Amongst the open courtyards connecting the buildings of our campus, the bright potential of the future comes into view.
It is visible on our students’ faces, embodied through the integrity of their actions, and felt in the energy that pervades every classroom.
It’s not a future predetermined by traveling down a single path. It’s a future where each student achieves their potential and shatters their expectations of what is possible through an assembly of choices and a myriad of enriching experiences.
At Country Day, we create, develop, and empower open minds to learn for life — from day one of Pre-K, to graduation from our Upper School, and beyond.
Within the 15 acres of our campus setting, openness is precisely what our founders were searching for when they created a community within a community over 90 years ago.
Although the structures and neighborhoods surrounding our campus have changed over the decades, a prevailing openness can still be felt, seen, and heard the moment you step foot on our campus.
WE CREATE, DEVELOP, AND EMPOWER OPEN MINDS TO LEARN FOR LIFE.
At Country Day, a student’s distinct individual spirit fuels the capacity for their own independence and achievements.
Dear Families,
As you are on a journey to find the right school for your child, we believe the focus should be on what makes your child stand out: the simple truth that no one student is just one thing.
No student exists as a lone plot point on a grid. They are a culmination of their interests, abilities, goals, and dreams. As these distinct elements converge, they collectively point toward a North Star for their future.
At Country Day, it is our size that affords us the ability to provide access to a well-rounded curriculum of learning opportunities and activities. But it’s the strength of our close-knit community that fosters student independence and emboldens young minds to be open enough to learn to thrive outside their comfort zone.
It is my sincere hope that you visit us on campus. By doing so, I believe you will see a community that lives its mission, actualizes its values, and exhibits a school spirit that is second to none.
Sincerely,
Rob Hereford Head of School
Our Mission
Metairie Park Country Day School enriches the lives of talented young people in a dynamic learning environment, building strength of intellect and strength of character within a community that is simultaneously challenging and supportive. Our students learn to be flexible, to be adaptable, and to face the challenges of life with honor, optimism, confidence, creativity, and a sense of humor.
“Cherish your time at Country Day because it’s a beautiful experience. I never woke up to just go to school. It always felt like I was coming to Country Day for a greater meaning. This meaning was not just to learn but instead to interact with people who want to watch you succeed in any subject or extracurricular that you may be interested in. The overwhelming support for myself as a person, athlete, student, and friend was heartwarming every morning.”
COUNTRY DAY ALUM CLASS OF 2018
STUDENT–Athlete
STUDENT–Writer
STUDENT–Leader
STUDENT–Volunteer
STUDENT–Ambassador
STUDENT–Scientist
STUDENT–Artist
STUDENT–Advocate
STUDENT–Musician
STUDENT–Designer
STUDENT–Entrepreneur
STUDENT–Researcher
STUDENT–Partner
STUDENT–Challenger
Our Students Are Empowered to Explore
At the beginning of their academic careers, Country Day students are exposed to everexpanding courses of study, activities, and opportunities to help ingrain a sense of agility to conquer the challenges ahead. With personal interests as a motivating influence, students pursue academic paths shaped by who they are and who they want to be as independent thinkers.
Our faculty support students in pushing beyond their comfort zones and remind them that sometimes, the only way to acquire new experiences is by crossing through unfamiliar territory. Our faculty are fiercely committed to their roles in guiding young minds and developing character, seeking every opportunity to direct ambition, harness talent, and inspire confidence in their students.
AVERAGE STUDENT TO FACULTY RATIO Student-You
7:1
Your path, built on four essential cornerstones.
We believe a school should not only provide a pathway towards learning but also help students arrive at their intended destination confident, inspired, and with a sense of optimism.
In pursuit of our mission, we have prioritized four essential outcomes for all of our graduates: Curiosity, Critical Thinking, Character, and Citizenship. With these outcomes as guidance, students are better equipped to adapt to challenges and remain open to the possibilities of the future throughout their academic careers.
In the following pages, you’ll discover how Curiosity, Critical Thinking, Character, and Citizenship are developed at every grade level, across our curriculum, and throughout our campus.
CURIOSITY CHARACTER
CRITICAL THINKING CITIZENSHIP
Open to Asking Questions. Curiosity fuels everything we do.
A
curious mind offers enthusiasm, readiness, and optimism.
That’s why we enliven intellectual curiosity by recognizing each student’s inherent gift: imagination.
We cultivate imagination as a pathway into curiosity from an early age, leading students into a constant state of wonder, stimulating an ongoing pursuit of creative interests and the ability to take what’s learned and apply it in new ways.
It’s seeking answers from different perspectives and absorbing ideas from everyone at the table.
When students are paired with teachers whose curiosity matches their own, they create an environment in which everything is possible. That’s how students learn that they have the power to change the world.
CUR IOS
The question: We think it’s essential to generating curiosity.
