volunteering, attending games and plays, supporting each other, partnering with the school and taking advantage of all the parent education offerings Country Day has.

Interested in learning more about Country Day?

Visit the school’s Virtual Admissions page to take a virtual tour of campus, hear from students and teachers, and sign up for a virtual one-on-one with a faculty member. Don’t forget – admissions applications are due by January 15.

This content was created in partnership with Charlotte Country Day School.