The Country Day School

We host a series of Open House events in the fall, winter and spring to give prospective families the opportunity to tour our school and facilities with one of our Student Ambassadors, meet CDS Faculty & Staff, and learn about our academic and extra-curricular offerings. Some Open Houses are held during the day, so families can see the School in action, while others are held in the evening or on the weekend. Choose the time that works best for your family and join us for an Open House in the near future!

This school works with Apple Financial Inc. for processing financial applications
To apply for a bursary at The Country Day School, families are required to complete a Financial Aid for Canadian Students (FACS) application through Apple Financial Services, an independent third party. Apple Financial will review the information and make a recommendation to the School. The School’s Financial Assistance Committee then reviews the recommendation and determines the amount of bursary. Families must apply for a bursary on an annual basis in order to demonstrate continued financial need. In order for a bursary to be renewed, the student must contribute as an active and positive member of the school community. Unfortunately, not all requests for assistance can be accommodated and recommendations by Apple Financial are not a guarantee of a bursary. A family must be prepared to invest in their child’s education to a significant level. Additionally, CDS offers two merit-based entry scholarships for students in Grades 9: the York Scholarship Bursary and the Eberts Entrance Scholarship.

Application

Acceptance

Student Entry Points

What Country Day School says:

• In yet another example of the balance that we strive for here at CDS, members of our Class of 2018 are pursuing a broad range of academic and professional disciplines. The Humanities and Social Sciences lead the way having been selected by 42% of our grads, with the Life and Physical Sciences, including Engineering degrees, following close behind with 30%. Business programs account for 25% of the selected areas, which is a significant increase from 19% last year. Finally, 4% have chosen to pursue either the Performing or Visual Arts.
• For more information, please visit our School Profile: www.cds.on.ca/page/About/Education-With-Balance/School-Profile

Alumni Highlights

• 1500 CDS Alumni worldwide
• Growing CDS Alumni Mentorship Program

Below, find stories and testimonials about The Country Day School.

• Congratulations Cast & Crew of Ahead by a Century!

  In March 2017, CDS student actors and musicians took the stage by storm in four spectacular, sold-out performances of Ahead by a Century, a theatrical experience inspired by the words and music of Gord Downie and The Tragically Hip. The show was the world premiere of an original CDS production, created and written entirely by the cast and directing faculty – a stunning achievement.
  
  The success and reach of this play exceeded everyone’s expectations. News of this production spread like nothing our school has witnessed before. Our promotional video reached people we never dreamed it would, with audience members attending from as far east as Kingston, west as Waterloo and south as Stoney Creek and Pittsburgh.
  
  Gord Downie’s brother, Mike Downie, was among them. Mike, a filmmaker, attended the final dress rehearsal on Thursday, as well as Opening Night. He brought a camera crew with him to film and interview our students about their journey working on this project for a documentary he’s creating on projects inspired by the Secret Path album and graphic novel and steps toward reconciliation.
   
  Mike also brought along his friend Redfeather, a residential school survivor, who came to watch our students perform some of the Chanie Wenjack scenes just for him following the final dress rehearsal. Redfeather was so impressed with what he saw that he returned with his partner to watch the Saturday evening show. When Mr. Garbe introduced him at the conclusion of the performance, the audience rose to their feet to give Redfeather a standing ovation. He spoke to the crowd and urged that “this shouldn’t stop here, it should be produced in other schools.” He (and all of us) hope that this project will continue to educate students throughout Ontario and Canada about this painful part of our history.
   
  This production was a potent reminder of the power of the arts to make a difference in our world and how the theatre can open our hearts and minds to voices that had been silenced by cruelty and indifference.
   
  The current generation is not responsible for creating the destructive system of residential schools, but if we remain idle and uninformed, we become complicit in its legacy. We are so proud that the cast and crew of this production, through their creation of this piece of theatre, declared its determination to not remain silent and instead, to actively set a course to reconciliation and healing.
   
  To Gord and The Hip – thank you for your music and inspiration.
   
  To Chanie and our First Nations brothers and sisters – we love you. We see you. You’re not invisible to us.

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• Student Wins Scholastic Art & Writing Gold Medal Award

  Grade 11 student Victoria McIntyre has a passion for creative writing, journalism and literature. She comes by her desire to pursue a good story honestly as her grandmother was a widely published journalist and has always been a strong female role model for her.
  
  Victoria's writing abilities were recently recognized by the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards’ International Writing Region-at-Large after she submitted 10 pieces in a number of categories, including journalism, poetry, flash fiction and short story. In February, she learned that seven of her 10 pieces had been awarded regional awards, and deemed among the most outstanding work submitted among her peers.
   