The question invokes a conviction in students to find answers by asking deeper questions rather than memorizing facts and figures. It’s at the root of student-driven inquiry that prioritizes the skills and habits needed to become effective and observant lifelong learners.
We are known for academic excellence and developing a strength of intellect, but we’re also constantly exploring novel approaches that cultivate intellectual curiosity. Our innovative curricula offer students new ways to learn.
LOWER SCHOOL EXPLORATIONS
An immersive student-led course of study: A year in the making.
When students choose topics of genuine interest, they take ownership of the final outcome and are more enthusiastic about how they get there.
Before embarking on a year-long odyssey of exploration through research, backward design planning, and collaborative activities, students must first select a topic of genuine interest.
Whether it’s understanding the unifying effect of soccer’s influence around the world, discerning the value of collaboration in caring for an animal, or acquiring the technical skills for producing a podcast, with our Lower School Explorations, students are at the helm of making decisions on what they will learn.
2023-2024
Explorations Groups
ACRO/GYMNASTICS
FASHION/DESIGN
PLAYGROUND BALLS
WOODWORKING
HISTORY CLUB
CHAIN REACTIONS
PHOTOGRAPHY
COMPUTER SCIENCE
CLAY
ANIMAL LOVERS
FITNESS
DRAMA
CULINARY ARTS
LEGOS
Curiosity instills lifelong learning. Lifelong learners are doers.
LEARN DO RETAIN REPEAT
Doers are more likely to go beyond theory, applying their knowledge, sharing their skills, and channeling their energies into discovering new solutions.
Project-based learning (PBL) is a method of teaching where students learn by actively engaging in projects with real-world applications.
Starting in Pre-K, we embrace experiential learning-by-doing as a vital component to transforming lesson plans into enduring knowledge.
Our teachers are and always will be students first.
FACULTY Q&A
Q:
How do you display curiosity and promote lifelong learning in your classroom?
A:I foster a growth mindset by being open about gaps in my knowledge. I show them that I’m excited for the opportunity to fill those gaps. When a problem or question stumps me, I tell them, “I don’t know the answer to that question,” or “I’m not sure which is the best course of action, but we can figure it out together.” If we have time, I’ll explore the topic with them. If I need to do the research outside of class, I return and show my work so they can see my process. I also thank them for asking a tough question.
ROSS TURNER, WOODWORKING
A:
A:
I give just enough information to get us started, so they also generate questions. I actively admit that I do not know all the answers, so they’re not looking to me for a solution. There’s always something for us to discover together because the work changes depending on what my students bring to it.
SEAN PATTERSON, DRAMA
I’ve been fostering curiosity by showing off and emphasizing how the concepts that the students learn are immediately applicable to their lives. For example, I took a moment early in the year to show some possibilities with AI tools like ChatGPT. I led discussions around that, giving students a firsthand perspective on why there is such a buzz in the news and education around AI. It helped to put into perspective some of the trickier ethical questions surrounding the conversation.
JOHN COLE, COMPUTER SCIENCE
Champions of Curiosity Themselves
THE SCIENCE OF TEACHING AND LEARNING
Mind, Brain, and Education (MBE) Science, through our partnership with The Center for Transformative Teaching & Learning, empowers our faculty with research-informed practices for effective education. This school-wide professional learning initiative is committed to understanding and optimizing brainbased learning strategies, moving us closer to the core questions: “How can we best educate the brain? What helps students learn?”
FRIDAY SYMPOSIUMS
A compelling platform where faculty come together to engage in thoughtprovoking dialogues and share new ideas. These meetings have grown into an avenue for faculty to meaningfully connect each month. Topics span the gamut from conference presentations to discussions on books and articles to personal initiatives.
THE BOOTHBY REVIEW
Originally conceived to celebrate and support faculty intellectual engagement, the annual journal has since expanded to include essays, creative nonfiction, book reviews, film reviews, and interviews. The review’s writers are free to explore and roam their own intellectual curiosity.
Open to the Power of How & Why.
Students learn how to think, not simply what to think.
We encourage students to reveal and challenge assumptions and to analyze complex problems to develop their own informed opinions. With support and guidance, we encourage students to evaluate structures and theories under the lens of “how” as much as the filter of “why.”
This philosophy of connecting student learning with explorations into the unknown is woven into the fabric of Country Day. Our visionary founder, Edith Stern, and our first headmaster, Ralph Boothby, saw education as a “laboratory and demonstration station.” Through learning by doing, students make more sense of their surrounding world and are more aptly prepared to confront its challenges.
Here, each subject, classroom, and grade level cultivates every student’s individuality, and it’s all designed to teach students to engage and think critically and to communicate with clarity and respect.
CRIT ICAL THIN KING
SMALL CLASS SIZES, INTIMATE DISCUSSIONS.
