The Country Day School - Build and Engage Our Community - A Co-ED, JK-12, Independent Day School in the Greater Toronto Area

2018 Parent & Student Survey Results

11/29/2018

John Liggett

Last spring, we conducted two online surveys – one among CDS Parents and one among CDS Students in Grades 6-12. Attached are highlights from both surveys, as well as some areas in need of improvement and attention, and recent school initiatives either underway or already developed to address these issues.

Annual Grad Breakfast

5/31/2018

Yesterday morning, our GYs and their parents honoured what has become an annual CDS tradition of being “walked to school” one final time for the annual Grad Breakfast.

What a Wonderful Grandparents' Day!

5/17/2018

Grandparents’ Day is one of the most highly anticipated days of the school year in the Junior School. It is an opportunity for all of us to put aside any agendas we may have and look at our students and the work that they have done just for the pure joy of appreciating something that a child has created.

Dedication and Naming of the Paul C. Duckett Theatre

5/10/2018

The Country Day School hosted a dedication ceremony on May 3, 2018 to announce the naming of the Performing Arts Centre (PAC) Theatre in honour of our third and former Head of School, Paul C. Duckett.

Inaugural CDS Relay for Life Raises $21,782

5/3/2018

The Country Day School raised more than $20,000 at its inaugural Relay for Life held on April 27. CDS Senior and Middle School students, faculty, staff and parents walked from 3:00 to 9:00 pm around Hawksworth Track and Field in teams or as individuals.

Congrats Cast & Crew of The Grunch!

4/26/2018

Congratulations to the cast and crew of The Grunch who delivered 4 outstanding performances! The cast worked diligently to present an exciting story to their audiences and should be very proud of their perseverance.

Special Parent Presentation by York Regional Police: April 25

4/5/2018

Please join us for a special parent presentation by York Regional Police on the detrimental effects of drugs.

Wednesday, April 25 from 11:45 am - 12:30 pm

PAC Theatre

Support Relay for Life @ CDS

3/29/2018

CDS has and continues to feel the devastating impact that cancer can have on a community. On Friday April 27th, 2018, The Country Day School will be hosting a Relay for Life from 3:15-9:00 pm on Hawksworth Track and Field. This Relay for Life event, championed by our students, is a community-based event that raises money for cancer research. Participants register as a team and must have at least one person carrying the team’s baton walking around the track for the duration of the event.

Congrats to Cast & Crew of In The Heights!

3/8/2018

Scott Garbe, Director

Congratulations to the cast, crew and orchestra of CDS’ incredible production of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s In the Heights! The level of commitment and professionalism brought to the piece was nothing short of sensational. Three packed houses were hooked from the opening moments to the final bows, during which they rose to their feet to give the cast a standing ovation.

Senior School Production: In the Heights

3/1/2018

The Senior School Production of Lin-Manuel Miranda's Tony Award winning musical In the Heights opens TONIGHT and promises to be both a musical and joyous theatrical experience!

Do you know about our CDS Olympic ties?

2/22/2018

The success of Canadian athletes at the 2018 Olympic Games in Pyeongchang has been impressive, and with just three days to go, Canada is well on target to break its Winter Olympic medal count of 26 achieved at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics.

Drama Production In the Heights: Tickets, Story & Video

2/15/2018

You won’t want to miss this year’s Senior School drama production of Lin-Manuel Miranda's Tony Award winning musical - In the Heights – the universal story of a vibrant immigrant community in New York City’s Washington Heights neighbourhood. Performances will take place on March 1, 2 and 3 in the Performing Arts Centre and tickets are $20.

Traffic Light Update

1/25/2018

John Liggett, Head of School

Great news for safe and easy access to CDS! After a successful appeal to York Region Council last week, we can now confirm that the School has obtained approval to install a traffic light at our main entrance at the School’s expense, which will be supported by this year's Auction.

Auction 2018 Kick-Off Breakfast: January 24

1/18/2018

Mark your calendars and save the date for the 45th annual CDS Auction on Friday, June 1, 2018! Join us for an amazing evening of live and silent auctions with dancing, food, entertainment and more! This year's theme is Call of the Wild.

We need the help of the CDS community in order to make this event as successful as possible.

Alumni Return for Careers Class

12/21/2017

Each year, our Grade 10 Careers class invites CDS Alumni back to campus to share their real-life education and work experience. Students then have the opportunity to ask questions and seek advice. This December, we have had six alumni visit: JP Adamo '99, Rachael Andrew '09, Amanda Santarossa '10, Will Eberlee '11, Hannah Carlton '14, and Kurt Mighton '14. Two of our Grade 10 students, Allison Simpson and Erica Ghezzi, found these visits both insightful and reassuring.