  A month later, she received further word that a panel of creative professionals in New York City had awarded her a Scholastic Art & Writing Awards National Gold Medal for her journalism submission - Combatting the Crisis: Poisonous Water on Native Reserves - as well as an invitation to attend the National Ceremony at New York City’s Carnegie Hall on June 8.
   
  These prestigious awards are presented by the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, a non-profit organization whose mission is to identify students with exceptional artistic and literary talent. In being recognized, Victoria has joined the ranks of other celebrated writers who have been teenage recipients of these awards since the program’s inception in 1923, including Joyce Carol Oates, Stephen King and Truman Capote.
   
  Americans in Grades 7-12, as well as international students from English speaking countries or who attend American international schools, may submit works of art and writing for a chance to earn scholarships and have their work exhibited and published. This year, more than 330,000 artistic (visual, film, photography and fashion) and assorted writing pieces were submitted across 29 categories.
   
  Victoria has been submitting writing pieces since Grade 9, and won several regional awards last year. Her older sister has also won regional recognition through the Scholastic Awards program for her artwork and is now pursuing an Arts degree at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). Victoria is considering attending university in the States as well, and believes this honour will help attain that goal.
   
  Watch the attached video to hear why Victoria chose the theme of her journalism piece that won the Scholastic National Gold Medal Award and her reflections on the overall experience.
  
  You can read Victoria's entire piece here. (© Alliance for Young Artists & Writers/Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. Used with permission.)

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• Dynamic Duo Crowned 1st & 2nd in the World

  Our top two debaters, Natalie Ganzhorn ’16 and Olivia Railton ’17 made history on Monday evening, winning 1st and 2nd place in overall scoring at the 28th annual World Individual Debating and Public Speaking Championship in Pittsburgh, PA. This was Natalie’s fourth and final World Championship, having previously traveled to South Africa, Lithuania and Hong Kong, and Olivia’s second.

  Approximately 100 high school students from 10 countries travelled to Shady Side Academy from March 30-April 4 to compete in this unique, global event, including students from Australia, Canada, China, Cyprus, England, Hong Kong, Lithuania, Pakistan, South Africa and the United States. The 14-student Canadian team represented students from other GTA schools, including UTS, Branksome Hall, Havergal, BSS and St. Clement’s.

  “The girls’ performances were absolutely superb,” said their Debating Coach Kerstin Wyndham-West. “Over the years they’ve put in so much time and effort. This year was their crowning achievement.”

  Natalie and Olivia were the only two students to qualify for the finals in all of their four events: Impromptu Speaking, Parliamentary Debating, Interpretive Reading and Persuasive Speaking. Both girls tackled controversial issues for their persuasive speeches: Natalie addressed the topic of female genital mutilation, not just in developing countries, but all over the world, while Olivia spoke about cyber-terrorism. For her reading, Olivia chose a selection from The Day the Voices Stopped about a man who, after 30 years, no longer suffers from schizophrenia. Natalie’s reading was taken from Emma Donoghue’s novel Room.

  Wyndham-West has facilitated the public speaking and debating program at CDS for more than 20 years and has travelled to Worlds with one or two students for the past nine. She is optimistic about the future as her club has grown steadily over the past few years as the older students provide inspirational mentoring to the younger ones.

  Monday’s historic win further demonstrates the power of involvement in extra-curricular clubs. Through their involvement over the past six years, Natalie and Olivia have not only honed their skills as dynamic public speakers, but realized how invaluable it has been in further developing their individual passions: the pursuit of political science and drama for Natalie, and international relations, law and philosophy for Olivia.

   

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• Robotics Team Celebrates Another Great Season

  In April, the CDS Robotics team travelled to Windsor to compete in Canada's largest FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics Competition event. 

  The team had so much fun during the trip, whether it be driving the matches, creating in the pits, watching in the stands, or at the team socials at Kappa Gaming Lounge's escape room and the Adventure Bay Water Park. 

  Despite all of their vigorous efforts, the team did not make the finals at this event. CDS Robotics has learned so much from this trip about building, communication, leadership and problem-solving and is excited to improve for next year's competition!

  Special thanks to the endless support of all of our generous sponsors, to our fearless leaders Mr. Wappel and Ms. Lee, and to Mr. Liggett for traveling all the way to Windsor to cheer us on. 

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• Making CDS Track & Field History

  This was an exceptional year for our Senior Track Team as many PBs (personal bests) were set and the most ever school records were broken in one season.

