Country Day School, located in Pinellas County, Florida, is a nationally accredited school with a comprehensive curriculum for pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. The school is on five acres of beautiful property within a safe residential community. The campus includes a large athletic field, substantial green space, an amphitheater, swimming pool, equestrian facility and numerous playgrounds.
Country Day was originally founded in 1974 as Countryside Montessori. The initial objective was to provide a high quality education to preschool age children in a semi-rural setting. The school experienced rapid growth in its early years, and by 1978 many parents were requesting the addition of an elementary school; Country Day Academy was opened to meet that need. Over the next 10 years the school expanded its campus and programs to serve 2 year olds through eighth graders.
In 1999, the administration initiated a five year comprehensive improvement plan to create a world class school. It addressed all aspects of education including curriculum, faculty, campus and facilities. In 2002, Country Day successfully achieved its five year re-accreditation with the Florida Council for Independent Schools and the Florida Kindergarten Council. Additionally, the school received the highest recognition in the Montessori field by becoming the first in Pinellas County and one of only a small number in the country to be fully accredited by the American Montessori Society (AMS).
In 2004, the name of the school was changed from Country Day Montessori to Country Day School to embrace its substantially expanded curriculum. With a Montessori program for pre-kindergarten through the third grade and a gradual transition into a Preparatory curriculum during the fourth through the eighth grades, Country Day offers the academic environment to meet the needs of all its students.