Countryside Day Blog

3 Educational Myths of Halloween-like Proportion

3 Educational Myths of Halloween-like Proportion

October 31st, 2014
It’s that time of year when conscientious parents carefully check their children’s candy after returning from trick-or-treating. We even remember our parents scrutinizing the popcorn balls, unwrapping the butterscotches, and pulling apart the taffy--while we impatiently waited to dive into the spoils of our childhood trick-or-treating. Think about how widespread “Halloween Parenting" changed because of the tainted candy rumors--stories powerful enough to change day-to-day parenting behavior on a massive scale!   But even more shocking is... READ MORE
Pat Bassett Lit a Fire at CMS!

Pat Bassett Lit a Fire at CMS!

October 28th, 2014
What an inspiring 2 days it was when Pat Bassett visited our school for observation and consultation! Who is Pat? Pat Bassett is a long-time educator, administrator and former president of NAIS. I think that there are many occasions in Pat's life when he is likely the smartest guy in the room, yet he clearly sees every interaction as an opportunity to learn. What I most admire personally in Pat Bassett is the depth of his knowledge,... READ MORE
A Truth Not So Charming

A Truth Not So Charming

October 16th, 2014
Imagine our academically brightest young people who attend world class universities. They’ve reached the zenith of their toilsome years of scholastic achievement, and now they enjoy the distinction of being students at Harvard, Yale, and MIT! What We Have Realized Now imagine that some of our best and brightest are clueless about how to greet people, which utensils to use at a formal dinner, how to dress, and how to groom themselves. Imagine that not... READ MORE
5 Steps to Keep Kids at the Table

5 Steps to Keep Kids at the Table

October 9th, 2014
We've all heard of the benefits of the family meal, with studies showing that regular family meals make children less prone to obesity and drug addiction.   So we scramble to make time for the family meal. The table is set. The food is hot. Everyone's seated. Now for the real challenge: keeping your children at the table.   A recent article in a food magazine had a column on how to keep restless kids at the table... READ MORE
Toward a More Robust Online Community

Toward a More Robust Online Community

October 8th, 2014
Dear Countryside Community,   A more robust, interactive, online community is not an end in itself, but rather is a means to extending the influence of the CDS community that already exists. And it’s pretty easy to cultivate. Posts on Events When we post a review of a key event at CDS, families who attended can post comments on their most-meaningful take-aways from the event, creating a powerful reinforcement for the CDS community to retain... READ MORE
Sanity in the Morning

Sanity in the Morning

October 2nd, 2014
In an older issue of Real Simple, there is an article on how to get through the morning with your children. It features a series of vignettes from different families with different challenges. It asks the reader to imagine her morning hours: calm, peaceful and productive. And they show it doesn't have to be a pipe dream. The Meritocracy One mom’s motto is making the morning fun. After years of pleading with her children to... READ MORE

Countryside Programs

We offer a continuous program from 16 months through 8th grade — inculding an all year program option for Pre-K/K and elementary school. LEARN MORE

TODDLER — Ages 16 mos.-3yrs

PRE-K/K — Ages 3-6

LOWER ELEMENTARY — Ages 6-9, Grades 1-3

UPPER ELEMENTARY — Ages 9-12, Grades 4-6

SUMMER PROGRAMS — Ages 16 mos.-12 yrs., Toddler-Grade 6

ALL YEAR FULL DAY — Ages 3-12, Grades Pre-K/K-Grade 6