Where discussions gather momentum.
On the surface, small class sizes allow for a break in traditional classroom dynamics. Beyond this simple concept of fostering an intimate, communal space, our emphasis on small class sizes and in-depth discussions, like those occurring at our Harkness tables, encourage students to jointly shoulder the responsibility for discussions that unfold.
Multiage Mastery for over 50 Years: Unlocking Potential in Lower School
What is a multiage classroom? Research tells us that within these early years, students develop at different rates. Multiage classrooms ingeniously bring together students with diverse interests and learning styles, creating an atmosphere that enriches the academic experience for all.
Within these classes, students naturally acquire knowledge about leadership, mentorship, and collaboration, as older students assist in mentoring younger students by exemplifying more advanced problem-solving and critical thinking skills. Simultaneously, younger students seek guidance not only from their teachers but also from their older peers. This experience cultivates a sense of independence and confidence — two valued elements in Country Day’s learning environment.
How does it work? We assign two teachers to one class of students for three years in a kindergarten, first, and second grade setting and then for two years in a third and fourth grade setting.
Learn more about the benefits of our multiage classrooms.
The tools, the technology, the teaching.
Our “laboratory and demonstration station” for the 21st Century.
We dive deep. The Department of Applied Technology (DAT) promotes the accessibility (and excitement) of computational thinking by teaching computer science to lower, middle, and upper school students.
We reflect. How can technology reinforce our community’s efforts to develop students who solve problems with more creativity and understand the world more intuitively and from multiple perspectives?
We delve deeper still. The DAT coordinates nearly 2500 square feet of creative space for students to explore new ideas and break down traditional divides. See it for yourself when you step inside the Lydia Sneed Engineering Lab. On any given day, you may find students surveying the architecture of the Ottoman Empire replicated from a 3D printer, etching a freeform curve into vinyl using a laser cutter or hashing out a mathematical idea across a vast whiteboard.
One world. Many views. Countless ways to understand its complexities.
A vital component of critical thinking is acquiring an appreciation of the perspectives and opinions of others. This forces students to see beyond their own points of view and exposes them to the weight of reasoning and personal beliefs in drawing conclusions.
In classes that explore history and literary themes, political science and globally pertinent issues, and world languages and cultures, students gain information and knowledge that will bolster their ability to contribute to their communities and in life.
If you can understand New Orleans, you can understand the world.
A focus on the humanities is not only essential to a well-rounded education, but imperative.
For this reason, our senior humanities, the New Orleans Scholars Program: New Orleans and the World, leverages the city of New Orleans as a classroom, immersing students in the city and region, allowing them to learn about the world through the lens of New Orleans. The blend of cultures, history, and environment provides a unique perspective on current issues and students’ abilities to solve complex problems beyond our campus.
Students are exposed to a powerful mix of in-classroom discussions, guest speakers, fieldwork, and research outings to locations of historical significance throughout our city. All culminating in an end-of-year capstone paper and presentation.
THE NEW ORLEANS SCHOLARS PROGRAM
Open to Playing Your Part. Becoming meaningfully engaged in a community takes self-awareness.
We equip students with the skills and knowledge to forge unique paths, empowering them to determine their future while upholding steadfast character.
We believe learning and growth stem not just from academics, but also from developing meaningful relationships, making connections, and advocating for oneself and others.
This realization of how each student can effect change in one another is reinforced by our open campus environment, our purposefully designed curriculum, and our low student-tofaculty ratios.
Our students are empowered to explore many areas before defining their own unique path. Our teachers are prominent guides for our students, serving as devoted mentors and steadfast champions.
CHA RAC TER
We believe strength of character is built around a sense of community.
Nowhere is this tenet more exemplified than in our physical campus.
Around our campus, you’ll experience the exchange of dialogue and the lively energy of students filling the open walkways. Connected by a large, central courtyard, this atmosphere permeates throughout 15 acres of historic brick buildings and swaying live oaks as an open invitation to stroll our grounds and engage with one another.
Instilling
independence without bells.
You won’t hear the recurring sound of bells in closed classrooms on our campus. Instead, middle and upper school students are empowered to take responsibility of their own schedules to ensure they arrive to class punctually and prepared. We’ve witnessed the impact of this approach as many of our alumni credit Country Day’s “No Bells” for achieving a strong sense of accountability and responsibility later in life.
“It’s a great school that focuses on your individual strengths and not comparing students to each other. There is no student
ranking. Everyone works to their strength and is made to feel good about themselves.”
Embracing collaboration over competition.
Without class ranking, students are allowed to concentrate on cooperation and collaboration, where they feel encouraged to achieve to the best of their abilities looking forward, not over their shoulder.
Nurturing success with dedicated counselors and learning specialists.
In addition to teachers, students have the support of dedicated division counselors and learning specialists who make sure they feel supported and successful while they grow as individuals and learners.