Coffee and Conversation with the Head

12/14/2017

Do you have a question you’ve wanted to ask, but it’s never the right forum? Are you curious about something you’ve heard and would like for it to be elaborated on? Head of School John Liggett would be happy to answer your questions over coffee.

The Outsiders - Tickets Available at Door!

11/9/2017

S.E. Hinton's The Outsiders is a story that revolves around two rival gangs in the 1960s midwest. Young Ponyboy Curtis is yearning to prove himself so he can be accepted by his brothers and his gang while dreaming of a life beyond the fences of his lower class. This play deals with real people, seen through the eyes of a teenage protagonist who constantly finds himself stuck on the wrong side of the tracks.

Parent Walk + Community Relations Info Sharing & Tech Support: October 25

10/5/2017

Please join the Office of Community Relations and the CDS Parent Association members on Wednesday, October 25 for a walk of the School's acreage and an Information Sharing & Tech Support morning.

CDS Runs for Terry

9/21/2017

On Friday, The Country Day School held its 26th run for Terry Fox in which the entire school participated. In her remarks to both Junior and Middle/Senior School students, Canadian Olympic Hurdler and volunteer for the Terry Fox Foundation, Nikkita Holder, thanked CDS for raising $505,168 for the Terry Fox Foundation over the past 25 years (this year excluded).

In the Spirit of Community, Get in Gear!

9/14/2017

The word community has deep routes at CDS and comes up in almost every meaningful conversation we have, whether it be with prospective or current families, students, alumni or CDS Grandparents on Grandparents’ Day. We take immense pride in our growing community and the events we host for them.

Annual Grad Breakfast

6/1/2017

This morning, our GYs and their parents honoured what has become an annual CDS tradition of being “walked to school” one final time for the annual Grad Breakfast. Everyone was rewarded with a delicious morning meal, plus great conversations and photo-ops with faculty members and friends in advance of the end-of-year Middle/Senior School Assembly.

Ahead By a Century Raises $11,360

5/11/2017

At the final Arts Assembly of the year Monday, CDS culminated its Ahead by a Century run with a special cheque presentation of $5,680 to both the Gord Downie and Chanie Wenjack Fund and Gord Downie Fund for Brain Cancer Research – Sunnybrook Foundation. The cast and crew were able to raise a total of $11,360 for these two worthy charities through ticket and T-shirt sales, discounted rental rates, and the generosity of our special sponsors.

Holocaust Survivor Brings History to Life at CDS

4/6/2017

History was brought to life earlier this week for Grade 10 and Senior Social Science students taking World History with Mr. Young and Mr. Downer. The students spent the morning with two guests from the Friends of Simon Weisenthal Centre for Holocaust Studies (FSWC) as part of a Lessons and Legacies workshop.

The Canada Project

3/2/2017

The Canada Project took place on Monday and Tuesday this week and was CDS' way of recognizing Canada’s 150th birthday. The timing of the Project was intentional to culminate with our Senior School production of Ahead by a Century.

Alumni Holiday Gathering Spreads Good Cheer

12/21/2016

'Tis the Season to be Jolly - that was the all-embracing sentiment our Alumni felt last night upon walking through the entrance to the new Senior School for the annual Holiday Party.

Middle and Senior School Councils Boost Community Spirit

12/1/2016

On Friday, November 25th, both the Middle and Senior School Student Councils planned end-of-day events to rally some spirit and bring together their respective school communities.

U14 Hockey Team Brings Home Gold and Alumni Connections from Halifax

11/24/2016

Mark Burleigh, Faculty and U14 Hockey Coach

The U14 CDS Hockey team travelled to Halifax from Wednesday, November 16 – Saturday, November 19 to participate in the Armbrae Academy U15 Halifax Independent School Hockey Tournament. Coaches Andrea Leacock and Mark Burleigh led the boys on a trip that included a visit to Peggy’s Cove to see the geological landforms, a chance to learn about the lobster fishing and seafaring culture, and sampling some of the North Atlantic’s finest offerings. It was a messy and satisfying affair!

Announcing the New Alumni Legacy Fund

11/3/2016

On November 1, as part of our November Giving month, we launched a new initiative aimed at creating an Alumni Legacy Fund to support financial aid for children of our Alumni. We've termed it the Alumni Challenge.

SNL Meets CDS: Join Us for Cyclone Hilarity

11/3/2016

We all need a good laugh now and then, which is why our Grade 7-9 students will be taking aim at your funny bone during their first scripted comedy troupe written by students – The Cyclone City Comedy Revue – on November 17 and 18.

Coffee and Conversation With The Head

10/20/2016

Do you have a question you’ve wanted to ask, but it’s never the right forum? Are you curious about something you’ve heard and would like for it to be elaborated on?

Build and Engage Our Community

10/13/2016

In an effort to build and engage our community, the School is developing a partnership with Habitat for Humanity both to do projects locally (GTA) and nationally (Yukon).