Jane Cathers

My daughter started at CDS in Grade 9 and was impressed from day one, for so many reasons. The teachers are enthusiastic, the classes are small and focused with very little disruption, and her classmates are outgoing and included her when she did not know anyone. The meals are not only delicious, they are healthy! There is a daily lunch menu and snacks are always available. The kitchen uses fresh quality ingredients and the meals look and taste great. Our daughter looks forward to going to school every day and is proud to wear the school uniform. We drive her 45 minutes each way, but there is also bussing available. The grounds offer 100 acres to explore and the green space is so inviting. The new architecture in the Senior School is gorgeous and makes the building very bright and airy. There are beautiful common areas throughout the school and also outdoor classrooms when the weather is good.

The Country Day School's staff are amazing! The leadership and administration staff are thorough, friendly and go the extra mile in every interaction we have had. The Head of School, Leadership & Administrative team are very approachable and have such a positive outlook and are great with communicating with parents and students. The students know what is expected of them and as result, the classes are an engaging and focused environment. The Leadership team can also be spotted directing traffic in the busy drop-off times, interacting with the parents and students. 

The teaching staff at The Country Day School are top-notch! They are very enthusiastic, engaging, and give the students the tools they need to succeed. Whether the students are in-class or outdoors, the classes are small, focused, and the students want to learn. We have been extremely happy with all of the teaching staff. They are passionate and think outside the box, keeping students' attention and using the school's classrooms, equipment and the huge grounds to their full advantage. The teachers' enthusiasm is refreshing and inviting. I cannot say enough about their efforts, helping our child achieve her goals. Every day I hear a positive story about the teachers. The lessons are challenging and the expectations they have in return will help set your child on the road to success. Our daughter feels supported when she has had a particular challenge and feels she can approach any one of her teachers. There are teachers there who also attended the school, they love it so much.

The academics are terrific as it offers many choices and the school is great with guidance and career path advice and direction. CDS has a great reputation with universities across Canada, the USA and internationally. The courses are enriched and challenging to prepare them to reach their future goals. The extraordinary facilities are an asset to their learning environment. The drama and music programs have incredible facilities, and the Performing Arts Centre and Theatre are especially impressive. My daughter has had several meetings with the guidance counsellor as the school wants to ensure she is taking the right courses to meet her goals. CDS strives to ensure a well-balanced education. There is so much they offer!

The facilities and options are amazing whether they take tennis, track, soccer, fitness, cross-country running, and more. There are many clubs and teams to join, there is really something to offer every child.

The kids are friendly and have great school spirit. They are competitive in class and not disruptive. Inclusiveness was very important to us and we have confidence with the school that they do not tolerate bullying. This is my daughter's second year and all of her interactions with the other students have been very positive. She always looks forward to going to school, and I believe it has been the friendly nature of her peers that contributes to that. The small class sizes make getting to know the other kids much easier and less intimidating. The peer tutoring is also helpful and lets older students build skills while helping younger students. Our daughter's French mark improved with peer tutoring.

The Country Day School has a lot to offer the students to ensure a well-rounded child. Our daughter loves the school (and we do too!) and is proud to be a student. She has always maintained a positive attitude and feels a big sense of involvement to be part of student life. The school has done a terrific job at keeping us very well informed about every aspect of school life, whether it is academics, sports or arts, and safety. The corridors of the Senior School help share the history with past photos of graduation classes, academic, debating, and athletic awards, theatre productions and key events. So many kids to be proud of displayed there and so many more to come.

CDS provides many opportunities for parents to become involved and meet other parents, whether that be through volunteering, the parent book club, speaker series or socials. There are many opportunities to meet other parents and share school spirit. The school strives to make all parents feel included not just with their own kids but with the school as a whole. I encourage all future parents to attend any of the drama performances whether their own student is a participant or not. CDS alumni are also very involved and participate in many aspects of the school, including as guest speakers in the classroom. They are proud to do so and are living success stories.

The Country Day School is situated on the outskirts of King City, in King Township on 100 beautiful acres of land. The school uses the entire property for teaching, sports and the arts. The sports facilities are incredible with a giant sports dome, tennis courts, 10 playing fields, track, fitness room, and three gymnasiums. Bussing is available for students near and far. The school is about 10 minutes from highway 400 (to the west) and Highway 404 (to the east). Students typically stay on campus for the entire day.

The Country Day School has an amazing reputation. I have known many who have attended in the past and we have always wanted our child to go there. We found the admissions process to be positive and their staff so helpful and encouraging! There was an interview as well and we found that they are looking for kids who want to be there, want to be challenged, want to reach their goals, and want to enjoy the balanced life the school offers. Did I mention the staff? They are top-notch and really guided us through the process. They answered all of our questions, were always prompt in replying, and kept us informed as to what the next steps were.

Our daughter started in Grade 9 and experienced guidance her first year to ensure career paths of interest were considered during course selection. Course selection for Grade 10 was carefully considered based on the recommendations the school made so as to ensure the path our daughter is on was the right one for her. Our daughter has big dreams ahead and we know the school will do everything to help her make them come true as long as she applies herself and works hard. She looks forward to becoming an alumni success story herself one day!