Madison Country Day School

History

The school began classes on September 2, 1997. The school was originally planned for a 46 acre site in the Town of Westport donated by PDQ convenience store founder Sam Jacobsen, with buildings to be designed by Robert A. M. Stern Architects. However, when a conditional use permit was denied by the Dane County Zoning and Natural Resources Committee, the school rented quarters in a former schoolhouse in the town of Martinsville. Twenty-two students enrolled in 1997 for pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, and Grades 1–3. Additional grades were added one at a time. The school later moved to 76 acre of land near Waunakee. A $3 million renovation project in 2001 converted sleeping rooms of the former Yahara Center into classrooms. An upper school was formed when the ninth grade was added in 2003. The first senior class graduated in the spring of 2007. In 2015, a fundraiser began called Spreading Our Wings. The goal was to raise 6.8 million dollars in order to expand the school. The fundraiser was named after the school mascot, the fictional Prairie Hawk.

Curriculum

MCDS is an International Baccalaureate World School and accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States (ISACS) and is a member of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS).

MCDS enrolls students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. The school has three divisions: The lower school covers pre-kindergarten through fourth grade. The middle school contains fifth through eighth, and the high school ninth through twelfth grade.

Athletics

MCDS's athletic teams are known as the Prairie Hawks, and they have been members of the Trailways Conference since 2012.

References

References

1. "Madison Country Day School". Independent Schools Association of the Central States.
2. "School Directory: Madison Country Day School". National Association of Independent Schools.
3. "Madison Country Day School". International Baccalaureate.
4. Phil McDade. "[http://madison.newspaperarchive.com/PdfViewer.aspx?img=171851435&firstvisit=true&src=search&currentResult=7&currentPage=20 Private school strives to build a team]". ''The Wisconsin State Journal'', September 3, 1997.
5. Phil McDade. "[http://www.madison.com/archives/read.php?ref=/madison.com/html/archive_files/wsj/1997/03/25/9703250140.php Town of Westport Site for School Awaits Vote: Private Academy Set on Farm Land]". ''Wisconsin State Journal'', March 25, 1997.
6. Phil McDade. "[http://www.madison.com/archives/read.php?ref=/madison.com/html/archive_files/wsj/1997/02/11/9702110158.php Ideas for Private School in Westport on the Books: Initial Draft Presented to Town's Plan Commission]". ''Wisconsin State Journal'', February 11, 1997.
7. Phil McDade. "[http://www.madison.com/archives/read.php?ref=/madison.com/html/archive_files/wsj/1997/06/04/9706040234.php Madison Country Day School Blocked: County Zoning Committee Votes to Keep Rural Character of Westport Site]". ''Wisconsin State Journal'', June 4, 1997.
8. Jason Shepard. "[http://www.madison.com/archives/read.php?ref=/tct/1997/08/07/9708070339.php Lessons in the Making: Country Day Pushes Quality: Forced to Find New Site, School Makes Pitch to Parents]", ''The Capital Times'', August 7, 1997.
9. Marv Balousek. "[http://www.madison.com/archives/read.php?ref=/madison.com/html/archive_files/wsj/2001/08/05/0108040265.php Country Day Renovation Near End: Project, Which is Planned to End Next Month, Will Create 17 Classrooms from 64 Sleeping Rooms]". ''Wisconsin State Journal'', August 5, 2001.
10. Doug Erickson. "[http://www.madison.com/archives/read.php?ref=/madison.com/html/archive_files/wsj/2003/09/28/0309280105.php New High School For Dane County: Madison Country Day School Grows]". ''Wisconsin State Journal'', September 28, 2003.
11. Anita Clark. "[http://host.madison.com/news/local/article_9e74c66a-87d9-5a63-96a1-51b3f9d3d282.html Diploma Days]". ''Wisconsin State Journal'', May 25, 2007.
12. Semrau, Dennis. (20 October 2011). "Small enrollments with broad ambitions". Wisconsin State Journal.