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D E D H A M C O U N T RY DAY
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BE INQUISITIVE
WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, WHY.
As parents, we have so many questions about our children. Who will they be when they grow up? What are they passionate about? When will they break out and become fully themselves? Where, in this increasingly complex world, will they flourish? In the pages ahead, you’ll learn why our families consider our school such an effective partner in helping children to thrive. We asked members of our community – students, parents, and alumni – to share their thoughts. Thank you for wanting to know more about our school and for your questions. After all, inquisitive minds are just what we’re after.
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who are we?
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what do you love about dcd?
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when did you know?
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where are you going?
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why choose dcd?
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any more questions?
D E D H A M C O U N T RY DAY
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BE INQUISITIVE
Who are we?
Bold artist & athlete I live in Westwood and came to DCD in pre-K. I now am an alumna and joining my older sister at Nobles, where I’ll be in 9th grade. My younger brother is in 6th grade at DCD. MARY -
- Passionate experimenter I’m a DCD alumnus, now a sophomore at Milton Academy. I live in Dedham, and started at DCD in kindergarten. I’m the oldest of three kids, with a sister in 4th grade and a brother in 8th grade, both at DCD. MATTHEW
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Confident speaker I’m from Natick. I started at DCD in 1st grade and am now in 6th grade. My younger brother is in 2nd grade and my two older sisters graduated from DCD and are now at Concord Academy. CAROLINE -
- Committed collaborators We live in Norfolk, and our daughter, Aimée, now a DCD alumna, is beginning 9th grade at Dana Hall. Aimée started DCD in pre-K and spent her entire elementary school life there. FADIE & DAVID
Fell in love with DCD at first sight We live in Jamaica Plain and have two children attending DCD. Our son, Dash, currently in 2nd grade, started in pre-K and daughter, Alice, is new in pre-K. We wish we could join the kids! SIOBHAN & WILL -
What do you love about DCD?
CAROLINE - I like being with kindergartners all the way to 8th graders. Through lunch, sports, recess, and assemblies, you are constantly making new friends in the class ahead of you or the class below.
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SIOBHAN & WILL - The emphasis on public speaking at DCD is amazing. It’s not only with the play they do every year but also with all the practice that they get presenting their ideas and work to each other in class or in front of the whole school. By the time they get to 8th grade, it becomes second nature.
I learned to connect and communicate with lots of different types of people at DCD from teachers to classmates, to kids younger than me and older than me. It’s helped me so much in developing relationships and advocating for myself. In high school, I am not afraid to approach new kids or ask for help from my teachers!
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What do you love about DCD?
MARY - With all the choices at DCD and knowing that the
community is always there to support me, I’ve had a lot of freedom to follow my passions and developed the ambition to try new ones!
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FADIE & DAVID - We like DCD’s stance on “just because a child can do something, doesn’t mean he or she should.” It goes to the very palpable programmatic intent of providing a developmentally appropriate curriculum. DCD focuses on the right things at the right time!
When did you know?
My interests in math and science really started to grow at DCD. I loved doing robotics with Mrs. Gow and I got involved in the Math Counts club with Mrs. Leith. Now in high school, I’ve gravitated toward both. I’ve joined the investment club and robotics club!
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SIOBHAN & WILL - Before coming to DCD, Dash was tentative about new situations and would hold back. Since being here, he seems to be able to walk into any situation with an air of confidence. The comfort and safety he has felt in his learning environment has enabled him to enjoy each new situation he encounters. He’s just ready to handle whatever comes his way.
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CAROLINE - When I came here I was really shy. In 3rd grade I had a goal with my teacher that I would work on speaking up. She encouraged me daily and I was inspired to work on this. That helped me a lot. By the time I got to 4th grade, I thought, this is my school, I got this!
FADIE & DAVID - The pre-K to 8 continuum in learning is so important at DCD. Teachers know what children have learned and what they will be learning. They share notes with each other on things they have seen along the way so that from year to year they can amplify a child’s strengths and support their struggles.
Where are you going?
Looking back on my freshman year at Milton, I feel I was very prepared and ahead in so many ways. The initial exposure to hard things, high expectations and challenges at DCD made me realize that I could do so much more than I thought I could do. MATTHEW -
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MARY - I am going to Nobles next and I’m really excited to step out of the box. This is something I learned to do at DCD and discovered unexpected and joyful things. I tried new arts and sports and now I’m looking forward to doing this at my new school. I plan to do crew though I’ve never done it before!
When we were looking for an elementary school for pre-K to 8 for Aimée, I took the advice of a friend who said ask a child you are impressed with where they went to school. I did, and it was DCD. I now see and hear people thinking about my child in the same way, and I feel like we have come full circle! Aimée is attending Dana Hall.
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Why choose DCD?
SIOBHAN & WILL - I cried after our kindergarten conference. They really do know my child! They understood who he is, they got all of the nuances of his character which, you know they are really going to build on. As a parent, it really feels good and is so reassuring. When your kid is sick and he fakes being well so he can go to school, you know he’s in the right place.
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At DCD, I developed an academic drive but I also learned perseverance. I learned to fail, pick myself up and figure out what I did wrong. It was so important to learn this in a setting where the stakes weren’t so high, because now as assessments get harder, I can persevere, and you know, college is looming!
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MARY - The community around me at DCD is why I am
where I am – especially the teachers. I had a safety net so to speak. If ever something is hard or scary, you have your community around you to lift you up, encourage and support you.
Why choose DCD?
I love the teachers. They are amazing. They are always there for you whether it’s helping with long division problems or even socially in dealing with a friend.
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DCD welcomed her and us as members of the community, but always saw her as an individual. At DCD, we found exactly what we wanted for our daughter — academic challenge, the chance to develop individually and a wonderful balance of music, arts and athletics. It’s an experience where every child matters and gets just what she needs.
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Any more questions?
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Visit Us! Call (781) 329-0850
dedham country day school • pre-k to grade 8 90 Sandy Valley Road Dedham, MA • www.dedhamcountryday.org