Mission:
CHARLOTTESVILLE DAY SCHOOL is committed to enhancing the lives of children and families in the community. CDS students discover the joy of learning and demonstrate a positive attitude towards lifelong intellectual, moral, and social growth. Children at CDS develop the self-confidence, imagination, and skills to live fulfilling lives and to realize their individual potential. CDS provides a supportive educational environment that fosters respect for others, develops well-rounded interests, rewards sportsmanship, and cultivates interpersonal skills.
Belief Statements:
About Children
We believe
…all children can learn, succeed, and excel.
About Learning and Curriculum
We believe
…extraordinary teachers are able to inspire every child.
…the best educational practices are grounded in research and experience.
…every child has a unique learning style.
…a school must embrace the varied learning styles of its students.
…a school should promote a healthy lifestyle and wellness of the mind and body.
…childhood music education fosters self-confidence and achievement in mathematics.
…fine arts education benefits the whole child.
…children learn by discovering and doing.
…children learn best when they enjoy school.
About Community
We believe
…a supportive environment promotes positive self-image.
…relationships should be nurtured.
…a team approach best meets the needs of our students.
…respect for all people should be modeled.
…a diverse community of learners enriches the educational environment.
Philosophy of Education:
Children learn naturally. When a subject is relevant and they have ownership in the learning process, they acquire skills and knowledge at an incredible pace. Our school’s environment - its surroundings, facilities, and the attitudes of its teachers, leaders, students, and parents - ensures that each student has a bedrock of safety and security. In this safe, secure environment, students are invited to take creative risks in their own education.
Children at CDS are given repeated opportunities to learn content knowledge in authentic ways, through projects, experiments, performances, interactions with peers, and other real life experiences. This gives the learner a purpose, provides meaning and context, develops connections, and deepens student thinking.
Teachers act as facilitators and coaches to this learning process by scaffolding material for each learner: asking questions, offering suggestions, and adding more complex materials or ideas to continually push learners to grow. Our teachers are experts in their subject matters, but - and even more importantly - they know each student’s personality, skill level, and role in the classroom. With that knowledge, they motivate students by providing an individualized instructional program.
We work as a team towards this common purpose. Our leaders recognize and capitalize on the individual differences of our members. We welcome and embrace a diversity of learning styles and cultures. The ultimate goal at CDS is to create a positive environment, provide quality instruction, and nurture children to develop their self-esteem, thinking skills, and independence.