  The CISAA Championships were held over two days in Oshawa. The results were outstanding as most athletes set new PBs in at least one of their events and six school records were broken. The Junior Girls team placed 2nd overall which is an incredible feat considering there were only five girls on the team!

  From the CISAA Championships, 10 athletes qualified for the Metro  Championships in 16 different events. The top four in each event would then continue on to the Provincial Championships (OFSAA). CDS was very well represented, as each athlete put forth their best effort. David Di Paola (Grade 12) finished his last high school race by running a PB in the 110mH. Alessia Masini (Grade 9) and Alessia Pizzimenti (Grade 10) were so close to qualifying for OFSAA, placing 5th in their events. A total of six records were broken at the Metro Championships by Raelle Falkenberg (Grade 9) in the MG 100m, Wilson O’Neill (Grade 9) in the MB 100mH and 300mH, Alessia Pizzimenti in the JG 3000m, Jane Stanton (Grade 10) in the JG 200m and by the Junior Girls 4x100m relay team of Kendall Langston (Grade 10), Raelle Falkenberg, Jessica Faieilla (Grade 10) and Jane Stanton. Overall, the team had a fantastic two days at Metros!

  After further qualifications were met, on June 3, Jane Stanton and Wilson O’Neill headed to Windsor, Ontario for the OFSAA Track & Field Championships. CDS has a rich history of athletes competing at the OFSAA Championships in a variety of track and field events and athletes have always represented CDS well, as some jumped, ran or threw PBs.

  Competing at OFSAA is an experience of a lifetime, as Jane and Wilson were among the top 24 athletes in Ontario in their events. Jane finished her last race of the season by setting a new PB, placing 12th overall in the 80m hurdles. This is an amazing accomplishment!

  The last track and field athlete to win a medal at the OFSAA Championships was Ruthann Gairdner ’00 in June 2000. Ruthann won the Gold medal in the 400m hurdles and went on to run for RICE University in Texas.

  This year, Wilson O’Neill not only set new PBs and school records, but he did what no other CDS male track athlete has ever accomplished before; he won an OFSAA medal. It was very exciting to watch Wilson blossom into a hurdler at OFSAA as he was able to cruise to the finals in both the sprint and intermediate hurdles.

  Wilson came to OFSAA as an unknown, but left quite an impression on his competitors, other coaches, and even the announcers. He made CDS history as the first male to win not just one but two medals at OFSAA.

  Congratulations to Wilson on placing 3rd in both the 100m hurdles and the 300m hurdles! Wilson should be very proud of the way he stayed humbled and focused while dealing with the pressure of newfound fame. Well done, Wilson!

  We are so proud of each of you - congratulations on another stellar track season. Good luck to David next year as he graduates. We will miss you next year, but wish you all the best at the University of Waterloo.

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• Grade 6s Ponder Mars with Emily Nield '09

  Weather forecasting on Earth isn’t easy, but imagine how difficult it is to determine the weather patterns on a moon far away? This week the Grade 6 classes learned a lot about Titan, one of Saturn’s moons from Emily Nield, CDS Class of 2009. Emily’s interdisciplinary degree in Physics and Geography led her to graduate research in Planetary Science at the University of Tennessee.

  Emily explained to the students that the weather on Titan has similarities to that on Earth, such as wind storms which cause sand dunes. Students were also surprised to learn that NASA’s Cassini spacecraft has sent back data showing that huge lakes the size of Lake Superior exist on Titan. However, these lakes are filled with liquids such as ethanol. Imagine what a hurricane on Titan would be like!

  The timing for Emily’s talk to the Grade 6’s was perfect as the next morning they departed on a four-day day visit to Queen’s University where they will experience firsthand what it’s like to be a student on a university campus.

  As for Emily, her plans are to spend a month back at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California this summer before defending her thesis in Tennessee, and then moving to Baltimore, Maryland where she will pursue a PhD in Physics and Astronomy at Johns Hopkins University. We wish her well!

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• CDS Student Awarded Schulich Leader Scholarship

  The last week of May proved to be one of the pinnacles of Lukas Weese’s CDS career. As the Grade 12 CDS student prepared for his final exams, he not only received news of his selection as one of only 40 recipients of the very prestigious Canadian Schulich Leader Scholarship, but was asked by the Head of School to be Master of Ceremonies for CDS’ biggest fundraiser of the year – the 2014 Auction.
  
