Charlotte Country Day School

Posted: July 7, 2020

Reviewer has no experience with this topic.

Posted: July 7, 2020

In general, the homework given across disciplines is an effective way for students to teach themselves material not covered by certain teachers in class.

Posted: July 7, 2020

With a few notable exceptions, many faculty and staff members are employed because of who they know or are related to while expertise and ability are given less consideration. Even when complaints are registered by students and/or parents about the quality of a teacher, little is done. It appears unlikely that performance is observed In a meaningful way, that improvement plans are initiated or that teacher evaluations by students are given any weight.

Posted: July 7, 2020

Students who are lifers or legacy attendees, or who have parents or grandparents who donate to the school are treated more favorably than others. Further, this school does not promote nor cultivate a welcoming environment despite claims to the contrary.

Posted: July 7, 2020

Regarding the Upper School, the head of school maintains a low profile. One need only read any one of his regular emails to parents and count his overuse of personal pronouns to understand his “leadership” style.

Posted: July 7, 2020

Reviewer has no experience with this topic.

Posted: July 7, 2020

Enrolling my student in this school was a mistake. The cliquish and entitled atmosphere is not for everyone. The flashy marketing material published by CCDS is like looking at a beautiful cake in the bakery, only to purchase it, have a slice and realize that it only looked pretty but tastes dry and ordinary - not worth the expense.

Posted: October 16, 2019

The middle school is a deplorable environment that actually nurtures bullying.

Posted: October 16, 2019

at the high school it was excellent, at the middle school it is a disappointment.

Posted: October 16, 2019

Really poor pedagogical practices at the Middle School - homework not supported by logical rubrics, rubrics not followed, or used harshly - clearly a function of questionable qualifications for teachers.

Posted: October 16, 2019

High school teachers are almost uniformly excellent - the middle school, however, leaves a lot to be desired.

Posted: October 16, 2019

This is the claim - but is really not the case. The problems, that run through high school, appear to be rooted in the middle school in which victims are blamed, teachers act without accountability and the affluent kids get away with indiscipline.

Posted: October 16, 2019

High School leadership is quite good - Middle School leadership is detrimental to the student experience. It was a mistake sending our child there.

Posted: October 16, 2019

I don't know for sure, but there does not seem to be a clear accommodation for students with learning differences.

Posted: October 3, 2019

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Posted: October 3, 2019

Exceptional. An extremely positive vibe permeates the entire campus. Thoughtful leadership and thoughtful teachers all with one goal: to develop the entire child: academically, socially, emotionally. Exceptional facilities too.

Posted: September 5, 2018

Homework reinforces and expands classroom learning. I down rated one notch just because there is a lot (in middle school).

Posted: September 5, 2018

Posted: September 5, 2018

Absolutely amazing communication and support - could not rate higher!

Posted: September 5, 2018

Posted: September 5, 2018

Posted: September 5, 2018

Exceptional - My daughter joined CCDS as a new middle school student last year. Administrators, parents and students went out of their way to welcome her, and we found the instruction by Country Day's teachers to be inspiring and challenging. She is learning, expanding socially and culturally and enjoying herself. We are very happy here.

Posted: February 5, 2016

this school accepted our application and our $90 fee, and never once communicated with us to say that the 6th grad was completely full so there was no chance we would have gotten in anyway. This seems like somewhat of a scam to me. They took our money knowing that our child had no chance of getting in because the class is full. They should never have accepted the application and why did we have to pay $90 and then follow up on our own several times to be told that the school was full. That information should be on the website.

Posted: February 5, 2016

Posted: February 5, 2016

Posted: February 5, 2016

it does not seem very honest to take money from people for applications when there is no room in the school and you know our child has no chance of getting in

Posted: May 4, 2015

I recently was able to attend my child's French class, Library class, and Art class. The teachers were amazing, the children were engaged, and the environment was warm and welcoming. I look forward to many more years at Country Day!

Posted: December 14, 2014

We have 2 children at Country Day. The school is academically challenging, while being able to balance having nurturing teachers. The school does a great job creating well rounded children. In lower school our kids have a ton of specials. Our kids love the presidential fitness challenge. What a great way to motivate children to be active!

Posted: May 12, 2014

Charlotte Country Day has been a great school for my children. The teachers are wonderful and care deeply for the students. it is very challenging academically and there is some social pressure but the staff seems to have a good grasp on it except for Spirit Week - that experience can be improved. Athletics are great and Fine Arts continues to be improved.