Valuing a sense of emotional comprehension.
We see topics like empathy for one another, and assessing the credibility of information sources—even responsible decision-making—as valuable lessons to becoming lifelong learners.
From our Lower School Morning Meetings and our unique dining experience to the meaningful discussions taking place around inclusivity, mindfulness, and support, students see the impact their emotions have on themselves and the correlation to the impact their actions have on others.
Tables in our classrooms share knowledge and offer inclusivity. Tables in our engineering labs offer a space to solve problems and share ideas.
Our dining tables share one of our most deeply treasured and long-standing traditions.
In the Coleman Family Dining Room, tables promote interaction among diverse groups, as students sit for lunch in a family-style setting at tables with peers from other grades. A student server is responsible for serving the day’s meal and ensuring the younger children are cared for first. Faculty and staff hosts sit at nearly every table to assist in fostering mature conversations and reinforcing manners. When the meal is complete, all share in the responsibility of clearing the table and leaving it ready for the next group.
“Lunch at Country Day is a surprise to most people coming from other
schools.
It’s a great thing to have someone to sit with automatically, and it opens you up to friendships across the whole school, not just your grade.”
Discover a sense of direction through leadership.
How can we instill a sense of leadership and service that students will carry with them after they graduate?
We believe the answer to this question is revealed through the act of student leadership. Our student government consists of our upper school student senate and middle school student council, who work together to improve student-to-student relationships, promote community action, and uphold our commitment to ethical behavior on and off campus.
Open to Making a Lasting Impression.
Care for each other and the world we live in.
“Country Day teaches you that one’s obligation is not just to study hard but to use what you learn to serve the greater community.”
At Country Day, we embrace citizenship as we prioritize teaching care and empathy as integral components of the educational process. These values are ingrained in our most respected school traditions.
When we place value on meaningful engagement and communication with one another, we foster the sense of community that defines us. Students observe how their own actions influence others. Caring becomes inherent for our students when they see the benefits of caring for the community in which they learn.
At Country Day, students can make a lasting mark in our community and have a profound impact on the world.
CITI ZEN SHIP
Everyone participates in caring for our community.
Building a community is an intentional act that starts even before your first day of school, with programs such as our new student and family buddy program. Students learn and grow best when they are connected to those around them, so we intentionally build and foster these relationships on campus every day — from fifth graders clearing lunch plates to seniors partnering with kindergarteners.
Community bonds formed here are unmistakable.
They are visible and audible in every corner of our campus. Faculty, families, and students join together in advisory, during family-style lunches, at little lunch, and during athletic fan dinners to name a few.
Pre-K | 5th-Grade Buddies
Pre-K students are paired with a 5thgrade buddy, forming a special bond, with scheduled time each week for the buddies to connect. Fifth graders can be found helping with carpool, working on special projects at Bart Cottage, and serving as friends and mentors to Pre-K students.
Senior | Kindie
Buddies
Kindergartners are paired with a senior buddy. Throughout the year, they get together for special events or even just to play games. These relationships are very meaningful — to the seniors and their young friends. Sometimes this relationship lasts well past the year-long experience, as seniors love to visit their buddy when they visit after graduation.
We are a community driven by inclusivity.
Our community is strengthened by our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB).
Our youngest students begin to understand diversity as they learn about the uniqueness of each individual. That knowledge base grows in middle and upper school as they further explore literature, languages, and history and are exposed to varying perspectives. All students participate in regular discussions on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.
Sample Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Initiatives
5TH-GRADE DEIB COUNCIL
BLACK STUDENT UNION NO PLACE FOR HATE
You’ll often find unattended backpacks in open breezeways and hallways. This seemingly ordinary act symbolizes the deep trust and strong bonds shared among students and faculty. It’s a visual representation of the character and integrity inherent in our community.
Trust is Central to our Community Dedication to Community Extends Beyond Our Campus
Community service is not an elective for us. It has been part of our core structure since our founding and is embraced by every incoming and outgoing class.
Students and families find joy in providing beyond our campus, gathering to restore our coastal wetlands or preparing hot meals for families in crisis. Innovative recycling initiatives and hands-on work with Habitat for Humanity take place virtually year-round.
Teachers are not just teachers. They are also mentors, advisors, and friends.
Faculty advisors are assigned to middle and upper school students and meet with their advisees weekly to assess personal and academic goals. Advisors guide students in ethical decision-making and regularly communicate with parents about their child’s personal and academic progress.
“Besides the students, the teachers and staff at Country Day are the foundation of this school. There are not many other schools around where students have bonds with the grown ups around them like Country Day does.”
COUNTRY DAY ALUM, CLASS OF 2023
Open doorways, open walkways.
Since our founding, our divisions have been thoughtfully structured to be highly effective systems for how children learn best at each stage of their lives.