  A familiar face throughout the hallways of CDS, Lukas arrived in the Junior School in 2004 joining his big brother RP ’09. Initially on the shy side, Lukas’ confidence has soared at CDS and his booming broadcast voice and comfort level in front of a crowd have served him well both in debating competitions across Canada, as well as on the stage starring in numerous school drama productions. A dedicated student, Lukas will finish his high school career as an Ontario Scholar with Distinction (for having a 90%+ average), as well as being the recipient of the Senior Chemistry Award. He has also enjoyed his role as Commissioner for intramural sports (ball hockey in particular) and dedicated countless volunteer hours to Safehaven, a group home in Aurora for physically and mentally challenged youth.
  
  The Canadian Schulich Leader Scholarships are valued at $60,000 CAD with two awards allotted to each of 20 top universities in the country. The scholarships are designated to undergraduate students pursuing a degree in science, technology, engineering or mathematics. It adds to the luster of his selection that Lukas was picked by the University of Toronto, a Canadian science and technology juggernaut. This relatively new scholarship is already considered one of the top scholarships in Canada. Individuals must possess at least two of three criteria: outstanding community, business or entrepreneurial leadership, academic excellence or financial need.
  
  In September Lukas will be attending the University of Toronto’s Trinity College to study Life Sciences in their Faculty of Arts program. He looks forward to this new adventure, but is now focused on something more immediate. He just landed a job working for Rogers Cable TV this summer doing play-by-play commentary for the local rugby teams and covered his first game this past weekend for the Aurora Barbarians vs. the Oakville Crusaders. If this is any indication of Lukas’ next four years, we better fasten our seatbelts – as I’m sure it’s going to be quite a ride!
  
  Lukas plans to remain in close contact with CDS as a proud new alumnus. We look forward to following his next four years at U of T as a Schulich Leader as we are sure he won’t disappoint!
   

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• Portrait of a CDS Grad

  As members of the Class of 2017 embark on their next adventure this fall, we have put the final touches on another series of video vignettes that offer a glimpse into what it means to be a graduate of The Country Day School.
  
  While we only have the opportunity to interview a handful of our new alumni each year, they each tell a different, yet in some ways similar story. Underlying themes included strong sense of community, caring faculty members, a passion for the arts, and gratitude for and pride in their school.
  
  Olivia Railton (Oxford University) speaks about her passion for music and what it was like to debate on the world stage. Corson Panneton (University of Waterloo) talks about his involvement in drama and computer engineering, and how through his CDS connections he was able to land an internship opportunity that confirmed his decision to study mechanical engineering at university. Ali Iwai (Queen's University) speaks to her experience as a three-term athlete and member of Student Council and what it meant to be selected as recipient of the Al Jackson award. Azeem Ali (York University) shares the pride he felt in being chosen to represent his class as the Valedictorian. Julia Garbe (University of Waterloo) talks about what attending the same school for 14 years was like, her role as President of Student Council this past year, and offers insights into her experience as one of the few girls in Computer Science classes and Robotics Club. And Beau Binnie (University of Ottawa) talks about his involvement and leadership in CDS athletics, his dream of pursuing high-level hockey, and friends made on and off the playing fields. Each one of these students left wonderful lasting impressions on us and articulates the impact CDS had on their own lives as well.
  
  We encourage you to take a moment to watch our Portrait of a CDS Graduate video collection on the CDS YouTube channel: http://bit.ly/portraitofagraduate

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• High-Performance Phys-Ed Program Creates Balance for Top-Level Athletes

  The Country Day School prides itself on teaching its athletes top-level technical skills, with an emphasis on sportsmanship and integrity. With an offering of 57 teams across 21 sports, many CDS students also compete at a more elite-level outside of school. Supporting these athletes as they strive to excel in all areas of their lives is an important part of what CDS does.

  Throughout the School’s history there has been a willingness to customize class schedules specific to the needs of student-athletes to allow them time to compete competitively at a provincial or national level, while still prioritizing their academics. Some of the higher profile graduates to benefit from these accommodations include Elvis Stojko ’91, two-time Canadian Olympic Silver Medalist (1994 and 1998) and three-time World Champion; Michael Cammalleri ’99, left winger for the Calgary Flames; and more recently, Alexandra Paul ’09, member of Canada’s 2014 Olympic figure skating team for Ice Dance; and Adriana Leon ’10, member of the 2012 FIFA U-20 Canadian Women’s World Cup Team and the Canada National Women’s Soccer Team.

  In recent years, CDS has given this individualized scheduling for nationally ranked athletes a name, the High Performance Phys-Ed Program (HPPP). “For those competitive athletes who are training 12 hours or more outside of school each week, CDS offers individualized scheduling accommodations and customized coursework to help balance their busy schedules.” explains Denise Steadman, Head of Physical and Health Education.

