5 CMDS
By the
Numbers Miles from FedExForum
9
30
100%
16
Average Years of Faculty Experience
of 6th graders share their personal faith journey and life verse
9
Average Years of Faculty Tenure
Miles from Shelby Farms
Musical productions students will share in over 10 years at CMDS
Average Weekly Hours Spent in Encore Classes
9:1
Student-Teacher Ratio
14
Average Early Childhood Class Size
12
Number of Fast Bikes on EC Playground
16
Average Grade School Class Size
8
PAA sports offered across
3
seasons
1:1
Google Chromebook Program for Upper School
454
Students Enrolled in 2016-17
76
Number of Chapel Programs Held Each Year
25
ZIP Codes
Represented
5,260
Number of Classroom Devotions Held Each Year
1958
Year CMDS Was Founded
AOK@CMDS
Summer@CMDS
AOK@CMDS, our before-school and after-school program, is available before school from 7:30-8 a.m. and after school for full-day students until 6 p.m. Monday-Thursday and until 5:45 p.m. on Fridays. For more information, please contact Amanda Bardos in the AOK office, 901-261-2147 or aok@cmdsmemphis.org.
Summer@CMDS is a summer camp program offered to rising PK through 7th grade students. Both full-day and enrichment camps are offered in week-long options throughout the summer. For more information, please contact Amanda Bardos in the AOK office, 901-261-2147 or aok@cmdsmemphis.org.
Connections
Maxine Moore Music Academy
The Connections Program is designed to reinforce classroom learning and to strengthen a student’s skills in a specific area of weakness. Students work daily in small groups and, at times, individually with a Connections teacher. (An annual fee is charged for participation in Connections.)
MMMA offers lessons in piano, voice, guitar, violin and many other instruments. Many lessons can be scheduled during the school day or right after school. For more information, please contact MMMA Director Rick Forbus at 901-289-0418 or rforbus@cmdsmemphis.org.
KUDZU The Kids Using Diligence and Zeal for Understanding program guides and empowers academically gifted students through purpose-driven, project-based learning experiences that challenge them to develop their unique gifts from God. Students in grades two through six are eligible for the program. (An annual fee is charged for participation in Kudzu.)
Spirits Athletics Our recreational sports program through Christ United Methodist Church offers a wide variety of sports for PK through 6th grade. Sports offered include baseball, basketball, cheerleading, cross country, football, soccer, softball and volleyball. For more information, please contact Christ Church’s Recreation Office at 901-683-6887 or athletics@cumcmemphis.org. Woodland
White Station
Briarcrest ECS
St. Mary’s
CMDS graduates are sought after to attend the most well-respected middle schools in the Memphis area. This graph shows the schools that CMDS graduates have attended cumulatively over the past five years.
Hutchison St. Louis Lausanne St. George’s
St. Dominic
St. Agnes
MUS Other
Art
Discovery Lab
Early Childhood, Lower School, Upper School Art is an essential piece of the CMDS academic experience. Our students attend Art class weekly and use the subject daily through cross-curricular integration, most notably through our STEAM Initiative. We know parents love to see the end result of their child’s art projects, but our focus is more on the process and right-brain development. We challenge our students to learn, experiment, take risks and solve problems, so because of that, engineering principles are used in every Art class. Understanding that there are no wrong answers in Art allows the roof to come off, which gives our students the freedom to try new things and grow as creators.
Early Childhood Our STEAM-influenced Discovery Lab encourages our Early Childhood students to be scientists and engineers. The course includes a rotation of science and nature, engineering and construction and a tinker space where students can explore freely. The curriculum strategically encourages students to ask questions, gather information, form hypotheses, experiment, share and collaborate. Introducing them to the design-thinking process at a young age fosters creative experimentation and a love for science and engineering.
Engineering Lab
Lower and Upper School The E-Lab at CMDS is an Bible interest-driven STEAM learning experience. It incorporates the design-thinking process, which SK, Lower School, Upper School All students, 2K through 6th Grade, participate involves analyzing, designing, developing, implementing and then evaluating a project in daily devotions and weekly chapel. Bible is or challenge. This class stretches our students formally taught starting in SK when students spend the year learning about stories of God’s to revisit and continuously improve their work as a project’s circumstances evolve. Our Upper truth and faithfulness. In Lower and Upper School uses FUSE, a curriculum developed by School, students strategically study God’s Word by completing the Bible in a six-year pe- researchers at Northwestern University. Sturiod. The student’s understanding of the Bible dents participate in a series of online challenges is enriched by sharing plays in Chapel, leading ranging from building a house to designing a roller coaster. Each challenge uses a leveling-up Christmas programs and by acting in Easter Walk-Through presentations. The primary goal model from gaming and is carefully designed to engage students in different STEAM topics and of our Bible program is to experience God’s skill sets. CMDS is thrilled to be the first FUSE love, as well as to learn from His Word. school in our region.