Lower School
Where joyful learning begins
Middle School
A place for inventing and reinventing
Upper School
A passage to thoughtful independence
An open invitation to lifelong learning joyfully begins.
“Our Lower School is a dynamic place for instruction focused on individual and creative exploration. Our thoughtful, intentional approach to social-emotional learning fused within a balanced curriculum means our students build a foundation of joyful learning that serves them as they progress through grade levels, divisions, and life.”
MIMI ODEM LOWER SCHOOL PRINCIPAL
We believe to establish a sense of joy in a child’s early years, we must first ground young learners in a sense of belonging, where every teacher and every parent is a welcome and vital member of our community.
We believe in a research-based curriculum designed and taught by experts in how young children learn, with equal parts supportive and challenging.
Through multiage classrooms, diverse enrichment activities, and by maintaining the important connection between learning and play, teachers, peers, and parents help our youngest students develop a strong foundation for success throughout their academic careers.
LOW ER SCH OOL
Why Lower School at Country Day?
MULTIAGE CLASSROOMS
Since 1972. Notably first in our Lower School is the multiage classroom experience, where younger students seek guidance not only from their teachers but also from their older peers. This structure facilitates an environment in which students naturally acquire knowledge about leadership, mentoring, and collaboration.
Learn more about multiage classrooms at Country Day.
PROJECT APPROACH
Starting in Pre-K, students become fully immersed in essential academic skills, which they immediately apply to real-life situations that hold genuine interest and relevance for their daily lives. Learning by doing is the backbone of our Pre-K curriculum.
COMMUNITY AS TRADITION
Common experiences happen when our youngest students share in long-standing traditions as part of their daily routine. Morning meetings and family-style dining in the Coleman Family Dining Room introduce an appreciation for Country Day’s time-honored practices at an early age. Through these gatherings we create more inclusive spaces within our community.
SPECIALS
We offer various enrichment classes that support our goal in educating the whole child. These include traditional subjects like music, art, world languages, and Physical Education instruction. Country Day also prioritizes time in our library and introduces students to environmental science in our Lower School Garden.
PLAY
Both structured and unstructured play are vital to a child’s learning. In addition to the physical benefits of being active in a P.E. class or at recess, students are encouraged to think strategically by developing a “play plan” and for their play time to make the most of it.
INSPIRING A LOVE OF READING
Fundations, a comprehensive word study, spelling, and handwriting program, is the language arts program in our Pre-K through 3rd-grade classrooms. It is a direct and sequential phonics program aligned with the science of reading, which guides teachers to provide effective instructional practices using a multisensory, systematic, and explicit approach.
Our Curriculum
Guided by expert faculty, Lower School helps students establish a strong academic foundation as learners, readers, writers, thinkers, explorers, adventurers, problem-solvers, and troubleshooters. Learn more about our curriculum in our Program of Studies.
An open call to challenge, discover, and reinvent.
Students learn to push themselves in Middle School.
“Middle School at Country Day is an amazing adventure, brimming with the infectious curiosity and excitement of discovery that defines this age. Here, students dive into their interests, take on new responsibilities, and become part of a close-knit community. It’s all about growing, leading, and setting students up for future challenges.”
BECKA CURRY INTERIM MIDDLE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL
We believe the middle school years mark a pivotal juncture in a student’s educational path, where they are encouraged to develop in ways that surpass their own expectations.
Middle School is a commencement of many firsts: the first time students independently change classes; the first time students are trusted to arrive to class punctually; and the first time students can seek representation in student government.
With carefully guided choices, students challenge and celebrate themselves as adolescents before moving to upper school.
MID DLE SCH OOL
Why Middle School at Country Day?
SELF-DISCOVERY AND NEW PURSUITS
It may be taking an honors class, learning to play an instrument, or joining an athletic team. We want students to try things they may not have tried before in a safe and supportive environment. How can a student know if they will be successful in an area unless they feel free to try it?
ESTABLISHING A SAFE SPACE TO BE VULNERABLE
A student’s willingness to challenge themselves is only possible with proper support. Our advisory program helps students balance their workload, plan study time, or approach a teacher for extra help. Advisors are there for parents as well, serving as a liaison between the home, student, and faculty.
REAL-WORLD APPLICATIONS, IN ACTION
Project-based learning opportunities flourish in our middle school curriculum. These types of hands-on learning experiences animate academic lesson plans and cement knowledge through realworld application.
GETTING OUTSIDE
Gaining an appreciation for the outdoors and spending time strengthening bonds with others contributes to both intellectual and social-emotional growth. Challenging students as individuals and in group settings allows them to take risks and face fears, try new things, and build self-confidence. We see an opportunity to reinvent our thinking when deliberately disengaging from our daily routines.
