About JCDS:
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Message from the Head of School
“The school our daughter attended last year wasn’t bad — it just doesn’t compare in any way to JCDS. Now she can’t wait to get here in the morning and, when the day ends, raves about her new school until she goes to sleep.” —First year JCDS parent
In recent years, the media has sounded the alarm about the deficiencies of American schools. International test results have consistently ranked U.S. students at or near the bottom in math and science. Reductions in budget, staffing, and programs have not merely become commonplace, they have been accepted as the inevitable consequence of economic recession.
Rationalizing America’s poor academic performance based on economic or sociological factors does nothing to compensate American youth for their loss of a quality education. It is more than a simple loss; this is a tragedy, with far reaching implications for our great country now and in the future.
At Jacksonville Country Day School, our mission of educating children supersedes all other agendas. It is truly our reason for being. This is also a mission of the entire community: parents, grandparents, alumni, faculty, friends, and our Board of Trustees.
Tuition at JCDS covers the full expenses of educating students, but our giving community does so much more. While our teachers provided a first class education for students, all of our faculty and Board and ¾ of our parents enriched that education with contributions to the Annual Fund last year. These gifts funded shade structures at the pool, improved technology in the classroom, and enabled construction of a new playground facility for the pre-primary students. Why did our community contribute so generously? Because the JCDS community believes in doing the best it can for children as it supports the school’s mission.
However, school tuition — not the Annual Fund — is the largest financial commitment at JCDS for many families. This commitment often includes setting priorities, considering alternatives, and making sacrifices. As your family ponders this commitment, please consider that, in addition to the best education available for young children, JCDS offers:
• Superb faculty and staff, an enriched curriculum, and first rate facilities
• Character excellence, which is demonstrated through service learning
• CTP-4 scores in the top of national percentiles
• A multicultural environment
• A leading nation-wide student retention rate of 93%
• Acceptance at the family’s 1st choice middle school.
Thank you for entrusting the education of your children to us. We are grateful for the opportunity to help them strive for excellence in the rich array of learning opportunities at Jacksonville Country Day School.
—Terry Bartow, Head of School
