Quick Facts
Year Founded: 1964. Learn more about Country Day's history.
Average Number of Children Enrolled: 223
Ages of students: Our youngest students attend the Parent Child class with a caregiver once per week beginning at age 18 months, while our oldest students in the Kindergarten are generally 5-6 years old.
Student-teacher ratio & class size: 1 teacher per 5-6 children in 2s classes; 1 teacher per 7 children in the 3s; 1 teacher per 8 children in the 4s and Kindergarten.
Number of faculty & staff members: 43
Percentage of staff with Master's degrees or early childhood related degrees: 85%
Acres on campus: 4
Highlights of the grounds: The CDS grounds include a butterfly garden, nature trail, 9 playgrounds, a heated swimming pool, and much more!
Accreditation: CDS has been a NAEYC accredited school since 1988.
Classroom enrichment classes include: All ages participate in Music and Library, and 3s-K additionally participate in Spanish, Art, and Science classes once per week.
Ways to extend the school day include: ACE enrichments, Lunch with Pals, and Stay & Play programs with permanent spaces and a drop in option.
Parent Involvement: Connecting with parents and communicating how the children are learning through play is a huge part of our program at all ages. Teachers use a photo-sharing website and send weekly email newsletters, & the school shares current news and events through the website and social media. Parents can connect through PRO events and committees, and join us to read stories, celebrate birthdays, and share cultural experiences with the class.
Community Outreach efforts have included: Making sandwiches for Martha's Table, cookies for Catholic Charities, play dough for Ronald McDonald House families, and dog and cat biscuits for the Arlington dog and cat shelter; Collecting canned goods for SHARE of McLean, shoes of all sizes for Soles for Souls, toiletries for Mother's Day baskets for Bethany House residents, and books for children in shelters.
Allergy aware campus: CDS is a peanut-free school and we strive to be allergy aware. Lunches from home may not include nut products or items made in facilities that process nuts. Other restrictions may be put in place for additional life threatening allergies. Please be aware that there are nut trees growing on campus.
Bathrooming: Children are not required to be potty trained to attend CDS. Our school is equipped with child-sized bathrooms in most of the classrooms and in hallways nearby. We have changing tables for children in diapers, as well.
Weather closures: we aim to announce any weather related early closures or late openings by 7 a.m. when possible. While we often follow Fairfax County closures, this is not always the case so we encourage parents to check the website, WTOP, NBC4, and look for emails for updates.
Summer programs: Camp CDS runs for 6 weeks following the end of the school year. Learn more about our swim program and variety of camp classes.