Computer
Early Childhood, Lower School, Upper School Our program integrates technology into the classroom curriculum. We teach a multitude of skills using projects that coincide with each grade level course of study. Our students learn the basics of Internet research early, and build on those basics while working on age-appropriate projects. Coding is an important piece of our technology instruction. We also emphasize proper keyboarding skills. In Computer Lab, students create projects using digital cameras, scanners and a wide variety of software and web-based applications. Whether students are using Google Chromebases in Computer Lab or Chromebooks and iPads in the classroom, technology makes learning fun and engaging at CMDS.
Global Preschool Studies (GPS) Early Childhood GPS gives our Early Childhood students an international perspective of the world. Passport in hand, students “travel” to a new country every six weeks where they are immersed in that nation’s culture. They study the geography, food, art, holidays, basic vocabulary, clothing, music and literature. During their EC years at CMDS, students are exposed to more than 20 countries.
More Encore...
Leadership
Music
Third Grade, Upper School Strong leaders emerge at all stages of life. The earlier kids understand leadership concepts and discover their own leadership strengths, the sooner they can begin making positive differences in the world around them. The goal of Leadership is to recognize leadership qualities in all CMDS students, inspire leadership behavior and enhance communication and collaboration skills. Students practice creative thinking, goal setting, decision-making and problem solving. Students also examine their personal values, interests and talents. They discover how they can use those talents to bring about change and serve others.
Early Childhood, Lower School, Upper School Our music program builds a foundation for students to enjoy and appreciate music. The program – taught by teachers certified in the Orff-Schulwerk technique – consists of exploring music through singing, playing instruments, dancing, clapping and keeping a steady beat. CMDS also has a full set of Orff rhythm and barred instruments. Early Childhood enjoys learning music and using rhythm instruments during their weekly music class. Lower and Upper School students study many genres of music and are introduced to a variety of instruments and composers.
Physical Education Early Childhood, Lower School, Upper School Physical Education and daily recess at CMDS encourage students to maintain an active and healthy lifestyle. Students play a variety of organized sports and games in PE and are taught the importance of sportsmanship. Our PE teachers also teach weekly “healthy habits” that children can independently apply to their daily lives.
Library
Science Lab
Lower and Upper School Our goal is to spark an interest in science and to Early Childhood, Lower School, Upper School encourage students’ abilities to solve problems. A child’s library education begins in our Early In Science Lab, our budding scientists work in Childhood program. Reading aloud to chilgroups of three or four using an investigative, dren makes an impression on them for a lifeapproach to answer various questime as they mature in their listening, thinking hands-on tions. Carolina Biological developed our and reasoning skills. We read a wonderful arcurriculum, which covers life, physical and ray of children’s literature while encouraging a earth/space sciences. study spirals throughlove of reading. In Grade School, students are out a student’s CMDS The career. Along with extaught library, study and research skills. They periments, Science Lab incorporates dissection learn how to select books for pleasure readgrade and beginning with owl pellets in third ing, for school assignments and for exploring graduating to worms in fourth, frogs in fifth and new interests and discovering new worlds. a cow eye in sixth grade. All students also visit our Starlab planetarium four times a year. Math Lab SK, Lower School, Upper School Math Lab rounds out our STEAM Initiative at CMDS. This class has two objectives: enrichment and extension. Math Lab allows students to dive deeper and grasp a better understanding of mathematical concepts. By enriching and extending the curriculum topics taught in the classroom, students learn how to apply math skills to real-world problems and scenarios. From small group projects to dynamic games and puzzles, Math Lab enhances and boosts students’ math skills, while igniting their curiosity and giving them the confidence they need to be successful mathematicians.
Spanish
Lower and Upper School CMDS Spanish is a FLEX (Foreign Language for Exploration) program. All grade levels meet weekly. Students use interactive notebooks to document their learning throughout the year. The notebooks include an emphasis on grammar, vocabulary and writing. Students engage in projects or hands-on activities that allow them to explore the language and culture of Spanish-speaking countries and their people. The goal is for our students to leave CMDS with a well-rounded understanding of the Spanish language: written, oral and expressive.