6th Grade: Two days at a state park, enjoying team building, learning camp craft skills, and canoeing.
7th Grade: Three days at The University of Southern Mississippi Gulf Coast Research Lab and Marine Education Center to focus on environmental awareness.
8th Grade: A week-long Grand Canyon experience that includes backpacking, ropes courses, rock climbing, and whitewater rafting.
Our Curriculum
Combined with our robust advisory program and a curriculum of outdoor programs, media literacy, and human development, Middle School at Country Day is a time for kids to blossom as students — intellectually and personally.
6th Grade
ENGLISH
MATHEMATICS (HONORS OPTION)
EARTH SCIENCE
U.S. HISTORY I
FRENCH OR SPANISH
ART
MUSIC (BAND, ORCHESTRA, OR CHORUS)
DRAMA
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
7th Grade
ENGLISH
PRE-ALGEBRA (HONORS OPTION)
LIFE SCIENCE
U.S. HISTORY II
FRENCH (HONORS OPTION) OR SPANISH (HONORS OPTION)
ART
MUSIC (BAND, ORCHESTRA, OR CHORUS)
DRAMA (OPTIONAL)
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
8th Grade
ENGLISH
ALGEBRA I (HONORS OPTION)*
PHYSICAL SCIENCE*
WORLD GEOGRAPHY*
FRENCH (HONORS OPTION) OR SPANISH (HONORS OPTION)*
ART
MUSIC (BAND, ORCHESTRA, OR CHORUS)
DRAMA (OPTIONAL)
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
* Students who take these courses can earn high school credit.
A open passage to thoughtful independence.
Students live out our school’s mission and prepare to enter a bigger world awaiting them.
“Cultivating an engaged community is key to the success of our Upper School. Students learn to build strong relationships with each other and adults on campus, allowing our faculty to challenge students in an academically rigorous but supportive environment. Our students succeed in all facets of life as they learn to be curious, demonstrate citizenship, and have the strength of intellect and character.”
AUGUSTINE WHYTE, UPPER SCHOOL PRINCIPAL
We believe that few moments in a child’s life culminate as vividly as the upper school years. As students approach the apex of their academic independence and contemplate the path ahead, we encourage them to sustain their sense of discovery and further push themselves intellectually, artistically, and athletically.
There are few places like our Upper School, where teachers and students see themselves clearly on the same plane — as learners and as people.
This is where students, guided by advisors, choose rigorous and stimulating courses and class schedules. Students learn to think critically, and prepare to excel in a variety of careers, including developing fields and those that do not yet exist.
UPP ER SCH OOL
Why Upper School at Country Day?
OPTIMIZED SCHEDULES
We have scheduling down to an artful science.
Customizable tracking for Honors and AP options allow students to explore the path best suited for them. Additionally, our research-based seven-day rotating scheduling allows each student’s optimal learning capacity to be achieved across all courses.
1 UPPER SCHOOL LEARNING SPECIALIST
1 UPPER SCHOOL COUNSELOR
2 COLLEGE COUNSELORS
244 UNIQUE SCHEDULES
251 STUDENTS
LEARNING SUPPORT: EVERY STEP OF THE WAY
Learning specialists help students ease the transition from Middle School and communicate openly with teachers as they manage workloads, schedules, and develop study habits that support becoming independent learners and self-advocates.
DEDICATED COUNSELORS
Our counselors take the viewpoint that because no two students are alike, no two futures are alike either. We see each student as a unique individual and assist them in choosing their best path forward. We also have two full-time dedicated college counselors.
LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
Student leadership opportunities are encouraged. That’s why we offer so many ways for students to actively shape their lives — from the Student Senate to the Honor and Discipline Committees to any one of 29 student-led clubs.