Posted: August 4, 2013

Charlotte Country Day is great. I agree that tutoring may be required if your kids are coming in from Charlotte Christian, Trinity or public school - those kids tend to struggle especially at first and some drop out which is too bad. The kids from Char Prep do seem to transition better. The advisory program for high school students at CCDS is effective and student/faculty safety is a priority - all of the classrooms have intercoms and alarms. Our kids have never had anything stolen and I have never heard of anything gone missing ever! Can't imagine sending my kids anywhere else. The administration is very approachable and are open to suggestions for improvement which makes for a very healthy environment. They even provide laundry service for team uniforms so you don't have to have those smelly things in your car! I agree it is important to do your homework especially if you are moving from out of town. There are a couple of schools that don't have great reputations (especially noted for poor sportsmanship and lackluster academics), and there are a few that do. Also, check out the class offerings and class size. It is worth every penny.

Posted: July 8, 2013

The teachers and staff are incredible. There is a wonderful sense of community amongst parents and staff. The teachers are very responsive and are flexible with intentional students. Our son has graduated and he finally inquired about the tuition cost and then proceeded to thank me for sending him to Country Day. He has been incredibly prepared for college - especially for Spanish and Biology. It is pricey but worth it. If you are looking at private schools, interview many people and ask lots of questions. We also interviewed students and paid attention to their grammar and social skills. After doing this, the only other schools we considered were Charlotte Latin and Covenant Day School. CCDS is a school that is very highly thought of in the Charlotte community and this is important in a smaller city. Charlotte Country Day's location is very convenient to uptown neighborhoods and this was important to us as our kids are all driving now to school. The most difficult thing about Country Day (besides the curriculum - the high school is TOUGH - it is a hard school and there is a lot of work) is getting in! The wait is long for some grade levels - retention is very high.

Posted: June 15, 2013

I am a parent with children in all three divisions, and I believe CCDS provides an outstanding and well rounded education that is worth every penny. My oldest was at the top of her class in public school but found CCDS to be much more challenging academically. It also gave her many more opportunities in athletics, community service, and art because CCDS is so much smaller; children can not get "lost", as they might in huge public school classes. The strong, involved faculty and highly motivated students really pushed her to do her best. College guidance provided valuable input at every step of the application process. My other children have had similar terrific experiences, made life-long friendships, and become better people because of the CCDS community. I highly recommend this school!

Posted: February 8, 2013

I am a parent and can attest to the incredible academic environment this school provides our children at any age. The teachers are outstanding, course selection extensive (Upper School offers Honors, AP, and IP options, CCDS had the first IB program in NC). Country Day offers a rigorous academic environment combined with perks you just don't find elsewhere. Teachers want your children to succeed and encourage them along the way. Parents are extremely involved and there is a great feeling of family and community among everyone at the school. Country Day emphasizes character, honesty, integrity, athletics, and arts along with the academic standards. Kids are encouraged to do their best in all areas, and all skill-sets are appreciated. The college guidance department is outstanding and make the application process much less overwhelming. Each division does a wonderful job addressing the needs of the ages they serve. The faculty is hands-on and your son/daughter will find so many adult role models throughout their educational experience. I simply cannot say enough great things about Charlotte Country Day School!

Posted: January 30, 2013

I am the parent of 2 children at CCDS in both the Middle School and the Lower School. I wish everyone looking at the school could get a deeper understanding and appreciation of the culture and community at CCDS. My children have thrived in this environment where character, community service, academics, athletics and the arts are woven seamlessly into the fabric of our school. Faculty and staff have done a tremendous job of meeting the needs of both of my children whose strengths and weaknesses could not be more different. The middle school campus is an absolute gem where the students are away from the pressures of being like Upper School students and can separate themselves from the structure of the Lower School and find more independence as they navigate adolescence. CCDS also does a phenomenal job with parent education and awareness offering workshops, coffees, etc on relevant topics to parents in each division. I could not be more pleased with our choice to send our children to CCDS and know that what they are learning here at Country Day, both academically and socially, will benefit them throughout the rest of their lives.

Posted: December 10, 2012

During the enrollment process, the feeling of joy that I felt every time we visited Charlotte Country Day School resonated with me. Looking back, I think that sense of joy comes from being in a place where children are realizing their full potential, whether that means being a Rhodes scholar, a painter, singer, author, scientist, historian, or photographer. Whatever your child's passion is, at CCDS, it will be celebrated and developed into a skill they will cherish for their lifetime. It was important to me and my husband to choose a school for our children that had a strong fine and performing arts curriculum. We love the fact that at Charlotte Country Day School beginning in JK, the students have music and art classes, and even learn to perform infront of an audience. Tied into community service learning, the children visit local retirement communities and preform for the residents. The attention at CCDS not only to sports and academics, but also to the creative side of your child, is one of the main reasons we chose to enroll our children at Charlotte Country Day school.