  This year there are 10 students enrolled in the program. Three of these students are in Grade 10 and are teammates on the Toronto Jr. Canadiens AAA minor midget team; two are currently ranked in the OHL Minor Midget Draft Top 10.

  Victor Mete is the only CDS veteran of the three and is in his ninth year at the School. A defenseman, he has played at the AAA level for seven seasons and is currently ranked 4^th in the OHL Minor Midget Draft. Last summer, he was invited to participate in the Allstate All-Canadians National Mentorship Camp run by the NHLPA for the top 40 Canadian prospects in his age group. While Victor has played outside hockey since arriving at CDS, he is also homegrown, having played for school teams from Grade 5 until last year, when his outside commitments became too demanding.

  His CDS hockey coach, Mark Burleigh, says Victor is one of the most gifted and respectful athletes he has ever had the privilege of coaching. “While he has been immersed in a high-pressure, high-performance hockey environment for much of his minor hockey career, he fully embraces the philosophies of school sport and the expectations that come with being a student athlete at a school like CDS. Victor is a selfless player with a rare ability to make everyone on the team feel valued. More often than not, he would prefer a great passing play to an end-to-end rush.”

  According to his mother, Mary, Victor has always worked hard to balance his time between school, hockey and social life. “Although his hockey takes up most of his time, he still manages to keep up with his school work and maintain his grades. He realizes the importance of this as you never know what road you will follow with hockey.”

  Through Victor’s extensive GTHL travel to tournaments throughout the U.S. and Europe, he and his parents have befriended players and families from around the world, including two high-level players from south of the border; both new to CDS this year.

  Victor is open to playing for the OHL, USHL or pursuing the NCAA route to a university such as BU, Notre Dame or Michigan. Time will tell. But for now, these 15-year-olds potentially have some exciting decisions to make in the not too distant future.

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• Meet CDS Artist of the Week: Josh Wilson

  Josh Wilson, a Grade 12 student at The Country Day School, is an accomplished musician, poet, actor, and director – a true creative force.  Since his arrival at CDS in JK, Josh has exhibited a shine to theatre and performing on the stage. According to his drama instructor, Ms. Gisa Bevacqua-Tirone, he has either acted or assistant directed in all of the Middle school and Senior School productions for the past six years. 

  This year, Josh was instrumental as a co-creator of CDS’ first-ever original dramatic production,  ) rounded with a sleep ( ( meditations on living ). He also has a lead role in the CDS winter production of The Rimers of Eldritch, scheduled for later this month.

  Last summer, Josh was chosen by Soulpepper Theatre Company to participate in the Mainstage Men summer program where he was able to work with other youth from across the GTA, as well as with professional actors, directors and fight choreographers.

  Josh is also a talented musician and serves as the foundation of the Senior Music Ensemble as the tuba player, an instrument he has played since Grade 5. He also plays guitar and is a part of the rhythm section for the Senior Jazz Band.

  Josh has helped put on the Senior School Coffee House evenings for the past two years and has won awards for his poetry. As part of Student Council and the Social Justice club, his maturity and dedication to his peers is exemplary.  Josh’s passion for the arts is reflected in his ability to write poetry, perform music and theatre, and in his ability to mentor his peers through direction and leadership. It is through the arts, drama in particular, that Josh feels he has developed a high degree of empathy.

  “I’m not sure if art imitates life or life imitates art, but if I had the words to explain what either of those ideas meant, it would be a start,” says Josh who is very happy that the Artist of the Week title has begun to be recognized at CDS. To him, this means that “poetry, visual art, music and drama are still alive and appreciated in this community” and “that is the most exciting, important thing in the world.” In the words of his favourite poet Anis Mojgani, this makes him feel, “Like I am 17 and running in slow motion through a field lit with light … I close my eyes and everything I see floats.”

  Next year, Josh plans to pursue Literature and Philosophy at either Concordia University or the University of King’s College in Halifax and hopes to continue with writing and theatre.

  Below is an excerpt from a poem Josh submitted for the Senior School poetry contest this year entitled Ascension:

  I am a ghost.

  wrought from the rays of the sun, the touch of the moon and the dust of the earth.

  Possessing painted eyes -

  marred by mirrors and veils.

  On a transparent staircase, seeing only my shadow  

  I move with rigidity.

  Stuck somewhere between stepping and staying

  with each crack in my foundation pulling me and my shadows deeper into darkness

  my footprints stain each stair as I pick up the pieces of glass that fall like teardrops.

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