AN EXCITING NEXT ERA

Message from the Board of Trustees Chair, Bill Zimmern ’95

As my term as Chair of the Board of Trustees begins, I feel uniquely fortunate to be following a long line of phenomenal leaders whose strategic vision over the years has put Charlotte Country Day School in a position of tremendous strength. In particular, I would like to personally thank Scott Stevens, my predecessor as Chair of the Board of Trustees. Scott’s consistent and thoughtful guidance through the past three (two is customary) years was instrumental in navigating the school through COVID-related adjustments and a change in school leadership. I am humbled to follow in his and others’ footsteps and honored to help build upon that foundation as we head into an exciting next era in our school’s long history.

A very successful capital campaign has transformed Cannon Campus. This past spring, we witnessed how our new facilities are being used in ways that further build community and enrich the vibrancy and variety of life on campus. From the All-School Celebration and Auction to Big Saturday to Moving Up and Commencement Exercises, the Dowd Student Center, the John and Claudia Belk Upper School Learning Center, the Klein Aquatic Center, and the Harris Performance Gym took center stage. These tremendous venues are already enhancing the ability of the school’s dedicated teachers to fulfill the school’s mission of developing the potential of each student. You can’t help but feel an immense sense of pride as you walk through campus these days.

We also enter a new era of school leadership. Marcel Gauthier hit the ground running in July as a dynamic, seasoned leader who is well-prepared for the role. I look forward to working with Marcel to continue building upon our school’s forward-thinking legacy and commitment to providing the very best opportunities for students.

Financial stability allows us to continue to innovate and further improve the student experience. That promise begins with enrollment and the trust parents place in our teachers and our programming with their tuition dollars. Once again, we saw record admissions inquiries, enrollment, and reenrollment (a remarkable 97%) for the 2022–23 school year. The Country Day experience

is further augmented by the generous spirit of giving from our community. The Country Day Fund, our school’s top giving priority, generated a recordbreaking $2.487 million in gifts for the 2021–22 school year, as well as nearly 75% parent participation.

Exemplifying this generous spirit, Smoky and Margaret Bissell donated approximately 330 acres of valuable property south of Weddington on Providence Road to the school. Supported by an additional five-year monetary commitment to cover the costs of owning and operating the property, the school has time to make a long-term, thoughtful decision regarding the best and highest use for this transformational gift in service to Country Day’s mission.

On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I would like to thank everyone who has made Country Day a philanthropic priority. Together, we are making an impact on the lives of our students. Your generosity directly enhances the school’s capacity to develop students’ intellectual curiosity, leadership potential, and ethical character.

Lastly, please join me in thanking two trustees rolling off the Board of Trustees this year: MC Belk Pilon ’92 and Alex Funderburg. Their thoughtful advocacy, commitment, and leadership have served the school well and been valuable to the Board for years. I would also like to welcome three new trustees to the Board this year: Sam Bowles ’93, Mike Maguire, and Ann Willey.

As an alum, a parent, and now your Board Chair, I am both inspired by the ways in which our school continues to grow and evolve, as well as excited for new opportunities ahead.

Sincerely,

Bill Zimmern ’95 Chair, Board of Trustees