2023-2024 Upper School Clubs
INVESTMENT CLUB
ECO CLUB/GREEN CLUB
GLOBAL COMMUNICATIONS
BOOK CLUB
CLIMBING CLUB
MODEL UN/MOCK LEGISLATURE CLUBS
BOWLING CLUB
TIE-DYE CLUB
NEUROSCIENCE CLUB
AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE
RACQUET SPORTS CLUB
STUDENT AMBASSADOR
PING PONG CLUB
BLACK STUDENT UNION
BIBLE CLUB
CULTURE CLUB
PAWS FOR A CAUSE
GENDER AND SEXUAL ALLIANCE
LIFTING CLUB
RACING CLUB
SPORTS CLUB
BIRTHDAY CLUB
SWEET OUTREACH
ROBOTICS
MUSIC FOR HUMANITY
MATH CLUB
INVESTMENT CLUB
FRENCH CLUB
CHESS CLUB
112 STUDENTS TOOK 89% OF AP EXAM SCORES SCORES WERE A 3 OR HIGHER
266 AP EXAMS IN 80% OF UPPER SCHOOL STUDENTS TOOK 1+ HONORS OR AP COURSE
19 DIFFERENT SUBJECTS
90% OF SENIORS TAKE HONORS AND AP COURSES
53% OF FRESHMEN TAKE AT LEAST 1 HONORS COURSE
5 NATIONAL MERIT SEMIFINALISTS IN THE CLASS OF 2025 83% OF JUNIORS TAKE HONORS AND AP COURSES 74% OF SOPHOMORES TAKE AT LEAST 1 HONORS OR AP COURSE
61 AP SCHOLARS IN 2024
Upper School Course Offerings
English
ENGLISH I*, II*, III, IV
AP ENGLISH LITERATURE AND COMPOSITION
AP ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION
TRUE CRIME (SEMESTER ELECTIVE)
PHILOSOPHY (SEMESTER ELECTIVE)
Applied Technology
COMPUTER SCIENCE
PRINCIPLES I, II
AP COMPUTER SCIENCE A
AP COMPUTER SCIENCE PRINCIPLES
Mathematics
ALGEBRA I, II*
GEOMETRY*
PRE-CALCULUS*
CALCULUS*
AP CALCULUS AB
AP CALCULUS BC
AP STATISTICS
STATISTICAL REASONING (SEMESTER ELECTIVE)
MATH MODELING (SEMESTER ELECTIVE)
*Inducates an Honors Option is Available
World Languages
FRENCH I*, II*, III*, IV*, V*
AP FRENCH LANGUAGE
SPANISH I, II*, III*, IV*, V*
AP SPANISH LANGUAGE
Science
BIOLOGY*
CHEMISTRY*
HONORS BIOCHEMISTRY
PHYSICS*
AP BIOLOGY
AP CHEMISTRY
AP PHYSICS
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE*
PSYCHOLOGY
History
WORLD HISTORY*
US HISTORY
CIVICS*
AP ART HISTORY
AP US HISTORY
AP GOVERNMENT
AP MODERN
EUROPEAN HISTORY
WESTERN CIVILIZATION
INTRO TO MICROECONOMICS
INTROTO MACROECONOMICS
Fine Arts Offerings
ADVANCED CHORALE
BAND
DRAMA
ORCHESTRA
HONORS MUSIC
AP MUSIC THEORY
HONORS STUDIO ART
AP STUDIO ART 2D
AP STUDIO ART 3D
CERAMICS*
DRAWING AND PAINTING
METALS*
PHOTOGRAPHY*
WOODWORKING*
Advanced Placement
Art Offerings
AP STUDIO ART 2D
AP STUDIO ART 3D
AP MUSIC THEORY
Interdisciplinary
GLOBAL HUMANITIES
YEARBOOK
VIDEO PRODUCTION
GLOBAL ONLINE ACADEMY
“Country Day prepared me for college through its academic rigor. I didn’t feel the need to change my work habits upon coming to Wake, as the level of effort needed to succeed at Country Day is quite similar to the level of effort needed to succeed at Wake.”
Open to Interpretation. Students interpret and adapt through artistic expression.
“Our students have the freedom to thrive in dedicated, creative spaces under the direction of renowned, practicing artists and musicians.”
KATIE ANTIS ART DEPARTMENT CHAIR
Rendering familiar themes from disparate ideas. Discovering the simple meanings hidden in complex queries. Visual and performing arts are an integral part of academic and student life at Country Day, visual art, music, and drama help students express their interpretation of the world around them.
With over 50 art-related activities available each academic year across all divisions, the arts at Country Day hone creativity, aptitudes for problemsolving, and artistic excellence.
CREA TIVE ARTS
160+
MIDDLE AND UPPER
SCHOOL STUDENTS
PARTICIPATE IN SCHOOL PLAYS EACH YEAR
70%+
UPPER SCHOOL STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN FINE ARTS
1,500
STUDENT WORKS DISPLAYED IN GEORGES ART GALLERY EACH YEAR
Artists Themselves
You can see our students’ artwork on display throughout our campus.
You can see our art faculty practicing their craft throughout our community. Country Day art teachers are, themselves, artists, displaying and performing in local galleries and public venues.
By Division...
LOWER SCHOOL
Multimedia prints —still wet with paint, ink, and fresh imagination — hang above the tables. Inside classrooms like these, our commitment to fostering artistic growth begins.
» Art: Students explore mediums such as drawing, painting, clay, and printmaking.
» Music: All students take music throughout their lower school years, and some will pursue a deeper commitment in chorus, band, or orchestra. In addition,
» Drama: In addition to the annual 3 | 4 play, After School Players is a signature theater program, where plays are written specifically for the cast.
MIDDLE SCHOOL
Infusing the elemental with further development into specialized exploration.
» Art: Students pursue visual art in deeper dimensions through metals, woodworking, ceramics, drawing and painting, and photography.
