Welcome to Rye Country Day

Rye Country Day School is a coeducational, college preparatory PreK - Grade 12 school serving students from Westchester and Fairfield Counties and New York City. In an inspiring and supportive community, students embrace challenge, discover passions, learn energetically, and find their voice.

A Message from the Head of School

At RCDS, you will find community. For students, RCDS is the place where they are engaged and supported; where they can take advantage of countless opportunities to learn, team, create, and discover; and where they are encouraged to be true to themselves. For current and past parents, it's the place that welcomes them into the life and energy of the School as partners in the work of raising children. For alumni, it’s the place they return to reunite with a community that feels like home and with teachers whose support and inspiration shaped them. For faculty, staff, and administrators, it’s the place that supports continued learning and growing, and it’s the place in which so many of us have found the deep satisfaction of a career we love.

At Rye Country Day School, we believe that character, knowledge, and skills are the foundation of good citizenship. The School has a strong tradition of excellence in teaching and learning, of knowing and approaching students as individuals, and of instilling a lifelong commitment to our motto Not for Self, but for Service.

Excellence happens at Rye Country Day because of a shared commitment to realizing our individual and collective potential within a diverse and inclusive community. RCDS is an ever-evolving institution unafraid of new challenges and ideas. We learn thoughtfully from the lessons of the past and look eagerly to the possibilities of the future.

Fast Facts

Overview

Founded	1869 by Susan J. Life.
Grades	Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 12. Lower School - Pre-K – Grade 4 Middle School - Grades 5 – 8 Upper School - Grades 9 – 12
Students	Rye Country Day has a diverse and inclusive student body. 930 total students (Lower School - 214; Middle School - 295; Upper School - 421) Coeducational - 52% girls; 48% boys Students come from a 20-mile radius surrounding the School, representing 41 school districts from NY and CT. 36% identify as students of color
Motto	Not for Self, but for Service.
Mission & Core Values	Rye Country Day School is a coeducational, college preparatory school dedicated to providing students from Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 12 with an excellent education using both traditional and innovative approaches. In a nurturing and supportive environment, we offer a challenging program that stimulates individuals to achieve their maximum potential through academic, athletic, creative and social endeavors. We are actively committed to diversity. We expect and promote moral responsibility, and strive to develop strength of character within a respectful school community. Our goal is to foster a lifelong passion for learning, understanding, and service in an ever-changing world. Read more. Core Values R - RESPECT AND RESPONSIBILITY C – COMMITMENT TO PERSONAL & ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE D – DIVERSITY WITHIN AN INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY S – SERVICE
Governance	A 33-member Board of Trustees that includes parents and alumni.
Financials	Annual Operating Budget: $44.4 million 2019-20 Annual Fund: $3.82 million, 88% parent participation Endowment: $61 million 2020-2021 Financial Aid Budget: $6.1 million See schedule of tuition and fees.

Academics & Student Life

Curriculum Guides	Lower School Middle School Upper School
Student Life	RCDS is a place where it is cool to be smart and where opportunities are almost limitless. The dress code is relaxed, but the community's sense of hard work and values is clear. Beyond academics, athletics, arts, and community service at RCDS, there is a remarkable breadth of clubs, trips, and activities that augment the student's experience.
Signature Initiatives	Diversity & Inclusion Educational Technology Global Studies Health and Wellness Public Purpose STEAM Sustainability The RCDS Institute
Average Class Size	Pre-K – Grade 4: 18 students Grade 5: 14 students Grades 6 – 8: 16 students Grades 9 – 12: 15 students
Faculty	8:1 Student-Teacher Ratio 84% hold advanced degrees Professional development grants and sabbaticals total $475,000.
College Counseling & Matriculation	The college counseling team comprises three counselors who provide students with resources and support throughout the college process. Recent Matriculation
After-School Clubs	After-school clubs are offered in the fall, winter, and spring on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 3:15 p.m. – 4:15 p.m. Students who participate in the extended day program may attend clubs and then go to extended day afterwards. Clubs provide a wonderful opportunity to get to know teachers in a different way, to learn something new, and to have fun with friends after school. More.
Extended Day Program	The Extended Day Program runs Monday through Friday until 6 p.m. and is open to Lower School students of dual full-time working parents, single full-time working parents, and faculty members. More.
Dining Information	We partner with FLIK Dining Services to provide healthy, delicious, fresh, and well-balanced meals to our community. The Dining Room features a well-stocked salad bar, a yogurt bar, healthy beverage choices, a sandwich station, and a chef-prepared entrée station. There is also a Lower School Dining Room that features age- and size-appropriate tables, chairs and serving areas. The monthly menu is available under Quicklinks. Hot breakfast is served for free everyday before school to MS and US students. The provided lunch plan is optional, though highly recommended. FLIK is dedicated to working with families. There are many allergy-friendly options, and we are a peanut aware community.

Campus

Location	Rye Country Day is conveniently located at the intersection of I-95 and I-287, 25 miles from Manhattan. The School is one block from the Rye Metro North station. Get Directions »
Hours	Pre-K – Grade 4: 8:15 a.m. - 3:05 p.m. Optional extended day until 5:30 p.m. Grades 5 – 6: 8:05 a.m. - 3:15 p.m. Grades 7 – 8: 8:05 a.m. - 3:20 p.m. Grades 9 – 12: 8:05 a.m. - 2:50 p.m.
Schedule	All three divisions of RCDS operate on a six-day cycle rather than a five-day week. This system of class rotation gives students more time to pursue elective courses, meet with teachers, schedule co-curricular activities, and connect with friends. To see what day of the cycle it is, view the school calendar.
Facilities	The 26-acre campus includes academic buildings; two libraries; administrative buildings; a separate performing arts center with classrooms, music rooms, a dance studio and a 450-seat theater-auditorium; a 23,000-square-foot innovative creative arts center; a 40,000-square-foot athletic center; and four turf fields. Two dining rooms serve lunch every day; the MS/US Dining Room is open for snacks in the morning and afternoon.