Posted: May 21, 2012

My family has a long history of going to CCDS. My father and his older brother attended CCDS. My older brother graduated from Country Day. So it was natural for me to attend too. I started in JK. I was challenged, I was pushed to succeed, and I was surrounded by people I called friends. By 5th grade things went wrong. I began to be bullied by both boys and girls in my grade. As I entered Middle School I began to become closer to my teachers than to my peers as I was mocked and ostracized whenever I left the classroom. Finally in 7th grade I had too much. I had become depressed, verging on suicidal and I snapped. I yelled at a boy who threw a ball at me. I was taken into the office of our grade advisor, a teacher I respected and trusted. She told me it was a misunderstanding and made me apologize to the boy. I decided to leave CCDS. That summer my parents recieved a letter from my advisor who told me I wouldn't find anything better and would face the same in public school. I didn't. I loved it. CCDS has incredible athletics and academics, but the way the school treated me after my bullying soured the whole experience, and I am still to this day haunted by those last few years.

Posted: January 24, 2012

Charlotte Country Day School has one main mission: encourage students to be the best they can be. To accomplish this mission, each teacher spends time really getting to know each child. I am amazed how well my son's teachers know both his positive and negative traits. Honor and discipline are always part of every class, which helps to develop trustworthy and hard-working future adults. CCDS has a winning formula. We are in our 12th year at Country Day. We are so excited about college being on the horizon, but leaving CCDS will be bitter-sweet.

Posted: June 20, 2011

I have nothing but positive things to say about my experience at Charlotte Country Day School. I attribute a good share of my childhood development and college admission to the school, which in turn helped pave the way for my professional and personal development as an adult. Some of the best memories of my life were at that school, and I firmly believe that it is one of the best schools in the country. Some of the highlights I would point out: 1) High Quality Teaching Staff 2) Experiences/Opportunities that many children do not have 3) Fantastic facilities (sports and arts) 4) Focus on well-balanced student life and college admission

Posted: June 7, 2011

CCDS is an amazing school. The teaching staff is top rate with incredible amounts of personalized attention given to the needs of each student. Everyone there really seems to love what they do and it shows. Challenging academics, great extracurricular activities and the facilities are all top notch. The separate middle school campus is a huge plus in terms of encouraging healthy development for those students. Can't say enough good things.

Posted: June 3, 2011

I was a student for 8 years and can say that the lower school is AMAZING the teachers are great and so are the facilities. The middle school is very cliquey and there is a lot of pressure on girls for the kind of clothes they wear etc. As for the academics they are very good and challenging. The foreign exchange program is amazing and allows kids to go to places like Cabo San Lucas in the 6th grade! As far as the whole cliqueness I have heard that it only gets worse in highschool. Unless your kid is extremely popular than they might want to look somewhere else. I have a lot of friends who go to AG middle school and love it. Overall its a great school for some people but not for everyone.

Posted: April 29, 2011

Charlotte Country Day is probably the best private school in Charlotte. Academically, pretty even with Charlotte Latin, a few steps ahead of Providence Day and leaps and bounds ahead of Charlotte Christian. I think what distinguishes CCDS from CLS is that their may be a slightly elitist mentality at CLS that is completely non-existent at CCDS.Athletics with the major sports (football, basketball, lacrosse, swimming) are usually better than the other three, with Christian being the only equivalent in baseball. However, Charlotte Latin may be a notch above in the non-revenue sports like wrestling and cross country. Over all, if i were a new parent looking for a private school, I would go with CD or CLS if affordable. Hope this has been helpful.

Posted: February 3, 2011

Charlotte Country Day is a fabulous school. We have had one child graduate and we have another one in upper school. The new head of school seems to have his pulse on what is going on and he has made a concerted effort to get to know the parents and the kids. The communication has improved greatly since he has been there and the kids like him. The class selection/options (upper school) are by far the best of all the private schools in Charlotte and the facility is amazing and so is Bucsnet! Many of the teachers have been at the school for over twenty five years. There are four full time staff members just for the college department - they are all wonderful! The staff truly cares about kids and wants them to succeed. It is a very rigorous program academically but the teachers do what they can for kids that put forth the extra effort. There are many opportunities for parents to serve and become involved at all levels. We love the school and have made many wonderful friendships because of it. It is not perfect, but pretty close.

Posted: November 29, 2010

I am a student at CCD. My school has offered me endless opportunities throughout my years at this school. I am in an environment where I can be myself, feel confident about my academics, social life, and athletics. I love CCD because it not only encourages me to reach my personal best, but everyday I strive to perform well due to the grand support my school gives me. I am comfortable playing sports both in and out of school, and I enjoy being involved in activities that make me unique. CCD offers such a wide variety of clubs, sports and opportunities, so there is something enjoyable and interesting for everyone. Each faculty member is wonderful, always willing to meet each pupil's needs. Being a member of the CCD community from jk all the way up to high school, I have always found CCD to be a friendly school always willing to accept new members with open arms. I truly feel I could not be happier any place else!