» Music: Students expand on fundamentals, refining their skills in band, orchestra, percussion ensemble, and chorus.
» Drama: Students are provided another outlet for creative expression and performance.
UPPER SCHOOL
Broadening creative horizons, students advance to their artistic skillsets.
» Advanced Courses: For those seeking a more intensive art experience, we offer courses like Honors Studio Art and AP Studio Art 2D and 3D.
» Music: Encompassing band, orchestra, advanced chorale, and honors music.
» Independent Studies: Several students pursue courses in stage lighting, set design, advanced instrumental music, vocal music, and drama.
We believe in expanding horizons beyond our campus. Student artists and musicians contribute to art exhibits such as Art in Bloom at the New Orleans Museum of Art and annual events like the Souper Bowl Gala, where they help craft ceramic bowls to share with the Salvation Army.
The strength of our arts program is further proven by the recognition we receive. Every year, our musicians and singers are selected to perform at district and state levels, and our artists earn national recognition in the prestigious Scholastic Art and Writing Awards.
An Open Spot on the Team.
Our athletes have one thing in common: on and off the field, they rise to the occasion.
“We are a dynamic school community centered on students, ensuring that their individual and collective pursuits are nurtured and explored. That includes athletic endeavors on the field, on the court, or in the gym.”
MIKE MCGUIRE ATHLETIC DIRECTOR
Through experienced coaching and training, access to top-notch facilities, and a heavy emphasis on leadership, our athletics program serves as an extension of the character-defining lessons that begin within the classroom. It’s why we offer every student in grades 5 to 12 the opportunity to compete on a team.
Our “no-cut” policy makes us unique among New Orleans schools, as it allows student-athletes to be part of one of the 19 varsity sports or 50 junior varsity or middle-school teams. A typical athlete at Country Day is also involved in the arts, extracurricular clubs, and community service.
ATH LET ICS
In 2023-2024...
70%+ OF OUR UPPER SCHOOL STUDENTS TOOK PART IN AT LEAST ONE SPORT.
20
UPPER SCHOOL STUDENTS COMPETED AS THREE-SPORT ATHLETES.
80% OF MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN ATHLETICS
Our athletes value their conduct in competition as much as they value winning.
As a community, we look forward to the familiar clash of long-held rivalries as much as we do the long-standing traditions that make them so energizing.
19 Varsity Sports Offerings
BASEBALL
BOYS’ BASKETBALL
GIRLS’ BASKETBALL
CHEERLEADING
BOYS’ CROSS COUNTRY
GIRLS’ CROSS COUNTRY
FOOTBALL
BOYS’ GOLF
GIRLS’ GOLF
BOYS’ SOCCER
GIRLS’ SOCCER
SOFTBALL
BOYS’ SWIMMING
GIRLS’ SWIMMING
BOYS’ TENNIS
GIRLS’ TENNIS
BOYS’ TRACK & FIELD
GIRLS’ TRACK & FIELD
VOLLEYBALL
Recent Athletic Achievements
2023 VOLLEYBALL STATE CHAMPIONS
(14 TIMES IN PAST 15 YEARS)
2023 VOLLEYBALL DISTRICT CHAMPIONS
2023 BOYS’ CROSS COUNTRY STATE CHAMPIONS
2023 GIRLS’ CROSS COUNTRY RUNNER-UP
CD Graduates Currently Participate in the Following Collegiate Athletic Programs
Football AMHERST
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI
UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN
LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY
RHODES COLLEGE
SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI UNIVERSITY
Baseball
CENTENARY COLLEGE OF LOUISIANA
Girls’ Basketball
PRAIRIE VIEW A&M UNIVERSITY
Volleyball
UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL ARKANSAS
HOWARD UNIVERSITY
UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
OLE MISS
Cross Country, Track & Field
DICKINSON COLLEGE
MILLSAPS COLLEGE
ST. EDWARDS UNIVERSITY
WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIVERSITY
Physical Education Program
Instilling curiosity through movement and valuing an active lifestyle begin with our P.E. program. Spanning our Lower, Middle, and Upper Schools, students discover various activities to help prepare them for interscholastic sports later on.
Come to Country Day!
We invite you to visit our campus and experience our community. Take a guided tour. Attend an Open House. Visit a class. Talk to teachers and students. We’re confident that you’ll feel right at home!
Schedule a Campus Tour
During your campus tour, you’ll have the opportunity to meet students and faculty, see our facilities, explore our campus, and experience the Country Day community for yourself. Schedule your tour by contacting us by email at admissions@mpcds.com or by phone at (504) 849-3110.
Submit Your Application
Tell us more about yourself in your application! Your application helps the Admissions Team get to know you and to see you as part of the Country Day community.
Questions?
Email us at admissions@mpcds.com or by phone at (504) 849-3110.