Arts

Offerings

RCDS offers classes and programming in dance, drama, music, and visual arts. The Performing Arts Center is always humming with activity, with several performances scheduled throughout the year.

Facilities

The Cohen Center for the Creative Arts, a 23,000-square-foot innovative creative arts center, was built in 2018. This state-of-the-art facility, brings together the disciplines to inspire new ways of thinking, collaborating, and innovating.

The Edward B. Dunn Performing Arts Center is the centerpiece of music, drama, and dance at Rye Country Day School. Built in 1990, the PAC features a 450-seat theater, a dance studio with a sprung floor, separate choral and band practice rooms, and four private music lesson studios.

Each division has a developmentally-appropriate visual arts classroom.

Memorial Hall, which seats 125, was built in 2010 and provides classroom space, as well as a rehearsal and performance facility in a more intimate setting.

View Photos

Athletics

Mascot: The Rye Country Day School Wildcats	Willy the Wildcat is our beloved mascot who cheers on our teams and tweets from the sidelines.
Teams	68 interscholastic teams for Grades 7-12 Varsity competition includes boys’ and girls’ teams in soccer, cross-country, basketball, ice hockey, fencing, squash, tennis, golf, track and field, sailing, and lacrosse, as well as football, field hockey, wrestling, baseball, and softball. Approximately 80% of Upper School students participate in at least one team sport.
Physical Education	Physical Education is required for Lower and Middle School students. In the Upper School, students must play on a team or take P.E.
Facilities	Athletic facilities include four artificial turf fields; the Scott A. Nelson Athletic Center (2000), which houses a two-court gymnasium, four squash courts, four locker rooms, an athletic training facility, a state-of-the-art fitness center and a multipurpose gymnasium that serves as the home for the wrestling and fencing programs; the LaGrange Field House (1972) with its indoor ice rink/tennis courts. View Photos of Facilities
Spring Training	Spring Break athletic training trips are offered for Upper School students. Each year, more than half of the Upper School participates in spring training trips.
June Camps	At the start of every summer, Middle and Upper School athletes have the opportunity to participate in an intensive week of training with Rye Country Day coaches.
College Athletes	Many Rye Country Day athletes have gone on to outstanding collegiate careers. Alumni College Athletes

Admissions, Tuition, and Financial Aid

Applying	Learn about the Admissions Process
Key Entry Points	Pre-K, K, Grade 4, Grade 6, and Grade 9. See typical enrollment chart in Admissions FAQ.
Key Numbers	2019-20 Acceptance Rate: 24% Yield: 76%
Financial Aid	16% of students receive financial aid totaling $6.1 million
Tuition	Tuition ranges from $39,400 in Pre-Kindergarten to $47,900 in the Upper School. View complete schedule of tuition and fees.

Summer

Wildcat Mini-Camp	Open to Rye Country Day Lower and Middle School students, these camps run from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., Monday through Friday, for two weeks after the close of the academic year. More.
June Sports Camps	At the start of every summer, Rye Country Day athletes have the opportunity to participate in an intensive week of training with Rye Country Day coaches. More.
ACTION	ACTION is an academic enrichment program during the month of July at Rye Country Day School for highly motivated public school students entering grades 7, 8, or 9. ACTION seeks to expand the academic and intellectual horizons of bright, motivated, and responsible students from local communities who may not have the resources available to provide such summer programs. More.
Summer Session	This coeducational summer school for students in grades 5 through 12 runs from late June to early August and offers an opportunity to develop areas of special interest, explore new ideas, earn advance credit, or review subjects that need strengthening. Summer Session is open to qualified students from any school. More.

Communications & Publications

The Bulletin	The RCDS Bulletin features on-campus news, athletics updates, faculty profiles, alumni class notes, and other relevant information about what is happening at Rye Country Day. The Bulletin is mailed to all RCDS families and alumni, and it is available on the Publications page.
Excellence Newsletter	The annual Excellence Newsletter features the RCDS matriculation list as well as student accomplishments and awards for the academic year.
E-Communications	The Division Principals send E-Notes to parents every Friday via e-mail. These important messages highlight key events happening throughout each division and include messages from the Parents Association. The faculty rely on e-mail as a primary mode of communicating important information and announcements. In the younger grades, the classroom teachers, as well as the special area teachers, maintain grade-level Haiku pages, where they post curriculum information and newsletters, highlight special events, share student work, and post photos of the students working and enjoying the school day. The Alumni E-Newsletter is e-mailed approximately once a month.
Website and Website Alerts	The RCDS website features an alert system for the calendar and specific sports teams. Visit the calendar or athletic team pages to set up e-mail or text message alerts.
Weather-related and other important announcements	The Head of School uses an automated call and text-message system to alert families of weather-related closures and delays, as well as other critical all-school announcements. These announcements will also be posted on the homepage of the website.
Family Portal	Vital links to report cards, forms, password protected media, and event information are available via the Family Portal. Families receive one username and password that allows them to access information for all of their children during their time enrolled in the School.
Social Media	Rye Country Day is active on several social media sites. Visit us on: Facebook: @ryecountryday Instagram: @ryecountryday Twitter (Academics): @ryecountryday Twitter (Athletics): @willythewildcat

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